Momotaro's Underwater Adventure
About Momotaro's Underwater Adventure
Under the sea, jellyfish, hermit crabs, shrimp, and fish hide. An octopus wakes and learns from a puffer fish that a great shark is hunting, even whales and fast dolphins. At the Dragon Palace a committee radios Momotaro for help. He sets out in a submarine with the dog and the monkey. The pheasant stays behind because he cannot swim. The octopus points out the shark's home. Momotaro finds it through the periscope, behind the Royal Forest, and fires a torpedo. The shark bites the bottom off the submarine. Momotaro jumps out and cuts the shark's belly open. He, the monkey, and the dog shout banzai on the body. A raccoon delivers the extra edition.
Cast & crew
More about Momotaro's Underwater Adventure
Yasuji Murata made this silent black-and-white short in 1932. The Japanese title is Umi no Momotaro. The National Film Archive of Japan's Animated Film Classics site times it at nine minutes. IMDb also credits Chūzō Aochi as writer. Dr. Grob lists Murata and Aochi together.
Themes
Making
It follows Murata and Aochi's Momotaro's Sky Adventure. This time the vehicle is a submarine rather than a plane.
Preservation
Held and streamed by the National Film Archive of Japan on Japanese Animated Film Classics.
Notes
- The pheasant, one of Momotaro's usual companions, is left out because he cannot swim.
- The call for help comes from the Dragon Palace radio room.
- Momotaro uses a periscope and a torpedo before he cuts the shark by hand.
- The Japanese Animated Film Classics site streams the short. Dr. Grob notes a DVD box, Japanese Anime Classic Collection.
Scenes
- The puffer fish tells the octopus that the shark bites whales.
- Momotaro cuts the shark open after it tears the bottom from the submarine.
Also available
- Japanese Animated Film Classics (animation.filmarchives.jp)
- Japanese Anime Classic Collection (DVD box)
