Barbapapa's World Travels: A fascinating adventure and educational value review

Barbapapa Around the World - A Journey of Love and Adventure

"Barbapapa: Around the World," broadcast on NHK Educational TV (now E-Tele) in the summer of 1999, brought a story of love and adventure to children. Based on a picture book series by French author Annette Chison and animated by Studio Pierrot, the short five-minute episodes tell the heartwarming story of the Barbapapa family while introducing the nature and culture of various parts of the world.

Overview

"Barbapapa Around the World" was broadcast from July 5 to October 1, 1999, Monday to Friday from 4:50 to 4:55 p.m. This series, which consists of 50 episodes, visits a different region in each episode, introducing the flora, fauna and culture of that region, and conveys the importance of love and friendship through the interactions with the people and animals that the Barbapapa family meets.

Cast and crew

The voice cast included Chafurin as Barbapapa, Keiko Pan as Mama, Motoko Kumai as Bravo, Yoko Matsuoka as Zoo, and Chiyako Shibahara as Moja. The director was Seitaro Hara, with Yutaka Kagawa, Hideo Kawachi, Michishiro Yamada, and Masaaki Kumagai as directors, and Hideo Kawachi and Michishiro Yamada as animation directors. Yuji Ikeda was the art director, and Toru Nakano was the sound director.

The appeal of the episode

Each episode not only introduces the nature and culture of different parts of the world, but also depicts the importance of love and friendship through the Barbapapa family's interactions with the people and animals they meet in each place. For example, the first episode, "Hometown: Ranch," depicts the time the Barbapapa family spends on their home ranch, while the fourth episode, "New Guinea: Bird of Paradise," introduces the beautiful nature of New Guinea and the ecology of the Bird of Paradise, and tells the story of how the Barbapapa family becomes friends with the Bird of Paradise.

In addition, episode 11, "Australia: Kangaroos," depicts the Barbapapa family meeting Australian kangaroos and learning about their ecology and life, while episode 24, "China: Pandas," depicts the Barbapapa family meeting Chinese pandas and participating in conservation efforts. Through these episodes, viewers will not only learn about the diverse nature and cultures of the world, but will also be touched by the story of love and friendship of the Barbapapa family.

Background and significance of the production

"Barbapapa: Around the World" aims to deliver the message of love and friendship from the original picture book series to as many children as possible by expressing it in the new medium of television animation. Thanks to the careful animation production by Studio Pierrot and the skillful direction of Director Seitaro Hara, each episode is short but deeply moving.

The show not only introduces children to the world's nature and cultures, but also has educational value in conveying the importance of environmental protection and animal welfare. Through the Barbapapa family's interactions with the people and animals they encounter in each region, viewers can learn about natural and cultural diversity and understand the importance of protecting the global environment.

Viewers' reactions

"Barbapapa Around the World" has been loved by many children since it was first broadcast, and has had high viewer ratings. In particular, the nature and cultures of the world introduced in each episode stimulated children's curiosity and increased their desire to learn. In addition, the story of love and friendship between the Barbapapa family warmed the hearts of viewers and made them realize the importance of bonds between family and friends.

Even after the series ended, it was released on DVD and video and continued to be watched in many homes. Furthermore, with the spread of the Internet, it became available on YouTube and streaming services, making it a work that is loved by a new generation of children.

Recommendations and ratings

"Barbapapa Around the World" is not only a story of love and friendship for children, but also an educational work that introduces the nature and culture of the world and conveys the importance of environmental protection and animal welfare. Each episode is short but deeply moving, and is a story that will warm the hearts of viewers.

Here are some reasons why I recommend this film:

• A heartwarming story about love and friendship
• Educational content introducing the world's nature and culture
• A message conveying the importance of environmental protection and animal welfare
• Carefully produced animation by Studio Pierrot
• Skillful direction by director Seitaro Hara

"Barbapapa Around the World" is a film that can be enjoyed by both children and adults, and by watching it with the whole family, you can reaffirm the value of love and friendship and learn the importance of protecting the global environment. Please watch this film and enjoy the adventure and love of the Barbapapa family.

More Information

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

Picture books

■ Broadcast period

July 5, 1999 - October 1, 1999 Monday - Friday 16:50 - 16:55

■Broadcasting station

・Broadcasting/NHK Educational NHK Educational TV

■Frequencies

5 mins

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 50

■Original Story

Original story by Annette Chison

■ Director

Director: Seitaro Hara

■ Production

・Animation Production: Studio Pierrot