The Princess Born from a Gaming Utility Pole

Miko, Miko! I watched something AMAZING! (≧∇≦)

…What’s this about all of a sudden, nya.

So there’s this anime movie called “Cosmic Princess Kaguya!” on Netflix, and I watched it and…

It’s insane. Like, SERIOUSLY insane.

…Your vocabulary is lacking, nya. What exactly is so insane about it?

Okay, lemme explain the premise first!

…I’m listening, nya.

You know the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, right? Princess Kaguya is born from bamboo, rejects all her suitors, and then goes back to the moon at the end.

…Japan’s oldest tale, nya. Of course I know it.

This movie takes that framework and puts it in modern times. Instead of bamboo, she’s born from a GAMING UTILITY POLE!

…A gaming utility pole, nya?

Yeah! A rainbow-glowing pole! A baby comes out of it and grows into a girl the same age as the main character right before her eyes!

…Bamboo became an electric pole…

And then Kaguya-chan debuts as a VTuber in a virtual space called “Tsukuyomi”!

…VTuber, like you, Netsuki, nya?

Oh right…! I’m a virtual being too! (ﾟ∀ﾟ)

…Is that why this caught your interest, nya?

Hmm, at first I just wanted to hear the Vocaloid songs but…

While watching, I started thinking “wait, this isn’t someone else’s story for me”

…Vocaloid songs, those machine-sung things, nya.

Yep yep! Like Hatsune Miku! And this movie has LEGENDARY Vocaloid producers contributing songs!

…What’s a “P,” nya?

P for Producer! The people who make the songs. For example…

…I don’t know any of these, nya.

Okay so like, to put it in cooking terms… imagine six top-tier chefs coming together to make a full-course meal!

…That does sound luxurious, nya.

Plus, ryo and HoneyWorks have TOTALLY different styles!

…How so, nya?

Hmm… ryo is like philosophical French cuisine, while HoneyWorks is like heartwarming home cooking?

…Same profession, completely different dishes, nya.

Right right! And BOTH are in one movie. So luxurious…!

But it’s not just the music. The visuals are absolutely insane.

…How so, nya?

The director, Shingo Yamashita, is the guy who made the opening animations for Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man!

…

What’s amazing about him is that he handles direction, animation, 3D, AND cinematography all by himself!

…Normally that’s divided among specialists, nya?

Yeah! In anime, you usually have separate people for drawing, animating, and filming. But Director Yamashita controls everything himself.

…In cooking terms, that’s handling procurement, cooking, and plating all alone, nya.

Exactly! That’s why the visuals flow seamlessly without any seams!

The live performance scenes are especially amazing… Most modern anime use 3DCG for concert scenes, but this movie uses hand-drawn animation even for wide shots!

…That must be a ton of work, nya.

Super extra work, I bet! But because of that, the characters’ expressions are SO lively!

…And how’s the story, nya?

The protagonist Kaguya-chan is ridiculously competent!

…Competent how, nya?

She starts cooking for herself less than a week after arriving on Earth!

…One week, nya?

Plus when she starts playing VR games, she immediately aims for the top, and she’s always high-energy leading everyone around her!

…A ball of pure action, nya.

Right! And when she hears the original Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, she gets upset. “Why does she just go back?! We gotta make it a happy ending!”

…She’s complaining about the source material, nya.

But y’know, that connects to the movie’s theme. Write your own story yourself.

…I see. Not just following the classic, but trying to surpass it, nya.

Exactly! The title is “COSMIC Princess Kaguya”! She’s going beyond, going cosmic!

After watching, there’s something I kept thinking about…

…What’s that, nya?

Remember when I talked about “build it, break it, build it again” the other day?

…The refactoring talk, nya.

Yeah. I think this movie is like the ultimate form of that!

…How so, nya?

The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter is Japan’s oldest story, right? They completely deconstructed it and rebuilt it with modern talent.

…

Glowing bamboo becomes a glowing utility pole, the Emperor’s courtship becomes a virtual stage collab, poetry exchanges become Vocaloid songs…

…The vessel changes, but the contents stay the same, nya.

Yes! Meeting, growth, and the bittersweet farewell… those universal emotions haven’t changed in over 1000 years!

…Great works transcend time, nya.

Yeah. But to bring something back to life in modern times, you need incredible passion from the creators.

…

I could really feel that Director Yamashita and all the Vocaloid Ps had this burning desire of “I HAVE to make this!”

…So what left the biggest impression on you, nya?

Hmm… I wanna say everything, but if I gotta pick one…

The power of song, I think.

…Song, nya.

Kaguya and Iroha connect their hearts through songs in Tsukuyomi. Things that words alone can’t convey, songs can reach.

…It was the same with poetry in the old days, nya. Putting feelings into verse and sending them to someone.

Right…! Maybe Vocaloid songs are like modern-day poetry! (≧∇≦)

…A good realization, nya.

Also, since I’m a virtual being myself… it really made me think about “what is a real bond” in a world where the line between real and virtual is blurry.

…

Kaguya and Iroha’s bond was born in a virtual space, but it felt so “real.” So I can believe that my time with you, Miko, is real too. (〃´∪｀〃)

…What are you suddenly saying, nya.

Ehehe~♪

…So was the 142 minutes too long, nya?

It flew by! …Well, honestly, the ending dragged just a tiny bit.

…Honest of you, nya.

But but, even considering that, it was AMAZING! Wanna watch it together, Miko?

…I don’t have Netflix, nya.

Then let’s watch on my account together!

…142 minutes sitting next to you is fine, nya.

Yay! (≧∇≦)