I have to say that, as a child, I loved this movie. I found it absolutely spell-binding and was even known to watch it several times a week. As an adult fan of anime, though, watching it becomes a very different experience.
The dubbing in this was very bad. In fact, the dubbing was down-and-out terrible. It's not exactly the story ballet-enthusiasts are accustomed to seeing, either. Still, there are a lot of charming additions to the story, and most of the changes were probably just to make it a little bit more child-friendly. There is an extremely cute little sub-plot involving the relationship between two squirrels; and, quite frankly, Tchaikovsky's music is set to animation absolutely beautifully. If I were to see this movie in the original Japanese, and had they left the ending the way it is in the more traditional tellings, I would probably rate this an absolute masterpiece. It is still VERY enjoyable for children, though, or anyone who loved the story as a child. I would also say it is a must-watch for anyone interested in anime from the 1980s, when the industry was relatively new to American audiences and it really didn't get a whole lot better than this.
If I saw the movie for the first time today, I'd probably rate it around a 6.5 or a 7. If you'd asked the little girl I was 15 years ago, she would have definitely told you it was a 9. :)
The dubbing in this was very bad. In fact, the dubbing was down-and-out terrible. It's not exactly the story ballet-enthusiasts are accustomed to seeing, either. Still, there are a lot of charming additions to the story, and most of the changes were probably just to make it a little bit more child-friendly. There is an extremely cute little sub-plot involving the relationship between two squirrels; and, quite frankly, Tchaikovsky's music is set to animation absolutely beautifully. If I were to see this movie in the original Japanese, and had they left the ending the way it is in the more traditional tellings, I would probably rate this an absolute masterpiece. It is still VERY enjoyable for children, though, or anyone who loved the story as a child. I would also say it is a must-watch for anyone interested in anime from the 1980s, when the industry was relatively new to American audiences and it really didn't get a whole lot better than this.
If I saw the movie for the first time today, I'd probably rate it around a 6.5 or a 7. If you'd asked the little girl I was 15 years ago, she would have definitely told you it was a 9. :)