Inemuribuu-chan: Thoughts and reviews on seeking a soothing sleep

Sleepy Buu-chan - Sleepy Buu-chan

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

October 1959

■Frequencies

12 mins

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■ Director

Jinbo Matsue

■ Production

Gakken Film Division/Masaru Furuoka/Shinichi Kanbayashi

■ Story

The piglet, the fox, the raccoon dog, the squirrel, and the rabbit work together to produce wheat. At first, everyone works hard, but gradually they become lazy. Only the squirrel works hard, grinding it into flour and baking bread. Everyone comes round because of the delicious smell. The kind squirrel shares the bread with everyone. Source: History of Japanese Animation Films, p. 257

■Explanation

This was the first work by Matsue Jinbo, a famous producer at Gakken who produced many puppet animations. Source: History of Japanese Animation Films, p. 257

■ Main staff

・Planning: Masatsugu Hara, Hideo Yamamoto ・Direction and script: Matsue Jinbo ・Puppet animation: Kyoko Nakamura, Michiko Tobita ・Cinematography: Nobuyoshi Hayashi ・Direction: Makoto Matsumura ・Music: Seiichiro Uno ・Sound: Hajime Kimura, Yoshizo Tanaka

■ Main Characters

Kiyoshi Kawakubo, Takashi Saito, Michiko Shirasaka

■Detailed review

"Inemuribu-chan," released in 1959, was director Jinbo Matsue's first work and is a puppet animation produced by Gakken Film Division. The story tells of a group of animals - a piglet, a fox, a raccoon dog, a squirrel, and a rabbit - who work together to grow wheat. Although the story unfolds simply, it skillfully expresses themes of cooperation, laziness, and kindness through the personalities and actions of the animals.

The story begins with the animals working together to grow wheat. However, as time passes, the piglet, the fox, the raccoon dog, and the rabbit gradually become lazy, and only the squirrel continues to work until the end. This scene is visually very effective, and the contrast between the squirrel's efforts and the laziness of the other animals leaves a strong impression on the viewer. In the scene where the squirrel grinds the wheat into flour and bakes bread, the warmth of manual labor is felt, further highlighting the squirrel's kindness. The scene where the squirrel shares the bread with the animals who have gathered around, attracted by the delicious aroma of baking bread, not only moves the viewer, but also teaches the importance of cooperation and kindness.

Director Jinbo Matsue has maximized the potential of puppet animation in this work. Puppet animation often does not have smooth movements, but in this work, the animals' movements are natural and express a wealth of emotion. This demonstrates the highly skilled puppet animation techniques of Nakamura Kyoko and Tobita Michiko. Hayashi Nobuyoshi's cinematography is also superb, capturing the expressions and movements of the animals clearly. Furthermore, Uno Seiichiro's music plays a role in enhancing the atmosphere of the story and enhancing the emotions of the viewer.

This work is not only an animation for children, but can also be enjoyed by adults. The story, which depicts the importance of cooperation and kindness, has the power to deeply move viewers and make them think. In addition, the beauty and high level of technique of the puppet animation provide visual enjoyment. Although it was made in 1959, it still feels fresh to watch today, which is due to the talent of director Matsue Jinbo and the technical skills of the staff.

■Reasons for recommendation

"Inemuribuu-chan" is a work that can be enjoyed by both children and adults. It is especially recommended for those who want to learn the importance of cooperation and kindness. It is also recommended for those who want to enjoy the beauty and high level of technique of puppet animation. Although it was made in 1959, it still feels fresh even when watching it today, so it is also recommended for those who are interested in old animation.

■ Related works

Other works by director Matsue Jinbo are also recommended. In particular, "A Doll's House" and "Toyland" are highly praised for their puppet animation techniques. "Koneko no Dakugaki," also produced by Gakken Film Division, is a work that allows you to feel the charm of puppet animation.

■How to watch

"Inemuribuu-chan" can now be viewed on DVD and Blu-ray. It is also available online, so that's another way to watch it. Since it's an old work, there may be limited places where you can watch it, but it's worth finding.

■ Summary

"Inemuribuu-chan" is the first work by director Matsue Jinbo, and is a puppet animation produced by Gakken Film Division. It is a work that is appealing for its story that depicts the importance of cooperation and kindness, and the beauty and high level of technique of the puppet animation. It is a work that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike, and is also recommended for those who are interested in old animation. Please give it a watch.