Momotarou: Umi no Shinpei

Momotaro, Sacred Sailors

Also known as 桃太郎海の神兵 | Momotarou: Umi no Shinpei | Momotaro: Sacred Sailors

MovieSpring 1945Source OriginalG - All Ages

Action

4.6/10

Community score

#14209

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3.4K

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Synopsis

Like the prior film, the movie features the "Peach Boy" character of Japanese folklore. The film is about the surprise maneuver on Sulawesi island, depicting parachute troops' actions. The whole movie also depicts how Japan "liberates Asia", as proclaimed by the Government at the time.

There are some musical scenes. Of note is The Song of AIUEO (アイウエオの歌, AIUEO no Uta), a scene where Japanese soldiers teach local animals how to speak.

(Source: Wikipedia)

Production Notes

Momotarou: Umi no Shinpei is a war propaganda movie considered to be Japan's first feature-length animation work. It was produced with funding of 270,000 yen from the Ministry of the Navy. The movie was considered lost following the end of World War II, but its negatives were rediscovered in 1982. Shochiku's digital restoration of the film was screened at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.