It is one of the most beautiful animated stories ever.
Studio Ghibli is closely associated with the name Hayao Miyazaki, although he co-founded it with his friend and colleague Isao Takahata. The Tale of The Princess Kaguya is Takahata's swan song, on which he worked for several years.
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya is Takahata's Best Work
Presenting the Studio Ghibli master's animated film to journalists, the producers justified the once again missed release date by saying that it was perhaps the best work in Takahata's career. And they weren't wrong.
The author of the heartbreaking Grave of the Fireflies took a Japanese folk tale as the basis for the story of the princess and turned a seemingly simple plot into an incredibly powerful and beautiful reflection, whose themes and motives are obvious at first glance, but at the same time not so banal.
The complex and intricate ideas of The Tale of The Princess Kaguya are drawn in an astonishingly artistic manner, so different from other works of the studio. Without bright colors, accompanied by a quiet melody, the narrative slowly flows forward, leaving behind the mistakes of the characters of this story.
What is The Tale of The Princess Kaguya About?
While working in a bamboo forest, an old man cuts down a tree trunk, and for a few moments a bright light fills everything around with a magical glow. After making his way through the veil, the man sees a small girl of unprecedented beauty sleeping peacefully in the trunk.
"Princess" is the first thing the old man thinks of her. He takes the wonderful creature home, where his old wife is waiting for him. And then the events in the life of the married couple will develop as fast as the story of the foundling girl, growing by leaps and bounds.
This Anime is One of the Most Touching and Heartbreaking Movies Ever Made
With love, compassion and a touch of sadness, Takahata tells the story of the Princess of the Bamboo Forest, whose life is bound to take a wrong turn at some point due to the suffocating care of her adoptive father, who wants only the best for his beloved daughter.
He will make her a real princess, buy her beautiful clothes, build a palace, and rumors of her beauty will reach the ears of the most eligible bachelors. They will line up, promising the mysterious princess castles in the air and unprecedented wealth.
And for the sake of such a life, invented by her parents, in which she will have to whiten her face, get tangled up in long, expensive fabrics, learn to behave like a noble person, she will leave her friends, her beloved meadow, and freedom.
The story of Princess Kaguya is a familiar tale about the excessive care and ambitions of fathers and the unrealized life paths of daughters. And this story is accompanied by broken destinies, empty promises, unhappy love, and a final farewell, the news of which is spread around the world by a sad song.
Where to Watch The Tale of The Princess Kaguya?
Isao Takahata's best anime is available to watch on Netflix.