MovieChat Forums > Kaguya-hime no monogatari (2013) Discussion > Awesome animation, extremely depressing ...

Awesome animation, extremely depressing story spoilers

posted 9 years ago by Makarov-324
5 replies | jump to latest

Loved the animation! Possibly the best animation I've ever seen. But I'm not sure I'm feeling the story...

What's the moral here? I was expecting it to be a circle of life kind of thing, with some lessons about staying true to yourself. That didn't really happen.

First off I was taken aback when it turns out she's from the moon. Since she comes from bamboo, and they go on about seasons, I figured there'd be something about coming from the earth. It's kind of strange to me and literally comes out of nowhere late in the movie.

Kaguya knew she wanted to be in the country her whole life but did nothing about it. Her old friend meets her and she watches him get beat up - does nothing about it. Then she gets pulled back up to the moon before she actually accomplishes anything. While her parents watch in horror. Pass me the Zoloft.

Her parents, childhood friends, and random suitors try to make her happy for her entire life, yet she spends her whole life in misery. The most happy and freeing moment of the movie (flying scene) turns out to be a dream. Could the movie be any more depressing? I know it's meant to be based off some folklore, am I missing some point of it?

I recently watched Letters to Momo which was somewhat sad but also inspiring, was sort of disappointed I didn't get the same feeling from this movie. If you found more from the story than me I'd definitely like to hear your thoughts on it.

[–] kolaxanthe 9 years ago

You say "Her parents, childhood friends, and random suitors try to make her happy for her entire life, yet she spends her whole life in misery". Perhaps that is the moral of the story right there. She was quite miserable throughout a lot of the movie, but come the end of the movie and she wanted to stay. It is not a happy ending as she is taken away from her family and friends, but I say that that delivers a greater impact on the audience. Many people get miserable, myself included at times, but perhaps we should be more observant of the people around us and realise that you are loved by many. Don't leave it too late to realise this.

[–] Errington_92 9 years ago

Many people get miserable, myself included at times, but perhaps we should be more observant of the people around us and realise that you are loved by many.

I agree with part of your analysis. Kaguya requests to return to the moon because she feels pressured by the noble life style Sanuki forces upon her. Sanuki believes this is Kaguya's destiny despite her growing depression, her longing to be back in humble surroundings. Kaguya's depression eventually becomes the catalyst for her return to the moon. So in terms of the notion that we should be more observant, it is that Sanuki should have appreciated Kaguya's true feelings rather than use her for his benefit.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not.

[–] SugarandIce 9 years ago

I agree. It is because Sanuki ignored Kaguya's actual emotions and decided what was best for her, that she was driven leave. Kaguya was happy being surrounded by friends and living a simple life. Unfortunately, her happiness was decided for her.

[–] kolaxanthe 9 years ago

Absolutely. Another moral to take from the story, concerning the relationships between parent and child. One that many children can relate to, as they are forced by their parent(s) in to a life they did not choose.

[–] Makarov-324 9 years ago

Good ideas. Although I think it would have been a stronger if she had actually found that happiness before being sent back to the moon. So I wish that her running off with her farmer friend wasn't just a dream.

She had very good reasons to be unhappy, but instead of wishing to go back to the moon she could have attempted to attain the things that mattered to her...

Awesome animation, extremely depressing story *spoilers*

Awesome animation, extremely depressing story spoilers