The anime was directed by Seiji Endō and Mitsuo Ezaki, with Masao Maruyama serving as the writer. Syndication started from October 7, 1975 to March 30, 1976 on TBS-affiliated stations. A total of 26 episodes were produced, each around thirty minutes.
Six-year-old Laura Ingalls lives with her two sisters, Mary and Carrie, and mom and dad in the prairie of North America, specifically Wisconsin. They have lived there ever since her father built a wooden home on Osage Indian-owned territory, like many other colonizers. However, life on the prairie isn't as glamorous as it seems. Harsh winters, illnesses, wild animals and many other dangers are present. Nevertheless, with The Power of Love, the Ingalls overcome it all, while building a warm and loving home.
The series is notable for adapting the first book in the series, Little House in the Big Woods, instead of going straight for the most well-known title. Hence Laura being younger than most other incarnations of the character.
See here for other works based on Little House on the Prairie.
Laura, the Prairie Girl (草原の少女ローラ, Sōgen no Shōjo Rōra) has examples of:
- Adapted Out: The Native American book characters don't make an appearance in the anime.
- Adjective Noun Fred: While it's known as "Laura, the Praire Girl" in English, in Japanese title of the anime is Sōgen no Shōjo Rōra (Meadows Girl Laura).
- All Animals Are Dogs: Laura finds an injured wolf pup and decides to raise it as a dog, christening it "Kirby".
- Alternative Foreign Theme Song: The Italian opening theme song, "Laura", is sang by Cristina D'Avena with Paola Orlandi's choir.
- Ambiguous Time Period: The original novel took place in the 1870s, but here it's implied to take place in the 19th Century.
- Animals Respect Nature: The bear is harmless despite the Ingalls' objections and respects the space of the other animals and nature, and Jack the dog dislikes bullfighting.
- Animated Adaptation: Of the Little House in the Prairie novels, mostly the first installment.
- Artistic License: According to this anime, ducks can fly to the same level as crows.
- Bears Are Bad News: One episode focuses on a bear behind a waterfall. Charles decides to shoot it, otherwise his family can't pass thrugh without the threat of being attacked, but Laura convinces him otherwise.
- Bittersweet Ending: The Ingalls burn down the home they built and worked hard on, to Laura's dismay. She starts crying, but her father assures her this is not the end, and the family head to Kansas to make a new beginning.
- Cerebus Syndrome: Halfway through the series, the episodes stop being light-hearted fun and focus on the dark side of Prairie life, like the natural disasters and deadly animals. Laura's mother even brings out a gun for self-defense.
- Compressed Adaptation: Because the anime is only 26 episodes long, there is only so much it can adapt from the books. Most of it takes material from Little House in the Big Woods (1932), with only the ending taking material from Little House on the Prairie.
- Creator Provincialism: Averted. It's a Japanese anime adapting an American novel about American Midwestern life. That being said, the original novel is quite popular there.
- Deliberate Values Dissonance: The portrayal of bullfighting and rodeo for fun, where the poor bull is tied up and abused. Even Jack the dog whimpers at the sight of the whip and covers his eyes, but Laura and everyone else think it's entertaining.
- Flowers of Nature: Subverted, as there are a lot of trees and colourful leaves to signify just how small-town and sparse Laura's corner of Wisconsin is.
- Kodomomuke: Of a little girl and her many adventures with animals in the beautiful West.
- Lighter and Softer: As a Kodomomuke, the anime refrains from mentioning Freddie, the Ingall's deceased little brother.
- Hunting Is Evil: After Laura finds a shot duck outside, she tells her father, who looks at it and tells her that it is definitely dead. When the man who shot the duck asks for it, Laura bursts out crying and berates him.
- I Will Find You: The Ingalls once rescue an injured duck and take it in their house. After it stays the night, it's wing heals. The next day, Laura, Mary and Carrie are aghast to see another duck enter the house and attack the first duck. However, they later realize that it's the duck's friend/partner, and the two fly away together.
- Public Domain Character: Since copyright was not formally established in the 1930s, the Ingalls, the Reagans, and all their animals are in the public domain.
- Savage Wolves: The Ingall's horse, Pat, is attacked by rabid wolves while Charles is riding him. Charles tries to throw them off by leading them to his house, where his wife is ready with a shotgun.
- Scenery Porn: Grassy fields, fiery suns, flora and fauna and beautiful skies are prominently featured, especially any scene involving the characters Down on the Farm.
- Sequel Hook: The anime ends with the Ingalls leaving Wisconsin and going to Kansas, where the second novel Little House on the Prairie is set.
- Shown Their Work: Laura is a brunette and Mary is blonde, just like in the original book.
- Token Minority: Quite a few Wisconsin residents that move to the Prairie are black, including the Ingalls' family friend from episode 3.
