A thorough evaluation of the profound themes and artistic merit of "Kyuryu Giga"

The profound world of kyūjugiga

■ Public Media

Independent Production

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

1970

■Frequencies

8 mins

■Original Story

・Original story: Riichi Yokomitsu's "Top Hat"

■ Director

・Direction: Kihachiro Kawamoto

■ Story

■Explanation

■Cast

■ Main staff

The profound world of kyūjugiga

"Kenju Giga" directed by Kihachiro Kawamoto is an independently produced animation released in 1970, which has made its mark in the history of animation for its profound theme and unique expressive techniques. The film is based on the short story "Top Hat" by Riichi Yokomitsu, but while Kawamoto borrowed the plot, he created his own unique world that reflected his own experiences and ideas.

Interpretation of the story

The story of "Kinju Giga" is set in a dog racing arena. As the spectators are absorbed in betting, a starter wearing a top hat and tailcoat appears and attaches fishing poles to the collars of the dogs. This causes the dogs to forget about the race and fight over the fish. This scene symbolizes the competition and desires of society, and the starter's words "Is our happiness to become dogs?" and "Pay close attention to what is happening" encourage the spectators to reflect on their own actions.

The starter is dismissed by the race marshal, but continues his speech, saying that he has a duty to tell people what is being plotted in the dark. This speech is meant to expose the corruption that takes place behind the scenes of power and society, and the spectators begin to shout, "Turn on the lights!" and "Show us the dogs!" However, the starter falls to the sound of a gunshot, and his body lies on the lit course. Then, as the commentary of the race without the dogs plays, the spectators one by one turn into dogs. This ending is a scathing criticism of the absurdity of society and the stupidity of humans, and the red roses blooming beside the fallen starter symbolize hope and a desire for freedom.

Background and influences

Kihachiro Kawamoto visited the Trnka Studio in the Czech Republic in 1963 and stayed there for two years. During this time, Kawamoto saw the test shoot for Trnka's final work, "Hands," and was deeply impressed by its political message and expressive technique. "Hands" is known as Trnka's last work, and depicts Harlequin's humble act of creating a clay flowerpot and nurturing his beloved flower being suppressed by an invisible power. This experience led Kawamoto to decide to incorporate his own ideas and feelings about the Czech Republic into "Kyuryu Giga."

The Czech Dubcek government celebrated freedom under the slogan "socialism with a human face," but was crushed by the invasion of the Soviet Union. However, Kawamoto placed a red rose in the final scene of "Kyū-giga" with the hope that "the seeds of freedom will sprout." This rose not only symbolizes hope and a desire for freedom, but also shows the influence of Trnka and respect for the Czech Republic.

Production techniques and expression methods

"Kinju Giga" was produced using a complex technique of photographing moving puppets, printing still images, and then filming the images. This process required double or triple the effort, and the halftones of the puppets and still images were rounded off to create a high-contrast monochrome image. This high-contrast image casts deep darkness on the eyelids and mouths of the audience, allowing for more eloquent expressions than dialogue. The shadow expressions created by lighting also became an important element in Kawamoto's later works, as a means of portraying the puppets' joy, anger, sorrow, happiness, and other subtle emotions.

Nicolas Bataille, who voiced the starter, is known as an underground theater director, and his voice played an important role in deepening the theme of the work. Bataille's voice made the starter's speech more realistic and left a strong impression on the audience.

Cast and crew

The cast of "Kinju Giga" includes Nicolas Bataille, Jean-Michel Solent, François Grohier, and Serge Fribaud. These voice actors played an important role in deepening the theme of the work. The main staff also included Kihachiro Kawamoto himself, who was in charge of the script, direction, art, puppets, and animation, and Jean Campignon, who was involved in the French translation. The film was completed with the cooperation of many staff members, including Susumu Iizuka and Ken Yoshioka for cinematography, Junko Maruyama for still photography, Minoru Yoshida for sound effects, and Kazuo Ito for sound recording.

Evaluation and impact

"Kinju Giga" has been highly praised for its unique theme and expressive technique. In particular, the story, which depicts the absurdity of society and human stupidity, left a deep impression on many viewers. Furthermore, the high-contrast monochrome images and the expression of shadows through lighting were continued in Kawamoto's later works, demonstrating new possibilities for animation.

This work was strongly influenced by Czech animation artist Trnka, and the red roses, which symbolize the Czech hope and desire for freedom, touched many viewers. Kawamoto's "Kyū-giga" is a work that pursues the artistic and social aspects of animation, and its value will continue to grow in the future.

Recommendations and how to watch

"Kinju Giga" is a work that shows new possibilities for animation with its profound theme depicting the absurdity of society and human stupidity, and its unique expressive techniques. By watching this work, viewers will have the opportunity to reflect on their own actions and the state of society. In addition, the high-contrast monochrome images and the expression of shadows by lighting allow viewers to enjoy the visual beauty.

"Kinju Giga" is available on DVD and online streaming services. It is highly recommended for anyone interested in the history and artistry of animation. It is also a must-see for anyone interested in Czech animation or Trnka's work. After watching it, we encourage you to check out other works by Kihachiro Kawamoto and Czech animation works. This will give you a deeper understanding of the profound world of "Kinju Giga."