# Little Lulu and Her Little Friends

Little Lulu and Her Little Friends (リトル・ルルとちっちゃい仲間, Ritoru Ruru to Chitchai Nakama) is a Japanese anime television series produced by Nippon Animation, based on Little Lulu comic by US cartoonist Marjorie Henderson Buell (Marge). The series was animated and directed by Fumio Kurokawa.

## Plot

The series follows the everyday adventures of Little Lulu, Tubby, and the rest of their friends. The most prominent themes derived from the comics include the boys vs. girls rivalry, Tubby's clubhouse, and mishaps with the troublemaking Westside Gang.

## Cast

* Lulu: Eiko Masuyama (episodes 1–3), Minori Matsushima (episodes 4-26)
* Tubby: Keiko Yamamoto
* Wilbur: Noriko Ohara
* Iggy: Yoneko Matsukane
* Annie: Junko Hori
* Alvin: Sachiko Chijimatsu
* Martha: Noriko Ohara
* George: Masayuki Katō
* Putchy: Hiroshi Masuoka
* Floory: Mahito Tsujimura
* Willie: Yuko Mita

## International broadcasting

The TV series was produced by Nippon Animation, and aired on ABC and NET from October 3, 1976, to April 3, 1977, in Japan. Their opening theme "Homonymous" and ending theme "I'm Lulu!" were written by Miko Kayama, composed by Nobuyoshi Koshibe, and performed by Mitsuko Horie. Little Lulu was also dubbed in Italian, German, Hebrew, Arabic, Spanish, and Brazilian Portuguese.

### English versions

An English dub of the anime was made by ZIV International in 1978, and Mark Mercury composed the opening score, while the opening and credits sequence consisted of scenes taken from episodes. The on-screen English title for the series was simply Little Lulu, while its VHS releases were titled The Adventures of Little Lulu and Tubby in the United States, and The Adventures of Little Lulu in the UK.
In 1985, Harmony Gold produced another English dub, changing the voice cast, the opening sequence was kept and the ending sequence was changed, but the Mercury composition was intact.

### Italian versions

Two dubs were produced in Italy, the first one was in 1981. This dub is currently lost. In this same year, Heritage Cinematografica produced a film for Italian cinemas that used several of the episodes of the television program, in addition to replacing the music of Mercury, and the opening and ending theme was changed to one composed of Cesare Regazzoni and Massimo Chiodi. In 2010 EMI Film released the film on DVD. The second dub was done by SD Cinematografica in 1995, using the Mercury soundtrack.

### Spanish versions

In 1972, the Chilean musician Juan Guillermo Aguirre known as Memo Aguirre (and Capitán Nemo) emigrated to United States, settling in San Francisco and dedicating himself to being a singer in bars and discos. Later he was given a job at the Sound Connections Studios company and dedicated himself to the interpretation of musical themes in Spanish from various cartoons from the 70s and 80s, being credited as "Superbanda" (Superband). These included Little Lulu and Her Little Friends, replacing the Mercury theme.

## Episodes

| Ep# | Translated title/Dub title | Japanese airdate |
| 1 | "Little Angel" / "Angel Chibikko" Transliteration: "Chibikko Tenshi" (Japanese: ちびっこ天使) | October 3, 1976 (1976-10-03) |
| Hoping to become an angel, Lulu tries to help those in need, including Tubby, Alvin, Iggy, Annie, Wilbur and Snobbly. Most of her efforts, however, have not worked at all. |||
| 2 | "Operation Babysitter" / "Sitting in a Large Noisy" Transliteration: "Dai Sawagi no Oru su ban" (Japanese: 大さわぎのおるすばん) | October 10, 1976 (1976-10-10) |
| Lulu has been assigned to babysit Tubby, much to his protest. Tubby and Lulu exchange pranks by scaring each other, until Tubby's gang get the better of them. |||
| 3 | "Good Luck Guard" / "Ganbare Show Great Numbers" Transliteration: "Ganbare Mihari ban" (Japanese: がんばれ見はり番) | October 17, 1976 (1976-10-17) |
| Lulu is appointed to guard Tubby's club house, but sends them false alarms. She then smashes up the club house after they broke a promise they made to her. |||
| 4 | "The Endurance Test" / "Hungry Race" Transliteration: "Harapeko Rēsu" (Japanese: 腹ぺこレース) | October 24, 1976 (1976-10-24) |
| Lulu and her friends are taking part in a Survival Course for their camping trip, which Tubby is not confident to try, so he makes some secret food stashes. Lulu thwarts his attempts, but Tubby wins the Course fair and square. |||
| 5 | "Save the Prisoners" / "Salvage a Prisoner" Transliteration: "Horyo o Sukuidase" (Japanese: 捕虜をすくいだせ) | October 31, 1976 (1976-10-31) |
| The West Side Boys capture Tubby and eventually all of his gang, while Lulu's efforts to release them do not work. She is able to keep the West Side Boys busy with her rollerskating antics, as Tubby and the gang make their hasty exit. |||
| 6 | "Little Fireman" / "Lulu Riding a Fire Truck" Transliteration: "Shōbōsha ni Notta Ruru" (Japanese: 消防車に乗ったルル) | November 7, 1976 (1976-11-07) |
| Lulu tries to impress the boys by forming her own fire brigade, but their efforts are pretty counter-productive. Tubby tricks Lulu into getting stranded in a tree, which becomes her ticket to riding the fire engine. |||
| 7 | / "The Winner of the Race Kid" Transliteration: "Chibi-kko Rēsu no Yūshō-sha" (Japanese: ちびっ子レースの優勝者) | November 14, 1976 (1976-11-14) |
| 8 | "The Treasure Hunt" / "Looking for Pirate Treasure" Transliteration: "Kaizoku no Takara Sagashi" (Japanese: 海賊の宝さがし) | November 21, 1976 (1976-11-21) |
| 9 | / "Discord Ceases" Transliteration: "Nakatagai wa Yamero" (Japanese: 仲たがいはやめろ) | November 28, 1976 (1976-11-28) |
| 10 | / "It Troubled Human Doll" Transliteration: "Hito Sawagasena Ningyō" (Japanese: 人さわがせな人形) | December 5, 1976 (1976-12-05) |
| 11 | / "Tsuraiyo Smiling Face" Transliteration: "Nikoniko Kao wa Tsurai yo" (Japanese: にこにこ顔はつらいよ) | December 12, 1976 (1976-12-12) |
| 12 | / "Get Rid of the Butler!" Transliteration: "Shitsuji o Oidase!" (Japanese: 執事を追い出せ!) | December 19, 1976 (1976-12-19) |
| 13 | / "Beautiful Woman Spy" Transliteration: "Utsukushī On'na Supai" (Japanese: 美しい女スパイ) | December 26, 1976 (1976-12-26) |
| 14 | "Looking for Rabbits" / "Funny Rabbit Hunting" Transliteration: "Hen'na Usagi Kari" (Japanese: へんなうさぎ狩り) | January 9, 1977 (1977-01-09) |
| 15 | / "Follow the Mud Cake!" Transliteration: "Doro no Kēki o Oe!" (Japanese: 泥のケーキを追え!) | January 16, 1977 (1977-01-16) |
| 16 | / "Girls are Most Welcome" Transliteration: "On'nanoko wa Dai Kangei" (Japanese: 女の子は大歓迎) | January 23, 1977 (1977-01-23) |
| 17 | / "Tree Fell Ill" Transliteration: "Ki ga Byōki ni Na~tsu Chatta" (Japanese: 木が病気になっちゃった) | January 30, 1977 (1977-01-30) |
| 18 | / "Chase a Snack" Transliteration: "O Yatsu o Oikakero" (Japanese: おやつを追いかけろ) | February 6, 1977 (1977-02-06) |
| 19 | / "From School Today" Transliteration: "Kyō Kara Gakkō" (Japanese: きょうから学校) | February 13, 1977 (1977-02-13) |
| 20 | / "War Paint" Transliteration: "Penki Sensō" (Japanese: ペンキ戦争) | February 20, 1977 (1977-02-20) |
| 21 | / "Kowaseru the Violin" Transliteration: "Baiorin o Kowase" (Japanese: バイオリンをこわせ) | February 27, 1977 (1977-02-27) |
| 22 | / "Party Beasts" Transliteration: "Mōjū Pāti" (Japanese: 猛獣パーティ) | March 6, 1977 (1977-03-06) |
| 23 | / "Starting to Travel Mars!" Transliteration: "Kasei Ryokō e Shuppatsu!" (Japanese: 火星旅行へ出発!) | March 13, 1977 (1977-03-13) |
| 24 | / "Sat Digging Competition" Transliteration: "Tsuchi Hori Kyōsō" (Japanese: 土ほり競争) | March 20, 1977 (1977-03-20) |
| 25 | / "Large Noisy Turkey" Transliteration: "Shichimenchō de Dai Sawagi" (Japanese: 七面鳥で大さわぎ) | March 27, 1977 (1977-03-27) |
| 26 | / "Mom's Birthday" Transliteration: "Mama no Tanjōbi" (Japanese: ママの誕生日) | April 3, 1977 (1977-04-03) |