Magic Boy

Magic Boy, known in Japan as , is a full length animated film released on December 25, 1959. Released as Toei Animation's second theatrical anime, the film was released in theaters in North America on June 22, 1961 making it the second anime film to be released there after The Tale of the White Serpent. 
In medieval Japan, a boy named Sasuke and his sister live in a forest along with several young animals of different species.
One day, one of the animals is grabbed by an eagle and thrown into a lake.
Sasuke and another animal jump into the lake to save it. But a monstrous salamander arrives and devours one of the animals.
Sasuke tries to fight the monster, but is defeated. And the beast leaves the lake, revealing its true form: a female demon named Yakusha.
Sasuke's sister tells him Yakusha was transformed into a salamander by a powerful wizard millennia ago. But now she could muster enough power to have her normal shape back. And now she will found a reign of terror in Japan!
Then, Sasuke decides to seek a magician master to learn to fight against Yakusha to save Japan and avenge the death of his pet.
==Cast==
Character 	Original 	English
Sarutobi Sasuke 	Teruo Miyazaki 	Unknown
Omon Yayamata 	Harue Akagi 	Unknown
Oyû 	Hiroko Sakuramachi	Unknown
Yukimura Sanada 	Katsuo Nakamura 	Unknown
Tozawa Hakuun 	Kenji Usuda 	Unknown
Okera no Kinta 	Ryôei Itô 	Unknown
Batta no Miyoshi	Shunji Sakai 	Unknown
Okei-chan 	Tomoko Matsushima 	Unknown
Gonkurô 	Yoshio Yoshida 	Unknown
==The MGM version==
In the English language version, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer left most of the original songs with Japanese language lyrics. Since the creators of the English version preferred to liken Sasuke to the public perception of samurai, who were viewed as heroic, as opposed to the ninja, who were viewed as "sinister spies and assassins," MGM's publicity incorrectly claimed that The Adventures of the Little Samurai was the Japanese title of the film.Beck, Jerry. The Animated Movie Guide. Chicago Review Press. 2005. 158.
==Video game==
A video game titled Shōnen Sarutobi Sasuke (also known as Sasuke Ninja Boy) was released by Sunsoft for the Super Famicom in 1994. 忍者ゲーム 【スーパーファミコン】
==Reception==
According to animation historian Jerry Beck, the film exhibited Toei Animation's effort to use the "Disney formula of presenting a traditional folktale with songs and plenty of cute animals."
==See also==
*Manga Sarutobi Sasuke
==References==
==External links==
* Official Web site (archived) 
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Category:1959 anime films
Category:Adventure anime and manga
Category:Films based upon Asian myths and legends
Category:Ninja anime and manga
Category:Samurai anime and manga
Category:Toei Animation films
Category:Japanese films
Category:1960s children's animated films
Category:Films