Belladonna of Sadness: A shocking work that transcends the boundaries between fantasy and reality

Belladonna of Sorrow - A mix of profound beauty and darkness

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

novel

■ Release date

June 30, 1973 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Nippon Herald Films

■ Eirin Number

17288

■Frequencies

90 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

From "The Witch" by Jules Michelet (translated by Koichiro Shinoda) published by Gendai Shichosha

■ Director

Eiichi Yamamoto

■ Production

・Produced by Mushi Production

■Works

©Mushi Production

■ Story

In a rural area of ​​medieval France, there was a poor but happy couple named Jean and Jeanne who loved each other. However, on their wedding day, Jeanne was raped by the lord and his servants, and her distrust of God led her to communicate with the devil. Eventually, Jeanne was feared by those around her to be possessed by the devil, and Jean rejected her. In despair, Jeanne gave her body and soul to the devil, becoming a true witch...

■Explanation

A feature-length theatrical work for adults with the catchphrase "Anime Romanesque." It is characterized by a deeply dramatic storyline and a strong eroticism in its direction. It uses experimental drawing techniques that eliminate the taste of cel animation as much as possible and use static animation for everyday scenes and dynamic animation for fantastical and psychological scenes. Several versions of this work have been created, each with differences in some scene replacements and the final scene. It later came to be positioned as the third installment in the "Animerama" series, which included "Tales of the Thousand and One Nights" and "Cleopatra."

■Cast

・Jeanne/Aiko Nagayama ・Jean/Takao Ito ・Lord/Masaya Takahashi ・Priest/Saikano Yonekura ・Devil/Tatsuya Nakadai ・Narrator/Chinatsu Nakayama

■ Main staff

・Original story by Jules Michelet (translated by Koichiro Shinoda) based on "The Witch" published by Gendai Shichosha ・Produced by Tadami Watanabe, Teruaki Yoshida, Makoto Motohashi, Keiko Koike ・Screenplay by Yoshiyuki Fukuda, Eiichi Yamamoto ・Director by Eiichi Yamamoto ・Chief animation director by Gisaburo Sugii ・Chief animation assistant by Seiichi Hayashi and Uno Kamakiri ・Art by Kuni Fukai ・Editing by Masashi Furukawa ・Music by Masahiko Sato ・Sound director by Atsumi Tashiro ・Sound by Koichi Iwata ・Developing by Tokyo Developing Laboratory ・Production by Mushi Production

■ Main Characters

After being raped by the lords of Jeanne, she begins to seek power from the devil.

Jean is Jeanne's lover. He becomes a high-ranking official through Jeanne's help.

The lord of the village where Jeanne and her friends live. He has absolute power over the villagers.

The Devil appears before the injured Jeanne and offers her a deal, demanding her soul in exchange for giving her power.

■ Related works

・"Animerama" series "Tales of the Thousand and One Nights"
"Cleopatra"

■ Theme songs and music

・OP
・Belladonna of Sadness・Lyrics by Yu Aku・Composition by Asei Kobayashi・Arrangement by Makoto Kawaguchi・Singer by Mayumi Tachibana・IN
・In the Blue Mirror・Lyrics by Chinatsu Nakayama・Music by Masahiko Sato・Singer by Chinatsu Nakayama

Belladonna of Sorrow - A mix of profound beauty and darkness

Belladonna (1973) is an adult animated film produced by Mushi Productions, known for its unique style and profound themes. Based on Jules Michelet's novel The Witches, the film is set in a medieval French village and follows the tragic fate of two young lovers, Jean and Jeanne.

The depths of the story

The story begins on Jean and Jeanne's wedding day. The couple dream of a happy future together, but a tragedy occurs when Jeanne is raped by the lord and his servants. This event changes Jeanne's life drastically, and her distrust of God leads her to communicate with the devil. Jeanne's transformation is depicted through the image of Jean, who is feared by those around her and rejects her. Ultimately, Jeanne gives her soul to the devil, and the story depicts her descent into witchhood.

This story is not just a tragedy, but also a kind of allegory that explores the depths of human nature. Jeanne's suffering and transformation symbolize social oppression and the inner conflicts of individuals, inviting the viewer to ponder deeply. Jean's actions also illustrate the ethical dilemmas that humans face, and the film contains elements that invite self-reflection.

Visual and drawing

The visuals of Belladonna of Sadness stand out from other anime works of the time. Director Eiichi Yamamoto maximized the visual impact by eliminating the taste of cel animation as much as possible and using static depictions for everyday scenes and dynamic depictions for fantastical and psychological scenes. This experimental drawing technique expanded the possibilities of film as a visual art, and succeeded in expressing both visual beauty and psychological depth at the same time.

Particularly impressive are the scenes where Jeanne converses with the devil and where she transforms into a witch. In these scenes, color and movement are skillfully combined to create psychological tension as well as visual shock. The background art is also drawn with a unique touch by Kuni Fukai, enhancing the overall atmosphere.

Music and Sound

The music is by Masahiko Sato, who provides emotional melodies that match the development of the story. The theme song "Belladonna of Sadness" and Mayumi Tachibana's singing voice are particularly important elements that symbolize Jeanne's tragic fate. In addition, the song "In the Blue Mirror" is written and sung by Chinatsu Nakayama, and deeply expresses Jeanne's inner conflict.

Sound director Atsumi Tashiro and sound engineer Koichi Iwata complement the visuals and heighten the tension of the story through sound effects and voice direction. In particular, the deep, resonant voice of Tatsuya Nakadai, who voiced the demon, leaves a strong impression on the viewer.

Cast and acting

Nagayama Aiko, who plays Jeanne, skillfully portrays both purity and madness, leaving a strong impression on the viewer. Ito Takao, who plays Jean, realistically expresses his love for Jeanne and his fear of her, eliciting sympathy from the viewer. Takahashi Masaya, who plays the lord, realistically portrays the arrogance of a man in power, evoking disgust in the viewer. Nakadai Tatsuya, who plays the devil, emphasizes the devil's presence with his low, resonant voice, eliciting a sense of fear in the viewer. Nakayama Chinatsu, who plays the narrator, smoothly guides the story's progress, helping the viewer understand the story.

Related works and series

Belladonna of Sadness is positioned as the third installment of the Animerama series. The series also includes One Thousand and One Nights and Cleopatra, each of which attracts viewers with different themes and visuals. Through these works, viewers can experience diverse cultures and history, with One Thousand and One Nights depicting oriental fantasy and Cleopatra depicting the history and passion of ancient Egypt.

Evaluation and impact

Since its release, Belladonna has been highly praised for its unique style and profound themes. It has been especially praised for expanding the possibilities of film as a visual art, influencing many film directors and animators. Its depiction of social oppression and personal inner conflict also prompted deep reflection from viewers and sparked much discussion.

The film is still highly regarded today for its artistic and thematic merit, being screened at various film festivals and anime events, and the release of DVD and Blu-ray has made it available to a wider audience.

Recommendations and how to watch

Belladonna is highly recommended for viewers who enjoy visual beauty and profound themes. It is a must-see for viewers who are particularly interested in social oppression and personal inner conflicts. It is also a must-see for viewers who are interested in the history of visual arts and animation, as it expands the possibilities of visual expression.

The easiest and most reliable way to watch it is to buy the DVD or Blu-ray. It is also sometimes shown at film festivals and anime events that are held regularly, so it's a good idea to take advantage of those opportunities. It is also sometimes distributed through streaming services, so using those is another way.

Conclusion

Belladonna of Sadness is a film that attracts viewers with its unique style and profound themes. Through the tragic fates of Jean and Jeanne, it depicts social oppression and the inner conflicts of individuals, encouraging deep reflection in the viewer. In addition, the visuals, which simultaneously express visual beauty and psychological depth, have expanded the possibilities of film as a visual art. This film is highly recommended for viewers who enjoy visual beauty and profound themes.