Movielogr

Rating: 8 stars

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Japan

All movies seen on 08/12/2011

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Momotaro's Divine Sea Warriors (1945)

Directed by Mitsuyo Seo

Animation | War

Overview

The first Japanese feature-length animated film. It was directed by Mitsuyo Seo, who was ordered to make a propaganda film for the war by the Japanese Naval Ministry. Shochiku Moving Picture Laboratory shot the 74-minute film in 1944 and screened it on April 12, 1945. It is a sequel to Momotarō no Umiwashi, a 37-minute film released in 1943 by the same director. It is black and white. The whole movie also depicts the Japanese “liberation of Asia”, as proclaimed by the Government at the time. Seo tried to give dreams to children, as well as to instill the hope for peace, with hidden movie’s hints of dreams and hopes, under the appearance of war propaganda.

Rated PG-13 | Length 74 minutes

Actors

Viewing History (seen 1 time)

Viewing Notes

Thanks to Network Awesome, I was able to see this very early example of Japanese animation in the form of a World War Two propaganda film, consider Japan’s first animated feature film (even though apparently it was really the second film, also by the same director). This is an amazing piece work that I wish would get a proper home video release so it can be enjoyed and appreciated esp. in the context of why it was created.

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