Animated Classics of Japanese Literature

A brilliant collection of beautifully animated episodes based on selected masterpieces of Japanese modern literature. The aim of this series is to appeal to the viewer at large and to give him or her some idea of the variety and individuality which Japanese literature has developed over the last hundred years. The authors range from Higuchi Ichiyou (Takekurabe), Mori Ougai (The Dancing Girl) and Natsume Souseki (Botchan) to Kawabata Yasunari (The Izu Dancer), Nobel laureate of 1968, and Mishima Yukio (The Sound of Waves).

Directed by —, Animated Classics of Japanese Literature leans on a strong ensemble — — — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The series landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about animation titles of 1986.