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Pioneers of Japaneses Animation: From Tekobo to Momotaro

Corporal Norakuro

Yasuji MURATA

Japan1934 11min 16mm B&W

Synopsis

This is an animated version of a popular comic strip, running for 10 years from 1931 to 1941 in the kid magazine Boys’ Club. On his day off duty, Corporal Norakuro goes to eat some skewered chicken barbeque. On his way home, he falls into a slumber and dreams of fighting with his archenemies, the Monkey Corps. He suddenly wakes up to find he is almost late in returning to his regiment and becomes all flustered. The character of Norakuro was inspired by Felix the Cat.

Diretor

Yasuji MURATA

Creating the subtitles at the Yokohama Cinema Club, Yasuji Murata got interested in foreign animation and started studying it on his own. His Fight of Monkey and Crab was released in 1927. He improved the technique by putting a motor on a moving-camera, and his cut-out animation technique equals that of latter-day cel animation. Among his main works are Octopus Bones(1927), Saru Masamune(1930), Aerial Momotaro(1931), The Monkey Goes Fishing(1933), Corporal Norakuro, The Mooncastle Princess(1934), and A Night at the Bar(1936).