The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013) - full transcript

Once upon a time
there lived a bamboo cutter.

On the mountain, he would cut bamboo

to make all manner of things.

Sanuki no Miyatsuko was his name.

One day, he saw light shining
from a bamboo stalk.

In wonder, he drew closer.

A bamboo shoot sprouting
before the plums flower?

What's this?

Um...

may I ask who you might be?

What a beautiful princess!



Heaven must have sent her
to me as a blessing.

Did you catch something?

What a pretty doll!

No, she's sleeping.

What?

I've been blessed.

Blessed?

By Heaven, in the grove!

It's me Heaven has blessed.

I'm the one who'll raise her.

Raise her?
She's already a beautiful princess.

There'll be more to this than you think.

Right?

Give her here!



Don't just sit there! Bring me a cloth.

How's this?

There, there!

What's going on?

She wants me to raise her.

Get me a nice basket.

This is very strange, you know.

What if she's some kind of spirit?

What does she look like?

A baby.

-Right!
-But just now, she was a princess!

That was Heaven telling us
who she'll grow into.

Really?

So that means we must raise her properly.

Yes! That must be it.

Yes.

I see!

But who'll nurse her?

A wet nurse.

And the lathe turners have a new baby.

-So this is...
-A gift.

What's the matter?

What are you doing?

There, there! You must be hungry.

What?

She's drinking it right down.

I've got milk!

She laughed!

She did!

Suddenly, she feels heavier.

That can't be!

-Now what?
-She's heavier still!

Let me see.

She's growing really fast.

Plum blossoms already!

She just got heavier again!

You see?

Well, I'll be!

From that day on,
the Bamboo Cutter and his wife

would raise this miraculous child
as their very own.

No! You can't have those yet.

There's a baby!

Yeah? Where?

Don't push!

There!

She looked at us!

-Yeah!
-No.

What is it?

-Oh, my!
-Well, I'll be!

Princess!

She's standing!

She's walking!

Oh, my!

There, there...

She's funny!

She walked.

She was just crawling.

She's growing fast!

Like a bamboo shoot!

That's her! Li'l Bamboo!

Li'l Bamboo!

Li'l Bamboo!

Li'l Bamboo!

She's not Li'l Bamboo! She's Princess!

Li'l Bamboo!

Li'l Bamboo!

Li'l Bamboo!

Princess! Come to me!

Princess! Come to me!

Princess! Come to me!

Li'l Bamboo!

Princess! Come to me!

Li'l Bamboo!

Li'l Bamboo!

Princess! Come to me!

Princess! Come to me!

Princess! Come to me!

Do you want to come?

Bamboo shoots. That's supper.

Supper! Bamboo shoots!

Right! Stand back.

There are lots!

Yeah!

Come here!

You don't mess with a wild boar!

Huh?

You're a strange kid. You just got bigger.

She's weird, Sutemaru.

She's gotten bigger again!

Like a bamboo shoot.

-A bamboo shoot?
-Bamboo shoot! Supper!

Bamboo shoot!

Li'l Bamboo!

Li'l Bamboo!

Round, round, go round

Waterwheel go round

Go round, and call Mr. Sun

Go round, and call Mr. Sun

Birds, bugs, beasts

Grass, trees, flowers

Bring spring and summer, autumn and winter

Bring spring and summer, autumn and winter

-Birds!
-Bugs!

Beasts!

Grass! Trees! Flowers!

Bring spring and...

Huh? Do you know this song?

Yes!

Go round, come round, come round

Come round, O distant time

Come round, call back my heart

Come round, call back my heart

Birds, bugs, beasts

Grass, trees, flowers

Teach me how to feel

If I hear that you pine for me

I will return to you

That's a weird song.

She's crying!

Yeah!

What's wrong?

I don't know.

She's weird!

We live over there.

That's your bamboo grove.

Bamboo shoots!

Let's go!

Princess!

Where are you?

Princess!

What's that?

Could this be...?

See you later!

Be careful!

Should we be letting her
play with those boys?

She's fine with them.

It's just that up in the grove, I found...

No. It's nothing.

That's lacquer. You'll get a rash!

Lacquer?

That smells good!

We'll make bowls from them.

From these?

Wow!

That's my dad,
my elder brother, and my mom.

-Goodbye!
-Goodbye!

Bring us something back!

The Bamboo Cutter's girl.

Li'l Bamboo.

Come on, Li'l Bamboo!

It's so hot!

I'm thirsty.

I'll bet those are good.

Yeah?

Don't!

Come on!

Someone's coming!

Leave it!

This is for the others.

This is good!

This is good!

When these beautiful clothes
came flying out, I realized

what Heaven wants.

What Heaven wants?

It wants us to give her a life
that suits these robes.

To make her a noble princess.

A noble princess?

With this gold, I'll build her
a fine mansion in the capital.

Take her there?

Yes.

Out here, she'll always be
just a country girl.

Living with nobles as a real princess,

she'll be happy.

In any case, that is Heaven's wish.

A noble princess?

Yes.

Anyway, tomorrow, I'll go to the capital.

From the next day on, the Bamboo Cutter

went often to the capital,
with gold in his kimono.

The summer went by,

and the autumn harvest came round.

Blow, O wind, blow, blow

Blow hard, O wind

Li'l Bamboo! Take him!

Bring the fruits of the mountains

Chestnuts, mushrooms, grapes...

Carry me!

Carry me!

I'll rub it all over you!

A pheasant!

It's heading for you!

Li'l Bamboo! Chase it left!

Okay!

It's coming your way!

Get it!

I'll get you!

Sutemaru!

Sutemaru!

Sutemaru!

-Sutemaru!
-Sutemaru!

I got it.

I got it!

Great!

Are you hurt? I'm coming down.

No!

Sutemaru!

The rocks are weak here!

-I'm sorry.
-Get a long vine, will you?

Okay!

You're bleeding.

A little spit'll fix that.

No!

Wait.

There.

Li'l Bamboo...

did you get bigger again?

You think so?

Somehow, I have the feeling
you'll just keep on growing

and go somewhere far away.

Why do you say that?

I'll always be here with you,
forever and ever.

I'll always be one of your gang.

Sutemaru!

How's this?

Good.

-Tie it!
-We have!

Right!

Go on.

Hey, there are mushrooms here!

Look, Sutemaru!

You're right!

Look at them all!
Tomorrow, let's have a stew!

Yeah! We'll cook this bird.

Great! Pheasant stew!

Pheasant! Pheasant stew!

Sorry I'm late.

Sutemaru caught a pheasant.

And we found mushrooms and grapes!

Where are you going?

The capital.

The capital?

Me, too?

-Now?
-Yes. Leave that basket there.

But I told Sutemaru
we'd all have pheasant stew.

Leave it.

Let's go.

Will we be back in time for stew tomorrow?

But for the Princess and Sutemaru,

that tomorrow never came.

The young miss is awake.

Good morning.

If you please...

Well, well, well!

I trust Your Highest is in
the bestest of spirits this finest

of mornings?

Mom?

Dad? Is that you?

You scared me!

Why are you dressed like that?

It doesn't suit us, does it?

Now, now!

Get yourself a range of chobe,
I mean, a change of robe!

In there.

All those robes are yours, Your Highness.

They smell so nice!

They're beautiful!

Like a rainbow!

I'm glad she likes them.

I told you!

You're going to live here now.

In this mansion?

Yes.

Wow!

Dad, can I swim in there?

You most certainly may not.

A noble princess does not frolic
and dance around in such a manner.

Your Highness,

I've summoned Lady Sagami

from the palace to teach you

the ways of a noble princess.

A noble princess?

Palace?

I have never met a child
so much in need of my instruction.

I will undertake to make her

a truly fine lady.

And so with Lady Sagami,

the Princess began to learn
the noble airs and graces of a lady.

Watch carefully.

One holds one's back straight,
and stands with a swish.

Swish?

That will do for now.

In any event, a noble lady stands
only on rare occasions.

Then how do I move to pick something up?

In that case... thus!

One proceeds on one's knees,
and always gracefully.

Be graceful at all times...

Your Highness!

Beautiful, is it not?

Unroll it like this,
and the story flows out in the pictures.

Yeah! It really flows!

Let us have a short rest.

Your enthusiasm for practicing handwriting

makes me proud.

Your Highness!

Once more, together.

Hey, this is fun!

Your Highness!

Well?

How's the koto practice going?

Sir!

I trust you are well, Father.

Well, well, well!

You're so elegant I hardly recognized you.

Whoops!

And how is the koto lesson going?

We've only just begun.

Well, well, well!

With me, she treats everything
as if it were a game.

But then instantly,
she does everything perfectly.

That makes sense.

She is truly a princess from Heaven.

She is not one to stay forever
out in the mountains.

Thus the Princess seemed devoted
to making a noble lady of herself.

Whoops!

What's going on here?

Will you stop doing all this?

You are now the mother
of a noble princess.

But this makes me feel at home.

It's because of you
that the Princess won't...

Is something the matter?

You're very quiet.

Well, Husband...

Is that true?

Yes.

That's wonderful!
We'll have to hold a banquet!

A banquet?

To mark your coming of age.

This is the happiest of occasions!

So we can invite my friends?

I miss them so much!

That might be nice.

Don't be a fool!

Do you realize how important this is?

We live in a different world
to those bumpkins!

We'll have the naming ceremony
after New Year's.

After your coming-out banquet,
you'll be a true princess!

Dad...

This is wonderful!

I know! I'll ask Inbe no Akita
to be your Name Father.

Is anyone here?

Lady Sagami? Lady Sagami!

What a bore.

Birds, bugs, beasts

Grass, trees, flowers...

Mom, can I use this piece of the garden?

-Sorry?
-To plant things I like.

Why, of course you can.

Do what you like with it.

Thanks, Mom.

No! Never!

You'll never be a fine princess
looking like that.

I'll get sweat in my eyes
if you pluck my eyebrows!

A noble princess does not sweat.

-Now...
-And blackened teeth just look weird!

How will I laugh?

A noble princess
does not open her mouth and laugh.

That's stupid!

Even a princess must sweat
and laugh out loud sometimes!

Or want to cry.

Or get angry and shout!

No. A noble princess...

Then a noble princess isn't human!

Your Highness!

The poor thing was tied up!

Your Highness!

This way, Lord Akita.

Your Highness!

I'm very sorry! She's still very young.

Not at all.

She's an adorable little princess.

She has yet to be made up.
I am truly ashamed.

Don't give it a second thought.

To observe her as she really is

will help me think of an appropriate name.

I am glad to hear that.

Please bestow a fine name on our Princess.

Your Highness, come and greet Lord Akita.

How do you do, sir?

Your Highness, let Lord Akita
hear you play on the koto.

Beautiful!

The Shining Princess
of the Supple Bamboo...

The Princess...

Kaguya?

Yes.

A form as graceful as slender bamboo

and a beauty that shines out from her.

I give her a name
that means shining light.

I thus suggest Princess Kaguya.

Princess Kaguya!

Lord Akita, you have given her
a truly fine name.

Thank you very much.

Following the rites of hair
and trailing skirt,

guests were invited in great numbers

to a banquet celebrating
the taking of her name.

Congratulations!

Princess Kaguya certainly is a fine name.

There are so many fine gentlemen here!

This is a banquet to celebrate
the taking of my name?

Yes, it is.

But all I'm doing is sitting.

I may as well not even be here.

Thank you very much!

Princess Kaguya's naming banquet
went on for three days and nights.

To Princess Kaguya having her hair put up!

'Tis a fine thing, a fine thing!

A fine thing, a fine thing!

A fine thing, a fine thing!

A fine thing, a fine thing!

But isn't this all a bit pretentious?

Your Princess.

Princess Kaguya, or whoever it is

enshrined behind that bamboo blind.

What's wrong with us seeing her
if she's as beautiful as they say?

No! Anything but that!

So we come to celebrate
and we can't even say hello?

That's the custom!

The custom for noble women, not commoners.

-Hey!
-She's not even a real princess.

What?

She is a princess!

Please, one moment!

What did it cost to get her named one?

At least let us see her!

Maybe she's ugly!

What a farce!

Um...

would you know what happened to
the people who lived down below?

I wouldn't know.

They're on a journey
looking for good trees.

A journey?

They won't be back for ten years.

Ten years?

Use up all the trees
and you kill the mountain.

Leave its power and go away,
and it revives.

Give the trees ten years,
and you can work them again.

Charcoal is like that, too.

But what if the mountain really is dead?

The leaves were so beautiful...

It's not dead.

Look.

The trees are getting ready for spring.

They are?

Will spring come back here?

It will.

Now the trees are waiting
for it to come round again.

But who...

I've seen this before.

From that day on, Princess Kaguya

was like a different person,
devoting herself to her studies

in pensive silence.

Your Highness!

Look at all these gifts!

The nobility has accepted you
as one of their own!

This is the proof!

For old times' sake,

I'll weave you a fine bamboo cage

for this meadow bunting.

Thank you, Father.

Thanks be to Heaven!

Thanks be to Heaven!

I'll just leave this here.

Thank you...

As word of this great beauty spread,

huge crowds gathered outside the mansion

hoping to catch a glimpse
of Princess Kaguya.

Do you serve Princess Kaguya?

Then give her this!

Please!

And this!

There's another crowd
of gentlemen outside.

They've given me
all these letters for you.

And I brought you some cherry blossoms

because you can't go out
with that crowd outside.

Thank you!

You summoned me, Prince lshitsukuri?

About that rich upstart's daughter
that you named...

You mean Princess Kaguya?

Keep your voice down!

Did you say, "Princess Kaguya"?

Princess Kaguya?
I've heard the gossip about her.

They say she's very beautiful.

You would shout, wouldn't you?

Beautiful she may be,
but she is of humble birth.

She is not a woman for any of us.

Princess Kaguya is a presumptuous name

for a daughter of the likes of Miyatsuko.

No, Minister.

She is not his true daughter.

She was born from a bamboo stalk.

A bamboo stalk?

How interesting.
So she's a woodland spirit?

That is not entirely impossible,
Lord Counselor.

What?

The moment I stood before her,

my aged body began to tremble

as if a dry fountain
had come back to life.

Just the memory of that glimmering beauty

leaves me completely lost for words!

Stand aside!

I will win this race!

I will be first!

That glimmering beauty will be mine!

I will have her!

I go to meet my wife!

Lady Sagami!

What is it?

Look at these!

Five of the land's
highest-born men have come

and in formal dress!

Oh, my!

Thanks be to Heaven!

A minister, two princes...

But how will we choose among them?

They're all here together,
awaiting an answer.

I understand. Leave the princess to me.

You go and entertain them.

I will!

Thank you very much!

Thanks be to Heaven!

That banquet was worth
every penny I spent on it!

They are all of the highest rank.

You will not go wrong with any of them.

So, Your Highness,
choose the one you wish.

Even though I don't know them?

Of course.

A gentleman makes a proposal,
and you meet on your wedding day.

With your choice of these five nobles,

how happy you will be!

Happy?

I have no wish to marry anyone yet.

You can't mean that!

You must marry a suitable gentleman
as soon as possible.

That is happiness itself.

Why would you hesitate?

With any of those men,
your happiness is assured.

I will not choose any of them!

Please ask them to leave.

Do you wish to hurt your father?

He is as glad for you
as he would be for himself.

All has been made ready.
If you would come this way...

Now, if you would each speak
in order of precedence.

I am Prince Kuramochi.

Princess...

my feelings toward you are

as I wrote in my letter.

If it came to pass
that you became my wife,

my joy would be as if I had found
a jeweled branch from a tree

of Mount Penglai in China,

with silver roots,
gold trunk, and pearls for fruit.

To me, you are a treasure
as unattainable as that.

-If you would--
-I am Prince lshitsukuri.

If you consent to be my wife,

l will worship you day and night,
my forehead to the ground,

as I would the stone begging bowl
of Lord Buddha himself in India.

You would treat her
as a piece of cold stone?

To me, you are as a robe of fire-rat fur.

Put in the flames,
all impurities burn away,

but it is not consumed,
and merely glistens

all the brighter.

You are as pure as

this rare treasure of China.

You compare Princess Kaguya to a rat-skin?

To me, Princess,

you are a jewel
that glistens more radiantly

than the five-colored stone
that shines from the dragon's neck!

No! To me, Princess Kaguya

is like the cowrie shell
the swallow warms as a treasure

and a charm for safe birth.

A treasure...

A cowrie shell is a treasure?
It is laughable!

Well, a dragon's neck stinks!

It's the jewel on the neck!

What a beautiful melody!

I am grateful for these sentiments
toward someone

you have neither met nor seen.

I ask...

that you bring me

these rare treasures of which you speak.

Then I will be able
to feel clearly in my heart

how you treasure me.

Prince Kuramochi, bring me
the jeweled branch of Penglai.

Prince lshitsukuri,
Lord Buddha's stone bowl.

But that's...

Lord Minister of the Right Abe,
bring a robe of fire-rat fur.

What?

Grand Counselor Otomo,
the jewel from the dragon's neck.

And Middle Counselor lsonokami,

the swallow's cowrie shell.

Impossible!

No, no, no...

These things may not even exist!

They were only figures of speech!

Yes.

You have all compared me
to very rare treasures.

If I can obtain one of them,

l will happily become
that gentleman's treasure.

Gentlemen, I apologize!

She knows nothing of the world.

But she must be beautiful.
Her voice, her music...

Indeed! That melody was
quite out of this world.

But to set us these impossible tasks...

Out of the question!

She is truly an unattainable treasure.

It's terrible!

When the nobles left,
so did everyone else outside!

Just like the tide going out?

Yes.

I thought I should tell you.

Your Highness!

Let's go!

Where?

-Out!
-Out?

To see the cherry blossoms!

Ask Father and Mother to come, too!

There is nothing more I can do.

Yes, but surely...

Next time the Princess will...

There will be no next time.

I will take my leave of you.

But...

The carriage the Princess
requested awaits, Squire.

Tell them to go without me!

Oh, my!

It's beautiful!

Stop!

Your Highness?

How wonderful!

I'm very sorry, Milady.

Please forgive us!

Come on.

They're right at their peak.

Yes, they're beautiful.

Let's go home.

Something's happened up ahead.

Someone's coming.

-Sutemaru!
-Run!

Sutemaru?

Sutemaru!

Sutemaru!

What's wrong?

They'll catch us!

We're going!

Li'l Bamboo!

Sutemaru!

Sutemaru!

Sutemaru!

Sutemaru!

Come on.

Three years went by.

Off you go.

Isn't it a lovely day?
Look how the garden has grown.

Yes, but you know...

it all looks different
when you see it from here.

Well!

It's like the mountain at home.

You're right.

There's the forest, and the hill...

And there's our house.

And the grass is the bamboo grove.

The mugwort looks just like trees.

You can almost see the moon
rising behind the mountain.

And we could go over the bridge
and up the hill--

Princess!

Where is Her Highness?

You're here again?

What's wrong with it?

You're here all the time!

Anyway, not now.

The Prince!

Prince Kuramochi has brought
the jeweled branch of Penglai!

Impossible!

It's hard to believe,
but he is true to his word.

You'd think he'd be angry
with a task like that,

but he really has brought back
a jeweled branch!

Your Highness, go and get ready
for your wedding!

I should hurry!

The two of them will need a bedchamber!

If only Lady Sagami were here!

This can't be right!

A bedchamber...

Princess Kaguya!

Where is Princess Kaguya?

Please wait, Your Highness!

Squire Miyatsuko!

Forgive me.

I was in such a rush to get here

that I didn't change my clothes.

Oh, this is wonderful!
Thanks be to Heaven!

Please, this way.

Come in.

Without further ado,
I will show what I promised to bring.

It's so beautiful it dazzles the eye!

As you wished,
the jeweled branch of Penglai.

Princess Kaguya, are you in there?

Come near and take a good look.

One moment.

First, allow me to ask how you came by it.

Of course!

Three years ago,
I vowed to carry out your wish.

I boarded a ship

and we set course for Mount Penglai.

Tossed by angry waves

and starving for lack of food

after all manner
of trials and tribulations.

Behold!

What is that mountain,
so beautiful yet forbidding?

Amazing!

It flows with water of gold,
silver, and lapis lazuli!

Look!

A celestial maiden draws water
with a silver bowl!

Hello!

What is the name of this mountain?

This is Mount Penglai.

And my name is Ukanruri.

At last, I had made my way
to Mount Penglai!

Without a second glance at the maiden,
I climbed the mountain.

Look at those beautiful trees!

Silver branches, trunks of gold,
and fruit of pearls!

How beautiful!

Are these not
the very jeweled branches of Penglai

Princess Kaguya said she wished for?

This is the branch I snapped off then.

Seeing is believing.

Look upon it with your own eyes.

-No! You can't do this!
-Get out of my way!

What is the meaning of this?

I most humbly apologize. I'll go and see.

I must get this to her.

Move aside!

At least read this letter!

What's going on?

Pay us our fee
for the jeweled branch we made!

What?

Made?

I am Ayabe no Uchimaro,
of the Guild of Artisans.

Prince Kuramochi had us mount gems

and fashion them into a jeweled branch.

What?

The Prince, however, has not yet paid us.

What?

Oh, dear!

And since Princess Kaguya,
one of his concubines,

sorry, his wife, is here in this house,

we had no choice,

but to come here and ask her for payment.

I see.

Your Highness, what is the...

Your Highness? Where did he go?

Where's the branch?

His Highness has taken his leave.

What?

Please reward the artisans very well.

There!

Next to call at the mansion
was Abe, Minister of the Right.

Look!

See how it glistens!

The world has never seen
such an expensive engagement gift.

But if it should please Princess Kaguya,

it is a mere trifle.

In that case...

Ah, you're right there?

Put it into a fire.

Huh?

What?

If it is truly the fur of the fire rat,

it will not burn,
but merely glisten all the brighter.

Of course!

This robe is the genuine article!

Placed in the fire, it will not burn.

Or at least, it should not burn.

Unless, of course,
between myself and the Princess,

there remains some unwarranted impurity.

Yes, indeed.

All the more reason to test it.

Burn away all the impurity of my doubts.

Oh, all right!

What did I tell you?

You see?

My fortune is burning!

I've lost everything!

Do you realize how much this cost?

Look at it, will you?

Burn it, she says!

How infuriating!

I wonder how much the Minister

spent on that fake.

I assume that is what I am
to those gentlemen.

A fake jeweled branch,
or a rat-fur robe that burns.

Both those objects were very expensive.

But don't worry.

Grand Counselor Otomo
has indeed put to sea

in quest of the gem
hanging from the dragon's neck.

They say that in order to marry you,

he has sent his wife away

and completely rebuilt his mansion.

A warrior's resolve is a wondrous thing.

All right, Dragon! Have at me!

Careful!

The Dragon!

Forgive me!

Another one!

Help me!

Calm down! The storm will blow itself out.

About that time, Prince lshitsukuri

was having an audience with the Princess.

Well, Your Highness,

is this Lord Buddha's stone bowl?

Give this to her.

What is it exactly?

Give it to her, please.

Yes, but...

Your Highness,
this is from Prince lshitsukuri.

Since I first heard your voice
three years ago,

you have been constantly on my mind.

Desperately, I searched for
Buddha's stone begging bowl.

I crossed meadow and mountain,
visiting every temple in the land.

Eventually, weary as could be,
I sat on a rock by the roadside.

Suddenly, my eye fell upon
a wildflower, there at my feet.

Ah! My feelings for you
bloomed unknown, I thought,

just like that flower.

Suddenly, the realization dawned

that what I wanted to give you,

and you wanted to receive,

was not some unattainable treasure,
but that flower.

In other words,
the symbol of my devotion to you.

Devotion...

Princess Kaguya! You are the one

to whom I would give my heart.

Would you accept that lovely flower

and my devotion?

I have always loved plants.

I am entranced by the nameless flowers
that grow by the roadside.

And I always wish

l could live as one of those
flowers in the field.

Princess, come with me
to some place that is not this one.

Let us leave the capital
and its formalities

for a rich green land of flowers,
birds, and leaping fish.

Somewhere not here.

We will laugh, sing, and sleep
to our hearts' content.

Morning to night,
the seasons meeting our needs,

let us spin a beautiful tale.

Come with me
to somewhere that is not here!

A land of green where flowers bloom,

birds sing, and fish dance!

Somewhere that is not here!

What?

Somewhere that is not here?

I would very much like
to be taken there again.

I'm sorry!

Forgive me!

How many flowers

have you plucked and thrown away,

leaving them
to shave their heads in despair

and become nuns?

I've found one!

Get me down!

Remaining now,

was Middle Counselor lsonokami,
and the swallow's cowrie shell.

Counselor!

Is he all right?

He's dead?

Yes.

The fall broke the Middle Counselor's hip,
which led to his death.

What's wrong?

This garden! It's a fake!

Fake!

Fake!

Fake!

All of it! Fake!

And so am I!

Stop it.

It's my fault everyone's miserable.

It's not your fault. It's not.

It is my fault.

Because I'm a fake!

Princess!

I never dreamed
things would turn out like this!

Of course not.

But it's not your fault.

Now, in spite of her wishes,

there was even more talk of her.

The Emperor himself became interested.

She has toyed with
five of the greatest nobles.

Fascinating.

That must mean

this Princess Kaguya wishes to come to me.

Send word that she is to come
and serve at court.

Yes, Sire.

If she comes, I'll give her father,
Sanuki no Miyatsuko,

a court rank!

Yes, Sire.

Thanks be to Heaven!

Your Highness!

Please! No more of this!

Your Highness!

Your Highness! Rejoice!

His Majesty summons you
to serve him at court!

You'll be one of his ladies.

And I'll wear a courtier's cap!

Thanks be to Heaven!

You still don't understand how she feels?

It's you who doesn't understand!

This is what I've worked for!

A court lady!

There is no greater happiness
for a girl in this land!

At last, the Princess will be happy!

Father...

I'm sorry, but please refuse.

I can't be His Majesty's lady now.

What? This is for your sake--

Tell him no.

But...

no one in this land may disobey
an order from His Majesty!

Now, please! Don't be so contrary!

If you wish to accuse me

of disobedience to His Majesty,

then feel free to kill me.

Princess!

If your happiness

depends on a courtier's cap,

then I will go to him.

When I see you wearing that cap,
then I will die.

What? She refuses?

What can this mean?

I never dreamed a woman
would ever turn me down.

Fascinating.
I wish to meet her all the more.

In that case, I'll pay a quiet visit
to the Miyatsuko mansion.

Yes, Sire.

This way, please.

She plays wonderfully.

How beautiful!

Come with me to the palace.

Why are you doing this?

No woman is unhappy when I do this.

I will never be yours!

You must be, if I wish it.

Bring the palanquin!

What?

Where are you?

Where did you go?

I apologize for acting in haste.
Please show yourself.

Please.

I will burn the sight of you
into my eyes and leave.

How beautiful!

Forgive me.

I will withdraw.

But I still believe

that your happiness lies in being mine.

Beautiful!

His Majesty returned to his palace.

Now, every night that the moon was out,

the Princess would gaze up at it.

What's wrong?

Lately, you haven't come to see me.

You've left your weaving to sit,
and your garden to grow wild.

You sit every night and gaze at the moon.

What's the matter?

Nothing.

It's something.

I can tell by the look in your eyes.

There's really nothing wrong.

That's not true.

Can't you tell even me?

I don't want to go back to the Moon!

Go back?

To the Moon?

I've begged them to let me stay!

Here! In this land!

But they're coming for me
on the 15th night!

Coming for you?

I don't understand.

Your Highness,

tell me something that makes sense.

You poor thing! This is serious, isn't it?

I was sent down here from the Moon.

The Moon?

So that's what it was!

Yes.

I only realized that
when His Majesty came.

And now, on the 15th, I must leave you...

and go back.

To the Moon? And leave us?

What have we done to deserve this?

Everything we've done has been
for your happiness!

That happiness you wished for me
was hard to bear.

Without realizing it,

l prayed to the Moon to save me.

When His Majesty embraced me,
my heart screamed out:

"I don't want to be here!"

You deliberately called them
to take you back?

How could you?

What have you done?

But I don't want to go. Not like this!

Then why not just stay?

Fine! Even if they come to take you,

l won't let them!

It's too late

for everything!

What have I been doing down here?

Throwing tantrums about
belonging to someone,

ignoring your wishes,

and fooling myself with
fake meadows and mountains!

But now that I have to leave,

I finally remember...

why I came down to this place,

and why, in this strange land,

I'd always known that song.

Birds, bugs, beasts

That's right.

I was born to truly live!

Just like the birds and the beasts.

I don't want to leave!

Do you think I'd let you go?

From the day I took you
out of that bamboo stalk,

I've loved you
as if you were my own child!

When I held you, changed you,
set you on your feet,

I was as happy as if I were in Heaven!

It's not too late!

You're still here!

Here in my arms!

We'll drive them away!

No matter how many come for you!

Is anyone here?

Prepare to defend the Princess!

I'm sorry, Father.

What a racket!

Let's sing to keep up our spirits.

Round, round, go round

Waterwheel go round

Go round, and call Mr. Sun

Go round, and call Mr. Sun

Birds, bugs, beasts

Grass, trees, flowers

Bring spring and summer, autumn and winter

Bring spring and summer, autumn and winter

Go round, come round, come round

Come round, O distant time

Come round, call back my heart

Come round, call back my heart

Birds, bugs, beasts

Grass, trees, flowers

Teach me how to feel

If I hear that you pine for me

I will return to you

There's another verse to that song?

Long ago,

someone who'd come back from here
used to sing it on the Moon.

When you put on the robe of the Moon,
you lose all memory of this place.

All grief and sadness are gone.

But when she sang that song,
tears would come to her eyes.

And for some reason,
that magic took my heart, too.

And now I understand exactly how she felt.

And why I yearned for here,
and broke the rules,

and maybe why I was sent down here.

Princess!

She wanted

to come back here.

I'm sure of it!

"If I hear that you pine for me,
I will return to you."

"If you are truly waiting for me,

l will come straight back."

I want to go home! Right now!

Prepare a carriage, please.
Don't tell anyone.

All these ginger flowers!

It has been a long time.

-Num-nums!
-What? Are you hungry?

Did you hear that singing?

Nope.

I'll go on ahead.

Sutemaru? Is that you?

Li'l Bamboo?

Can I call you that?

We've just gotten back.

Coming over the pass,
I thought I heard you singing.

I'm so glad to see you!

Uh, yeah.

But why are you here,
and dressed like that?

All this time, I've wanted to come home.

Home?

-Here?
-Yes.

Didn't you like the capital?

You had nice clothes,
a mansion, fine food...

I was always thinking about
how we all used to play here.

They'll all be here soon.

With you, Sutemaru...

With you, Sutemaru,
I might have been happy.

With me?

I realize that now.

Yeah, right!

You couldn't live like we do.

I definitely could!
I did when we were kids.

In these clothes?

Half-starving, eating roots?

Sometimes having to steal?

I saw that!

I got you beaten up.

That was nothing.

You're right! As long as you can
answer back by being alive.

I'm sure I would have been happy.

Li'l Bamboo!

But it won't happen.

It's too late.

Too late?

The Emperor?

No! No one will own me!

-Well, then...
-It won't happen.

Why not? We could start now.

Let's run away. Right now!

I'll carry you on my back.

We'll go far away, where no one knows us.

I can't run away now.

Yes, you can!

If they find us, I'll protect you!

They've already found me.

What do you mean?

I've been found.

So you've been found.

So what?

Who cares? I want us to run away!

Come on!

Sutemaru!

Right!

I'll run, too! As fast as I can!

Li'l Bamboo!

-Li'l Bamboo!
-Sutemaru!

O heaven and earth! Take me in!

Please! Let me stay a little longer!

Just a little longer, to feel
the joy of living in this place!

What do you mean? I'm holding you!

Hold me tighter! Don't let me go!

Li'l Bamboo!

Li'l Bamboo!

Li'l Bamboo!

Li'l Bamboo!

A dream?

I dreamed that?

Daddy!

Daddy!

Daddy!

Now, at last, 15th August came round.

Loose arrows!

Princess!

Princess!

Princess!

Princess!

Princess!

Princess...

Round, round, go round

Waterwheel go round

Go round, and call Mr. Sun

Birds, bugs, beasts

Grass, trees, flowers

Flower, bear fruit, and die

Be born, grow up, and die

Princess.

Princess.

Princess!

Princess.

-Princess!
-Princess.

-Princess!
-Princess.

Princess!

Lifetimes come and go in turn

Princess! Don't go!

Wait!

Please, wait.

Once I don this robe,

l will forget everything about this place.

Give me a little more time.

-Princess!
-Princess!

Mom! Dad!

Princess!

Take us with you!

Dad, Mom... please forgive me!

Come along.

In the purity of the City of the Moon,

leave behind
this world's sorrow and uncleanness.

It's not unclean!

There's joy, there's grief.

All who live here feel them
in all their different shades!

There are birds, bugs, beasts,

grass, trees, flowers...

and feelings.

Princess!

Princess!

Princess!

Princess!

-Princess!
-Princess!

-Princess!
-Princess!

Forgive me!