A young boy has to make a voyage to a distant lake to save his mother, who has been turned into a dragon.A young boy has to make a voyage to a distant lake to save his mother, who has been turned into a dragon.A young boy has to make a voyage to a distant lake to save his mother, who has been turned into a dragon.
Jun'ya Katô
- Tarô
- (voice)
Mîna Tominaga
- Aya
- (voice)
Kazuo Kumakura
- Red Oni
- (voice)
Kirin Kiki
- Yamanba
- (voice)
Sayuri Yoshinaga
- Tatsuya
- (voice)
Billie Lou Watt
- Taro
- (English version)
- (voice)
Featured reviews
I saw this last night, and I was deeply, deeply moved. This film is pure gold, a drink of clear water after a day in the sun. This is a story of hope, love, sacrifice, and the true meaning of selflessness. This film does not need to resort to preachy-ness, its message is shown through the deeds of Taro and what he inspires others to do for themselves. The art style is very distinctive, and beautiful. The landscapes feel very real, and the characters fit well within their world. The music and songs are lovingly crafted, and the story will leave you smiling through tears. This was an incredible work of love, and it deserves to be seen again and again. There is some slight nudity, but only once, and nothing sexual. I can't praise this one highly enough. See it for yourself, and you will understand.
When you are 3 years old and something touches you so deep, just like this anime did to me, you NEVER EVER forget it. You might forget the name of the characters, or the exact plot but it never goes, all the pictures stay inside (especially when these pictures are that impressing). That happened to me with this movie. I was so moved when I discovered it again!
All these colors, the way the characters were drawn, the plot of course, EVERYTHING about this anime is perfect! And of course it is not only for kids or anime fans, this is a movie everyone must see. It is a movie about hope, and love and what someone can do for the person he loves the most and how many barriers he can overcome -wether he is as strong as Taro, or not. ;P
This is a movie that will wake the child inside you but this doesn't mean it is childish. On the contrary, it is a very mature movie and a masterpiece indeed!!!!
All these colors, the way the characters were drawn, the plot of course, EVERYTHING about this anime is perfect! And of course it is not only for kids or anime fans, this is a movie everyone must see. It is a movie about hope, and love and what someone can do for the person he loves the most and how many barriers he can overcome -wether he is as strong as Taro, or not. ;P
This is a movie that will wake the child inside you but this doesn't mean it is childish. On the contrary, it is a very mature movie and a masterpiece indeed!!!!
I love this film! When I was little (4 or 5) I used to watch it over and over again...I think I eventually wore out the tape. It has everything to keep kids mesmerized: demons, spirits, dragons and a superstrong child protagonist. I would love to get my hands on another copy...
I was born the same year this film came out. Being half Japanese and having read or been told many other Japanese folk stories, I am very familiar with some of the characters in this particular story (the Onis and Tengu for example).
There are several lessons to be learned from this film; from trusting those around you, to being selfish and the rewards of helping those in need. Although there is some nudity, the audience needs to look past that and focus on the morals being told.
The ending holds a lot of emotion and the theme song throughout has a nice rhythm! I would recommend watching this in Japanese with the subtitles on.
9/10 stars for me on this one. :)
There are several lessons to be learned from this film; from trusting those around you, to being selfish and the rewards of helping those in need. Although there is some nudity, the audience needs to look past that and focus on the morals being told.
The ending holds a lot of emotion and the theme song throughout has a nice rhythm! I would recommend watching this in Japanese with the subtitles on.
9/10 stars for me on this one. :)
This is an excellent old anime. It is very stylized with Japanese ink paintings for backgrounds and characters reminiscent of those in Miyazaki films. I am not sure if this is a Japanese or Chinese film however.
I have enjoyed this movie since I was a kid and still enjoy it, though it is very hard to find.
I have enjoyed this movie since I was a kid and still enjoy it, though it is very hard to find.
Did you know
- SoundtracksTatsu no Ko Tarô no Uta
(Tarô the Dragon Boy's Song)
Lyrics by Ichirô Wakabayashi & Kiriô Urayama
Music by Riichirô Manabe
Vocals by Jun'ya Katô & Ichirô Mizuki
Chorus: Nihon Gasshô Kyôkai
Courtesy of Columbia Records
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Also known as
- Taro the Dragon Boy
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 15 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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