Film Info

Released on :

1926

Language :

Silent

Country :

Japan

Type :

Short Films

Format :

Cutout Animation

Color :

Black and White

Directed by :

Noburō Ōfuji

Produced by :

Jiyu Eiga Kenkyu-jo

Saiyuki: Songoku monogatari (1926)

Adaptation of 'Journey to the West'

Saiyuki: Songoku monogatari / 切紙細工西遊記孫悟空物語 (Journey to the West: Songoku's Story / The Story of the Monkey King in English) is a Japanese early cut-out animation movie released in 1926. This silent movie was directed by the renowned Japanese film director and animator, Noburō Ōfuji. Ōfuji was among the pioneering Japanese animators to achieve worldwide fame for his work.

The story in brief:

This short anime film is the earliest animated version of the famous Chinese classic novel 'Journey to the West', first published in the 16th century. It recounts the legendary journey of the Tang dynasty Buddhist monk Xuanzang (Hsüen Tsang), who traveled to Central Asia and India in search of Buddhist sacred texts. During his journey, Xuanzang helps Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, who was trapped in a large rock for being too mischievous. Sun Wukong becomes Xuanzang's pupil and defeats a pig monster attacking a girl. The pig monster also becomes Xuanzang's pupil and named Zhu Bajie. A kappa (water imp), renamed Sha Wujing, also joins Xuanzang as his pupil. Thereafter, Sun Wukong helps in finding the sacred text in a pagoda on the snow-covered Holy Mountain. Xuanzang asks Tathagata Buddha for the scriptures and Buddha promises that he will return home with them in a dragon-drawn carriage.