The appeal and reviews of "Laura, Girl of the Prairie": A moving story and the depth of its characters

"Laura, Girl of the Prairie": A moving story about the bond between nature and family

■Overview of the work

Laura: Girl on the Prairie is a 26-episode anime television series that aired on TBS from October 7, 1975 to March 30, 1976. It is based on the novels The Ingalls Family Story by Laura Ingalls Wilder, specifically the Little House in the Big Woods and Little House on the Prairie episodes. The series is set in the 19th century American Midwest and follows the life and growth of a pioneer family. It was directed by Mio Esaki and Masaharu Endo, and produced by Nippon Animation and Tokyo Broadcasting System.

■ Story

This story depicts the lives of pioneers surrounded by the wilderness of North America, and revolves around the daily life and adventures of the Ingalls family. Three sisters, Mary, Laura, and Carrie, live happily with their parents Charles and Caroline. It movingly depicts how the family overcomes difficulties through strong ties and love, even in the harsh natural environment. From episode 14, the family moves from the North to the West, and the challenges of a new environment begin.

■Explanation

Laura Ingalls Wilder was born in Wisconsin, USA, and wrote autobiographical novels depicting her childhood in the 1870s and 1980s. Two of her novels, Little House in the Big Woods and Little House on the Prairie, were particularly well-made into animated series. The original novels were also adapted into the long-running popular American TV drama Little House on the Prairie, which also aired in Japan from July 1975. A notable feature of the animated series is that the Ingalls sisters are younger than in the original. Another highlight is the episode in which the family moves from the North to the West midway through the story.

■Cast

The main cast includes:

• Laura: Kazuko Sugiyama
• Father (Charles): Hideo Nakamura
• Mother (Caroline): Eiko Masuyama
• Mary: Masako Sugaya
• Carrie: Yoneko Matsukane
• Carlos: Toshio Furukawa
• Dr. Tan: Jo Fujimoto
• Maria: Natsumi Shiba
• Edwards: Masaaki Okabe

■ Main staff

The main staff involved in the production are as follows:

• Original story: "The Ingalls Story" by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• Produced by: Koichi Motohashi
• Production management: Mitsuru Takakuwa
• Planning: Shoji Sato, Masaru Tadami
• Music: Akihiko Takashima
• Director: Ezaki Mio, Endo Seiji
• Producers: Junzo Nakajima, Masaru Tadami (TBS), Hiroshi Inoue (TBS)
• Screenplay: Masao Maruyama, Iwao Yamazaki, Narumitsu Taguchi, Futoshi Takahashi, Kunihiko Okazaki
• Character design: Koji Mori
• Animation director: Masashi Endo
• Assistant animation director: Megumi Mizuta
• Art director: Masahiro Ioka
• Assistant Art Director: Toshikazu Yamaguchi
• Director of photography: Keiichi Kuroki
• Recording Director: Morio Kobayashi
• Color designation: Akiko Koyama
• Video check: (not listed)
• Illustrations: Shigeru Aoki, Studio Look, Kazuko Hirose, Takeshi Tamazawa and others
• Finish: (not specified)
• Background: Sun Art Atelier 69
• Photography: Tetsuro Kumase, Toru Ogihara
• Effects: Ishida Sound
• Recording studio: Tohokushinsha
• Photo lab: Tokyo Photo lab
• Edited by Hajime Okayasu
• Storyboard: Masashi Endo
• Director: Mio Esaki
• Assistant Directors: Takeyuki Kanda, Mitsuo Kobayashi
• Production desk: Akira Negoro
• Produced by Nippon Animation, Tokyo Broadcasting System

■ Main Characters

The main characters are:

• Laura: The second daughter. A lively girl with a strong sense of curiosity.
• Mary: The eldest daughter. Quiet but reliable.
• Carrie: The third daughter. Still like a baby.
• Charles: Father. Brave, wise, and dependable. A good father.
• Caroline: Mother. She's a good cook and is kind, but can be strict at times.
• Jack: A bulldog guard dog. There is an episode where he goes missing for a while.

■Subtitle

The subtitles of each episode are as follows:

1. Little House in the Big Woods (1975/10/07)
2. The Wolf Cub Has Arrived (1975/10/14)
3. Everyone's Treasure (1975/10/21)
4. Boy in a Covered Carriage (1975/10/28)
5. A New House Beyond the Forest (1975/11/04)
6. A baby bear at a waterfall (11/11/1975)
7. The Cowboy I Love (1975/11/18)
8. The Fawn is Calling (1975/11/25)
9. Bullets Made by Dad (1975/12/02)
10. Bearded Customer (1975/12/09)
11. Lost Migratory Bird (1975/12/16)
12. Where's Santa Claus? (1975/12/23)
13. Dad disappeared in the snowstorm (1975/12/30)
14. Departure for the Prairie (1976/01/06)
15. Great Adventure! Crossing the Frozen Lake (1976/01/13)
16. Jack the Lost Dog (1976/01/20)
17. Dear dog Jack, please come back soon! (1976/01/27)
18. Cute Animals of the Prairie (1976/02/03)
19. Hurry and build a new house! (1976/02/10)
20. A pack of wolves surrounds the house (1976/02/17)
21. A new house built with Dad (1976/02/24)
22. A cute calf has arrived! (1976/03/02)
23. Digging a well at the risk of one's life (1976/03/09)
24. Something terrible has happened! (1976/03/16)
25. My House is Burning (1976/03/23)
26. Wheat! Grow ripe! (1976/03/30)

■ Theme songs and music

The opening and ending themes are as follows:

• Opening theme "Laura, the Girl of the Grasslands"
• Lyricist: Tokiko Iwatani
• Composer: Makoto Kawaguchi
• Vocals: Kumiko Osugi, Coral Echo
• Ending theme "Laura's Lullaby"
• Lyricist: Tokiko Iwatani
• Composer: Makoto Kawaguchi
• Vocals: Kumiko Osugi

■ Evaluation and impressions

"Laura" is a moving work that depicts the ties of family and the beauty of nature. In particular, the Ingalls family's struggles and the growth of the children are carefully depicted, deeply moving viewers. The animated version was praised for faithfully recreating the atmosphere of the original while also striving for visual beauty. The character designs and background art were also of high quality, and the series was well received by viewers at the time.

■ Recommendation points

Here are some reasons why I recommend this film:

• Family ties: The bond and love of the Ingalls family is depicted, making you realize the importance of family.
• Beautiful nature: The North American wilderness is beautifully depicted, making it a visual treat.
• A coming-of-age story: The growth of Laura and Mary is carefully depicted, and the world seen from the children's perspective is moving.
• Historical background: You'll learn about life on the American frontier in the 19th century, satisfying your historical interest.

■ Related works

Laura is based on the Ingalls Family Story series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The series is made up of nine books and includes the following stories:

• "Little House in the Big Forest"
• "Little House on the Prairie"
• "The House on the Banks of Plum Creek"
• "House on the Shore of Silver Lake"
• "Long Winter"
• "Big House in a Small Town"
• "The House of the Future"
• "House in the Golden Valley"
• The First Quarter Century

In addition, a TV drama based on this original novel, "Little House on the Prairie," was produced in the United States and was also broadcast in Japan. This drama consists of 204 episodes over 9 seasons and has received high praise around the world.

■How to watch

"Lola, Girl of the Prairie" is now available on DVD and Blu-ray. It is also available on some video streaming services. The original novel has also been translated into Japanese, so if you're interested, be sure to read it.

Conclusion

"Laura" is a touching work that depicts the ties of family and the beauty of nature. Viewers can learn a lot from the life and growth of the Ingalls family. The animation is of high quality, and the visual enjoyment is also very satisfying. Please give it a watch.