8

1977

Japanese Title	Translation	Other Titles
araiguma rasukaru	Rascal Raccoon	Rascal, il mio amico orsetto (Italy)

Original Work

Rascal, a Memoir of a Better Era (1963)

Author

Sterling North, 1906-1974 {American}

Editions

Many in print

Story Setting

United States

Story Beginning Date

1917: Sterling meets Rascal

Number of Episodes

52

Production Studio and Broadcasting Network

Nippon Animation (Fuji TV)

Air Dates

January 2 1977 - December 25 1977

Staff

Directors: Eps. 1-29: Endô Seiji, Saitô Hiroshi Eps. 30-52: Koshi Shigeo Character Designer: Endô Seiji Music: Watanabe Takeo Layout: Sakai Shun'ichi Script Writers: Miyazaki Akira, Katô Mei, Ôta Seigo, Satô Kasuke Storyboards: Ikeno Fumio, Okuta Seiji, Mori Hikari, Mikuriya Kyôsuke, Tomino Yoshiyuki, Saitô Hiroshi, Yamazaki Shunji, Tada Akira Animation Directors: Sakurai Michiyo, Endô Seiji, Ogawa Takao Art Directors: Ioka Masahiro Cell Painters: Miyazaki Hayao among others

Voice Actors

Sterling's Mother & Rascal: Nozawa Masako Sterling North: Utsumi Toshihiko Willard North: Yamauchi Masato Theodora North: Matsuo Yoshiko Oscar: Kamata Yûji Alice: Tominaga Miina Slammy: Taki Masaya Conway: Murase Masahiko Sherman: Nagai Ichirô Clarissa: Kyôda Hisako Federico: Mine Eken Carl: Nojima Akio Narrator: Tsuboi Akiko

Theme songs

Opening: rokku ribaa he | "To Locke River" Ending: oide rasukaru | "Here, Rascal" Vocalist: Ôsugi Kumiko Lyrics: Kishida Eriko Music: Watanabe Takeo Arrangement: Matsuyama (?)Masushi

Related Web Pages

Nino's Rascal page

題名 Shift_JIS Title:

あらいぐまラスカル

Sterling North lives a simple life with his father and mother in a rural Wisconsin when one day he discovers a baby raccoon whose mother had just been shot and killed. Some mysterious pull drives him to take the cute little bundle home with him to raise as a pet. He does so, knowing full well the responsibilities associated with such an act, and knowing that one day Rascal, as Sterling named him, would inevitably have to be released back to the wild. Sterling undergoes all the new and interesting experiences associated with owning a less unusual pet, and the two grow inseparable. Sterling is constantly on the look-out lest Rascal run off and get into trouble, or get lost or run away (though Rascal always displays his loyalty by coming back); and though most of the town looks kindly upon him, there's also the everpresent danger presented by the narrow-minded, almost demented neighbor Mr. Samans, who sees only a walking fur coat in the "pet" and wouldn't hesitate to shoot him if given the opportunity. When his father's ranch is destroyed in a storm and the family falls into dire straits, Sterling is forced to move to Milwaukee to live with his sister, and he makes the decision to free Rascal, as much as it pains him, knowing it to be the right thing to do. The animation (though quite bad by today's standards) and the storytelling in this anime both exhibit a simplicity and down-to-earth style which has vanished in anime today, and which is well matched to the simplicity and slow pace of life in the era portrayed. This series is one of the masterpieces of "real life" anime.



The original novel Rascal: or a memoir of a better era was based on the author's experiences as a child. The anime differs on certain points, no doubt, but I can't say which as I haven't read the book.

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