Template:Nihongo is the first Japanese feature-length animated film. It was directed by Template:Nihongo, who was ordered to make a propaganda film for the war by the Japanese Naval Ministry. Shochiku Moving Picture Laboratory shot the 74
Template:Nihongo is the first Japanese feature-length animated film. It was directed by Template:Nihongo, 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 Template:Nihongo, a 37-minute film released in 1943 by the same director.
Just like its prequel, the movie features the "Peach Boy" character of Japanese folklore. The film is about the surprise maneuver on Sulawesi island, depicting parachute troops' actions. The whole movie also depicts how Japan "liberates Asia", as proclaimed by the Government at the time.
There are some musical scenes. Of note is Template:Nihongo, a scene where Japanese soldiers teach local animals how to speak.
The Naval Ministry previously showed Seo Fantasia, a 1940 Disney film. Inspired by this, Seo tried to give dreams to children, as well as to instill the hope for peace, just as he did in the prequel movie, Momotaro's Sea Eagles.
Template:Nihongo is famous for being given a homage in the series Template:Nihongo by Osamu Tezuka (Tezuka watched the film in April 1945. He later said that he was moved to tears by the movie's hints of dreams and hopes, hidden under the appearance of war propaganda).
For a long time, the film was presumed to be confiscated and burnt by the American occupation. However, a negative copy of the film was found in Shochiku's depot in 1984. A reproduced movie was later screened and the VHS package is now available in Japan.
- Production: Template:Nihongo
- Auspices: Naval Ministry of Japan
- Movie organization: Template:Nihongo
- Script, Choreography, and Direction: Template:Nihongo
- Shadow play: Template:Nihongo
- Musical direction: Template:Nihongo
- Lyrics: Template:Nihongo