The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya: Review

16th March 2015

By Maahin Akhlaque.

I’m a little ashamed to admit that I’m not as familiar with the world of Ghibli as I’d like to be, even less of of Isao Takahata’s films than Hayao Miyazaki. In fact The Wind Rises was the first Studio Ghibli film I watched in the cinema, and possibly the only one I can truly say I’ve watched from start to finish. Until this of course. So it takes me a few scenes to get used to the look of this world of animation, so very different from what we get from the other side of the Pacific Ocean.

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is based on a Japanese folk tale, called The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, which tells the story of a bamboo cutter who finds a small little girl inside a glowing bamboo shoot. Convinced she is a sign he is blessed by heaven, he takes the tiny girl, dressed like a princess, home to his wife, in the arms of whom she turns into a fast-growing baby. Together the husband and wife raised her, naming her Princess/Hime, as she develops extraordinarily fast. After coming across gold and rich clothes in the same way he discovered Hime, he takes this to mean she is meant for nobility, and uses the gold to build her a mansion in the Capital, and to give her the life he believes she is meant for.

The look of the film will seem like nothing out of the ordinary for those who know Studio Ghibli’s films well. But for those who don’t, it may take a little while to get into it. There’s something raw and incomplete about the look of the film, but there’s a certain beauty to it because of it. Every single shot looks hand-painted, and the story and characters will engage you so much so that you won’t think about the unfinished corners. I don’t want to sound like I’m criticising the look, because I’m absolutely not, I love that it is how it is.

I appreciated how the parents aren’t portrayed as evil, or money-minded. They took the gold, and tried to do right by Hime, and make her happy. It could have very easily crossed into the cliche of a poor couple overwhelmed by the chance at a wealthier life. It’s a shame that the Emperor comes across as a bit of a caricature in comparison to everyone else. One of my favourite characters though is the short, plump maid, for no particular reason. There are some wonderful moments in the film, particularly how adorable the baby is, especially trying to copy frogs leap, and the segment towards the end with Hime and her childhood friend Sutemaru is especially moving.

There’s something quite tragic in the story of Princess Kaguya, and the film does get a bit emotional towards the end. Some people might find it a little slow, as it does take its time with the story, but I think it needs the slightly slower pace, and also it gives us the chance to appreciate and take in the art of the look of the film. Once I got past any initial hesitations, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya completely sucked me in. It’s a beautiful story, beautifully told, with just the right amount of magic.

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