Hometown Tour of Japanese Folktales - The Appeal and Evaluation of Nostalgic Stories

"Hometown Tour: Japanese Folktales": An animated series depicting the traditions and beauty of Japan

overview

"Hometown Tour: Japanese Folktales" is an anime series that aired on TV Tokyo from April 2nd to September 24th, 2017. The series consists of 78 episodes, each 30 minutes long, depicting traditional Japanese folktales in animated form. Animation was done by TOMASON and directed by Numata Shinnosuke. Copyright is shared between TV Tokyo, Hakuhodo, and TOMASON.

Story and Themes

"Hometown Tour: Japanese Folk Tales" is based on old tales from all over Japan. Each episode introduces a different region's legend or folk tale, depicting the local climate and culture. The theme of the show is "hometown," and it aims to encourage viewers to rediscover Japan's beautiful nature and traditional lifestyle.

For example, one episode depicts the tale of the "Snow Woman" from a snowy village in Hokkaido, depicting the strength and kindness of people living in a harsh natural environment. Another episode introduces the tale of the "Demon's Eye" from deep in the mountains of Shikoku, depicting the wisdom and ingenuity of people who coexist with nature. Through these episodes, viewers can learn about the diverse regional characteristics of Japan and the cultures that lie behind them.

character

Different characters appear in each episode of this anime series. The characters range from gods, monsters, and humans from Japanese folk tales. For example, the "Urashima Taro" episode features Urashima Taro and a turtle as the main characters, and depicts their adventure in the underwater Dragon Palace. The "Momotaro" episode features Momotaro and his companions, a dog, a monkey, and a pheasant, and tells the story of defeating demons.

The character designs are influenced by traditional Japanese paintings and ukiyo-e art, but are also drawn using modern animation techniques. This makes the characters both familiar and beautiful. In addition, a wide range of voice actors, from veterans to young actors, are used to voice each character, allowing them to express their individual personalities in a rich way.

Animation and Art

The animation of "Hometown Tour: Japanese Folktales" is a work that highlights TOMASON's high level of technical skill. Each episode carefully depicts Japan's beautiful nature and traditional architecture in great detail. For example, the scenery of each season is realistically reproduced, such as the spring scenery with cherry blossom petals falling, the autumn mountains with beautiful autumn leaves, and the snow-covered winter villages. Japanese architecture, such as shrines, temples, and traditional houses, are also beautifully depicted.

In terms of art, traditional Japanese colors and patterns are used extensively, making it a visually stunning work. In particular, the opening and closing credits of each episode combine traditional Japanese music and images, deeply moving viewers. In addition, traditional Japanese crafts and artworks are depicted in the background of each episode, allowing viewers to feel not only the visual beauty but also the depth of Japanese culture.

Music and Sound

The music in "Hometown Tour: Japanese Folk Tales" is a fusion of traditional Japanese instruments and modern music, enhancing the atmosphere of each episode. The opening and ending themes are based on traditional Japanese pop songs, giving viewers a sense of Japanese beauty and nostalgia. The background music in each episode also features traditional Japanese instruments, the shamisen and shakuhachi, and is played with great emotion to match the development of the story.

In terms of sound, the sounds of nature and everyday life are realistically reproduced, helping to draw viewers into the world of the story. For example, the sounds of nature in Japan, such as birds chirping, the sound of the wind, and the murmuring of a river, have been carefully recorded in detail. In addition, the voice actors' performances in each episode also realistically express the emotions of the characters, eliciting empathy from viewers.

Recognition and Awards

"Hometown Tour: Japanese Folk Tales" has been highly praised since it was first broadcast. It has been particularly praised for its depiction of traditional Japanese folk tales in beautiful animation, and has garnered a lot of support from viewers. In addition, this work won the "Excellent Work Award" at the 2017 "Japan Animation Association Awards," in recognition of its artistic quality and cultural value.

It has also been praised from an educational perspective, and there are increasing opportunities for it to be viewed in schools, libraries, etc. It is highly regarded for providing children with an opportunity to learn about Japanese culture and history by illustrating traditional Japanese folk tales in the form of animation.

Response from viewers

"Hometown Tour: Japanese Folk Tales" has received a great response from viewers. In particular, the beautiful animation of traditional Japanese folk tales has been highly praised, and many viewers have left comments and impressions. For example, one viewer commented, "It's a wonderful work that makes us appreciate Japan's beautiful nature and traditional life again." Another viewer also commented, "It's a great work to teach children about Japanese culture and history."

The series has also become a hot topic on social media and blogs, with many viewers sharing their impressions and favorite episodes. The beautiful visuals and moving storylines in each episode have become a hot topic, providing a forum for viewers to interact with each other.

Recommendations and related works

"Hometown Tour: Japanese Folk Tales" is a beautifully animated depiction of traditional Japanese folk tales, allowing viewers to feel the beauty and nostalgia of Japan. Viewers who enjoyed this film may also be interested in the following related works:

• "GeGeGe no Kitaro": An animated series about Japanese monsters that teaches about traditional Japanese culture and customs.
• "Higurashi When They Cry": A mystery suspense anime set in a provincial city in Japan, depicting traditional Japanese lifestyles and customs.
• "Natsume's Book of Friends": An animated series about Japanese monsters and ghosts that teaches you about traditional Japanese culture and customs.

After watching this film, we also recommend the following books to learn more about traditional Japanese folk tales and old stories.

• "Japanese Folktales": A book of folktales from all over Japan, allowing you to learn about Japan's traditional culture and climate.
• "Japanese Folktales": A book of folktales from all over Japan, depicting traditional Japanese lifestyles and customs.
• "Japanese Legends": A book that collects legends from all over Japan, allowing you to learn about Japan's traditional culture and climate.

Conclusion

"Hometown Tour: Japanese Folk Tales" is a work that depicts traditional Japanese folk tales with beautiful animation, and it makes viewers feel the beauty and nostalgia of Japan. This work provides an opportunity to learn about traditional Japanese culture and climate, and leaves viewers deeply moved. This is a work that should be watched by anyone who is interested in traditional Japanese folk tales and folk tales, or who wants to enjoy beautiful animation.