HISTORY
By ChozinFellers
Updated on August 11, 2022. Originally posted on June 26, 2020.
ZIV International acquired the rights for a number of anime titles, producing English dubs during the late 70s and early 80s. These shows included Angel, Candy Candy, Captain Future, Fables of the Green Forest, and of course, Little Lulu.
In 1978, ZIV International produced two English dubs, one for Fables of the Green Forest and another for the Little Lulu anime. The company dubbed the first six episodes, later released under VHS and Betamax. [1] Unfortunately, ZIV never completed the entire series. In contrast, Fables of the Green Forest received a full English dub for its 52-episode run.
A new score was composed by Mark Mercury, co-founder of the Bullets. [2] Mark Mercury's score was used for the rest of the foreign dubs produced later down the line. The opening and ending sequence consisted of clips from the episodes which they dubbed.
Instead of using the original Japanese title: “Little Lulu & Her Little Friends,” the series would be labeled under a variety of names, depending on the video distributor.
Media Entertainment released its own volume in 1980, simply called, "Little Lulu". FHE (Family Home Entertainment) released two volumes in 1982, spanning over episodes 3 to 6. These big-box releases were called, "The Adventures of Little Lulu and Tubby." In the UK, VideoMedia would release episodes 1 through 6 of the Little Lulu anime in early 1983, under the name, "The Adventures of Little Lulu."
Nowadays, it is fairly difficult to watch the Little Lulu anime, due to its obscurity and fate on home video (VHS/Betamax). [3] It would never receive a DVD or Blu-ray release, which is the case for other ZIV International dubs.
The ZIV dub can only be found through VHS rips in mono sound. In 1980, ZIV International released a line of "original soundtrack" albums, including one for the Little Lulu anime. This rare album is roughly over 30 minutes long. Side A contains the original theme song, followed by Episode 5: "Save the Prisoners." Side B contains Episode 4: "The Endurance Test," ending with an alternative version of the theme song.
The music was rearranged with new narrator lines. This album remains the only way in experiencing the Little Lulu anime in high-quality stereo sound.
Shortly after ZIV International sold its shares to Lorimar in 1982, Harmony Gold eventually acquired the license of several ZIV-related anime. [4]
In 1985, a second English dub was produced by Harmony Gold. Two episodes are known to exist from this dub, which was saved from a Russian tape in 2013. [5a, 5b] These contents were uploaded on VK by Alexander Shtyrme on February 7, 2013, originally coming from a single VHS tape. Both episodes (21 & 23) had a Russian overdub over the English audio track.
The background music from Mark Mercury remained, but the voice cast was changed. The tape did not include an opening sequence. The Harmony Gold dub has its own ending sequence.
Unlike the ZIV dub, Harmony Gold failed to credit its voice cast. It is uncertain whether this obscure dub ever made it to television or home video.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Note: All of the following items come from the ZIV International dub of the show.
VINYL RECORDS
1) Little Lulu - Original Soundtrack Album
Year: 1980
Type: 33 1/3
Company: ZIV International
Contents: 2 episodes
Description: This release contains the anime's theme song, along with 2 episodes: "The Endurance Test" and "Save The Prisoners".
Tracklist:
A - Save the Prisoners
B - The Endurance Test
🎵 Listen to this album on YOUTUBE 🎵
US HOME MEDIA
1) The Adventures of Little Lulu & Tubby Vol. 1
Year: 1980s
Format: VHS & Betamax
Company: FHE (Family Home Entertainment)
Contents:
Two episodes, Good Luck Guard and The Endurance Test
Trailers for various ZIV licensed anime and other shows
The full tape is up on YouTube!
2) The Adventures of Little Lulu & Tubby Vol. 2
Year: 1980s
Format: VHS & Betamax
Company: FHE (Family Home Entertainment)
Contents:
Two episodes, Save the Prisoners and Little Fireman
Trailers for various ZIV licensed anime and other shows
The full tape is up on the Internet Archive!
3) Little Lulu
Year: 1980
Format: VHS
Company: Media Entertainment
Contents: Two episodes
The tape is about the same length as FHE's releases.
UK HOME MEDIA
1) The Adventures of Little Lulu Vol. 1
Ver. 1
Ver. 2
Ver. 3
Year: 1983 (3 versions)
Format: VHS, Betamax, & Video 2000
Company: Videomedia
Contents: Two episodes, Good Luck Guard and Operation Baby-Sitting
Note: UK's episode title for "Operation Babysitter" was changed to "Operation Baby-Sitting"
2) The Adventures of Little Lulu Vol. 2
Ver. 1
Ver. 2
Year: 1983 (2 versions)
Format: VHS, Betamax, & Video 2000
Company: Videomedia
Contents: Two episodes, Save the Prisoners and Little Angel
3) The Adventures of Little Lulu Vol. 3
Ver. 1
Ver. 2
Year: 1983 (2 versions)
Format: VHS, Betamax, & Video 2000
Company: Videomedia
Contents: Two episodes, Little Fireman and The Endurance Test
NON-COMMERCIAL MATERIAL
1) Little Lulu - Show #1 “Little Angel”
Date: Aug 15, 1978
Format: Betamax
Company: Ruxton LTD
Contents: 1st episode, Little Angel
Description: A non-commerical betamax tape meant for private use. This tape came from a 2005 lot along with a VHS of Seattle Children's Theater featuring Little Lulu and a VHS of the "Big Hex of Little Lulu."
POSTERS
1) FHE (Family Home Entertainment) Poster
Year: 1982
Company: FHE (Family Home Entertainment)
Description: A poster with small calendars for every month for the year 1982, with multiple different properties scattered throughout.
SOURCES (HISTORY)
ENGLISH
1. “Little Lulu and Her Little Friends (partially found episode of anime series; 1976)” Lost Media Wiki, Accessed on 11 Aug, 2022.
2. “Credits” Mark Mercury’s Website, Accessed on 11 Aug, 2022.
https://web.archive.org/web/20220130084632/http://www.markmercury.com/composer/credits.html
3. Brubaker, Charles. “Little Lulu” Anime.” Cartoon Research, 7 May, 2013
https://web.archive.org/web/20210730034224/https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/little-lulu-anime/
4. Sanchez, Carlos. “La pequeña Lulú" MangaClassics, 11 Mar, 2016.
5. Shtyrmer, Alexander. "Приключения маленькой Лулу - эпизод (1985 Harmony gold) MVO VHSRip." VK 7 Feb, 2013
SOURCES (MULTIMEDIA)
ENGLISH - US HOME MEDIA1) The Adventures of Little Lulu & Tubby Vol. 11: ChozinFeller's Personal Scans2) The Adventures of Little Lulu & Tubby Vol. 22a: https://vhscollector.com/movie/adventures-little-lulu-and-tubby-volume-2#Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20200529054947/https://vhscollector.com/movie/adventures-little-lulu-and-tubby-volume-22b: https://picclick.com/The-Adventures-Of-Little-Lulu-Betamax-NOT-172518344329.htmlArchive: https://web.archive.org/web/20200529055208/https://picclick.com/The-Adventures-Of-Little-Lulu-Betamax-NOT-172518344329.html
3) Little Lulu (Media Entertainment) 3: https://lostmediawiki.com/File:LittleluluMediaHomevhs.jpgArchive: https://web.archive.org/web/20200614002753/https://lostmediawiki.com/File:LittleluluMediaHomevhs.jpg
ENGLISH - UK HOME MEDIA1) The Adventures of Little Lulu Vol. 11a: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adventures-Little-Video-American-Cartoon/dp/B001NPFNWGArchive: https://web.archive.org/web/20200614003128/https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adventures-Little-Video-American-Cartoon/dp/B001NPFNWG1b: https://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Adventures-of-Little-Lulu-VHS-Video-Tape-NEW/223590597288?hash=item340f09c2a8:g:mHIAAOSwo4VdLzE5Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20200407031215/https://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Adventures-of-Little-Lulu-VHS-Video-Tape-NEW/223590597288?hash=item340f09c2a8%3Ag%3AmHIAAOSwo4VdLzE51c: http://www.pre-cert.co.uk/display.php?vId=UK09314Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20121124043337/http://pre-cert.co.uk/display.php?vId=UK093141d: https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Adventures-of-Little-Lulu/dp/B0013A0BOGArchive: https://web.archive.org/web/20200614003325/https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Adventures-of-Little-Lulu/dp/B0013A0BOG
2) The Adventures of Little Lulu Vol. 22a: https://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Adventures-of-Little-LuLu-Vol-2-VHS-Video-Retro-Supplied-by-Gaming-Squad/173798783526?hash=item287736fa26:g:6YAAAOSwo~dcaapQArchive: https://web.archive.org/web/20200530034807/https://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Adventures-of-Little-LuLu-Vol-2-VHS-Video-Retro-Supplied-by-Gaming-Squad/173798783526?hash=item287736fa26%3Ag%3A6YAAAOSwo~dcaapQ2b: http://www.pre-cert.co.uk/display.php?vId=UK09315Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20200530034919/http://www.pre-cert.co.uk/display.php?vId=UK09315
3) The Adventures of Little Lulu Vol. 23a: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adventures-Little-Lulu-Vol/dp/B002FOE5BOArchive: https://web.archive.org/web/20200530035909/https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adventures-Little-Lulu-Vol/dp/B002FOE5BO3b: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Little-Lulu-Strikes-Again-In-The-Adventures-Of-Little-Lulu-Volume-3/273809223982?hash=item3fc04d312e:g:a-8AAOSwYcBbthw4Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20200407031910/https://www.ebay.com/itm/Little-Lulu-Strikes-Again-In-The-Adventures-Of-Little-Lulu-Volume-3/273809223982?hash=item3fc04d312e%3Ag%3Aa-8AAOSwYcBbthw43c: http://www.pre-cert.co.uk/display.php?vId=UK09316Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20200530035724/http://www.pre-cert.co.uk/display.php?vId=UK09316
ENGLISH - NON-COMMERCIAL MATERIAL1) Little Lulu - Show #1 “Little Angel” 1: https://comics.ha.com/itm/memorabilia/comic-related/little-lulu-tape-group-no-publisher-1978-92-this-lot-contains-three-tapes-featuring-little-lulu-there-is-one-vhs-tape-f-3-items-/a/15102-17324.s#auction-descriptionArchive: https://web.archive.org/web/20200530041104/https://comics.ha.com/itm/memorabilia/comic-related/little-lulu-tape-group-no-publisher-1978-92-this-lot-contains-three-tapes-featuring-little-lulu-there-is-one-vhs-tape-f-3-items-/a/15102-17324.s
ENGLISH - POSTERS1) FHE (Family Home Entertainment) Poster1: https://lostmediawiki.com/File:Family_Home_Entertainment_Poster_1982.jpgArchive: https://web.archive.org/web/20200614002936/https://lostmediawiki.com/File:Family_Home_Entertainment_Poster_1982.jpg
Comment Section: