"Wanwan Chushingura" review: A moving story of loyalty and friendship

Detailed review and recommendation of Wanwan Chushingura

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

December 21, 1963 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Toei

■ Eirin Number

13120

■Frequencies

81 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■ Production

Toei Animation

■Works

©Toei Animation

■ Story

Locke is a young dog living with his mother in a peaceful forest. One day, his mother Shiro is killed by the ferocious tiger Killer and fox Red Ear. Locke tries to stand up to Killer, but is too young to avenge his mother. As time passes, Locke grows up and gains strong friends, including his girlfriend Karoo. Meanwhile, a mountain hunt is taking place in the forest, and many of the animals are taken to the zoo. With no more prey to hunt, Killer goes to the zoo himself. Hearing this, Locke heads to the zoo to avenge his mother.

■Explanation

This is the third feature film produced as a collaboration between Tezuka Osamu and Toei Animation. It was planned with the intention of rivaling the world-famous Disney Studios. Based on "Chushingura," Tezuka Osamu created the original story and storyboards using the technique of anthropomorphizing animals. Each character is given a name that parodies a character from "Chushingura," such as Rock for Oishi Kuranosuke and Killer for Kira Kozukenosuke. Also shown were "Ken the Wolf Boy" and "Yagyu Bugei Cho: The One-Eyed Ninja." This film was selected by the Ministry of Education.

■Cast

・Rock (childhood) / Ayako Hori・Rock (adulthood) / Hideo Kinoshita・Shiro / Ranko Mizuki・Karu / Mari Kitagawa・Goro / Hideo Sato, Fumitake Omura・Nukita / Sakae Umezu・Killer / Akira Nishimura・Killer's bodyguard / Kenji Nakagawa, Kazuo Nagayama・Red ear / Kiku Kamo, Chiyoko Homma・Rabi / Makiko Ito・Ron / Kazuko Yoshikawa・Rima / Kiyoko Yamamoto・Lighthouse keeper girl / Ayako Hori

■ Main staff

・Producer / Hiroshi Okawa・Original story/composition / Osamu Tezuka・Planning / Makoto Yoshida, Goro Kondaibo, Kei Iijima・Screenplay / Kei Iijima, Daisaku Shirakawa・Supervision / Sanae Yamamoto, Yasuji Yabushita・Director / Daisaku Shirakawa・Assistant director / Hiroshi Ikeda, Hiromi Yamamoto・Animation director / Akira Daikuhara・Key animation / Masao Kumakawa, Koji Mori, Daikichiro Kusube, Reiko Okuyama, Masatake Kita, Chikao Katsui, Norio Hikone, Yoichi Kodabe・Title design / Takao Kodama・Art / Seiichi Toriizuka, Hajime Numai・Color design / Mataji Urata・Finishing inspection / Masatoyo Ogura・Special finishing / Takeshi Fujii・Cinematography / Kenji Sugiyama, Jiro Yoshimura・Editing / Ikuzo Inaba・Music / Urato Watanabe・Sound recording / Takeshi Mori, Jiro Yoshimura・Producer / Toei Animation

■ Main Characters

Rock is a brave dog whose mother was killed when he was a child. He confronts the tiger Killer to get revenge. With the help of his friends in the forest, he grows up safely, but is tricked by Red Ear at every opportunity. He finds a lover named Karu.

・Shiro Rock's mother dog. She lived peacefully with her son Rock and the animals of the forest, but one day she incurred the wrath of the fox Red Ear. She was caught in Red Ear's trap and lost her life.

Karoo is Rock's girlfriend. She is a cute female Spitz dog. When Rock goes on a revenge mission to defeat Killer, she leads the charge with him to the zoo.

Killer: A tiger who oppressed the animals of the forest. He committed all sorts of atrocities, including killing Locke's mother, who was innocent. He is hated by his fellow forest creatures, and he teams up with his minion, Akamimi, to carry out various evil schemes.

A cunning red fox who serves as the Red Ear Killer's minion. He has a quick mind and is always giving Killer advice. Hearing rumors about the grown-up Rock, he falsely accuses Rock of burglarizing a warehouse.

■ Related works

・Simultaneous screening of "Ken the Wolf Boy" (Tokyo area only)
"Yagyu Martial Arts Book: The One-Eyed Ninja"

■ Theme songs and music

・Theme song/OP "Woof Woof March"
Lyrics by Takao Saeki, Music by Hachidai Nakamura, Vocals by Duke Aces
(Victor Records)

・Insert song: "Woof Woof Lullaby"
Lyrics by Takao Saeki Music by Urahito Watanabe Sung by Duke Aces
(Victor Records)

Detailed review of Wanwan Chushingura

"Wanwan Chushingura" is a theatrical animation produced by Toei Animation and released in 1963, with an original story and storyboard by Tezuka Osamu. While strongly influenced by Disney Studios, this work is known as a unique piece that combines Japanese culture and storytelling. Below, we will explain in detail the appeal and background of this work, as well as recommended points.

The appeal of the story

The story of "Wanwan Chushingura" begins with the young dog Rock, whose mother Shiro is murdered. From this tragic event, Rock grows up and struggles to avenge his mother. The story is based on "Chushingura," and the tale of revenge that unfolds in a world where animals are anthropomorphized has the power to appeal to a wide range of people, from children to adults.

Particularly impressive is Locke's growth and the bond he forms with his friends. The transformation from the helplessness of his childhood to the courage and determination of an adult dog is moving to the viewer. Locke's love story with Karoo and his friendship with his friends also add depth to the story. Don't miss Killer and Red Ear's wicked schemes and the suspenseful mountain hunt at the zoo.

Character Appeal

Locke is portrayed as a brave and righteous protagonist. His coming-of-age story resonates with the audience. Each character's individuality, such as Shiro's motherly love and sacrifice, Karu's love, Killer's cruelty, and Red Ear's cunning, enriches the story.

In particular, the relationship between Locke and Karoo is a central element of the story, and their bond warms the hearts of viewers. The villain duo Killer and Red Ear also provide tension and thrills to the story, drawing viewers in. The portrayal of these characters is the result of the combined talent of Tezuka Osamu and the technical capabilities of Toei Animation.

Background and influences

Wanwan Chushingura was a collaboration between Tezuka Osamu and Toei Animation, a project that followed on the success of Disney Studios. Tezuka Osamu reimagined the story of Chushingura by anthropomorphizing animals, creating a work that is both visually appealing and storytellingly clever.

This work was also recognized as a work selected by the Ministry of Education and was recognized for its educational value. It also had a great impact on children at the time, along with "Ken the Wolf Boy" and "Yagyu Bugeicho: The One-Eyed Ninja," which were shown at the same time. This work, which combines Tezuka Osamu's unique style with Toei Animation's technical capabilities, can be said to have made a major impact on Japanese animation culture.

Music and Video

The music for "Wanwan Chushingura" was composed by Watanabe Urajin, and the memorable theme song "Wanwan March" and the inserted song "Wanwan Lullaby" are the most memorable songs. These songs are sung by the Duke Aces and play an important role in enhancing the atmosphere of the story.

Visually, the technical skills of Toei Animation's animation director, Akira Daikuhara, and his staff shine. In particular, the depiction of the animals' movements and expressions exceeds the technical standards of the time and is full of visual appeal. The title design, art, and color design are also top-notch, making this an overall worthwhile film.

Recommended points

"Wanwan Chushingura" is a worthwhile work that combines Tezuka Osamu's unique worldview with Toei Animation's technical capabilities. The following points are the reasons why we highly recommend it.

• Depth of story : This revenge drama based on the novel "Chushingura" is enjoyable for both children and adults. It is a touching story that depicts Rock's growth and the bond with his friends.
• Character appeal : Characters with unique personalities such as Locke, Shiro, Karoo, Killer, and Red Ear add excitement to the story. Their relationships and growth resonate with the audience.
• Background and influences : This work reflects the unique culture of Japan while being aware of the influence of Disney Studios. This work, a collaboration between Osamu Tezuka and Toei Animation, had a major impact on Japanese animation culture.
• Music and Visuals : Watanabe Urahito's music and Toei Animation's visual techniques work together to bring the story to life. The depiction of the animals' movements and expressions is particularly impressive.

As mentioned above, "Wanwan Chushingura" is an excellent work in terms of story, characters, production background, music and visuals, and is a masterpiece that everyone should see at least once. This work, which brings together Osamu Tezuka's worldview and Toei Animation's technical capabilities, is sure to provide viewers with excitement and joy.