Yaemon the Train: A thorough evaluation of the appeal and educational value of children's animation

"Yaemon the Train" - A fusion of moving stories and cutting-edge technology

"Yaemon the Train" is a short animated film produced by Toei Animation and released on October 3, 2009. This work is based on Hiroyuki Agawa's picture book "Yaemon the Train" and attracted attention as the first completely new 3D full CG animation in the history of Japanese films. Below, we will introduce detailed information and reviews of this work, as well as recommended points.

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

Picture books

■ Release date

October 3, 2009 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Toei

■Frequencies

32 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Hiroyuki Agawa "Yaemon the Train" (Iwanami Shoten)

■ Director

Yukio Kaizawa

■ Production

・Production: Toei Animation ・Production: Tobidasu! 3D Toei Anime Festival Production Committee (Toei Animation, Toei, Toei Video)

■Works

© Hiroyuki Agawa/Pop-out! 3D Toei Animation Festival Production Committee

■ Story

Yaemon, the locomotive, was forgotten in a corner of the station. He couldn't move and was treated as a nuisance by the station staff. The only ones who cared for him were the mouse siblings and animals who were taking Yaemon into their home. Then, they finally decided to destroy Yaemon. What will become of Yaemon?

■Explanation

The original story is a picture book written by Hiroyuki Agawa and illustrated by Fuyuhiko Okabe, first published in 1959. 50 years after the book's creation, it has become a best-seller with over 1.31 million copies sold, and is a masterpiece that is even included in elementary school textbooks. This masterpiece has been made into a movie using the latest imaging technology, and was released as the first completely new 3D full CG animation in the history of Japanese movies.

■Cast

・Yaemon/Takeo Chii ・Mau/Junko Takeuchi ・Sue/Kokoro Kikuchi ・Sama/Naoko Matsui ・Noso/Masami Kikuchi ・Chobi/Tomoko Kaneda

■ Main staff

・Original work: "Kikkansha Yaemon" (Text: Hiroyuki Agawa / Illustrations: Fuyuhiko Okabe) Published by Iwanami Shoten ・Director: Yukio Kaizawa ・Producer: Shoichi Washida (TOEI ANIMATION)
CG Producer: Takeshi Himi CG Production Manager: Yuji Yokoo CG Production Supervisor: Munehisa Higuchi/Norio Kozuka Screenplay: Makoto Koyama/Takao Koyama Music: Hiroshi Takagi Character Board: Naoki Miyahara Art Board: Yoshiaki Homma Editing: Shinichi Fukumitsu Sound Recordist: Chika Abe Sound Effects: Yasuyuki Konno (Swara Pro)
・Sound recording production: Tabak ・Video editing: Toei Digital Lab ・Dolby Digital ・Consultants: Tsutomu Kawahigashi, Mikio Mori (Continental Far East Co., Ltd.)
・dts Digital Mastering/Atsushi Aikawa, Atsuko Nakayama・CG Director/Keisuke Arai・CG Supervisor/Naoki Sato・Modeling Supervisor/Shinichi Yonezawa・Animation Supervisor/Tomohiko Takahashi・Rigging Supervisor/Ayumu Imaizumi・Composite Supervisor/Masanori Ikeda・Production/Toei Animation・Production/Tobidasu! 3D Toei Anime Festival Production Committee (Toei Animation, Toei, Toei Video)

■ Main Characters

・Yaemon is an old locomotive that doesn't work anymore. He lives in an old warehouse at the station. He is treated as a nuisance by the station staff and the new trains.
・A mouse who lives in Mauyaemon. He is very courageous and even stands up to cats.
・Sumau's younger sister. She loves the old stories that Yaemon tells.
・Nosomau and Sue's older brother.
・Chobimau and Sue's younger brother.
・Carsuke is a crow who lives in Yaemon. He is a friend of Mau and Sue.

■ Theme songs and music

・TM1
・Ganbare no Uta・Lyrics/Shinobu Urakawa・Music/Takeo Watanabe・Arrangement/Yuji Matsuyama・Singer/Young Fresh・Theme song arrangement/Hiroshi Takagi

■ Evaluation and impressions of the work

"Yaemon the Train" is a work that beautifully combines the moving story inherited from the original picture book with visual expression using the latest CG technology. Below, I will evaluate and comment on this work from various perspectives, including the story, characters, visual technology, and music.

story

The story of Yaemon the Train begins when an old locomotive named Yaemon is forgotten and unable to move in a corner of the station. He is treated as a nuisance by the station staff and the new trains, and faces the fate of being dismantled. However, Yaemon's mouse siblings and other animals who live on board fight to protect him. This story depicts friendship, hope, and the importance of life, and will touch the hearts of people of all ages, from children to adults.

The story, which was inherited from the original picture book, has been made even deeper in the film. In particular, the scene where Yaemon faces the fate of being dismembered deeply touches the audience's hearts. The animals who struggle to protect Yaemon are depicted as symbols of courage and friendship, leading to a moving climax.

character

The charming characters in "Yaemon the Train" are the same as those in the original picture book, but are portrayed even more three-dimensionally in the film. In particular, the voice of Takeo Chii, who plays Yaemon, conveys the melancholy and warmth of the old locomotive, resonating deeply with the audience. Additionally, the characters of the mouse siblings Mau, Sue, Noso, and Chobi who live in Yaemon are also unique and charming. Mau's courage, Sue's purity, Noso's kindness, and Chobi's energy add excitement to the story.

The crow character Kaasuke is also impressive as he struggles to protect Yaemon. Kaasuke is an original character that does not appear in the original work, but he adds a new charm to the story. The drama woven by these characters gives the audience emotion and courage.

Video Technology

"Yaemon the Train" is the first all-new 3D full CG animation in the history of Japanese films. The visual expression, which makes full use of the latest CG technology, provides the audience with a realistic experience. In particular, Yaemon's detailed modeling and the realistic movements of the animals draw the audience into the world of the story. In addition, the sense of realism created by the 3D images provides the audience with a new visual experience.

The technical skills and passion of the staff, including CG director Arai Keisuke, support the visual expression of this work. In particular, the scene where Yaemon is dissected and the animals' struggle scenes maximize the potential of CG technology. These visual expressions leave a strong impression on the audience and have the effect of further deepening the emotion of the story.

music

The music of "Yaemon the Train" is composed by Hiroshi Takagi and sung by Young Fresh, further deepening the emotion of the story. In particular, the theme song "Ganbare no Uta" resonates with the audience with its lyrics and melody that symbolize the struggles of Yaemon and the animals. The background music is also used skillfully to match the development of the story, enhancing the emotions of the audience.

Music is an important element in making the story more moving, and it plays that role in this production. In particular, in the scene where Yaemon faces his fate of being dismembered, and in the scene where the animals struggle to protect Yaemon, the music enhances the audience's emotions and deepens their impact. This music leaves a strong impression on the audience, and has the effect of making the story more moving.

■ Recommended points

"Yaemon the Train" is a work that perfectly combines a moving story with visual expression that makes full use of the latest CG technology. Below, we will introduce the recommended points of this work.

An inspiring story

The story of "Yaemon the Train" depicts friendship, hope, and the importance of life, and is inspiring to a wide range of generations, from children to adults. In particular, the scene where Yaemon faces the fate of being dismantled and the scene where the animals struggle to protect Yaemon deeply touch the hearts of the audience. These scenes give the audience courage and hope, leading to a moving climax.

Charming characters

The charming characters in "Yaemon the Train" are the same as those in the original picture book, but are portrayed even more three-dimensionally in the film. In particular, the voice of Takeo Chii, who plays Yaemon, conveys the melancholy and warmth of the old locomotive, resonating deeply with the audience. Additionally, the characters of the mouse siblings Mau, Sue, Noso, and Chobi who live in Yaemon are also unique and charming. The drama woven by these characters will move and inspire the audience.

The latest CG technology

"Yaemon the Train" was produced as the first all-new 3D full CG animation in the history of Japanese films. The visual expressions, which make full use of the latest CG technology, provide the audience with a realistic experience. In particular, Yaemon's detailed modeling and the realistic movements of the animals draw the audience into the world of the story. In addition, the sense of realism created by the 3D images provides the audience with a new visual experience. These visual expressions have the effect of leaving a strong impression on the audience and further deepening the impact of the story.

Inspirational Music

The music of "Yaemon the Train," composed by Takagi Hiroshi and sung by Young Fresh, enhances the moving impact of the story. In particular, the theme song "Ganbare no Uta" resonates with the audience with its lyrics and melody that symbolize the struggles of Yaemon and the animals. The background music is also used skillfully to match the development of the story, enhancing the audience's emotions. These pieces of music leave a strong impression on the audience and have the effect of further enhancing the moving impact of the story.

Conclusion

"Eagle Train" is a work that perfectly combines a moving story with visual expression that makes full use of the latest CG technology. The story, which depicts friendship, hope, and the importance of life, inherited from the original picture book, will inspire a wide range of generations, from children to adults. In addition, the drama woven by the charming characters will give the audience courage and hope. Furthermore, the visual expression that makes full use of the latest CG technology provides the audience with a realistic experience, and the moving music further deepens the emotion of the story. The combination of these elements makes "Eagle Train" leave a strong impression on the audience and leads to a moving climax. Please experience this moving work for yourself.