The Bush Baby
Encyclopedia
, shortened as The Bush Baby, is the title of a 1992 anime
series consisting of 40, 25-minute episodes. It is based on the novel, The Bushbabies
(1965), by Canadian
author William Stevenson
.
The series is part of Fuji Television
& Nippon Animation
's World Masterpiece Theater
which consists of TV anime series adaptations of classic children's books.
in the area of Mount Kilimanjaro
, Kenya
, where her father is an Animal Protection/ Wildlife Officer
. Jackie finds an ill animal called a Bushbaby, whereupon she adopts him, calls him Murphy, and nurses him back to health. Murphy, Jackie, her family and their friends go on many adventures involving wild animals, poachers and more. When her father loses his job, the family prepares to return to England
where they came from. At Mombasa
, right before they are about to leave, Jackie realizes that she has lost the papers for her pet bushbaby, Murphy. She leaves the ship heading for England and it sets sail without her. Luckily, she meets Tenbo, her father's loyal Africa
n assistant. Tenbo has been spying on the export warehouse of some poachers
and is now being pursued by them. In addition, a manhunt for Tenbo has begun because people think he has kidnapped Jackie. They must cross the dangerous savannah to escape the poachers and police officers chasing them. Along the way, Jackie teaches the now domesticated Murphy to survive in the wild, so that, before she leaves, she can release him in his natural habitat.
Ending Theme
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series consisting of 40, 25-minute episodes. It is based on the novel, The Bushbabies
The Bushbabies
The Bushbabies is a children's novel by Canadian author William Stevenson published in 1965. The book was inspired by Stevenson's own life in Kenya, where his daughter Jackie, to whom the book is dedicated, kept a bushbaby named Kamau as a pet...
(1965), by Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
author William Stevenson
William Stevenson (Canadian writer)
William Stevenson is a British-born Canadian author and journalist.His 1976 book A Man Called Intrepid was about William Stephenson and was a best-seller...
.
The series is part of Fuji Television
Fuji Television
is a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....
& Nippon Animation
Nippon Animation
is a Japanese animation studio. The company is headquartered in Tokyo, with chief offices in the Ginza district of Chūō and production facilities in Tama City....
's World Masterpiece Theater
World Masterpiece Theater
is a Japanese TV anime staple that showcased an animated version of a different classical book or story each year on 7:30p.m. on Sunday. It originally aired from 1969 to 1997 then resumed in 2007....
which consists of TV anime series adaptations of classic children's books.
Summary
In 1964, a thirteen year-old British girl named Jackie Rhodes living in Kenya travels the savannahSavannah
Savannah or savanna is a type of grassland.It can also mean:-People:* Savannah King, a Canadian freestyle swimmer* Savannah Outen, a singer who gained popularity on You Tube...
in the area of Mount Kilimanjaro
Mount Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro, with its three volcanic cones, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira, is a dormant volcano in Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania and the highest mountain in Africa at above sea level .-Geology:...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, where her father is an Animal Protection/ Wildlife Officer
Game warden
A game warden is an employee who has the role of protecting wildlife. Game wardens may also be referred to as conservation officers or wildlife officers...
. Jackie finds an ill animal called a Bushbaby, whereupon she adopts him, calls him Murphy, and nurses him back to health. Murphy, Jackie, her family and their friends go on many adventures involving wild animals, poachers and more. When her father loses his job, the family prepares to return to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
where they came from. At Mombasa
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
, right before they are about to leave, Jackie realizes that she has lost the papers for her pet bushbaby, Murphy. She leaves the ship heading for England and it sets sail without her. Luckily, she meets Tenbo, her father's loyal Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n assistant. Tenbo has been spying on the export warehouse of some poachers
Poaching
Poaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws. Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.It may be illegal and in...
and is now being pursued by them. In addition, a manhunt for Tenbo has begun because people think he has kidnapped Jackie. They must cross the dangerous savannah to escape the poachers and police officers chasing them. Along the way, Jackie teaches the now domesticated Murphy to survive in the wild, so that, before she leaves, she can release him in his natural habitat.
Characters
- AKA , is the main character of the series. She is a 13-year-old British girl who has been fascinated by Africa since childhood. She is energetic, tomboyish and has a strong sense of justice influenced by her father in protecting African wildlife. She often goes on adventures with her pet bushbaby, Murphy. She is good at horseback riding.
- A young bushbaby Jackie raises to be her pet. He ran away when his home was disturbed and got injured by a vehicle Arthur was driving. He is brought home and nursed back to health by Jackie. He becomes hyperactive and impish as he grows up. He likes mint candy but easily get intoxicated like a drunk and fall asleep. Jackie takes advantage of this and uses it as bait to calm him down.
- Jackie's older brother. Like his father, he dreams of becoming a wildlife protection officer, but is also interested in becoming a veterinarian after he meets Hanna. He has a pet chameleonChameleonChameleons are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of lizards. They are distinguished by their parrot-like zygodactylous feet, their separately mobile and stereoscopic eyes, their very long, highly modified, and rapidly extrudable tongues, their swaying gait, the possession by many of a...
named Ben.
- Jackie and Andrew's father. He is the wildlife protection officer patrolling the sanctuary.
- Jackie and Andrew's mother. Her hobbies are drawing and painting.
- Kate is Jackie's best friend and classmate at school.
- Kate's mother. She owns and runs the coffee farm.
- Jackie's classmate at school. A mischievous boy who likes to cause trouble for Jackie and Kate.
- Arthur's assistant in protecting the wildlife sanctuary and Jackie's friend. An ex-soldier and brave warrior from a Camba tribe. He is good at playing the harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
but poor at swimming.
- Henry is Laisa's younger brother and Kate's uncle. He is an engineer from an airline industry.
- She is the veterinarian.
- He is an archaeologist living in Kenya for more than 30 years. He travels all around Africa to find and excavate ruins of lost civilizations. He flies around these sites using his airplane, which he nicknamed Mother Goose.
- She is a helper working at the Rhodes' household.
List of episodes
| # | Episode Title | Original Air Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Music
Opening Theme- "APOLLO": Eps. 01 - 22
- Lyrics and composition by: Shinji Tanimura
- Arrangement by: Yasuo Sakou
- Song by: Yasuhide Sawa
- Eps. 23 - 40
-
- Lyrics by: Neko Oikawa
- Composition by: Masayuki Kishi
- Arrangement by: Kazuo Shinoda
- Song by: Satoko Yamano
-
Ending Theme
-
- Lyrics and composition by: Shinji Tanimura
- Arrangement by: Yasuo Sakou
- Song by: Maya OkamotoMaya Okamotois a Japanese voice actress.-Notable voice roles:*Maya Jingu in Burn Up W and Excess*Mio in Grander Musashi*Reiko Hosokawa in Idol Defense Force Hummingbird*Harumi Nakagawa in Irresponsible Captain Tylor*Diana in Lupin III: The Pursuit of Harimao's Treasure...
External links
- The Bush Baby at Animenfo