Anime like Kaguya-hime (1961)

Doujouji

Studio: Kadokawa Pictures Japan
Status: Finished
Genres: Supernatural

Based on an ancient legend, Dojoji Temple tells the story of a young priest who finds himself the object of intense infatuation and lust from a young woman. As he rebuffs her advances she becomes more and more desperate eventually turning herself into a gigantic serpent. The priest is hidden under the bell of the temple but the woman's passion is so intense that escape is impossible.

A short animation from filmaker Kihachiro Kawamoto. This film utilizes both stop motion and standard animation techniques.

Tags: No Dialogue , Historical , Religion , Puppetry , Stop Motion , Dragons , Mythology , Demons

Unico: Kuroi Kumo Shiroi Hane

Also known as Unico: Black Rain and White Feather.

Studio: Sanrio , Tezuka Productions
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Fantasy

The Goddess Venus is jealous of the beautiful human girl Psyche and blames her pet unicorn, Unico, as Psyche's source of good luck that keeps her from the harm of the goddess' cruel intentions. Unico has the amazing power to make anyone he meets happy. Whether it's because of his personality or the powers of his horn, no one knows. Venus has Unico banished, and the West Wind now takes Unico from one place and time to the next. Taken to a heavily polluted city, Unico meets a sickly girl named Chiko who is suffering because of the pollution of a nearby factory that darkens the entire sky. Unico then is determined to cheer her up, cure her, and destroy the nearby factory.



Tags: Kids , Animals , Environmental , Gods

Tsuru no Ongaeshi

Also known as The Grateful Crane.

Studio: Gakken
Status: Finished
Genres: Fantasy , Supernatural

A puppet animation movie by Kazuhiko Watanabe.

Tags:

Match Uri no Shoujo

Also known as The Little Match Girl.

Studio: Gakken
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama

A little girl tries to sell matches on a cold December night with no luck. To keep from freezing she lights one match and sees a wondrous vision...

This theatrical release was based on a Hans Christian Andersen's story.

The movie was completed in July 1967, but the release was delayed until the 1971 “Toho Champion Matsuri” film festival.

Tags: Fairy Tale , Kids , Stop Motion

Kataku

Studio: Video Market
Status: Finished
Genres: Supernatural

Many years ago, a young woman named Unai-Otome lived in the village of Ikuta. As she was beautiful it was no surprise that she had two suitors, both deeply in love with her. The girl was torn apart over which one to choose. In her desperation she chose a third option - taking her own life. Although her intentions were absolutely pure, not even in death did she find the solace she desired. Many decades later, a pilgrim walking by her grave meets a beautiful young woman and her story once again rises from the depths of time.... With a plot based on a classic play of Noh traditional theatre, the film presents the peak of Kawamoto’s mastery thanks to its expert mediation of the absurdity of the human condition.

Source: http://www.kviff.com/en/film-archive-detail/20050895-house-of-flames/

Tags: Demons , Historical , Afterlife , Puppetry , Stop Motion

Shisha no Sho

Also known as The Book of the Dead.

Studio: SLOW TIDE
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Supernatural

When a young noblewoman, Iratsume, falls into a trance after copying Buddhist sutras and walks to a remote temple that women are forbidden to enter, she stirs up the ghost of the executed Prince Otsu. Otsu's ghost then mistakes Iratsume for one of her ancestors, a young woman who came to watch his execution. The beautiful face of this young woman was the last thing the Prince saw before he died, and his ghost cannot rest while her face haunts his sleep.

Tags: Puppetry , Stop Motion , Ghost

Ningyohime

Also known as The Little Mermaid.

Studio: Gakken
Status: Finished
Genres: Fantasy

A stop motion film adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid.

Tags: Puppetry

Ibara-Hime mata wa Nemuri-Hime

Also known as Briar-Rose or the Sleeping Beauty.

Studio: Kawamoto Productions
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Supernatural

An alternate retelling of the classic Sleeping Beauty fairy tale. The story begins in the same way as the original story but our young heroine instead of falling under the mystical spell begins to uncover the mystery of the man who cursed her and his relationship with her mother. It is a realistic reminder that "They lived happily ever after...", may not be as happy as we once envisioned.

Tags: Historical , Fairy Tale , Puppetry , Stop Motion , Demons , Nudity , Age Gap

Okonjoururi

Studio: NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Fantasy

The 25 minute film tells the tale of an ailing elderly woman named Itako who encounters a fox named Okon.

The story opens with Itako lying bedridden, as she has for a long time. Okon enters her home and Itako tells the fox that he is welcome to take anything that he wants, for she has no use for anything anymore. Okon is delighted and in order to return the favour (the act of ongaeshi), Okon performs a magic jyōruri (a ballad with shamisen accompaniment) that heals Itako so that she is fit enough to walk again. Everyone is surprised by Itako's sudden recovery. She then hears of a hunter who has been badly injured and is near death. Itako hides Okon in the back of her shirt and has the fox sing the song while she plays shamisen in order to heal the man. This act of kindness is repeated for others until Itako's good fortune leads some to be suspicious of her.


Tags: Mythology , Animals , Stop Motion , Musical Theater , Anthropomorphism , Rehabilitation , Shapeshifting , Witch

Chironup no Kitsune

Studio: Group TAC
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama

Based on the novel "Chironup no Kitsune (Foxes of Chironup)" by Hiroyuki Takahashi.

Tags: Tragedy , Rural , Animals , Historical , Guns , Ships , Survival