A poignant gem, very different in tone to the director's most celebrated works, Grave of the Fireflies and Only Yesterday, but no less worthy of praise and admiration.

The impression is of a continuous series of watercolours, similar to the narrative scroll revealed to Kaguya in a key scene.

While the characters feel very simplified at times, there are scenes that put great weight on performance and subtle expressions, in a way that's nearer to the classical Disney tradition than most Japanese animation.

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is an animated film that is as beautiful as the titular princess herself.