Archive

Pioneers of Japaneses Animation: From Tekobo to Momotaro

Village Festival

Noburou OFUJI

Japan1930 2min 35mm B&W

Synopsis

An animation following the story of Village Festival, a primary school song. Over the lyrics a white ball is bouncing in turn to the rhythm. This method, called ‘bouncing ball’, was also used in Max and Dave Fleischer’s 1930s short animation series Screen Songs.

Diretor

Noburou OFUJI

Noburou Ofuji learned the art of animation from Smikatsu Kouchi. He took a great interest in developing various methods, such as applying chiyogami(colored paper with woodblock-printed patterns) in his works, and also making talkies and color films. Among his main works are The Golden Flower(1929), The Frog Musketeers(1933), Chinkoroheihei and the Treasure Box(1936), Dream of Snowing Night(1947), and Flower and Butterfly(1954).