The appeal and evaluation of "Puss in Boots": A deep insight into the classic anime

"Puss in Boots": A fantasy masterpiece from Toei Animation

Released on March 18, 1969, Puss in Boots is a feature-length animated film produced by Toei Animation and based on a fairy tale by Charles Perrault. The film was shown as one of the films at the Toei Manga Festival and has since occupied an important place in the history of Toei Animation. Even now, more than half a century after its release, its charm has not faded and it continues to be loved by many fans.

story

The story begins when Pero, a cat who is targeted by an assassin under the boss cat for helping a mouse, meets Pierre, the third son of a farming family. After the death of his father, Pierre was bullied by his two older brothers, but when he meets Pero, he decides to go on a journey with him. During the journey, Pero finds a poster in the royal palace looking for a husband for Princess Rosa, and decides to make Pierre a nobleman named Duke Carabas and make him a potential husband for the princess. However, Princess Rosa is kidnapped by the Demon King Lucifer, and Pierre heads to the Demon King's castle to save the princess.

Commentary

"Puss in Boots" is a fantasy film based on the original work by Charles Perrault, but with the quality humor and original ideas that are unique to Toei Animation. When it was released, the cat Perrault was also popular as the mascot character of Toei Animation, and had a major influence on subsequent animation productions. Other works shown with the film include "Alone," "Himitsu no Akko-chan: The Circus Troupe Has Come," "Kaibutsu-kun: Defeat the Sand Demon, Kaibutsu-kun and the God of Haniwa Monsters," and "Chaco and Ken-chan."

cast

The cast of this work is a star-studded cast of voice actors, including Susumu Ishikawa as Pero, Yoshiko Fujita as Pierre, Rumi Sakakibara as Princess Rosa, Kin'ya Aikawa as the leader of the assassins, Ado Mizumori as the little cat assassin, Kazuo Kumakura as the leader of the mice, Kenji Utsumi as Daniel, Shun Yashiro as Raymond, Yoshito Masuda as the king, and Asao Koike as the demon king Lucifer. Their performances give the story depth and appeal.

Main Staff

Many staff members were involved in the production of this film, including the original author Charles Perrault, producer Hiroshi Okawa, planners Masajiro Seki, Ken Ariga, and Mikio Shibuya, scriptwriters Hisashi Inoue and Mamoru Yamamoto, comedy supervisor Yumihiko Nakahara, director Kimiro Yabuki, assistant directors Yasuo Oyobe and Tokiji Kabuki, animation director Koji Mori, key animators Yasuo Otsuka, Reiko Okuyama, Sadao Kikuchi, Yoichi Kotabe, Akemi Ota, Hayao Miyazaki, Akira Daikuhara, art directors Mataji Urata and Isamu Tsuchida, special effects designer Chiaki Hirao, color toning designer Yohei Taniguchi, inspection designers Saburo Niiro and Keiji Morikawa, cinematographers Miki Hirao and Yoichi Takanashi, editor Yutaka Senkura, music designer Seiichiro Uno, sound designer Hiromi Kanbara, sound effects designer Noriyoshi Ohira, recording designer Toshiko Kawashima, development designer Toei Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., and production company Toei Animation. Their efforts and talents have made this film a success.

Main Characters

Pero is a cat wearing red boots. He is sentenced to death by the boss cat for saving a mouse, but escapes. He wears clothes like a human, can converse with people, and is very quick-witted, and plays an important role in mediating between Pierre and Princess Rosa. Pierre is the youngest of three brothers from a farming family, and is bullied by his two older brothers and spends his days barely eating. However, with Pero's help, he becomes a potential husband for Princess Rosa. Princess Rosa is a beautiful princess who refuses the proposal of marriage from the Demon King Lucifer and is kidnapped to the Demon King's castle on a full moon night, but she has feelings for Pierre. The Demon King Lucifer plans to use his magical powers to make Princess Rosa his wife, and forcibly kidnaps her and tries to hold a wedding ceremony in his castle.

Related Titles

Other works shown at the same time as this one include "Alone", "Himitsu no Akko-chan: The Circus Troupe Has Arrived", "Kaibutsu-kun: Defeat the Sand Demon - Kaibutsu-kun and the God of Haniwa Monsters", and "Chako and Ken-chan". These works are also important works that color the history of Toei Animation, and are not to be missed by fans.

Theme songs and music

The theme songs for this work include the opening theme "Puss in Boots" (lyrics by Hisashi Inoue and Morihisa Yamamoto, composition by Seiichiro Uno, sung by Susumu Ishikawa, Yoko Mizugaki, Vocal Shop, Trio Boin), "Long Live Karabas-sama" (lyrics by Hisashi Inoue and Morihisa Yamamoto, composition by Seiichiro Uno, sung by Vocal Shop and Trio Poin), the insert songs "Where is Happiness?" (lyrics by Hisashi Inoue and Morihisa Yamamoto, composition by Seiichiro Uno, sung by Rumi Sakakibara), "March of the Mice" (lyrics by Hisashi Inoue and Morihisa Yamamoto, composition by Seiichiro Uno, sung by Yoko Mizugaki, Vocal Shop), and "We Are Friends Who Can't Be Separated" (lyrics by Hisashi Inoue and Morihisa Yamamoto, composition by Seiichiro Uno, sung by Susumu Ishikawa and Yoshiko Fujita). These songs build emotion as the story progresses, leaving a deep impression on the audience.

Evaluation and impact

"Puss in Boots" was highly praised when it was first released, and has gained many fans. The character of Pero in particular has influenced subsequent Toei Animation works and continues to be loved by many people. Furthermore, the story's development and the appeal of the characters have been embraced by a wide range of people, from children to adults, and the film is considered a milestone in fantasy animation.

Reasons for recommendation

"Puss in Boots" is a wonderful work that combines fantasy and humor, and is an animated film that the whole family can enjoy. The story unfolds in a way that is worth watching and has the power to draw viewers in, including Pero's wisdom and courage, Pierre and Princess Rosa's pure love, and the battle with the demon king Lucifer. The stellar voice cast and beautiful music also add to the appeal of this work. It is a film that you should definitely see at least once to learn about the history of animated films.

Further information

This work was released in theaters on March 18, 1969, and consists of one episode with a length of 80 minutes. It was distributed by Toei, its Eirin number is 15517, it was produced by Toei Animation, and the copyright is © Toei. It is based on a fairy tale by Charles Perrault, and while it faithfully reproduces the worldview of the story, Toei Animation has added its own interpretation and direction.

Conclusion

"Puss in Boots" is a work that symbolizes the history of Toei Animation, and its charm has not faded even today, and it continues to be loved by many fans. The story unfolds in a way that is worth watching and has the power to draw viewers in, including Pero's wisdom and courage, Pierre and Princess Rosa's pure love, and the battle with the demon king Lucifer. The stellar voice cast and beautiful music also enhance the appeal of this work. It is a work that you should definitely see at least once to learn about the history of animation films. It is a wonderful work that combines fantasy and humor, and I highly recommend it as an animation film that the whole family can enjoy.