The Tale of Princess Kaguya

[Thursday]

So there was a lot of hype for The Wind Rises what with it being Miyazaki's last film, but Takahata's latest (which is almost certainly, but not officially his last) Seems to have gone by largely unnoticed with a very limited release. A shame because I think it's easily the superior film. They are going for slightly different things, so it's perhaps not worth a comparison. And it's obvious why Takahata's work doesn't have the same universal appeal, they tend to be much more specific to Japanese culture, and don't stick to the usual formula people expect from Ghibli, but for me he's made some of the studio's strongest films

So, it's well worth seeing for all the Ghibli fans here. (If you can) I'm still decompressing my thoughts on the script, but it's the most beautifully animated film I've seen. I just want to walk around in it's world.

[Osmium]

I watched both this and The Wind Rises a few months back, Miyazaki's film was enjoyable enough but Princess Kaguya was tremendous. It's easily the best Studio Ghibli film since Spirited Away. It's beautiful, has a simple yet emotionally engaging plot and Joe Hisaishi's soundtrack is great.

Spoiler alert

The scene at the end with the Princess turning her head and gazing back at the Earth, tears forming in her eyes, is spectacular. The subtle way the colour fades in as she looks back and then fades out as she bows her head works so well and the music fits perfectly.

[close]

Loved it.

[popcorn]

I'm a huge Ghibli fan, a huge animation fan, and I lived in Tokyo for a while, so I think I have the necessary qualifications to like this film... and I didn't.

It looks fucking amazing - in certain sequences it was so beautiful TEARS STUNG MY EYES!! - but jesus the story. It has that tedious just-so logic to it, and so the four princes each came to visit the beautiful princess and each offered a different gift, that drives me fucking crazy. You can tell it's based on a folk tale, those things don't make any sense.

What was the moral exactly?

[Kishi the Bad Lampshade]

I cried a lot during this film, it really is beautiful. Most of my crying actually took place in the first half an hour or so, during the childhood bits. The poignancy and innocence of those parts were a lot more affecting to me than the more explicitly 'sad' parts later on, even though I cried then too. Have to say, I thought the

Spoiler alert

btw I come from the Moon

[close]

bit felt a bit cringey, but I think it might come off less cheesey in Japanese(y), and it's a touch too long, but the animation is gorgeous and I found it incredibly touching. It's just a simple story done really really well.

[TheFalconMalteser]

Could I watch this with a 6 year old? She cried a lot at the end of Spirited Away because she realised the girl wouldn't see those monsters again - which isn't really explicit I think in the film.  She's pretty bright and can engage with stuff, but is it pure misery, you get me?

[Thursday]

It might be a bit of a downer for a 6 year old, and it's not quite as magical as other Ghibli films it's a more grounded adult story than others.

[Osmium]

It's bittersweet, certainly not miserable. I don't think it would be as engaging as previous Studio Ghibli stuff for a child but it would be worth a try.

[The Boston Crab]

My mum showed me American Werewolf when I was four and I still haven't properly gone mad. Show the little twat a cartoon mate.