Kaguya Goods
Kaguya Goods at Yamashiroya
Kaguya Goods at Yamashiroya
Last month Kaguya-hime Monogatari came out in theatres and after a years long wait to see Ghibli’s take on The Bamboo Cutter’s Tale I wasn’t sure what to think. I first became aware of this popular Japanese legend many, many years ago as a tween because of Sailor Moon. This movie was not Sailor Moon. It wasn’t even really any version of The Bamboo Cutter’s Tale I’ve read.
The first half of this film beautiful. The watercolor artwork is gorgeous. Seeing the little Take no Ko raised by her elderly adoptive parents is sweet. Her playing in the mountains is adorable. It’s beautiful film magic for about half an hour or more. She makes babies cute even to a jaded elementary school teacher like me. But, when she moves to the city to take her place in society, the movie breaks down. Kaguya falls into despair over her restrictive society life and then leaves without even meeting the emperor. Instead, she lusts after a childhood friend and does not offer him immortality or anything. What’s all this! I left the theater feeling not at all resolved and a little sad.
I’m still singing her folk song, though. It’s an earworm of Totoro proportions.
The theater program book follows:
And, isolated pictures for your enjoyment:
