This Japanese documentary, as the title would suggest, is a making-of companion piece to the Studio Ghibli movie THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA. It goes hand-on-hand with a similar documentary about Hayao Miyazaki made around the same time called THE KINGDOM OF DREAMS AND MADNESS. Both documentaries provide invaluable insights into how Studio Ghibli works and the sheer amount of effort that goes into each of their productions.
Watching this film, it becomes immediately apparent just what a labour of love KAGUYA was for its director. Isao Takahata is a quirky character for sure, a man who takes an age to do the simplest task, and yet he has a magical imagination that makes him something of a genius. This documentary follows a simple structure, beginning with the background and following the making of the film in a chronological order, and there's something beauty about its simple structure. Ghibli fans will be in their element.
Watching this film, it becomes immediately apparent just what a labour of love KAGUYA was for its director. Isao Takahata is a quirky character for sure, a man who takes an age to do the simplest task, and yet he has a magical imagination that makes him something of a genius. This documentary follows a simple structure, beginning with the background and following the making of the film in a chronological order, and there's something beauty about its simple structure. Ghibli fans will be in their element.