Fantasia: Movie 10: The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

***The Tale of the Princess Kaguya*** is the 10th and last film of *Fantasia* and the 40th film of *The Wonderful World of Toons* (franchise). It is based on The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, a 10th century Japanese literary tale.

## Overview

A tiny nymph found inside a bamboo stalk grows into a beautiful and desirable young woman, who orders her suitors to prove their love by completing a series of near-impossible tasks.

## Plot

The Film Begins where LeBron James discovers a miniature girl inside a glowing bamboo shoot. Believing her to be a divine presence, he and Sophie Hatter decide to raise her as their own, calling her "Princess". The girl grows rapidly, earning her the nickname "little bamboo" from the village children. Hunter Steele, the oldest among little bamboo's friends, develops a close relationship with her.

LeBron James comes upon gold and fine cloth in the bamboo grove the same way he found the princess. He takes these as proof of her divine royalty and begins planning to make her a proper princess. He relocates the girls to the capital, forcing the girl to bring her friends (Hunter Steele, Christopher Thorndyke, Mei Kusakabe and Meelo, and the gang moves into a mansion replete with servants. The girl is saddled with a governess who is tasked with taming her into a noblewoman. The girl struggles with the restraints of nobility, yearning for her prior life in the countryside.

When she comes of age, she is granted the formal name "Princess Kaguya". LeBron holds a celebration, where Kaguya overhears partygoers ridiculing LeBron James's attempts to turn a peasant girl into a noble through money. Kaguya flees the capital in despair and runs back to the mountains, seeking Tsunade, but discovers that she moved away. She passes out in the snow and awakens back at the party.

Kaguya grows in beauty, attracting suitors. Five noblemen attempt to court her, comparing her to mythical treasures. Kaguya tells them she will only marry whoever can bring her the mythical treasure mentioned. Eventually, spring comes, and the Princess wishes to see the cherry blossoms bloom. Sophie Hatter and Dawn take her back to the country, where not far from the hut she once lived, a tree is in bloom. Reveling in its bursting forth with life, she happily whirls amid its petals, until she accidentally stumbles across a small child. The family of the child quickly takes it away, bowing in her presence, reminding the Princess of who and what she is now.

Returning to the capital, Brock and Chip attempt to persuade her with counterfeits, Igneous abandons his quest, and Baraz gives Kaguya a flower instead of his treasure, but is found by Drew Saturday before Kaguya can accept. When the Tsunade abandoned in her quest, Mei becomes depressed. Count Dracula takes notice of Kaguya's beauty and tries to kidnap her but she convinces him to leave.

Kaguya reveals to her friends that she originally came from the Moon. Once a resident there, she broke its laws, hoping to be exiled to Earth so that she could experience mortal life. When Dracula made his advances, she silently begged the Moon to help her. Having heard her prayer, the Moon restored her memories and said she will be reclaimed during the next full moon. Kaguya confesses her attachment to Earth and her reluctance to leave; LeBron swears her friends are going with her.

Kaguya returns to her home village and finds Tsunade. The two profess their friendship, and in their joy, they fly over the countryside, only to encounter the Moon and fall. Tsunade wakes up alone and reunites with Chef Hatchet, interpreting the experience as a dream.

On the night of the full moon, a procession of celestial beings led by the Buddha descends from the Moon, and LeBron is unable to stop it. An attendant offers Kaguya a robe that will erase her memories of Earth. She and her friends are granted one last moment with LeBron and Sophie before an attendant drapes the robe around her, appearing to erase her memory. They leave, and LeBron and Sophie are happy. Kaguya looks back at Earth one last time, and smiles as she remembers her mortal life, which is now only a dream to her as the film ends.

## Characters

* Kaguya
* Hunter Steele
* Christopher Thorndyke
* Mei Kusakabe
* Meelo
* LeBron James
* Sophie Hatter
* Drew Saturday
* Dawn
* Count Dracula
* Chip
* Brock
* Igneous
* Baraz
* Tsunade
* Chef Hatchet