Continuing from last episode, Alaine runs off to inform Madelein about the accident. Arriving at the scene, Madelein immediately tries to lift the cart, asking the crowd to help him out. However, Inspector Javert steps in claiming that what he is trying to do is impossible. Although except one guy might be able to do it: Jean Valjean.

At the risk of revealing his identity though, Madelein continues to attempt to lift the cart. This moves the crowd, and with their help,  the old man (Fauchelevent) is rescued. At the hospital, Madelein offers to buy his cart, horse and business, as well as to find him a new job as his health does not allow him to continue. Fauchelevent is totally grateful.

However, Inspector Javert is now suspicious, and tries to ask Alaine about Madelein’s background. Alaine tells madelein about it, causing him to wonder if he has been discovered.

At Fantine’s side, she is seen reading a letter, and tries to hide it when her colleagues see her. This incurs suspicions.  Zephine seems to know the most, including the fact that she goes to the post office very often, and mails off quite a bit of money. The biggest suspect is a lover outside of town.

Back at Cosette’s side, she’s been getting lessons from the priest, who happens to be Toulon’s father. Toulon happened to spurn Eponine’s invitation to her house to play. Eponine however catches Toulon returning home, and Cosette was there learning from the priest. At the same time, Cosette had heard the Thenediars discuss about her mom, and the name of the town she is in. Learning how to write it from the Priest, she hopes that with more words, she’ll be able to write a letter to her mom soon.

 

At the inn, there happened to be lots of guest that day, and one of them had just returned from the town Fantine works in. Cosette overhears him talking, and he lets her look at the glass bubble produced from the factory Fantine works in.  Meanwhile, Eponine stays in her room all day long, refusing to come out.

Next day though, the same guy returns saying that he has lost the glass bubble, and offers a cash reward in advance. When he leaves, Eponine cries out that Cosette had stolen it. Just as Thenediar is about to punish her, Chouchou burst through the door, and sniffling around, finds the glass bubble in a crack on the floor.

Before Thenediar could say anytihng, Cosette rushes out after the man with Chouchou. Catching up with him, he shares stories about the town Fantine is in. However, meanwhile  Zephine had paid a surprise visit to Fantine as she’s writing another letter. Zephine still doesn’t know much though, but catches a new name: Cosette.

 

Thoughts

Some side stuff. I wonder why nobody bothered removing the stuff on top of the cart before raising it. Maybe it was because the cart will give way and crush the guy. But still.

And seeing Cosette riding Chouchou like a horse was just hilarious and definitely cute moment of the episode.

 Trouble is obviously brewing however…

A letter arrives from Cosette’s mom, together with more money for the Thenediars and a request for them to read the letter to Cosette. The money is quickly taken, while the letter thrown into the fireplace. Cosette continues to be mistreated, and accused of stealing eponine’s bread when she tries to retrieve the letter.

 Meanwhile later that day, Eponine is shown going home with a boy (Toron) she obviously likes. Returning home to find Cosette sweeping as usual, she asks Cosette to clean her shoes. However, cosette simple plucks some grass telling her that they are very effective if she does it herself. Of course eponine runs away crying for herself, leaving Cosette sighing that with this incident, eponine would definitely not help to read the letter.

Meanwhile, Cosette’s mom is building up a reputation of not hanging around with the other workers. Rumours spread around that she might have a secret job elsewhere. She’s obviously very kind at work though, and simply wants to save up money quicker. Doing some window shopping, she thinks about how she’ll definitely see Cosette by her next birthday. In town, the old man from the previous episode is mouthing off about Madelein to Javert. Javert orders him to stop sprouting nonsense.

 

 Back to Cosette, who is asked to deliver lunch to Eponine. Gavroche insist on tagging along, together with Chouchou, who is a big dog by now. At the school, Cosette peeps through the window at what is being taught, only to be seen by Toron. Eponine too is horrified and ashamed by the presence of Cosette and Gavroche.

Going home, Cosette recounts what she learnt peeping through the window, showing how quick to learn she is. She bumps into the new Priest though, who teaches her how to write her own name. In the end, they end up talking till very late. Arriving home late, the Thenediars act all nice in front of the priest, but proceeded to scold Cosette after he is gone.

But luckily for her, Cosette manages to grab hold of her mom’s letter before going off to settle all her household chores. She recognised her own name, which appeared many times too, giving her much joy.

 

The episode closes with a scene where the old man earlier is involved in an accident and ends up getting stucked under his own cart.

Thoughts

Ain’t cosette such a nice girl. Somehow I always feel happy that she has that rebellious side still, like how she gave the grass to Eponine. She’s a very smart girl though, and her circumstance is very sad.

Epotine gets to go to school, while Cosette continues as a slave in the house. Meanwhile, the family has trouble paying up rent, so Thenediar ends up sending Cosette to negotiate for a delay in payment. The landlady couldn’t bear the idea of Cosette going hungry, and grants them ten days extension. While sufficient, it’s still shorter than the one month that Thenediar asked Cosette to ask for, hence good excuse not to give her dinner.

Anyway, Gavroche had accompanied Cosette out, it was thanks to his pleadings that the landlady had offered ten days. Together, they enjoy a bread stolen from the house by Gavroche, while enjoying some time in the fields.

Cosette ends up dreaming of her mom, but wakes up to find herself next to a dog. It’s a dog that Gavroche found, and Cosette names it Chouchou. At the end of the day, Cosette tells Chouchou not to follow them, but it ends up doing so anyway. Thankfully, they barely succeed in hiding Chouchou from Thenediar for the day.

Meanwhile, Inspector Javert meets Madelein as the new Police Chief of the town. Javert mentions that Madelein looks horribly like Jean Valjean. But Jean valjean can’t possibly be the mayor of a town can he?

Elsewhere while shopping for dinner,  Alain meets the sister from the hospital, who offers his family cookies to bring home. Alain ends up offering all the cookies to his siblings, without keeping any for his own.

 That night on the streets, Madelein meets a guy who is thrown out from a bar. The guy seemingly seems to know Madelein’s dark secrets, but does not get the chance to spill them out. Madelein ends up walking away brooding.

Cosette is sent to get rid of the stray dog barks that Thenediar keeps hearing, and ends up sleeping with Chouchou. But she wakes up the next day to a scream, and apparently Chouchou had destroyed the clean sheets at home. Thenediar ends up giving Cosette a harsh beating. So harsh that even Epotine asks her to stop.

Meanwhile, Cosette’s mom is pictured writing a happy letter to Cosette at the same time.

Thoughts

I must say, for a kids show, the episode was very good. However, I didn’t really “feel” anything from the show, although a few people blogged that they felt very emotional. I guess it’s a personal taste kind of thing. It’s a little boring to me though, but definitely watchable.

 Just for info, in those time, two crimes of theft is punishable by death, which Jean Valjean had committed. I suppose that could be part of the reason why Inspector Javert would want to hunt him down, but not knowing the story, i’m not too sure.

The opening scene gives a shot of Cosette sweeping the floor, which parallels the famous drawing that represents the musical. We see how Javert and Thenadier continue to use Cosette as a slave, while Epotine teaches her sister Azelma to do the same.

 The cries of Gavroche, the youngest son disturbs Thenadier,who leaves Cosette to take care of him. Cosette succeeds with a lullaby, but only temporary, and is forced to bring Gavroche out where the noise will not disturb.

Outside, Cosette continues to long for her mom, looking at the direction where her mom left

 

The story then turns to Alain, who hesitates, but finally turns up for work at the Mayor’s. Turns out he is to be an errand boy and his first task was to deliver 1000 franc to the local hospital. At first Alain has the idea of keeping it, but his conscience would not let him.

Reaching the hospital, he learns from the Sister there that the money Madelein donates allows them to treat the poor who cannot pay. This strikes a chord with Alain whose mom died because they didn’t have money to pay for the treatment.

Returning, he finds Madelein feeling a little out of sorts. Madelein had just read the news that a Bishop in a far away town had passed away. Madelein then tells the story of Jean Valjean, who was put in jail for 19 years for stealing bread for this family. He became an outcast when he got out, and was rejected by everyone until he met the Bishop.

However, Valjean ends up stealing from the Bishop as well, but when he got caught, the Bishop surprisingly said that the silver were gifts, and offers him more, asking him to turn back to honesty.

3 Years later

3 Years later still sees the two sister bullying Cosette, but this time Gavroche is on her side. When they play a trick hiding muffins and blaming Cosette for taking them, Gavroche secretly steals the muffins, thus denying the sisters of the muffins.

 Alain too has grown up, and is seen helping Madelein with regards to building an Orphanage. The last scene shows the arrival of Inspector Javert.

Thoughts

Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil, but to good. It is your soul that I buy from you; I withdraw it from black thoughts and the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God.

 That was the famous quote made by the Bishop to Jean Valjean, which was simplified in the anime, as this anime is targeted towards kids. The emphasis on Cosette and Gavroche, also shows that the target audience are kids (though there’s nothing wrong with that)

 So far, nothing seems to be watered down, although some things are simplified to facilitate understanding. As such, it has been perfectly enjoyable.  This is still more of an introduction, and hopefully with the arrival of Javert, the drama will begin already.

 Cosette seems to have a very good character. No whining because of her troubles, seems pure and innocent, yet very street smart. Together with Gavroche, I hope they do fine together.

We’re introduced to fantine and her daughter cosette. They’ve moved from Paris after Fantine’s husband died, and are trying to look for a job in a new town. However, each time on the mention of Cosette, Fantine would get rejected. It’s tough for a single mom with a child to find a job.

In the end, they meet a couple who own an inn. The couple offer to take Cosette in and look after her, while Fantine looks for a job. For a small fee of course. Fantine reluctantly agrees, leaving Cosette in their care. Unknown to her though, the couple are mean to treat Cosette as a slave.

Thus Fantine leaves for Montreuil, where she heard from the baker earlier that there’s a factory with lots of jobs. Arriving at the town, Fantine hears of Madeleine, who arrived 3 years ago and set up a very prosperous factory. Madeleine is now the Mayor of the town as well.

Suddenly, a boy appears stealing a loaf of bread. He is chased by the store owner until he bumps into a big sized man, who saves him from being beaten. The man turns out to be Madeleine, who forcibly brings the boy back home. There, the boy is offered bread, as well as bread for his family. Madeleine asks the boy to return the next day, and ends up reflecting about a past, where his name was Jean Valjean.

Fantine does get a job at the factory, however, we see how Cosette is now mistreated.

Thoughts

My heart ached abit actually, thinking about how tough life was in the past, especially for someone of Fantine’s status. The decisions that one had to made are often so cruel as well.

If this is the type of anime the series is going to be, I think I would like it a lot, touching on many different social issues. (sorry, I totally have no idea what the Les Miserables story is about)

The scenery is animated very colorfully. Cosette is incredibly cute as well. Quite lovely really, looks like something that can be recommended based on the first episode alone. The ED was quite touching for me as well, as someone who lost his mom when young too.

The story takes place in early 19th century France. Cosette is the daughter of Fantine. Unable to secure a job as a single mother, Fantine decides to pay an inn keeper couple to look after Cosette, while she tries to find a job on her own. However, being cruel and corrupt, the couple treat Cosette in a manner Fantine can never imagine…

I’ve been waiting for a fansub group to pick it up, and Delicious fansub group finally has picked it up. So 3 cheers for them.

Other reviews have praised it quite a lot…

To sum it up, it’s fairly faithful to the original novel. However, the emphasis is slightly more on Cosette this time round. Which this anime adaption is very targeted towards kids, it does not dilute the meaning of the social problems that Les Miserables tries to bring across. Lots of questions to ponder, and many emotional stuff.

On a personal note, I have not touched nor watched anything related to Les Miserables before. I will be blogging on the series though (probably starting tomorrow), as the fansubs come out.

The series is animated by Nippon Animation, and will last 52 episodes. No seiyuus that I can recongnise… but they include Kaori Nazuka and Takashi Matsuyama.

(sincerely do hope that fansub group can follow through the entire 52 episodes)