Rat Fight: An evaluation of the unexpected charm and deep story

Rat Fight - Rat Fight

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

July 1948

■Frequencies

11 mins

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

・Original work: Kenji Masuda

■ Director

・Direction: Satoshi Morino

■ Production

Produced by Shineigasha and Fujifilm Research Institute

■ Story

A strong mouse trains hard to beat a cat. To show his strength, he gathers his fellow mice and boxs the cat. They put a paper bag over the kitten and fight in the ring, but when the bag breaks, even the kitten is a cat. The mice run away because the kitten is too strong.
History of Japanese Animation Films P237

■Explanation

After Fuji Film Laboratories developed color film for movies (reversal film), they collaborated with Shineigasha to produce prototypes of Fujicolor motion pictures, but because they were only prototypes they were not released to the public.
The first domestically produced color feature film was Carmen Comes Home, directed by Kinoshita Keisuke and released by Shochiku in March 1951, and it is said that these video prototypes served as the basis for color film color tests.
This film was released by Kindai Eigasha in July 1952 under the title "Mouse Fist Fight." The story is about a mouse fighting a cat, but there was an episode where the screenplay was pre-censored by CIE (Civilian Information and Education Service in the United States), and it was difficult to get permission to make the film because it was deemed ideologically uninteresting (perhaps the cat represents the great power of America?).

■ Main staff

・Produced by Shineigasha, Fuji Film Research Institute ・Original story by Kenji Masuda ・Screenplay by Kenji Masuda ・Direction by Satoshi Morino ・Cinematography by Megumi Asano ・Animation by Osamu Satomi

■Detailed evaluation

"Mouse Fist" is a Japanese animated film released in 1948, and is very interesting considering its historical background and technical significance. This film was produced during the period when Japan was working on the development of color movies after the war, and played an important role as a color test film. Below, we will explain in detail the story, production background, technical features, and cultural significance of this film.

The appeal of the story

The story of "Mouse Boxing" is very simple. A strong mouse trains hard to beat a cat, and gathers fellow mice to box with the cat. The scene where the kitten is covered with a paper bag and fights in the ring is humorous, and the scene where the kitten escapes from the bag and the mice run away is visually impactful and comedic. This simple story can be enjoyed by a wide range of people, from children to adults.

Background and technical features

This film is a prototype produced by Fuji Film Laboratories in collaboration with Shineigasha after the development of color film (reversal) for cinema. As it was a prototype, it was not released to the public, but it played an important role as a color film color test prior to the release of "Carmen Comes Home," Japan's first color feature film. Considering that color film technology was still in its infancy at the time, this film can be said to have made an important contribution to the history of Japanese color cinema.

The lineup of production staff is also noteworthy. Masuda Kenji, who wrote the original story and screenplay, was an important figure in the postwar Japanese animation world, and his unique perspective and humor are reflected in this work. Morino Satoshi, who directed the film, was also a major contributor to the development of postwar Japanese animation, and his directing skills add to the appeal of this work.

Cultural significance

"The Fight for the Cat" reflects the various problems that Japan faced after the war. In particular, the episode where the film was difficult to get permission to produce due to pre-censorship by CIE symbolizes the political situation in Japan at the time. The debate over whether the cat represents the great power America shows that post-war Japan was under American influence, and this film can be seen as a kind of satire that reflects that background.

This film also symbolizes the dawn of color cinema in Japan, capturing both technological progress and cultural change at the same time. Produced at a time when postwar Japan was searching for new means of expression, this film is a valuable document that reflects the social situation and people's feelings at the time.

■Recommendation details

"Mouse Fist" is a very important work for understanding the history of postwar Japanese animation. In particular, it is useful for understanding the technological advances in color film and the political situation at the time. In addition, the simple yet humorous storyline is enjoyable for both children and adults. This is a work that should be seen by fans of animation films and those interested in history.

In addition, to gain a deeper understanding of this work, the following related works and materials may be of help:

Related Titles

• "Carmen Comes Home" - Known as the first domestically produced color feature film, it was produced at the same time as "Rat Fighter."
• "Momotaro: Divine Soldiers of the Sea" - A masterpiece of pre-war Japanese animation, a work that influenced the development of post-war animation.

Related Documents

• "History of Japanese Animation Films" - A book containing a detailed explanation of this work, and is an important resource for understanding the history of postwar Japanese animation.
• "Postwar Japanese Film Culture" - A book that provides a detailed explanation of the development of postwar Japanese films and their background, and is useful for understanding the background to the production of "Rat Boxing."

As mentioned above, "Mouse Boxing" is a very interesting work from the perspective of its historical background and technical significance, and I would like as many people as possible to see it. I would recommend it not only to fans of animation films and those interested in history, but also to anyone who wants to know about the changes in postwar Japanese society.