Hello friends, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m delighted to announce we’ll be returning to the Toei Doga film catalog, as we explore the followup to Saiyuki: Anju to Zushiomaru, also known as “The Littlest Warrior.” This film is based on a 1915 short story by Mori Ogai, which was also adapted into the acclaimed 1954 film Sansho the Bailiff. The story follows two aristocratic children who fall on hard times, and are eventually sold into slavery.
Compared to the boisterous fantasy of Saiyuki, I’m told this film is a more grounded human drama, offering plenty of opportunities for character animation flourishes like Yasuji Mori’s stunning Saiyuki sequence of Rin-Rin collapsing in the snow. I’m also told that the film’s main animators, Mori included, essentially disavowed the film right upon release, and that its themes are a dubious mix of “accept suffering and don’t seek to raise your station,” “might makes right,” and “the ruling class knows what’s best for us.” As such, I’m expecting an intriguingly lopsided viewing experience, with gorgeous character animation working in service of seriously dubious values. Let’s get to it!