“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” – Proverbs 22:6 …or something like that. Bible quotes aside, Wakakusa Monogatari: Nan to Jo Sensei is a great anime about teaching children to have a love of learning and to bring out their full potential. Of course, it is on the optimistic side, sometimes to the point of sacrificing some realism, but it’s a children’s show, the optimism is part of the charm. That said, the show doesn’t shy away from introducing some pinches of tragedy into the story, along with covering some moremature topics regarding poverty and sexism in an era before women could vote.

Set in the New England countryside just before the 20th century, the show is a nice change of pace from typical Japanese high schools, but that’s to be expected from a World Masterpiece Theatre anime. The open fields of grass and crops dotted with trees and ponds surrounding the wooden school really add the show’s magic and make it feel so cozy.

Regarding the original Ai no Wakakusa Monogatari, this show is quite detached. It’s much more like its own thing that happens to have some of the original characters in it than a proper sequel, for better or worse. If all you’re looking for is closure on the original show, then you might be disappointed to learn how little continuation there is here. But on the other hand, it also means you can watch this show without seeing the original (I’d recommend watching both anyway).