Little Women II: Jo's Boys

Little Women II: Jo's Boys is a 1993 anime that is part of Nippon Animation's World Masterpiece Theater. It is based on Little Men, though it focuses on Nan and Jo and changes the order of events so that it is different from the book, as well as including six original episodes, and several more only inspired by a line or two.

Episodes

Please note that "based on" can mean anything from "follows the plot word for word" to "has a small scene from this chapter". All chapters are from Little Men.

1. "Welcome to Plumfield" – based on Chapter 7: Naughty Nan
2. "The Brook and the Field Make a Wonderful Classroom" – original
3. "Picking Strawberries in the Dark Forest" – based on Chapter 12: Huckleberries
4. "The Small Box of Promises" – based on Chapter 12: Huckleberries
5. "The Little Violinist" – based on Chapter 1: Nat
6. "Tommy Bangs and Company" – based on Chapter 3: Sunday
7. "I'm Robinson Crusoe" – based on Chapter 4: Stepping-stones
8. "The First Pumpkin Pie" – based on Chapter 5: Patty Pans
9. "The Gift from the Kingdom of Toys" – based on Chapter 4: Stepping-stones
10. "The Grand Battle in Pyjamas" – based on Chapter 1: Nat
11. "The Delinquent from the Streets, Dan" – based on Chapter 6: A Fire-brand
12. "The Storm at Plumfield" – based on Chapter 6: A Fire-brand
13. "Fight! Emil is Angry" – based on Chapter 6: A Fire-brand
14. "Dan and Teddy's Secret" – based on Chapter 6: A Fire-brand
15. "The Buttercup Disturbance" – based on Chapter 6: A Fire-brand
16. "The School is Burning!" – based on Chapter 6: A Fire-brand
17. "Goodbye, Dan!" – based on Chapter 6: A Fire-brand
18. "Mama Has Arrived" – original
19. "Welcome to the Ball" – based on Chapter 9: Daisy's Ball
20. "What Will I Be When I Grow Up?" – based on Chapter 15: In the Willow
21. "Please Strike Father Bhaer" – based on Chapter 4: Stepping-stones
22. "The Letter from Mr Page" – based on Chapter 6: A Fire-brand
23. "The Empty Yard" – based on Chapter 10: Home Again
24. "I Can't Be Honest" – based on Chapter 10: Home Again
25. "Let's Make a Museum" – based on Chapter 11: Uncle Teddy
26. "I'm Not the Thief!" – based on Chapter 14: Damon and Pythias
27. "Fractured Friendships" – based on Chapter 14: Damon and Pythias
28. "The Confession Letter" – based on Chapter 14: Damon and Pythias
29. "We're Not Losing to the Boys!" – based on Chapter 8: Pranks and Plays
30. "Little Wedding Bells" – baseed on Chapter 20: Round the Fire
31. "The Wonderful Use for Five Dollars" – based on Chapter 15: In the Willow, Chapter 17: Composition Day
32. "I Want to Become a Doctor" – based on Chapter 15: In the Willow
33. "Promise to Papa" – based on Chapter 19: John Brooke
34. "The Messenger of the Snowy Night" – based on Chapter 19: John Brooke
35. "In the Snowstorm" – based on Chapter 19: John Brooke
36. "Dan and the Skittish Horse" – based on Chapter 16: Taming the Colt
37. "Premonition of Travel" – original
38. "Everyone's Decisions" – original
39. "Tomboy Jo Rides a Bicycle" – original
40. "Farewell, Plumfield" – original

Characters

Children of Plumfield

• Tommy Bangs
• Ned Barker
• Rob Bhaer
• Teddy Bhaer
• Nathaniel "Nat" Blake
• John "Demi" Brooke
• Margaret "Daisy" Brooke
• George "Stuffy" Cole
• Jack Ford
• Annie "Nan" Harding
• Emil Hoffmann
• Franz Hoffmann
• Daniel "Dan" Kean

Adults of Plumfield

• Fritz Bhaer
• Jo Bhaer
• Asia (cook)
• Silas (hired man)
• Mary Ann (maid)

Other

• Meg Brooke
• John Brooke
• Josie Brooke
• Amy Laurence
• Teddy Laurence
• Mr Page

Differences from the book

• Bess Laurence, Dick Brown, Adolphus "Dolly" Pettingill and Billy Ward are omitted.
• The characters of Mr Page and Mr Hyde are combined into Mr Page.
• The anime ends with Tommy leaving to attend school in Boston and Dan going to South America with Mr Page.
• The whole series is one long flashback by Nan, who is returning to Plumfield ten years later. In the very last scene, she is reunited with Mrs Jo.
• Nan is eleven instead of ten and Dan is fifteen instead of fourteen.
• Instead of cricket, baseball is a common pastime.
• Nan is a more prominent character, and she and Dan have a much closer relationship.

Behind the scenes

• In the episode "Promise to Papa", the relationships between Mrs Jo, Meg, Demi, Daisy and Mr Laurie are explained, with pictures from the preceding anime Little Women.
• In the episode "Farewell, Plumfield", when Dan is packing, a book he opens clearly reveals a spread from Little Men (specifically the part in "Damon and Pythias" where Mr Bhaer asks each person if they stole Tommy's money).
• The "epilogue" in the episode "Farewell, Plumfield" shows briefly what happens to the characters in or by the end of Jo's Boys.

See also

• Little Men