The Tale of Princess Kaguya- Anime Review

It's time to review a recent take on an old Japanese folktale this years Favorites Month. I was interested in the tale of the Bamboo Cutter/Princess Kaguya since the second Inuyasha movie. When this movie came out, I was confused on the artistic choice, but it makes sense for an old folktale. I still hope to read the original tale to see how this movie differs.

The Plot

A Bamboo cutter finds a small girl in a bamboo shoot, and believing she is something special, he and his wife decide to raise her. She grows up quickly earning the nickname of "Little Bamboo" from the village kids.

One day, the bamboo cutter returns to the bamboo grove and finds gold cloth and silk and decides to make the girl a real princess. He has his family move to the capital and buys a mansion and fills it with servants in able to treat her as a princess. The girl now of age gets the name of Princess Kaguya, but does wealth, and the noble life make her happy?

My Review

This is one of the most bittersweet movies from Studio Ghibli. I think the story is an emotional one about enjoying your time on earth. I love the princess and how she tries to escape from the noble princess role to be herself. If you want to see an old folktale with watercolor animation, I fully recommend The Tale of Princess Kaguya.