Warning: This post contains spoilers
Plot
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Okay let me break it down for you; based on a very old folklore, a bamboo cutter encounters a glowing bamboo stalk and out came a tiny little girl in princess clothes. He brought her home to his wife and it strangely turned into a human child. They decided to raise her as their own and she was initially nicknamed as "Little Bamboo" by other children, in spite of her odd and quick growth spurt. However, the old couple still saw her as a princess and thought that it was her destiny to become one. So they left their old home and trained her in the ways of a princess. Eventually, she received the princess title named, "Princess Kaguya". Growing up, she slowly becomes disconnected from who she was, pressured to follow the princess path her adoptive father chose for her. She then gets consumed by overwhelming sadness, desperately wanting to go back to her old life where she had free will and did not have to think about pleasing others.
The story was very simple compared to most stories Studio Ghibli has shown so far. It was basically about a girl, growing up and learning the ways of becoming a princess. And it had the similar elements that you normally find in a princess story such as this; missing her old life, not wanting to marry others. But what made this story so different from the rest is that Princess Kaguya had no complaints. She may have disagreed on a few things, but in the end she still chose to become a princess just for her adoptive parents even if it has taken a toll on her. I've never encountered a plot that was so focused on just one person. Not once did the scenes ever strayed from her. Even if there are scenes that contained different characters, the subject in all of their conversations and actions are still about her. There wasn't a particular kind of war, no other problems, or event. The story was really about a tale of Princess Kaguya. It's that simple. Aside from that, the entire movie was another new learning experience for me and it made me appreciate Japanese culture and history even more, because it was another dominant thing I saw in the entire film. From their way of life, to the way princesses actually wore their make-up is so interesting. I also enjoyed the subtle theme of nature in this movie. Studio Ghibli had a lot of films with nature as one of their central themes. This time, it seemed like a supporting detail, but it still had a huge presence in the film and I appreciated how it is seen as something homey for Kaguya; something she had to return to in times of dark moments of the film.
Characters
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The characters are also very simple, including Kaguya herself. Aside from the fact that she was born out of a bamboo stalk, she's actually very ordinary. Actually, it was her goal in the first place. She wanted to be ordinary and she was pretty good at it. She loved to play with the other kids, immerse herself in nature, and she was a mixture of gentle, kind, and good. Kaguya is a very enchanting person and she taught me that simplicity can still create a big impact. As for the other characters, I just appreciated how they were just there and all of them have their own way of connecting to the main character, including the weird suitors. There was not one character who wouldn't know who Princess Kaguya was. Also, they all didn't have their own scene to shine; everyone equally had their own parts, so the princess could really take up the entire film and it works--at least for me.
Music
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Surprisingly, there was not much music for this film, and scenes without music usually wouldn't be effective. But in this case, it works because everything about the film is so quaint and tranquil. But when there is music it is still quaint and tranquil, and sometimes almost quiet. But the music I enjoyed the most was Kaguya's koto. It is some sort of Japanese guitar-like instrument and it is played like a harp. I fell in love with the koto, because the sound of it is so soothing. It is something I would listen to when I'm stressed and I need to relax. And the music of the koto describes one of the many positive qualities Kaguya as a character.
Art
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I could go on and on with many pictures, because the art is my favorite part of the entire movie. Everything is depicted in a water color style of art and everything suddenly felt like I was reading from a storybook with moving pictures. It may not appeal to many viewers, since 3D art is the one in the mainstream nowadays. Nonetheless, everything was so beautiful thanks to the art. It was not just pleasant to look at, but it was also very nostalgic because it has been a very long time since I've seen a film who would go for this kind of art style. It is even soothing to look at since not much is going on, even if there is a conflict going on.
Takahata has certainly done a remarkable job in putting the story of Kaguya together. It started out beautifully and it ended beautifully. Just like the princess. I love the minimalism and the consistency in the setting, characters, plot, and everything else. There were parts that may be dragging for some, but also tolerant and meaningful for others. After all, absorbing a masterpiece into your heart and soul can be a very challenging thing and can be truly accepted with open-mindedness. So I shall give this film a beautiful sunny side up.
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For those who haven't seen the film, then I urge you to give it a shot. It may not be your cup of tea, but I hope you would give it a chance. It may not have the thrilling music for battling dragons like in How To Train Your Dragon 2 did, or the colorfulness of Book of Life, or maybe a cute mascot like Baymax in Big Hero 6, but this movie is so rich in many things. I don't know exactly why I'm saying this but for some reason, I find it heart wrenching when people have very particular tastes in certain things. Personally, I love opening up to many new ideas, stories, and adventure and watching films like this is definitely one of them. I definitely didn't have anything to lose, but I gained a lot of new stuff that I can appreciate and that, for me is living. So if you don't really want to see this film, that's cool. But don't be ignorant; read a book that's written by an author you haven't heard of, watch a foreign film, eat something you'd never thought you would put in your mouth. Experience, and learn. Believe me, there are many ways to explore aside from leaving the comforts of your home. Start simple, just like this film.
Till the next post
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