Johan and Peewit (Anime OVA)

Johan and Peewit (ジョアンとピルルイ Joan to Pirurui) is a two-episode 2001 Japanese anime OVA series based on the Belgian comic book characters created by Peyo. The anime features Johan, Peewit, The Smurfs, The Good King, Homnibus and a few supporting characters.

Setting
Set in the Middle Ages in an unnamed European kingdom, the series follows the adventures of Johan, a brave young page to the King, and Peewit, his faithful, if boastful and cheating, midget sidekick. Johan rides off in search of adventure with his trusty horse Bayard, while Peewit gallops sporadically, and grudgingly, behind on his goat, Biquette. The pair are driven by duty to their King and the courage to defend the underpowered. Struggles for power between deposed lords and usurping villains form the basis of many of the plots which also contain elements of detective fiction as the pair hunt down traitors and outlaws, as well as fantasy, with witches and sorcerers, giants, ghosts and, above all, the Smurfs.

Production and release
The OVA series was produced by the animation studio Pierrot with cooperation from Le Lombard, Dupuis Audiovisuel and General Entertainment. The OVA series was originally released as a two-episode original video animation (OVA) in Japan between January 26, 2001 and February 4, 2001. The series was licensed by Touchstone Pictures and first released the series in North America in two VHS volumes, each containing a single episode with English subtitles. The subtitled versions were released between March 29, 2001 and June 11, 2001, and the English-dubbed version was later released as a single direct-to-video film as Johan and Peewit Adventures on September 7, 2004, on VHS and DVD. It was later re-released on DVD on January 13, 2009.

Censorship
Due to the number of scenes that were perceived to be offensive to Western audiences, the following scenes were edited or removed from 2004 VHS release of the film and later broadcast on Cartoon Network and/or Boomerang.

Both the Japanese VHS and original US VHS and DVD releases include all the above scenes and are regarded as fully uncut, although the US DVD and Japanese VHS releases do not include the episodes in their separate formats.

Trivia

 * The two episodes are loosely based on each of the selected Johan and Peewit comic books, "The Raven's Horde (Original French title: La horde du corbeau)" and "The Night of the Sorcerers (Original French title: La nuit des sorciers)".
 * Unlike other adaptations, this anime is more faithful to the original Belgian comics in character design and story arc.