The Bush Baby

Bush Baby, Little Angel of the Grasslands (大草原の小さな天使 ブッシュベイãƒ"ー, Daisougen no Chiisana Tenshi BusshubeibÄ«), shortened as The Bush Baby, is the title of a 1992 anime series consisting of forty 25-minute episodes. It is based on the novel The Bushbabies (1965) by Canadian author William Stevenson.

The series is part of Fuji Television and Nippon Animation's World Masterpiece Theater, which consists of anime TV series adaptations of classic children's books. It has also been broadcast internationally on networks such as Antena 3 (Spain), Italia 1 (Italy), Tele 5 (Germany), ORF1 (Austria), ABS-CBN (Philippines), GMA 7 (Philippines), Quality TeleVision (Philippines), and RTM2 (Malaysia).

Summary

In 1964, a thirteen-year-old British girl named Jackie Rhodes living in Kenya travels the savannah 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 African 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.

Characters

Jacqueline Rhodes (ジャックリーヌ·ローズ, Jakkurīnu Rōzu)

Voiced by: Maya Okamoto

AKA Jackie (ジャッキー, Jakkī), 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.

Murphy (マーフィ, Māfi)

Voiced by: Yuri Shiratori

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.

Andrew Rhodes (アンドルー·ローズ, Andorū Rōzu)

Voiced by: Junichi Kanemaru

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 chameleon named Ben.

Arthur Rhodes (アーサー·ローズ, Āsā Rōzu)

Voiced by: Takaya Hashi

Jackie and Andrew's father. He is the wildlife protection officer patrolling the sanctuary.

Penny Rhodes (ペニー·ローズ, Penī Rōzu)

Voiced by: Kumiko Takizawa

Jackie and Andrew's mother. Her hobbies are drawing and painting.

Kate Addleton (ケイト·アドルトン, Keito Adoruton)

Voiced by: Miyuki Matsushita

Kate is Jackie's best friend and classmate at school.

Laisa Addleton (ライサ·アドルトン, Raisa Adoruton)

Voiced by: Ai Satou

Kate's mother. She owns and runs the coffee farm.

Micky (ミッキー·ãƒ"ル, MikkÄ« Biru)

Voiced by: Youko Matsuoka

Jackie's classmate at school. A mischievous boy who likes to cause trouble for Jackie and Kate.

Tenbo (テンボ·ムルンãƒ", Tenbo Murunbi)

Voiced by: Jūrōta Kosugi

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 harmonica but poor at swimming.

Henry Rutherford (ヘンリー·ラザフォード, Henrī Razafōdo)

Voiced by: Bin Shimada

Henry is Laisa's younger brother and Kate's uncle. He is an engineer from an airline industry.

Hanna Kaufmann (ハンナ·カウフマン, Hanna Kaufuman)

Voiced by: Youko Sasaki

She is the veterinarian.

Professor Crankshaw (クランクショウ博士, Kurankushou-hakushi)

Voiced by: Kenichi Ogata

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.

Hawa (ハワ, Hawa)

Voiced by: Mami Matsui

She is a helper working at the Rhodes' household.

List of episodes

Music

Opening Theme

• "APOLLO": Eps. 01 - 22

  Lyrics and composition by: Shinji Tanimura

  Arrangement by: Yasuo Sakou

  Song by: Yasuhide Sawa

• "A Smile as Prologue" (å¾®ç¬'みでプロローグ, Hohoemi de Purorōgu): Eps. 23 - 40

  Lyrics by: Neko Oikawa

  Composition by: Masayuki Kishi

  Arrangement by: Kazuo Shinoda

  Song by: Satoko Yamano

Ending Theme

• "I'll Turn into a Bird" (鳥になる, Tori ni Naru)

  Lyrics and composition by: Shinji Tanimura

  Arrangement by: Yasuo Sakou

  Song by: Maya Okamoto

External links

• The Bush Baby (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• The Bush Baby at the Internet Movie Database