Hello everyone, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I’m eager to dive back into the annals of anime history, as we explore another of Toei Doga’s classic films: The Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon. A loose retelling of Susanoo’s battle with Yamata no Orochi, the film is considered a standout among Toei Doga’s films, featuring uniquely modernist art design and bountiful, beautiful cuts of animation. This was also the first film to formalize anime’s approach to an “animation director,” here handled by the incomparable Yasuji Mori (who previously animated all of the animals in Panda and the Magic Serpent, that touching Rin-Rin scene from Alakazam the Great!, and much else besides). With Toei Doga’s team in top form animating a story that’s genuinely worthy of them, The Little Prince has retained a reputation as one of the true masterpieces of anime, and I’m eager to see it in motion. Let’s explore!

Continue reading →