The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya is the newest Japanese animated film written and produced by the legendary Isao Takahata. It is based on the folktale The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. Takahata brings this classic tale to life under his creative direction.
This film follows the upbringing of the protagonist, Princess Kaguya and starts with her magical birth from a glowing bamboo shoot. Okina was an ordinary bamboo cutter who discovers Kaguya while he was working one day and together with his wife they view this as a miracle from heaven and decides to raise Kaguya up. Kaguya soon becomes friends with her neighbors and earns the nickname “little bamboo” as she grows at an astonishing rate and she develops a close relationship with the eldest neighbor, Sutemaru. As Okina continues to work in the forest, he encounters the glowing bamboo numerous times and is gifted gold and empress clothing. He believes that this is a sign from Heaven that Kaguya is destined to become a princess and uses the gold to build a beautiful palace and enlists Sagami, a teacher, to educate Kaguya the ways of a proper woman.
As Kaguya grows, her beauty attracts many suitors, and Okina is convinced that finding her a suitor that can provide her a princess-like lifestyle will be fulfilling her destiny. However, this is not what Kaguya desires, and she turns her suitors away by making impossible requests. Eventually Kaguya’s name is spread so far and wide that the Emperor takes interest in her and decides to make a private visit after she rejects his offer to be his concubine. On his visit the Emperor attempts to forcefully make Kaguya his concubine, but she magically disappears and the Emperor leaves determined to return. However her use of her magic attracted the gods from the Moon who informs her that she belongs to her home at the moon and that they will come to take her away on the fifteenth night of the lunar month. Though Okina and his wife made attempts to protect Kaguya, she was ultimately subdued by the gods and returned to her palace in the moon.
Takahata’s skill is clearly shown through the use of soft colors, graceful movements and the impressionistic, hand-drawn style of sketches for the characters and the surrounding environment. The linear transformation of Kaguya from a joyful child to a depressed young lady brings light to the question of what a happy life means for a girl as the traditional ways of femininity shown is suppressive and Kaguya’s individuality is scorned at. The objectification of woman is heavily highlighted in this film as each of Kaguya’s suitor refers to her as a “treasure” to own. Although it is explicit that Okina’s intention was only for the best, he took away what she treasures most: life at the countryside. This film uses comedic moments to lighten the heavy themes discussed but Takahata makes it explicitly clear that the palace Okina built is a prison for Kaguya.
The conflict that Kaguya encounters is due to her deep love for her father and her desire to follow his wishes but also her inability to fully comply because she yearns for freedom. This causes her to feel as if she’s a failure and shows how parent’s high expectations can lead to a child’s downfall. Okina’s demand for Kaguya was for her to conform to the role the culture expects her to play and this leads to an emotional death for Kaguya, echoing with her eventual departure from earth.
The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya is a film suitable for people of all ages as it discusses themes that are very relatable. The beauty of the animation alone is worth watching but the allure of the story is definitely rewarding to all those who decides to watch this movie.
This movie is showing at IFC theatres.
-Summer Luk
