Tezuka Osamu no Buddha: Akai Sabaku yo! Utsukushiku
English title: Buddha: The Great Departure
Japanese title: 手塚治虫のブッダ－赤い砂漠よ！美しく－
Alternative titles: Osamu Tezuka's Buddha Movie 1: The Red Desert! It's Beautiful
Type: Movie
Source: Manga
Episodes: 1
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: May 28, 2011
Duration: 1 hr 51 min
Rating: R - 17+ (violence & profanity)
Studios: Toei Animation
Producers: Toei Video, Tezuka Productions, Warner Bros. Japan, Yomiuri Shimbun
Genres: Drama, Supernatural
Themes: Historical, Military

In the ancient Shakya Kingdom, King Suddhodhana learns that his wife, Maya, has a curious dream. A white elephant with six tusks enters her body—a sign that their future child, Siddhartha Gautama, is blessed. The wise prophet Master Asita sees the child and foretells that he will become "chakravartin," the ruler of the world.

Meanwhile, young Chapra suffers the injustice of the rigid caste system. When Kosala army marches on Kapilavastu, Shakya's capital, Chapra plays a part in forcing them to retreat. But to escape the life of slavery and give his mother a better life, Chapra joins the Kosala army and swears to rise in the ranks.

As the young Siddhartha grows, he is taught everything he needs to know to inherit the throne. However, Siddhartha has no interest in martial arts or running a kingdom. What he seeks are the truths of the world and the meaning of life itself. Although Kosala's ever-expanding power threatens Shakya, Siddhartha abandons the royal life and ventures into the world to find the enlightenment he desires.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]