The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

The Tale of Princess Kaguya tells the story of a bamboo princess presented to a peasant family as an unexpected gift. Her arrival is a fantastical mystery. She grows up at a rapid pace alike a bamboo shoot! And before you know it, she's become a lady whom father needs to decide what's to happen with her future.

Princess Kaguya's (voiced by Aki Asakura) arc essentially revolves around her identity. Should she follow her father's wishes or unspoken obligation he vowed during her birth that he would ensure she live in the riches, or should she remain in the village she grew up in happiness and fulfillment with her friends and long lost lover, Sutemaru (voiced by Kengo Kora)? This tug of war forms the basis for each and every scene. We truly empathize with her state of mind and place whenever she's forced to bend and conform to the noble lifestyle trainings. From her naming banquet procession, plucking her eyebrows, painting her teeth black in pensive silence all the way to receiving countless marriage proposals from men, you could see how she's struggles in this rigidity. Coupled with her deep yearnings for her former hillbilly life, Kaguya's situation is ever so pitiful! Her miniature house model at her garden, the song she sings when she breads the thread and her unforeseen meeting with Sutemaru as she discovers he is a petty thief before he's beaten to pulp on the alone streets are heartbreaking.

Speaking of marriage proposal, one of the best sequences or idea in the film has got to do with the outrageous promises she hears from the five noble princes. Just when you wonder how will she escape without saying yes to any of these gentlemen before knowing anything about them, Kaguya lands a smart reversal by requesting for these impossible item in tangible form! The lies and aftermath that follow suit such as the fire-rat fur test and Horai's jeweled branch forgery are hilarious! While the finale surrounding her Moon origin may come off abrupt, the entire proceeding where the Moon folks claim her back is mystical and sad at the same time. At least she does live a short moment of happy flight with Sutemaru, which we do not care nor need to know whether it's a dream or otherwise.

The high quality classic hand-drawn animation flaunts the beautiful ink-wash painting artstyle encompassing detailed draw distance! Sprint motion, pot-making, lacquer-collecting, pheasant-hunting, flowers-blossoming, fruit-stealing, breastfeeding, morning birds, rain, wind-hustles, bamboo-sticks' rustle in the wind, crickets, piglets, mountain boar and many more are exceptionally brought to life! Furthermore, the setting and sound effects are profound! The theme score is mellow and Koto instrument music is soothing!