Isao Takahata spent many years on this film, allegedly his final film, and it paid off. Takahata is a master at his craft, proving Studio Ghibli to truly be one of the most prolific studios for bringing the world the works of two legends. Adapted from an ancient Japanese folktale, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is a majestic triumph. The artwork is truly stunning. In an age when most all of the animated films produced are computer animated in the same style, it is refreshing and comforting to see hand-drawn lines, soft edges, and beautiful watercolors. The scenes with a lot of movement are particularly stunning but the stills allow the viewer to admire the exquisite artwork. I have never seen a movie that looked quite like this and it is brilliant.
