Summary
The historically important animated movie “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya” portrays the eponymous character of modern Japanese history in a most fascinating light. Based on the classic 10th century Japanese folklore, “The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter” it tells the story of the mysterious little girl who is found inside the stalk of a glowing bamboo by an old bamboo cutter. ‘The Tale of the Princess Kaguya’ is a hand-drawn animated movie created by Studio Ghibli.
The story starts in the countryside, with an old bamboo cutter and his wife who live a modest, peaceful life. One day, while working in the forest, the bamboo cutter comes across a stalk of bamboo and, to his surprise, discovers the stalk glowing. Inside the stalk, he sees a little girl no taller than his thumb. He runs back to his wife, thinking it was a divine blessing, and the two decide to raise her as their own daughter. They give her the name “Princess.”
Immediately, it is as if a spell of health and life is cast on her. She undergoes an all too rapid transformation into an infant and grows into a beautiful girl almost instantaneously. One of her fondest memories that a girl of her age can have is being able to explore the outdoors and nature. During the course of her ‘adventures’ she is able to create some friendships with other children and the most prominent is a boy called Sutemaru. He is the most cherished of all her partners. The old bamboo cutter and his wife are also happy to see her as, in extension, they also become happier.
His family underwent a significant lifestyle change when he discovered precious gold and fine silks in a bamboo grove. His decision to relocate to the capital alongside his family and construct an ornate mansion was likely motivated by the desire to help a family member, as he also employed a number of tutors to help her learn the customs of the noble class. His disposition toward the castle was that of a benevolent husband, but his family was surprisingly unhappy about the while his family and the princess was disappointed. It was obvious that the primary source of her disappointment was the draconian change in lifestyle, an era which in all likelihood spanned a very long time in the past.
Similarly, upon reaching maturity, her beauty was well and truly breathtaking, marking it as a primary catalyst in her receiving the moniker `Princess Kaguya.” Servants noted that as a result of the valor of the soldiers and the many noble men that contested for her affections, she was granted the favor of the Emperor himself. Kaguya, in all her beauty and refinement, had little respect for what the men had to offer and marriage was nowhere in her vision for the future. They embarrassingly, and all in the name of love, exposed how shallow and selfish they truly were.
Becoming confined by the weight of her surroundings, Kaguya continued to sink into a deeper sense of sorrow. With the longing of having the sorrow, beauty, and experience of a human life, Kaguya wished to live on Earth. The moon people were on the way to claim Kaguya, who, if not sincere, could not deny the longing.
In a moment of highest emotional tension, her adoptive parents, shattered and powerless, could only witness as the treasured daughter was lifted and lost to the light above, with the unforgiving light erasing all of her memories. The film ends with Kaguya as the focus, while the white moon and a feeling of a bittersweet longing serves as the backdrop.
CJ. Directed by Isao Takahata. Produced by Yoshiaki Nishimura. Written by Isao Takahata. The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. Score composed by Joe Hisaishi. Studio Ghibli.
In the Japanese Version of the film Kaguya Princess voiced by Aki Asakura, is a young and beautiful lady of gigean descendant who is caught in a conflict between her earthly life and eerth past.
Takeo Chii plays the role of Okina (the Bamboo Cutter) – Kaguya’s father whose ambitions drive much of her destiny.
Nobuko Miyamoto plays Ouna (the Bamboo Cutter’s wife) – Kaguya’s affectionate and caring adoptive mother.
Kengo Kora plays Sutemaru – Kaguya’s childhood companion who represents the joy and freedom of life on earth.
Tomoko Tabata plays Lady Sagami – The first of Kaguya’s tutors who teaches her the essentials of court etiquette.
Shichinosuke Nakamura plays the Emperor – One of the many powerful suitors who competes to win Kaguya’s love.
The English version of the movie part of the collection released by GKIDS has voice works of Chloë Grace Moretz (as Kaguya), James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, and Darren Criss.
IMDb Ratings
IMDb Score: 8.0/10
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya was met with praise from many critics and audience members. The film has been described as having emotional depth, poetic storytelling, and soft animation. A number of critics referred to the film as a “masterpiece of hand drawn animation with watercolor style,” one of many which differentiates it from other works by Studio Ghibli.
Having achieved success in the artistic world, the film was still liked for its emotional depth by many critics. The themes of the impermanence of reality, longing, identity, and the human experience came through in the film. The inner struggles of the character, as well as the inner workings of the character in relation to the society were captivating. This film stands out in the industry, as the story does not use any action, exploring the concepts instead of fighting.
Complementing the film, there is a mesmerizing and ethereal musical score created by Joe Hisaishi. The soundtrack should not overbear the film, and instead should add to the world being built, and for the most part, his direction succeeded in achieving that as well. The world created through the score perfectly matches the screen, adding to the melancholic and nostalgic feelings one experiences while watching the film.
Despite the fact that the film is neither a conventional fantasy nor an adventure, its emotional depth alongside the captivating story line earned it an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature in the year 2015, as well as the Best Animation award at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. To the studio, this remains one of their most celebrated works to this day.
Describing the film, critics have said it was a “a breathtaking vision” and a “a triumph of animation as a story telling medium.” Out of all the other masterpieces that Studio Ghibli created, this is one of the few that have “understatements” in comparison to the other classics, such as Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle. This film’s beauty and quiet strength is enough to earn it a spot amongst the finest works the studio produced.
Conclusion
The forever captivating tale of Princess Kaguya juxtaposes extensive anthropological mythological elements of a delicate tale and through its languorous style and flow of delicate artistic impression and panache, a deeply felt narrative spins its web enfolding around every viewer to contemplate on life, happiness, sadness, and the beauty as well as brevity of the life of any being.
The achievement of the work of Isao Takahata, the late director of the film who died in 2018, earns the Takahata Blimp in his metaphorical cap. His film captures the embody picture of not merely a princess, but of every individual and the fantasies that saturate and saturate every soul, the sovereign resolution to possess, and the depth of kinship that lies buried and awaits to be reunited.”
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