ANI-MOVIES, *The Black Cauldron

Prior to their second renaissance, 80s were a troubling time for Disney Studios. For their 25th theatrical animation, it was decided to give into the high fantasy wave that hit pop culture at the time with the works of Tolkien, or Dungeons and Dragons. Lloyd Alexander had a written a series titled The Chronicles Of Prydain aimed at showing morals to children, but without all the religious implications that the Narnia books were going for, and Disney decided to combine the first two volumes into a singular plot. The Black Cauldron was released after Don Bluth had already left Disney, even though you can still point out numerous hints of influence on the studios remaining animators. This was the first Disney cartoon movie to get a PG rating due to its dark imagery which just managed to escape the Satanic Panic of the 80s. The original story is inspired by Welsh mythology, namely the collected tome called The Mabinogion.

Set in the mystical land of Prydain, a skeletal sorcerer known as the Horned King sends his forces looking for an enchanted cauldron which would allow him to raise an undead army of darkness. Taran is a glory hungry teenager hoping to be a hero but is instead given the task to care for an oracular pig that could show the Horned King the cauldron's location. He and his pig are captured, but Taran manages to get his fortune telling pet away while he escapes with a captured princess, a lying bard, and a small furry creature known as Gurgi. Our heroes now have to trek to a forbidden land of witches in order to get to the cauldron before the Horned King, although in order to destroy the cursed object it requires a living sacrifice.

Aside from being the first Disney movie to use CGI as part of its animated feature, The Black Cauldron was still crafter under traditional Disney formula. The main distraction for most Disney fans would be that there are no musical numbers in it, although Elmer Bernstein offers a memorable score especially if you appreciated his prior efforts in The Magnificent Seven and Ghostbusters. The casting is also delightful with John Hurt as the haunting Horn King, and the opening narration by the prior animated Gandalf, John Huston. Much of the elements of this went into inspiring Disney's Gummy Bears series, but with less gore and zombies. The movie is finally available through special order Disney Blu-Ray, so be sure to watch it in its full visual glory.

MISC. MANGA, *Barefoot Gen

I Saw It which was the first manga to get a genuine American release. It was printed through Educomics which normally publishes educational underground comics. It was an accounting of author Keiji Nakazawa's life in Japan during World War II, and this one-shot was later expanded into the ongoing expanded storyline, Gen Of Hiroshima, which was later reprinted in full through publishers New Society Publishers and Last Gasp under the title Barefoot Gen. The manga ran from 1973-87 and was the basis for a live-action movie trilogy, a live-action mini-series, and two anime movies, but its more infamous for its historical significance and realistic account of war atrocities.

Set in Hiroshima during WWWII, life for the common citizens was perilous, and poor boy Gen struggles along with the rest of his family as they are having to surrender so much of their lives to the Japanese government. Gen's father Daikichi is branded a traitor after getting kicked out of the people's volunteer soldiers, and his actions get his family split despite his pregnant mother given birth to his baby sister Tomoko. Their situation becomes even sadder when Hiroshima is bombed by the American forces, how the war ends, and Japan's surrender to the outside world.

Barefoot Gen is of course noted for providing the point of view of war from the nation launching it in the first place and how it affects that country's citizens. Nakazawa's perspective on how these tragic events left its toll on his life are reflected better in the writing than in the slightly more cartoonish-looking artwork. The manga doesn't hide the horrors of war, so make sure to keep that in mind if you plan to delve into this real-life catastrophe.

ANI-MOVIES, *Leap!

Originally titled Ballerina, Leap! was joint production between Canadian and French animators. This somewhat historically inaccurate children's tale had first a French language release, and then with some of the cast being recase for the American dub with some of the original voice actors.

Set in France during the mid-1880s, Felicie and Victor are orphans who escape their orphanage in the countryside to live in Paris. Felicie is a spunky girl wanting to join the ballet company of the Paris Opera and manages to get a spot after pretending to be the daughter of a snooty debutante. Felicie is taken in by the kindly Oddette, a cleaning woman who was a former ballerina after crippling her leg and teaches her everything she knows in a series of Karate Kid-inspired montages as her student tries to get a part in the upcoming performance of The Nutcracker. There is a some standard cliches like a liar-reveal, a love triangle, a bitter rivalry, but all this gets pulled to the side as Felicie's biggest challenge is escaping the snooty debutante who chases her up the Statue of Liberty still under construction.

Leap! is a fun diversion on a lazy afternoon with your children, although your mileage may vary depending on which dub of it you hear, as there are at least two English dubs circulating on streaming, one of which has different dialogue in various scenes. The modern music used for the 19th Century backdrop also has trouble fitting in despite its classy dance numbers. The animation quality is also in flux between uncanny valley realism and cartoonish mannerisms, even though the backgrounds are stunning.

ANI-MOVIES, *Liz And The Blue Bird

Several properties like Star Wars take minor or background characters and give them their own outlet, as was the case with Sound! Euphonium. The anime TV series based on a novel series went on for two seasons, and then spun-off an original story set in the same fictional universe. Liz And The Blue Bird is a full-length theatrical release that spotlights two of the cast members from the show's second season. Kyoto Animation used a subtle minimalistic approach to this production directed by A Silent Voice's Naoko Yamada and written by Reiko Yoshida that works as a companion piece to the original anime, but at the same time being its own entity not making it necessary to have watched the TV series.

Mizore and Nozomi are best friends during their final year in high school. Mizori is a timid oboist, while Nozomi is an extraverted flutist, and both of them are part of the school's music club seeking recognition with an upcoming band competition. Their main piece is centered on an original fairy tale titled "Liz And The Blue Bird" about the title character forming a loving relationship with a blue-haired girl who is secretly a transformed blue bird. The story sets a reflection of Mizore fretting over her relationship with Nozomi as she fears they will separate after graduation. Mizore is offered a spot at a musical college, but only wants to attend if Nozomi goes as well, where Nozomi doesn't consider herself becoming a professional musician as Mizore is the one who has the raw talent to achieve it. This indecisiveness causes a rift between them, even though you can clearly see how the two keep in sync with each other, especially when they are the only band members playing during their solo performance in the Liz music piece. The duo eventually work out their differences as their relationship achieves a new resolve secure in the fact that they will still be friends no matter where they go.

Liz And The Blue Bird might seem profoundly similar to the Kase-sand And Morning Glories OVA that came out in the same year in which two girls in their senior year come to terms about their futures going in opposite directions, although Kase-san is more of a confirmed yuri anime, where Liz has a less romantic relationship between its main characters. The movie has a superb soundtrack, notably the scenes where the band is actually performing, and great detail was given into showing how even when they are separated that Nozomi and Mizore have a strong effect on the other. Again, you don't need to have seen anything of Sound! Euphonium to be able to keep up with the plot, even though it does make you curious as to why it tends to introduce so many additional characters from the TV series.