Johan and Peewit (Anime OVA)

Johan and Peewit (ジョアンとピルルイ Joan to Pirurui) is a 20-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.

Main characters

 * Johan: Knight of the King. Courageous and skilled with both a sword and a bow, this black-haired hero aspires to becoming a knight. He is the quintessential bold fighter, always ready to be in the thick of it, and a natural leader. Johan is quick to intervene whenever he sees an injustice being committed and will go all the way to rectify wrongs, ignoring Peewit's grumblings about the problems that they are going to face in the process. His name is pronounced "Yohan".
 * Peewit: a blond, gluttonous dwarf, he lived in the forest neighboring the King's castle playing practical jokes on the people and stealing meats and apples before being hired as the court jester. His name is pronounced "Pee-wee".
 * Biquette: Peewit's goat, who is endowed with a strong character. Her horn attack is extremely powerful. Her name is the French word for nanny goat.
 * The King: the unnamed monarch of the Kingdom. He is somewhat carefree and enjoys wine but is also firm and is loved by his subjects and vassals. He has a beautiful niece, but no direct descendants. He can be very keen to go on expeditions and battles, which can be difficult given his old age.
 * Homnibus: an enchanter whom the heroes often consult on matters of magic. He is also an alchemist and herbalist. It is he who first tells Johan and Peewit about the beings called the Smurfs.
 * Olivier: Homnibus' young servant.
 * Rachel: an old sorceress, who has a terrible reputation, but is actually very kind and helpful. She knows how to make many different potions, including a mixture called Wine of Giddiness.
 * Count Tremaine: ("Comte Tréville" in the original French) a skilled knight and brave warrior, he is a friend and role model to Johan.
 * Dame Barbera: An old aristocratic woman who resides in the King's castle, always wearing a green dress. She has a reputation for being a gossip, as well as being somewhat prideful and stuck-up.

Villians

 * Gargamel (voiced by Chikao Ohtsuka in Japanese, Jim Cummings in English): An wicked, yet dimwitted sorcerer who is Johan and Peewit's nemesis.
 * Azrael and Monty: Gargamel's pet cat and vulture.

Recurring characters

 * The Smurfs: Blue mythical creatures who live in perfect harmony (usually hidden from humans), and are Johan and Peewit's allies. Papa Smurf's knowledge of magic is especially helpful. They rarely appear, but have major roles in every appearance in the series.

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 20-episode original video animation (OVA) in Japan between January 26, 2001 (the first 9 episodes) and February 4, 2001 (the remaining 11 episodes). 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 first three 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)", "The Minstrels of Roc-à-Pic (Original French title: Les troubadours de Roc-à-Pic)" and "The Night of the Sorcerers (Original French title: La nuit des sorciers)".
 * Unlike the other Johan and Peewit series (the segments aired as part of the The Smurfs 1980s series), this anime is more faithful to the original Belgian comics in character design and story arc. The only difference is Gargamel from The Smurfs appearing in the series.
 * The animation is more on-model than the Hanna-Barbera version, yet still expressive.
 * Monty the vulture would reapear in Smurfs: The Lost Village.