OVA
Description
Alm Jii-san, also known as Alm-Onji or Alm-Ohi (meaning "Alps-Uncle" in Swiss German), is Heidi's paternal grandfather. He lives alone in a mountain hut high above the village of Dörfli in the Swiss Alps, accompanied only by his St. Bernard dog, Josef—an original creation for the anime adaptation absent from Johanna Spyri's source novel.
Villagers fear and distrust him due to persistent rumors he killed a man in his youth, leading to his self-imposed isolation. Perceived as godless, ill-tempered, and harsh, he bears the local nickname "Alm-Onji."
After the deaths of his son Tobias and daughter-in-law Adelheid, Heidi's parents, his only known relatives are granddaughter Heidi and her aunt Dete. When Dete brings the five-year-old Heidi to his hut to abandon her for work opportunities, he initially rejects familial responsibility. Yet Heidi's innate curiosity, intelligence, and affection gradually soften his stern demeanor. He permits her to stay, forging a deep bond.
He sustains himself through skilled woodworking, crafting bowls and utensils traded with villagers for essentials. He also herds goats, using their milk to make cheese for barter. His extensive knowledge of the mountain environment enables their self-sufficiency.
His protective instincts surface when he fiercely opposes Dete's later attempt to take Heidi to Frankfurt as a companion for Clara Sesemann, a wealthy wheelchair-bound girl. Dete ultimately deceives Heidi into leaving, devastating him. During Heidi's absence, he remains on the mountain awaiting her return.
Heidi's homecoming, driven by severe homesickness in Frankfurt, reunites them. Witnessing her literacy skills—acquired under Clara's grandmother's tutelage—motivates him to restore a dilapidated house in Dörfli. This allows Heidi (and later Peter) to attend school in winter, marking his shift toward village integration as he befriends once-wary neighbors.
He proves pivotal in Clara Sesemann's recovery. After a medical assessment deems the Alpine air therapeutic for Clara's paralysis (hinted to stem from rickets), Clara visits. He actively participates in her physical therapy with Heidi and Peter. Accepting responsibility for Clara's care after her grandmother dismisses the governess Miss Rottenmeier, his efforts culminate in Clara walking unaided.
His journey concludes with a transformation from a reclusive, mistrusted figure to a respected community member in Dörfli, actively supporting Heidi and Clara's well-being.
Villagers fear and distrust him due to persistent rumors he killed a man in his youth, leading to his self-imposed isolation. Perceived as godless, ill-tempered, and harsh, he bears the local nickname "Alm-Onji."
After the deaths of his son Tobias and daughter-in-law Adelheid, Heidi's parents, his only known relatives are granddaughter Heidi and her aunt Dete. When Dete brings the five-year-old Heidi to his hut to abandon her for work opportunities, he initially rejects familial responsibility. Yet Heidi's innate curiosity, intelligence, and affection gradually soften his stern demeanor. He permits her to stay, forging a deep bond.
He sustains himself through skilled woodworking, crafting bowls and utensils traded with villagers for essentials. He also herds goats, using their milk to make cheese for barter. His extensive knowledge of the mountain environment enables their self-sufficiency.
His protective instincts surface when he fiercely opposes Dete's later attempt to take Heidi to Frankfurt as a companion for Clara Sesemann, a wealthy wheelchair-bound girl. Dete ultimately deceives Heidi into leaving, devastating him. During Heidi's absence, he remains on the mountain awaiting her return.
Heidi's homecoming, driven by severe homesickness in Frankfurt, reunites them. Witnessing her literacy skills—acquired under Clara's grandmother's tutelage—motivates him to restore a dilapidated house in Dörfli. This allows Heidi (and later Peter) to attend school in winter, marking his shift toward village integration as he befriends once-wary neighbors.
He proves pivotal in Clara Sesemann's recovery. After a medical assessment deems the Alpine air therapeutic for Clara's paralysis (hinted to stem from rickets), Clara visits. He actively participates in her physical therapy with Heidi and Peter. Accepting responsibility for Clara's care after her grandmother dismisses the governess Miss Rottenmeier, his efforts culminate in Clara walking unaided.
His journey concludes with a transformation from a reclusive, mistrusted figure to a respected community member in Dörfli, actively supporting Heidi and Clara's well-being.