The appeal and reviews of "The World's Greatest Fairy Tale, Swan Lake": A fusion of moving story and beautiful images

"Swan Lake": A story of eternal love and magic

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

live-action

■ Release date

March 14, 1981 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Toei

■ Eirin Number

110185

■Frequencies

75 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■ Director

・Direction: Kimiro Yabuki

■ Production

・Production: Toei (animation)

■ Story

Once upon a time, in a certain country, there lived a king and a prince named Siegfried. On his coming-of-age day, the prince plans to choose a bride at a ball and become king. On that day, the prince witnesses a flock of swans transform into a beautiful girl at the lake. The girl calls herself Odette, and says that she was turned into a swan because she refused to become the wife of a demon named Rothbart. The prince invites Odette to the ball. Meanwhile, Rothbart is furious at their promise, so he captures Odette and disguises his daughter Odile as Odette and heads to the ball. The prince takes Odile's hand and declares that he will make her his wife. Then Rothbart appears, and the prince realizes that he has been tricked, so he draws his sword and goes after her, but is easily defeated. Rothbart triumphantly demands that Odile be his wife. The prince grabs the sword and stabs it into his chest. At that moment, a miracle occurs. Rothbart's body breaks into pieces and disappears. True love triumphed over magic.

■Explanation

This is an animated version of the European legend, familiar from Tchaikovsky's ballet. The screenplay was written by Hirokazu Nuse and the direction was by Kimiro Yabuki. This work was released in 1981 and was loved by many audiences. In particular, Tchaikovsky's music and the performance by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra liven up the story, making it a work that can be enjoyed both visually and aurally. The beautiful animation and moving story are fused together to depict a tale of eternal love and magic.

■Cast

Keiko Takeshita, Taro Shigaki, Tomoo Koike, Yoko Asagami, Yoneko Matsukane, Fuyumi Shiraishi

■ Main staff

・Producer: Tomonori Imada・Planning: Ken Ariga, Toshio Katsuta・Screenplay: Hirokazu Nuse・Direction: Kimiro Yabuki・Chief animation director: Takuo Noda・Art: Tadanao Tsuji・Music: Peter Tchaikovsky・Music performance: Vienna Symphony Orchestra・Theme song: Kyoko Ishige・Assistant production: Masahisa Saeki・Others: Yumiko Igarashi

■Detailed evaluation

"Swan Lake" is an animated film based on Tchaikovsky's famous ballet, and its beauty and emotion are still loved by many people today. This work was released by Toei in 1981, and in its short 75 minutes, it is packed with a deep story and beautiful visuals.

The story begins with Prince Siegfried choosing a bride at a ball on his coming-of-age day. However, he meets a beautiful girl, Odette, who has been transformed into a swan on a lake, and falls fatefully in love with her. Odette has been transformed into a swan by the devil Rothbart, and the prince struggles to save her. However, Rothbart's trickery causes Odile to appear at the ball instead of Odette, and the prince is deceived. In the end, the prince sacrifices his own life to prove his true love, and is able to break Rothbart's curse. The themes of love, sacrifice, and the power of magic deeply move the audience.

The greatest attraction of this work is Tchaikovsky's music and the performance by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. This piece, known as ballet music, brings out the beauty of the film to the fullest. In particular, the music has the power to liven up the story and draw the audience in, especially in the scene where the prince and Odette meet and the final battle scene. In addition, the beautiful voice of Kyoko Ishige, who sings the theme song, also helps to further deepen the emotion of the story.

The film has also received high praise for its visuals. The beautiful animation by animation director Takuo Noda and art director Tadanao Tsuji draws the audience into a fantastical world. In particular, the scene on the lake with a flock of swans dancing and the glamorous scene of the ball are visually stunning and leave a strong impression on the audience. Furthermore, the characters' expressions and movements are drawn in great detail, effectively conveying the emotions of the story.

The cast is also an important element in enhancing the appeal of this work. The voice actors of each character are excellent at portraying the kindness and strength of Odette played by Takeshita Keiko, the courage and love of Siegfried played by Shigaki Taro, and the fearsomeness and cunning of Rothbard played by Koike Asao. Other cast members such as Asagami Yoko, Matsukane Yoneko, and Shiraishi Fuyumi also play important roles in adding excitement to the story.

The teamwork between screenwriter Hirokazu Nuse and director Kimiro Yabuki also contributed greatly to the success of this work. Hirokazu Nuse's script successfully captured the essence of the original work while reconstructing it as an animated film. Kimiro Yabuki's direction also smoothly advanced the story's development and had the power to draw the audience into the story. In particular, the climax scene exquisitely blends tension and emotion, leaving a strong impression on the audience.

This work continues to be loved by many fans even after its release in 1981. It is especially popular with a wide range of age groups, from children to adults, and is a work that the whole family can enjoy. In addition, this work, which combines Tchaikovsky's music with beautiful animation, has high artistic value and is a must-see for movie and anime fans.

■Recommendation details

"Swan Lake" is a beautifully animated film that tells the story of love and magic. The film combines Tchaikovsky's music with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and beautiful animation by Takuo Noda and Tadanao Tsuji, making it a visual and aural pleasure. The gorgeous cast, including Keiko Takeshita, Taro Shigaki, and Asao Koike, bring the story to life and leave a deep impression on the audience.

This production is a great family favorite and appeals to all ages, from children to adults. It is especially recommended for those looking for an inspiring story, with its themes of love, sacrifice, and the power of magic. It is also a must-see for lovers of Tchaikovsky's music and ballet.

Furthermore, this work has a high artistic value and is a must-see for movie and anime fans. With a beautiful combination of visuals and a moving story, you will discover something new no matter how many times you watch it. Be sure to enjoy this story of eternal love and magic in theaters or on DVD.