Abandoned Little Cat Tora (1947) Kenzo Masaoka

Abandoned Little Cat Tora released in 1947 by Kenzo Masaoka is a wonderfully cute animation that foreshadows and potentially inspired Hello Kitty. I've never quite understood the Japanese fascination with cats, but I've always liked it. I'm sure there is a reason for it, I'm just not aware of what it is. This animation is very much like the chibi (small body) style and very much kawaii (cute). Although there are parts that are a little disturbing like when the mother cat person pulls the canteen off the child almost breaking it's need until the canteen come free and the cat child drops to the ground. The singing is some what operatic in quality and the animation as whole has a stylistic component very much like the musical movies of Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. The version was not in English but the story is easy enough to follow through the actions of the various cats, an abandoned cat is found by a mother cat with three kittens, taking home, where one of the three kittens refused to accept the new kitten eventually running away and followed by the new kitten, after many dangers and mishaps eventually the end up home before winter. I liked the animation although I would imagine PETA would not approve.

Abandoned Little Cat Tora (part 1)
Abandoned Little Cat Tora (part 2)

Abandoned Little Cat Tora (part 3)

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