The program for a festival 03 “Kenzo Masaoka Selection”

1943 16min.
Director:Kenzo Masaoka

The evil spider tries to capture the ladybird girl. However, she is given shelter to in the tulip, and the spider is blown off by a sudden storm.

It is famous as the masterpiece of classics of cartoon short movie in Japan.

1939 14min.
Director:Kenzo Masaoka

Benkei vs. Ushiwaka (Benkei Tai Ushiwaka 1939), based on a childhood episode from the life of the great Heian general Yoshitsune Minamoto.
When casting the two combatants in Benkei vs. Ushiwaka (1939) director Kenzo Masaoka chose Mrs Masaoka to play the diminutive hero, and himself as the hulking brute Benkei.

1947 8min.
Director:Kenzo Masaoka

Kenzo Masaoka completed “SAKURA(HARU NO GENSOU) The cherry tree (Spring fantasy)”(46) using Weber’s “Invitation to a dance” (arranged by Berlioz) which Stokowski conducted gorgeously. In this work, the spring sight was lyrically drawn with MAIKO in Kyoto, the shower of falling cherry blossom, and the butterflies which are flying. On a screen, a quiet atmosphere flowed and the noisy social situation was not felt. Moreover, arrival of freedom was not cried for loud. Although it was a negative form, Masaoka’s principle-of-art-for-art’s-sake-spirit was shown like “KUMO TO TUURIPPU.”

1947 21min.- Non-Subbed
Director:Kenzo Masaoka

A Mother and her Kittens were taking a walk when they came upo a hungry Tora-Chan. Giving the kittens their lunch which consisted of milk, she took the remainder of the milk and feed Tora-Chan. The Mother kitten brings home Tora with her family and all seemd to get along with him ﾑ except for the youngest neko daughter. It did not sit well with her that Tora was playing with the toys, and she takes the toys away. At one point, she abuses Tora by throwing rings at him to which one gets stuck on his head. The mother separates the two, and the daughter runs out of the house crying. All go to retrieved her and Tora stays outside and play.
As the day winds down, and almost time for bed, the Mother Cat puts the kittens down for the night and the daughter & Tora toussles in bed and she separates them again. Fed up, the daughter runs away and Tora-chan goes after her to bring her back safely home.