Sumo Lake (相撲の湖, 2011)

http://gregholfeld.com/

http://www.sumolake.blogspot.de/

http://www.benjaminspeed.com/

Sumo Lake (相撲の湖, 2011) is a humorous, hand-drawn animated short by Canadian-Australian artist Greg Holfeld (グレッグ ホルフェルド, b. 1965).  The official Japanese name that appears in the film is an attempt at a katakana rendering of the English title: スーモー・ルエク.  Unfortunately, as Holfeld told me himself at Hiroshima 2014 (he was on this year’s selection committee), he found out too late that this was inaccurate.  To begin with, “sumo” does not have a long “u”, and “ルエク” is not commonly used for “Lake” in Japanese.  So, I have amended the title to more authentically capture the English title of the film, which is a play on Swan Lake (白鳥の湖), the nineteenth century ballet composed by Tchaikovsky.

Sumo Lake from Panic Productions on Vimeo.

Holfeld’s interest in sumo wrestling dates back to 1990, when he lived in Tokyo.  His attention was captured by the sight of the Hawaiian wrestler Konishiki, the heaviest rikishi ever in sumo with a peak weight of 287kg.   Around this time David Benjamin asked him to illustrate The Joy of Sumo: A Fan’s Notes (1992), which is currently in print in its revised form: Sumo: A Thinking Man’s Guide to the National Sport (2010).  The initial inspiration for this film; however, was a pitch painting by Eddie White and Ari Gibson, co-directors of the animated short The Cat Piano (2009), about a sumo wrestler who dreams of becoming a ballet dancer.  Learn more here.

As with all great comedy, Holfeld takes a simple conceit, the notion of a large, ungainly sumo wrestler doing ballet, and executes it brilliantly for the screen.  The story begins with a wind-up sumo doll performing shiko (四股), the side-to-side stomping that sumo wrestlers ritually perform at the beginning out each bout in order to drive away any demons.  A wider shot shows the tiny doll is facing a large sumo wrestler, who also performs shiko, causing the wind-up doll to fall over, face down.  The wrestler picks up the doll and tries again, but his time the doll clatters away and disappears as if falling into water.  A moment later, the figure re-emerges from the water like “The Lady of the Lake” of Arthurian legend, but the wind-up doll has transformed into a lifelike sumo wrestler on his toes like a ballet dancer. 

The two wrestlers face-off and begin to wrestle one another, but midway through their fight transforms into a graceful pas de deux.  One wrestler sinks into the water yet again, then re-emerges for another showdown.  However, this battle gets interrupted by the stomping foot of a Godzilla-esque kaiju.  Thus commences the climax of the film, which is a hilarious combination of epic battle and dance off.  The icing on the cake is the glorious soundtrack composed by Benjamin Speed in a style similar to that of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake.  It is a beautifully drawn film, as you can see from some of materials Holfeld has shared on his website.  The three-minute film consists of 1,300 drawings – a total of 6.24 kg of paper.  The simplicity of the pencil sketch on paper style is delightful, particularly when paired with the complexity of character movement. 

Sumo Lake can be viewed on Vimeo.  You can support Greg Holfeld by buying his books and comics.

Catherine Munroe Hotes 2014

Pecora’ped (ペコラペッド)

Pecora’ped (ペコラペッド)

http://pecoraped.com/

https://vimeo.com/pecoraped

http://www.ikuesugidono.com/

https://twitter.com/pecoraped

I was quite taken by the enthusiasm of two young animation entrepreneurs, Miyako Nishio (西尾都) and Ikue Sugidono (杉殿育恵) at Hiroshima 2014.  Working as an animation team since 2006, Nishio and Sugidono use the name Pecora’ped (ペコラペッド / Pekorapeddo). 

I should point out that the apostrophe in their official name has been inserted by me to aid English speakers with pronunciation of their unusual name.  As is often the case with Japanese artists, their use of English can sometimes lead to unfortunate choices in names and titles.  As it seemed unlikely that these two bright-eyed women with such a kawaii aesthetic intended to use a violent word like “raped” in their name, I dug a little deeper and found that the name Pecora’ped is the result of bringing together the words “Pecora” and “moped”.  “Pecora” is from the Latin (and modern Italian) for sheep (in English it is also used by scientists for the infraorder of mammals to which sheep belong).   Apparently, Nishio and Sugidono wanted their name to bring together the fluffiness of sheep and the rapid movements they associate with mopeds.  I am not sure how effective the name is in Japanese, but if they want to market themselves abroad with their cheerful and fluffy image, they may want to consider re-branding their romaji name. 

Nishio and Sugidono met as students at Hiroshima City University’s Department of Design and Applied Arts.  Since graduating in 2006, Nishio worked as a designer for five years for Nintendo, while Sugidono has worked as a freelance animator and artist.  Sugidono’s indie work Madly in Love (メロメロ, 2013) has screened widely at international festivals from ASK? Film Festival, where it won the Grand Prize, to Tricky Women, Image Forum Festival, and most recently Fantoche.  

According to their official website, Pecora’ped aim to provide their viewers with “ukki-uki and wakku-waku experiences” (うっきうき！わっくわく).  I am not exactly sure why they have altered the spelling slightly, but uki-uki (うきうき) and waku-waku (わくわく) are common onomatopoeia in Japanese meaning “cheerful / lighthearted” and “exciting / thrilling”.

Their DVD The Films of Pecoraped 2007-2014.7 starts off with their earliest film together, Straying Little Red Riding Hood (迷走赤ずきん, 2007), an amusing over-the-top retelling of the classic fairy-tale done in a cutout-style with simple animation movements. SPONCHOI Pispochoi (2010) is a colourful little film featuring cheerful humanoid insect-like creatures who giggle and chat.  When they start growing moles on their faces they start to sing about this, determined to remain cheerful about this potential flaw in their otherwise perfect lives.  More and more disturbing things happen to these poor creatures but they remain resolute in their determination to remain cheerful.

In conclusion, the DVD features four short-shorts completed by Pecorap’ed this year: Baking Mochito (ぷぅっと もち彦, 2014), an animated haiku dedicated to the New Year’s tradition of roasting mochi (rice cakes), Evolutionary Tree (進化の樹2014), a cutout celebration of the natural world, Human Gene Pool (人間の遺伝子プール, 2014) an unusual take on humanity with some very unexpected twists, and Model Organisms Collection (モデルの生物コレクション,2014) a fashion show featuring various organisms, real and imaginary, with Darwin himself taking the stage as if he were the designer.

The DVD is not a complete works.  For a taste of their work so far, check out their Show Reel and other films on Vimeo.  You can also check out their contribution to the award-winning NHK omnibus Shinichi Hoshi Short-Shorts (星新一ショートショート調査, 2008) by ordering the DVD.

Shinichi Hoshi Short Short Vol.1 Premium Edition

What really impressed me at Hiroshima was Nishio and Sugidono's entrepreneurial spirit.  In addition to the DVD, they had made beautiful jewelry, stationery, and other lovely gift ideas using characters from their animations.  They also make picture books and illustrations and are enthusiastic about collaborating with other artists and running animation / art workshops.  The tree-shaped brooch that I bought made a lovely souvenir of the animation festival and tied in well to the Satoyama Concept workshop that I attended in Fukui Prefecture after the festival.

Catherine Munroe Hotes 2014 

The Last Air Raid Kumagaya (最後の空襲くまがや, 1993)

In 1978, Renzō and Sayoko Kinoshita, made the powerful ground-breaking film Pica-Don (ピカドン, 1978) which depicts the bombing of Hiroshima on the 6^th of August 1945 from the perspective of the victims of the atrocity.  An early example of an animated documentary, the Pica-Don was based on the testimonies and drawings of the survivors.  This use of animation to depict the unimaginable was done with the intent of educating people around the world about the horrors of war in effort to bring about world peace.  It is this same desire for “love and peace” that led the Kinoshitas to become involved in the founding of the Hiroshima International Animation Festival in 1985 (Source: hiroanim.org)

With The Last Air Raid Kumagaya (最後の空襲くまがや / Saigo no Kūshū Kumagaya, 1993), Renzō and Sayoko Kinoshita continue to drive home the message about the futility of war.  As they did with Pica-Don, they based this 29-minute long animated film on historical records, interviews with witnesses/survivors, and the documents belonging to survivors. 

The first part of the film is critical of domestic propaganda.  A female narrator says that the common people of Japan were ignorant of the “evils of war”, such as the atrocities’ committed by their military in the South Pacific and Okinawa.   The film suggests that people believed the propaganda, which hid from them the fact that the Japanese were fighting a losing battle.  The narrator says that in the closing days of the war, the general populace believed the myths of their country’s victories abroad and were oblivious that their emperor was on the verge of surrender. 

It is in this context that the story of the last American air raid on Japan unfolds.  The central character is a 7 year old girl called Sachiko.  She has just lost her immediate family in the firebombing of Tokyo and takes the train to her uncle’s family in Kumagaya in Saitama Prefecture.  She is not out of danger yet, for the train gets shot at by a plane along the journey.  Her uncle meets her at the station and he and his whole family welcome her with open arms.  With her cousins, Sachiko explores the beauty of the natural landscape around Kumagaya. 

Sadly, these beautiful days of late summer are not to last.  The final movement of the film depicts the final air raid of the war.  The city descends into fear and chaos and Sachiko gets separated from her family with tragic results.  This film has no happy ending, for war brings no happy endings except in schmaltzy Hollywood features.  Just when you think the film has served up more sadness than you can bear, the shock ending is a real kick in the gut.  Along with Isao Takahata’s Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓, 1988), this film not only has a strong anti-war message, but it also the highlights the suffering of children in times of war.   

The terrible irony of what happened in Kumagaya on August 15, 1945, was that as the people were reeling in shock in the ashes of the attack, Emperor Hirohito’s speech announcing Japan’s defeat came on the radio.  It is hard to imagine how the people of Kumagaya, and other cities bombed that final day (Osaka, Tokoyama, Isesaki) felt about the futility of their suffering at that moment.

This short film, animated beautifully with handmade cutouts, can be screened at the Peace Museum of Saitama (埼玉県平和資料館).  It is a useful educational film, but I would not recommend it for children under the age of 14.  It has deeply distressing imagery and raises some important political debates that require careful guidance by educators.  Although we do glimpse the American planes responsible for the air raids, I would argue that the film actually points the blame for the suffering of the Japanese people during the war on the Japanese government itself.  It is not easy material, but certainly useful when taught in the greater context of propaganda and war.

Catherine Munroe Hotes 2014

琉球王国 Made in Okinawa (2004)

When Renzō Kinoshita (木下蓮三, 1936 - 1997) passed away in 1997 at the early age of 60, he left behind an unfinished project called Ryūkyū Ōkoku – Made in Okinawa (琉球王国 – Made in Okinawa, 2004) dedicated to the history and people of the Ryūkyū Islands of Okinawa Prefecture.  The storyboard for the animated short was completed in 1996, and after his death his wife Sayoko Kinoshita (木下小夜子, b. 1945) completed the film. (Source: ASIFA JAPAN).  This animated 'documentary' short, which was shot on 35mm, played widely at international film and animation festivals from 2005-2007, and since then has shown at ASIFA screenings (Source: ASIFA JAPAN) at events such as International Animation Day. 

In a prologue to the title screen, the film presents a beautiful cutout sequence of the sea – the defining element of Okinawan island culture – along with other significant symbols of Okinawan culture.  A red-cheeked god, nanachi-bushi (the Big Dipper / Ursa Major), a traditional fan, the rising of the red sun out of the sea: these images all culminate with the face of the Ryūkyū god of nature in white dress.  He looks directly into the camera, as if to challenge the spectator to think carefully about the culture and history of these islands. He places his hands on a palm tree and its leaves flourish.  The sequence ends with a sequence of fish in their plenitude.

A Ryūkyū man dressed in a traditional bashōfu (芭蕉布 / banana plant cloth) kimono lies on the beach looking out to the sea.  As he lies there, we witness the passage of time on the islands.  At first there is peace and time seems to move slowly.  Only the music and the occasional movements of the man indicate the passage of time.  Finally a man carrying water passes by, followed by other people representative of times past: market vendors, peasants, the red-cheeked god dancing at a matsuri (festival).  But as the film progresses, the islands prove to be the meeting place of many cultures.

Okinawa has long been strategically important due to its central position in the East China Sea.  With Japan and Korea to the north, Taiwan and the Philippines to the south, and China to the west, the Ryūkyū were (and still are) significant for both for sea-going trade and political control in the region.  The Kinoshitas depict boats with various flags passing the islands, and present a montage of the cultural influences on Okinawan life.  This ranges from the benign (countries who want to trade with the people of the Ryūkyū Islands) to the threatening (countries who invaded/colonised the region).

The film is a great tool for teaching Okinawan history to secondary school children and university students, for there are visual references to many key historical events.  These include trade with the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the invasion of Ryūkyū Kingdom by the Satsuma Clan (1609) during the early days of the Tokugawa Shogunate (1603-1868), the Ryūkyūan missions to Edo (琉球江戸上り / Ryūkyū Edo Nobori) following the invasion, and the landing of American Commodore Matthew C. Perry at Naha Port on May 26, 1853.

The montage of events becomes more intense as the region enters the modern era beginning with the advent of the Meiji Period (1968-1912), which saw the abolition of the Ryūkyū Clan and establishment of Okinawa Prefecture (1879). The animated short also depicts the Crown Prince of Japan (Hirohito) visiting Okinawa briefly in 1921 at the outset of his famous extended tour of Europe.  The most dramatic sequences concern the terrible events experienced by Okinawans during the Second World War and the American Occupation of the islands.  Historical events are not presented in a strictly chronological order, but are often juxtaposed against past and future events in a complex way that provokes debate and critique. 

In conclusion, the film raises questions about the modernisation of Okinawa and leaves the audience much to consider regarding the region’s future.  As in their earlier films, particularly Pica-don (ピカドン, 1978) and The Last Air Raid Kumagaya (最後の空襲くまがや, 1993), the Kinoshitas do not shy away from presenting the harsh realities of the atrocities that have occurred in Okinawa.  The horrors of the Battle of Okinawa and the notorious forced mass suicides are difficult to watch, but clearly necessary to understanding the ongoing frictions between Okinawa and the Japanese government.  Although they are Japanese from Osaka and Tokyo respectively, Renzō and Sayoko Kinoshita clearly sympathize with the plight of the Okinawan people and the film expresses their desire for a peaceful future for the islands.   

Credits:

Directors:

Renzō Kinoshita

Sayoko Kinoshita

Producer:

Sayoko Kinoshita

Studio Lotus

Music:

Reijiro Koraku

Music Producer:

Yoshi Ando

Music Production:

Company Aza

Music Recording Studio:

Backpage Studio

Recording Engineer:

Mikio Obata

Sound Recording:

Kunio Ando

Sound Recording Studio:

Aoi Studio

Sound Production:

Magic Capsule

Sound Production Manager:

Rika Ishibashi

Okinawan Music:

Chibana Sanshin Club

Voices (Okinawan dialect):

Takashi Uehara

Masaru Taira

Camera:

Hisao Shirai

Teruo Tsuda

Editing:

Chikako Fukui

Yasuhito Fukui

Production Assistant:

Masahiro Hayashi

Production Manager:

Makiko Nagao

Laboratory:

Imagica

Selected Filmography

1972       Made in Japan   / Nippon Seizou                 

1977       Japonese                              

1978       Pica-don / ピカドン    

1986       Geba Geba Showtime / ゲバゲバショウタイム           

1989       Self Portrait, part of David Ehrlich’s collaborative work Animated Self Portraits

1993       The Last Air Raid Kumagaya / 最後の空襲くまがや 

1994       A Little Journey                 / ひろしくんは空がすき                         

2004       Ryūkyū Oukoku – Made in Okinawa        琉球王国Made in Okinawa       

For a complete filmography and links to secondary sources on the Kinoshitas, visit the Japanese Animation Filmography Project

Cathy Munroe Hotes 2014

Japanese Animation Today (現代日本のアニメーション)

The past decade has seen a real surge in independent animation in Japan, thanks in a large part to the efforts of art schools like the undergraduate programmes at Tama Art University (Tamabi), Musashino Art University, among many others, and the graduate programme at Tokyo University of the Arts (Geidai). 

Thus it was a shock to many that no Japanese films made the cut at for the official competition at this year’s Hiroshima International Animation Festival.  After watching the official competition, and speaking to several jury members on the selection committee, it became clear to me that the lack of Japanese films reflected the sheer high number of films submitted this year – the selection committee had to trawl through a record-breaking 2,200 entries – and the high quality of the films selected.  The style and themes of the selected films was quite diverse, and I think it reflects well on the fairness of the jury that they did not consider throwing in some token local entries in a nod to their hosts. 

Japanese animated shorts did show as part of the best of the student animation screenings, and a whole room next to the main entrance was dedicated to showcasing animations schools and works by their students.  There were also many past winners of festival prizes screened during retrospectives in honour of the festival’s 30^th birthday.  At the first such screening, Macoto Tezka presented Legend of the Forest, Part 2 (森の伝説 第二楽章/Mori no Densetsu, Daini Gakushō, 2014) – the first phase of completing his late father Osamu Tezuka’s unfinished masterpiece Legend of the Forest.

On the final day of the festival, a screening called Japanese Animation Today (現代日本のアニメーション) presented a cross-section of works representative of independent animation from Japan.   The works ranged from “stars of the students” such as Ryōji Yamada, whose film Waiter won an Award for Excellence at Image Forum Festival this year, to more established indie artists such as CALF members Atsushi Wada, with his Channel 4 sponsored Anomolies, and Mirai Mizue with his crowd-funded international festival favourite Wonder. 

Heart of Tap / タップのゆめ

Masako Ahn / アン・マサコ, 2013, 22’43”

http://www.ahnmasako.com/

http://www.shirogumi.com/

A puppet animation set in mid-20^th century Europe about a pair of used tap shoes.  The puppets and sets are beautifully done, unfortunately the script needed to be tightened quite a lot.  The story and images from the animation have also been published as a storybook. 

Red Colored Bridge

Keiichi Tanaami / 田名網敬一, 2013, 5’40”

http://c-a-r-t-e-blanche.com/

The latest psychedelic sensation from Japan’s leading pop artist.  Excellent as always. 

Anomalies

Atsushi Wada / 和田淳, 2013, 3’03”

http://kankaku.jp/

http://www.animateprojects.org/films/by_artist/w/a_wada

Wada’s contribution to the Channel 4 Animate Projects online exhibition space.  Drawn with his characteristic thin lines, Anomalies is a meditation on belief.

Waiter

Ryōji Yamada / 山田遼志, 2013, 8’50”

http://ryojiyamadayphooooonism.blogspot.jp/

The surreal journey of a hardworking waiter as he goes out and gets drunk after work.  Winner of an Award for Excellence at Image Forum Festival 2014.  Watch it on vimeo.

Let Out / レット・アウト

Kōtaro Satō / 佐藤皇太郎, 2012, 0’34”

http://www.docca.net/aastudio/

A short short about the link between nuclear energy and home use of electricity.

Small Garden / 小さな庭園

Shunsuke Saitō / 斎藤俊介, 2014, 12’22”  

http://www.shunsukesaito.com/

A dreamlike 3D animation set in a floating Castle-in-the-Sky-esque universe.  The film will be in the official competition at the Pia Film Festival, which will be held September 13-25 at the National Film Center.  Clips from the film appear from about 1:33 in Saitō’s Showreel.

Fireworks * Beads

Masamu Hashimoto / はしもと・まさむ, 2013, 3’09”

http://www11.ocn.ne.jp/~masam/

This clever stop motion film could be described as a cross between Ishu Patel’s classic NFB animated short Bead Game and a documentary on how to make a stop motion using beads.  The film first shows pixillated documentary footage of Masamu Hashimoto shooting the beads with tweezers and hands encased in plastic gloves, followed by the completed stop motion of those beads.  He then combines the various footage digitally, creating a wondrous display of stop motion fireworks made entirely of small beads.  Watch it yourself on YouTube.

Rhizome /リゾーム

Masahiro Ohsuka / 大須賀政裕, 2013, 5’54”

http://www.oskadesign.com/film

An experimental montage of hand-drawn images, Rhizome was inspired by the philosophy of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari.  In his Berlinale 2014 profile, Ohsuke’s oeuvre is described as addressing “the relationship between nature and machine, the abstract and the concrete, the local and the global.”  Watch the official trailer.

While the Crow Weeps / カラスの涙

Makiko Sukikara and Kōhei Matsumura / 鋤柄真希子、松村康平, 2013, 7’41”

http://sukimaki.com/

http://matsumurakohei.com/animation/whilethecrowweeps/index.html

The Osaka-based animation team of Makiko Sukikara (director/animator) and Kōhei Matsumura (screenwriter/producer) are young artists to watch.  Filmed on a multi-plane animation table, this beautifully painted film depicts the natural world in all its beauty and savageness.  Keep an eye out for my full review of his film in the near future.  For now, check out the official trailer. The film won a New Face Award for animation at the Japan Media Arts Festival 2013.

Firewood, Kanta, and Grandpa / 薪とカンタとじいじいと。

Takeshi Yashiro / 八代健志, 2013, 16’06”

http://www.taiyokikaku.com/

Kanta lives alone with his grandpa in the remote countryside.  One day, his grandpa gets sick and Kanta must face his fears of the woodshed in order to get the firewood they need to survive the cold winter days.  The puppets, sets, and stop motion are beautifully done in this film.  Like Heart of Tap, the other stop motion in this screening, the film suffered from a lack of editing.  It would have worked a lot better at a 10 minute max.  The film won Best Short in the Save the Earth! competition at the Short Shorts Film Festival and Asia. 

Eggs

Tomofumi Inoue / 井上智文, 6’32”

A 3D computer animation with an egg motif. I didn’t really get the point of this one and have been unable to find any information about the animator online due to the fact that he has a very common name and no web presence as an animator. 

Rinkaku / 輪郭

Keita Kurosaka / 黒坂圭太, 2012, 6’44”

http://profile.musabi.ac.jp/page/KUROSAKA_Keita.html

http://direngrey.co.jp/

Rinkaku (Silhouette) is a music video for the popular Japanese metal band Dir En Grey.  The animation artist Keita Kurosaka and the band had previously collaborated on the cover art and music video for their 2006 single Agitated Screams of Maggots.  As you can see in the official trailer for the music video, Kurosaka employs his trademark grotesque sketch style to the band, transforming their faces into unrecognizable slime. 

Wonderful Circus / 不思議サーカス

Hiroyuki Okui / 奥井宏幸, 2012, 2’55”

http://www.oqi091.com/

http://nmaj.co.jp/

A 3DCG animation - Okui's first original project (as opposed to commissioned) in more than a decade.

Wonder

Mirai Mizue / 水江未来, 2014, 8’08”

http://c-a-r-t-e-blanche.com/

The result of a project that saw Mizue challenge himself to make 1 second (24 frames) of animation every day over the course of 365.  Backed by crowd-funding, the resulting film is a visual delight.  Read my full review here.  This film can be found on the CaRTe bLaNChe DVD/Bluray L’Animation Indépendente Japonaise, Volume 2 (FR/EN).

Land / ランド

Masanobu Hiraoka / 平岡政展, 2013, 3’30”

http://www.jeregarde.com/land.php

Masanobu Hiraoka’s animated shorts play with colour-blocking and metamorphosis.  Watching his films is like peering into a kaleidoscope.  His short, Land, with music and sound design by Aimar Molero, was a Vimeo Staff Pick.

The Sexual Fish – The Fish that Forgot to Breed /性的な魚－繁殖を忘れた魚達

Dino Satō / サトウ・ダイノ, 2014, 2’00”

http://www.dinosato.com/

Six amusing animated vignettes speculating on the sexuality of fish.  Each scene is placed in a row of what look like a cross between stained glass windows and test tubes.  They can be found online as gifs.

Snow Hut / かまくら

Yoriko Mizushiri / 水尻自子, 2013, 5’20”

http://c-a-r-t-e-blanche.com/

A minimalist animation inspired by the kamakura snow huts of Aomori Prefecture.  Read my full review here.  This film can be found on the CaRTe bLaNChe DVD/Bluray L’Animation Indépendente Japonaise, Volume 2 (FR/EN).

The Portrait Studio / 写真館  

Takashi Nakamura / なかむら・たかし, 2013, 16’40”

A tender depiction of the modernization of Japan, one of the country’s most turbulent eras, told through the relationship between a photographer and one of his subjects.  Read my full review here.

Catherine Munroe Hotes 2014

Legend of the Forest, Part 2 (森の伝説 第二楽章, 2014)

At the inaugural biannual Hiroshima International Animation Festival in 1985, the legendary animator and manga-ka, Osamu Tezuka (手塚 治虫, 1928-89) won the Grand Prize with his experimental shot, Broken Down Film (おんぼろフィルム, 1985).  Thus it is fitting that his son, Macoto Tezka (aka Makoto Tezuka/手塚 眞, b. 1961) was able to complete Legend of the Forest, Part 2 (森の伝説 第二楽章/Mori no Densetsu, Daini Gakushō, 2014) in time for the 30^th anniversary of the festival.  Tezka had announced his plans to make Part 2 at Hiroshima 2008, but many factors delayed production including the earthquake in 2011, and the fact that the animators were also involved in the production of Studio Ghilbi’s The Wind Rises (Hayao Miyazaki, 2013) and The Tale of Princess Kaguya (Isao Takahata, 2013), not to mention Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo (2012).  At the screening on the opening day of the festival, Tezka joked that just like his father, he is always missing deadlines.

Happily I can announce that the film was well worth the wait.  Before I review the new part, let me first summarize the background of the film: Legend of the Forest is an unfinished work by Osamu Tezuka (read my review).  Inspired in part by Disney’s Fantasia (1940), Legend of the Forest was intended to be a film in four parts, with each part corresponding to one of the four movements of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.4 in F minor, Op. 36 (1878).  Before his untimely passing in 1989, Tezuka had completed parts 1 and 4.  He left behind a synopsis and notes for Part 2, but no sketches.  Part 2 was to be made using classical Disney animation methods, such as those found in Pinocchio (1940) – which also screened at Hiroshima Thursday as a tribute to Ward Kimball who was International Honorary President at Hiroshima 1992 – and Bambi (1942). 

The soundtrack is the original recording of the Andantino movement of Symphony No.4 by the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra under Kenichiro Kobayashi which was used by Tezuka in the two works he completed.   With only the music and the notes by Tezuka as a guide, Tezka instructed the animators to make a film using traditional animation methods but in their own style.   The resulting film is very much a modern take on classical animation style. 

Just like the nature sequences in a Disney film of yesteryear, Legend of the Forest, Part 2 opens with a dramatic sweep into the forest.  Deeper and deeper, through layers of leaves the “camera” moves until we discover a female mayfly (カゲロウ/kagerō), trapped in a spider’s web.  A male mayfly spots the damsel in distress and flies to her rescue.  The drama that ensues, and the danger that they encounter as they float down an unpredictable river is beautifully rendered with an eye to detail. 

The mayflies have been anthropomorphized and resemble fairies, but the other creatures that they encounter have been drawn in a realistic fashion.  The character design is the work of former Mushi Pro animator Akio Sugino, famous for his collaborations with the late Osamu Dezaki, on board for character design.  The characters have sweet and very expressive faces without being too “kawaii”. 

The most impressive aspect of this animated short is the movement, not only of the characters, but also their environment (leaves, water, etc), and the movement of the “camera” through spaces.   It is pretty clear that the animators spent a lot of time listening to the music and imagining the sequences.   The film is truly a delight to watch and filled me with the kind of wonder I felt the first time I watched Fantasia.  The film is a wonderful homage to both Tezuka and classic Disney animation. 

At the screening, Macoto Tezka announced that he plans to also direct Part 3 himself.  According to the notes left by Tezuka, the animation for the scherzo should have no story, but be experimental in the style of Norman McLaren with puppets in the style of Jiří Trnka.  Tezka suggested that Part 3 would have a mixture of abstract and puppet animation and that the resulting film will be more in the style of Macoto Tezka himself than that of his father. 

There was no full credit sheet distributed at the festival, so I will add those details when they become available.   

The next opportunity to watch Legend of the Forest, Part 2, will be September 5-14, 2014 at the Brillia Short Shorts Theatre in Minato Mirai (Yokohama).

Official website: http://tezukaosamu.net/

Catherine Munroe Hotes 2014

http://hiroanim.org/