Chirin, a newborn lamb, and his mother live a peaceful life in a meadow. As long as they stay inside the fence that protects them and the rest of the flock, they are free to frolic and graze on the delicious clover leaves. However, their idyllic life is shattered when a wolf named Wor attacks them in the dead of night, killing Chirin's mother.
Struggling to process his mother's death, Chirin swears to become a wolf himself in order to avenge his mother, unaware of what this transformation would cost him.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
Firechick12012
I had never heard of this movie before 2009, and the only way I heard about it was through Anime News Network, via an entry in Justin Sevakis' Buried Treasure column. I really liked reading the Buried Treasure columns on there, as it introduced me to anime that I adore to this day, Ringing Bell being one of them. Unfortunately it has since been abandoned. But my curiosity was piqued, I tracked it down on YouTube, and watched the English dub, as it was the only version available back then. Wow, Ringing Bell is seriously one of the darkest, most mature kids movies I've everseen. It's full of mature life lessons most kids movies today refuse to even touch upon, and I'm sure something like this would be reviled at today. But I actually love it for its maturity and refusal to dumb itself down for its audience.
The story is very simple. A young lamb named Chirin loves playing in the farm and being with his mother, even though he doesn't always listen to her. But one day, a wolf breaks into the farm and kills some of the sheep, his mother included. Chirin doesn't understand why his mother had to die, or what they did to deserve this. Consumed by a lust for revenge, he leaves the farm and goes after the wolf. But he's too weak to take on the wolf on his own, so he takes another option: become the wolf's apprentice so he can learn how to be a wolf just like him so he can kill him in the future. Needless to say, the path to become a wolf is a merciless, cruel one.
If someone had watched this without any knowledge of anime, I wouldn't blame them at all for not knowing that this movie was animated in Japan, because this movie has a very Western cartoony look about it. Chirin's face when he's a lamb almost looks humanoid, kind of like something you'd find in an old Hanna-Barbera cartoon, and none of the animals have the kinds of overly round designs you'd find in most anime nowadays. But even by seventies standards, this movie is surprisingly well animated. There are still frames here and there, but movement is smooth when needed, and the movie has very good in-between animation, especially when the wolf appears on screen. Lip flaps are fully animated, the backgrounds are seamlessly integrated with the character animation, and the only real shortcuts on display are used to allude to but not completely show graphic violence. This could have easily been one of those Hanna-Barbera esque movies that had no budget, but it's clear the animators put a lot of effort into this...and want to know the most jarring thing? The company that animated this was Sanrio. Yes, Sanrio, the people who made the cutesy-wootsy Hello Kitty and Aggretsuko, a show that's part slice of life funny animal comedy and part existential horror based on working life. My mind was blown when I first found out that Sanrio worked on movies like this back in the day. It helps that the movie has a great sense of tone and atmosphere. It manages to keep a balanced tone throughout the movie, with the cutesy parts staying in the first 15 minutes, while the rest of the movie is fairly dark and grounded, but still having some subtle comedic moments peppered throughout. The movie still manages to keep said comedic moments subdued enough to not completely feel jarring. (Take note, Demon Slayer!)
The music isn't much to write home about. On one hand, I absolutely love the theme songs and insert songs, all of which are sung by the same singer, who unfortunately weren't credited (I know the English version is sung by The Brothers' Four, but there is literally no info on the internet about the person who sang the Japanese version and all the other songs). That said, the movie is heavy on the orchestrated pieces and trumpets typical of Western animation during that time period, along with a few electronic numbers mixed in. It's very easy to tell that this movie was made in the seventies, and the soundtrack is full on seventies here. Now, the English dub of this movie is more well known to people who have seen it, and while some voices are genuinely well cast, the acting can get rather hammy at times, detrimenting scenes that benefitted from being more subtle in the Japanese version. There's also added dialogue and sound effects, probably done in an effort to make sure kids don't get bored and get rid of completely silent moments. Granted, they at least don't try to shoehorn in dumb jokes like Saban does, and the soundtrack is kept the same, though the songs are dubbed and are rather...off-key. Though I do have to question why the Japanese version calls him Woe when the English dub's name for him, Wolf, sounds much better. I do wish someone would release the soundtrack for this movie, because I love all the songs on it!
But let me tell you exactly what makes this movie so great: To quote another one of my favorite anime bloggers, this is a movie dedicated entirely to character development. It's a character study first and foremost, showing Chirin changing significantly over the course of the movie because of his circumstances, both those that are beyond his control to the ones born from his own choices. Every action advances not only the plot, but Chirin's own development, and sometimes, character development isn't always positive. Some may question the fact that after a few years with Wolf, Chirin refers to him as his father, but one, I always assumed it was a sort of self-induced Stockholm Syndrome considering Chirin sought him out willingly, and two, in taking Chirin under his paw, Wolf kind of does become the only sort of parental figure Chirin has, considering he not only took him in but also taught him how to hunt for food and stuff. It's a gray area, and it helps that Wolf, while depicted as genuinely menacing and threatening, isn't shown as inherently evil. He just hunts for food like any other wolf does, and after injuring a bear, he lets the bear escape. This kind of subtle characterization is paramount in making sure he isn't shown as completely evil, and I think the movie does a great job on that one.
For anyone wondering, this movie doesn't end happily ever after, and I think it's all the better for it, because without spoiling anything, ending it any other way might have been a cop-out. But I think what makes this movie even better is its history. Ringing Bell is based on a children's book by one Takashi Yanase, who many may know created the Anpanman franchise. The book that the movie is based on was actually based on Yanase's experiences surviving World War II, as the only reason he became a children's book writer and illustrator is so he could cope with his PTSD. On its own, Ringing Bell is a cautionary tale about revenge and how pursuing it can leave you feeling empty and giving you nothing, but based on the history of its author and the book, it can also be interpreted as an allegory on the effects of war, such as Wolf representing war, Chirin's mother representing innocent civilians killed during it, and Chirin representing children or war orphans who lost friends and family members. With that information in mind, both the book and the movie can be seen as an anti-war work, even though the movie itself is about a sheep and a wolf, thus making it Yanase's most personal work to date. As you can no doubt tell, I absolutely love media with a rich, varied history like this, and I respect it and the people who work on it for not only daring to push the boundaries that are put on kids' movies, but for refusing to dumb themselves down for their audience and strive to tell the stories they want to tell no matter what. I only wish more of those could be made nowadays, though thankfully, the idea that animation is just for children is starting to die out bit by bit, so who knows?
Should you decide you want to watch this movie in a legal fashion, you're in luck! In 2013, the wonderful people at Discotek Media announced they licensed it, and a year later, they released it on DVD, with both the English and Japanese tracks intact. But if you don't want to fill your shelves with a physical copy, it's also available to stream on Amazon Prime for a fee, and for free on the new website RetroCrush. After being out of print for decades, it's back in circulation, and deservedly so, in my humble opinion, as it's one of my absolute favorite movies of all time, just behind Dog of Flanders. Ringing Bell isn't for the faint of heart, but it's still an absolutely wonderful, haunting movie that will stay with you forever, and I highly recommend it!
Bluesnow
This movie was like a very violent Disney film... It reminds me alot of Bambi for some reason... accept Bambi doesn't go around killing people after his mom dies. Story: A young lamb's mother is killed by a wolf. The Lamb leaves determined to become stronger and ends up becoming an apprentice of the very wolf who killed his mother in the first place. You see the transformation of the innocent child become a disturbed killer. The moral of the story is actual very deep for something that should be viewed as a child's movie. Overall this anime hasn't claimed a spot in the hall ofOrigenal movies~ But it was ok.
A bit depressing though despite being about baby lambsXD
Bdiah
Death is inevitable. Even if you can control of your fate, you pay a price by doing so. In the end, death still comes and your life will be forgotten. Let me back up for a moment. Did I mention this is a childrens' movie? The plot of this short movie follows Chirin, an innocent lamb whose mother is killed by a wolf. Vowing to never be weak again, Chirin trains to become a wolf and exact revenge on his mother's killer. Ringing Bell is likely the darkest children's film ever made, but is well worth watching. The plot of RingingBell is really where the value of this film lies. Though the plot is very grim, it is intelligent and mature. From the halfway point of the film to its end, the movie poses a series of difficult questions and doesn't really give complete answers. The viewer is left to watch the story unfold and draw meaning for themselves.
As for the other aspects of this movie, I should warn that I was only able to find the English dub. This dub however is surprisingly good. In particular, the narrator, Ron Gans, has a great voice and does an excellent job. The handful of songs (also in English) in this movie are rather annoying and are reminiscent of the songs from the old animated Hobbit movie. The character design and animation is nothing spectacular, but my perception might be skewed as a 2013 viewer assessing a film from 1978.
I first heard of this film on the Anime World Order podcast, where they remarked that the message of Ringing Bell was "If you are born a sheep, then be a sheep; don't try to be something you're not". This is a perfectly fine interpretation, but I believe that the message of the movie is about the consequences of how you live your life. Living a life among the weak is easy, comfortable, and happy, but as a consequence, you are susceptible to violence and despair from the actions of the strong. You can try to be strong, but to do this you must discard the comforts of a simple life and live a hellish existence. If you are successful, you can reap the benefits of being strong, but someone stronger will inevitably come along to knock you down. Either way, your life will be forgotten eventually, so make a decision about the direction of your life based on what you want and accept the consequences of your choice.
My biggest concern about this film is that the message it relays may not be something that its intended audience, children, are ready to receive. Even with "adult" themes, it is definitely aimed at children, who may even be scarred by having such a brutal message about the world forced on them. I suppose it does however, provide a contrast to the overwhelming amount of mindless childrens' entertainment which is produced today.
Even for adults, the movie is worth a quick, 45 minute look. At the very least it serves as an unique entry for film/anime history. As of May 2013, the film can be found in its entirety on YouTube, though I will not provide a link to avoid copyright infringement. Just search "Ringing Bell Anime" at the website.
Otaku-Hermit
Something needs to be said upfront: The appearance of this movie is deceptive. This is not a light-hearted, happy movie. That being said the film knows what it is and executes the story excellently. Story: 10 The story of this movie is unique and bitterly tragic. The sadness of the tale hit me like a gut-punch. Its ability to move the viewer and stir emotion is what really makes this movie's story special. The surprising story developments amplify the emotion packed into this film. It is a powerful combination and will have the viewer ruminating on the story well after the credits roll. Themes of thestory include: The cruelty of nature, loss of innocence, vengeance, survival, loneliness, despair, regret and fighting against destiny/in-born nature. What hit me most of all though was the concept that sometimes getting what you think you wanted can be the most cruel and terrible outcome. Truly a powerful tale.
Art: 10
The art shifts with the tone of the story masterfully. Everything from scenery, character design, and colors adapts with the story. This really adds to the emotion and feelings behind the scenes. It is amazing to see art direction that accommodates the story so naturally at every scene. In addition the art style is interesting and the animation is very clean when you consider the age of this film.
Sound: 10
Just like the art the music fits and boosts the emotion of the story. The music comes in where it belongs, but also knows when to let up and let silence fall. The faint ringing of the bell has great meaning in context of the story and this also hits home. I watched in English dub and the lyrical pieces of the soundtrack were done very well. The voice actors delivered their lines with emotion and purpose. The narration work was also done with sincerity and was quite impactful.
Character: 10
The main characters of the story are complicated and 3-dimensional. The relationship between the two main characters is equally intriguing and complex as the individuals themselves. They have very interesting motivations, thoughts, and feelings. They are fallible and feel pain. Despite being animals they are very much so human. They carry the burdens of the human heart within them. You can relate to these characters and they will speak to your humanity. They are remarkably memorable and well written. The amount of character development packed into this movie is also amazing. Watching how Chirin changed was shocking, but also brutally real. If you love character development it is a real treat.
Enjoyment: 10
Though the film made me sad I also really enjoyed it. It sent me on an emotional roller coaster. It had me invested and moved. It gave me an experience I will not forget and really made me think. I know I will watch this again in the future to experience the powerful emotions it brought out in me.
gwern
A short (47m) but striking old children's anime movie from 1978, _Chirin no Suzu_ is remembered for an unusually serious anti-Disneyfied plot like that of _Grave of the Fireflies_ or _The Dog of Flanders_. I watched this on the recommendation of Justin Sevakis's 'Buried Treasures' column, using the dub which is the only version I could find online as a torrent. The dub is a little overwrought and the music inappropriate (although some reviewers think the over-cutesiness of the sound effects & young-Chirin's voice actor makes the contrast all the more striking), and I suspect the Japanese version is more preferable. The animation is low-resolutionand dated since Sanrio/Madhouse could not compete with _Bambi_ in terms of animation extravagance, but still watchable due to the attention lavished on movement, especially as the colors and landscape transition to match the thematic changes.
It starts off _Bambi_-style, with our bubbly lamb protagonist bouncing around the meadow encountering all his animal friends and mother, who warns him to never leave the farm lest the Wolf on the mountain devour him. As one can guess, she will be the first to die. Chirin is a good kid and never does leave the farm (the opposite of what one might guess). One dark and stormy night, the Wolf descends, and the Wolf bursts into the fold, defeating the guard dogs, and enters the barn, a wolf among sheep, who can only cower in terror, because as always, 'the strong do what they will, and the weak suffer what they must'. Chirin's mother throws herself on the half-asleep lamb to save him from the Wolf, who kills her. Shattered by grief, he rages. What reason was there for his mother to die? None. What can he do about it? Nothing. What response can the others offer? Silence. If that is how the world is, then better to be a wolf than a lamb! He follows the Wolf, swearing revenge, but unable to affect the Wolf, who brushes him away with his tail. Chirin continues to follow the Wolf around but is hardpressed to keep up, and realizes the gap between him and the Wolf. The Wolf refuses to train Chirin to be a wolf.
While ineptly hunting one day, he sees a snake attacking a mother bird guarding her nest, and lunges in to hunt (but really protect) the snake, and while succeeding in driving off the snake by biting it, the bird is dead and all her eggs shatter. This second blow also shatters Chirin. I am reminded of the Talmudic story of the Other One, the great Rabbi Elisha ben Abuyah, who one day witnesses a boy steal a bird's eggs but also kill her without any punishment as promised by Deuteronomy, and witnesses a second boy spare the mother bird but immediately fall and break his neck without receiving the specific reward promised by Deuteronomy; and became a heretic devoted to breaking every law of God - which may sound extreme, but how much evil is required to pose the Problem of Evil? The Wolf preaches to Chirin: all living things live at the expense of other living beings; there is only strength and survival and whether one will choose them or not. There is no god, no celestial judges, no karma, no rights to survival, no law and no nature but red in tooth and claw; the race is not to the swift nor the contest to the strong but time and chance happeneth to them all; one man launches his tech startup and goes bankrupt, another launches it six months later and becomes a billionaire; one man gets a lucky set of genes with 10 extra good variants and lives a happy life while another gets 10 extra bad ones and rots in jail; no amount of exercise can guarantee one will not die of a heart attack, and many contract lung cancer who have never smoked a single cigarette; there are only atoms and the void in the desert of the real. Chirin is converted.
Chirin becomes the Wolf's pupil, practicing tree-shattering headbutting and combat, and - montage - grows into a gruff billy goat with the eyes of a killer. This world is hell, the Wolf says, and Chirin replies that he now thinks of the Wolf as his father and will live in that hell. The final lesson: an attack on the original farm on a dark night. Chirin defeats the guard dogs easily and bursts into the barn, where the sheep cower before him, and prepares to kill - but stops helplessly as another lamb is sheltered by its mother. The transformation into a wolf is incomplete. The Wolf naturally tries to finish the job, but Chirin is forced to fight him and, the student having become the master, kills him. His revenge, such as it is, has been gained, and the Wolf dies content: the weak must yield to the strong. Chirin tries to be re-accepted among the sheep, but he is too different and they cannot imagine he was ever once like them, and he returns to the mountain, never again to be seen by the sheep. There, alone, among the rocks where they sparred, he mourns his father. Not truly a wolf, nor yet a sheep, but, he tells his father's memory - he still survives! And in the mountains, the Buddhist bell sounds, reminding men of the impermanence of the world ("Chirin, I hear the sound of your bell, and it reminds me of quiet crying, the sound of all the world’s sorrow").
There are not many anime from the 1970s which could be said to be as worth watching now as the day they were made, but _Chirin no Suzu_ manages to be one of them for its unflinching honesty. The plot is surprising and the ending gripping, reminding me of _The End of Evangelion_ in its similar starkness, honesty, refusal to take a cheap easy way out, and sense of despair yet determination. Like Shinji, Chirin has taken a path far from the common herd and cannot return to how things were, and his relatives are dead at his own hands; yet - he still exists.
Synoptic93
Chirin no Suzu (or CnS for short) is reminiscent of classic, olden-day fables in the duality it strikes between joyful innocence and overwhelming sorrow. Notable for its subversion of the sugary, saccharine nature of modern children's stories, the film refuses to pander to children's base expectations or delicate sensibilities, instead encouraging them to think about the complex lessons and ideas that are illustrated within. The film's protagonist, Chirin, is a playful, curious lamb without a care in the world until his mother is taken from him by a vicious, bloodthirsty wolf named Woe. Rather than cower in fear at the prospect of being eaten, however, Chirinchooses to strike out on his own and become that which is feared. At first, his intentions are fairly noble - to avenge his mother's death by taking down Woe - but Chirin undergoes a transformation of body and soul which reflects the new world he discovers, and CnS questions the idea that his newfound strength is cause for celebration.
All aspects of CnS are consistently fair to impressive in terms of quality and presentation. The art style and animation of the film are typical 1970's fare, which is to be expected, but have aged fairly well and are overall pleasing to look at. A dynamic and moody orchestral soundtrack follows the story's emotional ups and downs, giving them additional impact. Being a children's story, CnS features somewhat simplistic dialogue, but there's little cause for concern there as it still manages to convey the story's messages quite well.
Ultimately, CnS serves as a stark but necessary reminder that life is inherently unpredictable and that, rather than expecting this part of existence to disappear when we make changes in ourselves, we must accept that things won't always go according to plan.
littleninjaguy
Classic I mean what else is there to say. A small man but big guy here. As humans progressed through the ages the idea that resources such as the natural world should be preserved. While protected areas started showing up in the 1700s or early the first national parks started to appear in the late 1800s with the first of these being Yellowstone National Park (1872). Over time these efforts have expanded, moving away from national protections to more local protections. As our cities grow the need for developed land comes at the cost of these natural areas. The effect of this expansion iseven greater in areas that don’t have much financial pull. This is where Piedmont Environmental Center can help.
Mia_Violet
Why you should watch Chirin no Suzu (Ringing Bell) anime? / Zašto pogledati Chirin no Suzu (Ringing Bell) anime? English language: For starters I will say that I will have to name a couple of spoilers because for some this anime could be disturbing. Chirin no Suzu (Ringing Bell) is the anime that shocked me the most. Mostly because I never expected to see everything that happened. Takashi Yanase wrote the book on which this anime is based. One of the reasons he became a children’s writer and illustrator is how he could deal with his PTSD because he survived World War II.Although it doesn't seem like anti-war anime to anyone at first, when you metaphorically look at anime, you realize it has to do with it. The plot revolves around a newborn lamb Chirin who lives a peaceful life on a meadow with his mother. This will soon come to an end when they are attacked by a wolf named Woe who kills Chirin's mother. Broken by his mother's death, Chirin swears that he himself will become a wolf to avenge his mother, unaware of how much this transformation will cost him. This story certainly reminds you a lot of Bambie, which reminded me at first. But the thing is, this isn't Bambie. This is "Bambie gone bad"! I thought that Chirin would become a wolf with the help of some magic, and take revenge on the wolf who killed his mother. This is what I expected the most because this anime movie was done by Sanrio. For those of you who don’t know what Sanrio is, it’s a company that has created famous characters like Hello Kitty, My Melody, Kuromi, Cinnamoroll, Little Twin Stars, Pompompurin and many others. So I definitely didn’t expect such an anime from Sanrio. Let me get back to the story. Chirin will do anything to become like a wolf. Because in order to take revenge on him, he needs to become like him. I thought this was going to be an anime about his physical becoming like a wolf, but it’s actually about his mental becoming. His mind will change so much, that he will even be willing to kill someone of his kind if necessary. This anime is definitely scary because it has some disturbing scenes. In my opinion, the worst was one scene when Chirin saw one animal attack another animal which was then killed. And as Chirin came to defend the other animals from that other one, he accidentally kills them himself. It’s a very dark anime where Chirin’s psyche changes over time as he begins to wonder what the meaning of life is if you can easily be killed. He decided to change his destiny by becoming like a wolf.
I gave this anime 10/10 for several reasons. This is an overpowering anime that really managed to portray the story in a dark but real way. You feel it emotionally because rarely can an anime portray and evoke emotions as well as this one. It is completely dedicated to character development. The last thing that made the anime great for me was because it was instructive. This anime clearly shows that you are what you choose to be. Because your choices affect you and how you develop. Chirin will be so focused on revenge that not only will he lose everything and everyone, but he will lose himself the most.
This is a movie that lasts 46 minutes. He has managed to show so much in such a short time. It kept my attention from beginning to end and I couldn’t possibly predict the things that happened. I understand that this anime is not for everyone, but whoever dares to watch it, I hope they will like it.
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Hrvatski jezik: Za početak ću reći da ću morati navesti par spojlera jer bi nekima ovaj anime mogao biti uznemirujuć. Chirin no Suzu (Ringing Bell) je anime koji me najviše šokirao. Najviše zato što nisam nikako očekivala da ću vidjeti sve ono što se dogodilo. Takashi Yanase je napisao knjigu po kojoj se temelji ovaj anime. Jedan od razloga zašto je postao dječji pisac i ilustrator je kako bi se mogao nositi sa svojim PTSP-om jer je preživio Drugi svjetski rat. Iako nikome na prvu ne izgleda kao antiratni anime, kada metaforički sagledaš anime, shvatiš da ima veze s tim. Radnja se vrti oko novorođenog janjeta Chirina koji živi mirnim životom na livadi sa svojom majkom. Tome će ubrzo doći kraj kad ih napadne vuk po imenu Woe koji ubija Chirinovu majku. Slomljen majčinom smrću, Chirin se zaklinje da će i sam postati vuk kako bi se osvetio majci, nesvjestan koliko će ga koštati ova preobrazba. Ova priča vas sigurno dosta podsjeća na Bambie, što je i mene na prvu podsjetilo. Ali stvar je u tome što ovo nije Bambie. Ovo je "Bambie gone bad"! Mislila sam da će Chirin s pomoću neke magije postati vuk, i osvetiti se vuku koji je ubio njegovu majku. To sam najviše očekivala jer je ovaj anime film radio Sanrio. Za vas koji ne znate što je Sanrio, to je kompanija koja je stvorila poznate likove kao što su Hello Kitty, My Melody, Kuromi, Cinnamoroll, Little Twin Stars, Pompompurin i mnogi drugi. Tako da definitivno nisam očekivala takav anime od Sanria. Da se vratim na priču. Chirin će uraditi sve kako bi postao kao vuk. Jer da bi mu se osvetio, on treba postati poput njega. Mislila sam da će to biti anime o njegovom fizičkom postajanju kao vuk, ali je zapravo o psihičkom. Njegov će se um toliko izmijeniti, da će biti spreman čak i da ubije nekog od svoje vrste ako je to potrebno. Ovaj anime je definitivno zastrašujuć jer ima neke uznemirujuće scene. Po meni je najgora bila jedna scena kada je Chirin vidio da jedna životinja napada drugu životinju koja tada bude ubijena. I kako je Chirin došao da obrani ostale životinje od te druge, slučajno ih on sam ubija. Jako je mračan anime gdje se Chirinu psiha s vremenom mijenja kada se počeo pitati koji je smisao života ako te lako mogu ubiti. On je odlučio promijeniti svoju sudbinu tako što će postati kao vuk.
Ovome animeu sam dala 10/10 zbog više razloga. Premoćan je anime koji je stvarno uspio prikazati priču na mračan ali stvaran način. Emocionalno ga osjetiš jer rijetko koji anime može tako dobro prikazati i izazvati emocije kao ovaj. U potpunosti je posvećen razvoju lika. Zadnje zbog čega mi je bio odličan je zato što je poučan. Ovaj anime jasno prikazuje da si ono što odabereš da budeš. Jer vaši izbori utječu na vas i kako se razvijate. Chirin će toliko biti fokusiran na osvetu da ne samo da će izgubiti sve i ostale, već će najviše izgubiti sebe.
Ovo je film koji traje 46 minuta. Toliko je toga uspio prikazati u tako malo vremena. Meni je držao pažnju od početka do kraja i nisam nikako mogla predvidjeti stvari koje su se dogodile. Razumijem da ovaj anime nije za svakoga, ali tko god se usudi da ga pogleda, nadam se da će mu se svidjeti.
akavish
I think it was alright. Most of the film felt just like buildup to our ending(a very horrifying, deep ending) but I didn't feel engaged in the film because of how saccharine it was for quite a bit. Woe and Chirin have a most interesting dynamic, the art is pretty nice in its Disneyfied pastoral way, and the music is also nice, I guess it might traumatize some younger kids, the plot is not very original, the characters are kind of flat until the end. I like that it didn't go the way of "predator animals are evil! We defeat them and live happily after!" butinstead it teaches that predator animals simply do their best to survive in a cruel world.
I can't say much about the movie other than that.
kekekeKaj
Stop me if you've heard this children's tale before. Once upon a time, there was a little lamb who lived on a farm with his mother and the rest of their flock. One night, a wolf raids the farm and kills mother sheep. Devastated by the loss, the lamb... decides he needs to become a wolf in order to wreak vengeance. Well! With a synopsis like that, all I can say is: thank God the farmer didn't get to mother sheep first, otherwise this anime could have been even more fucked up! Needless to say, it was this strangely dark premise which attracted me to "Ringing Bell"a few years back. Having finally got around to watching it though, I have to say I'm a little disappointed. Turns out that the synopsis pretty much accounts for everything that makes this show interesting. Beyond that, the story pans out more or less as expected, and the further plot twists I was half expecting never really turned up.
Execution wise, "Ringing Bell" was okay at best. Being an old show, its production and storytelling techniques feel somewhat crude, but not to the point of being hilariously bad. The music, while not unpleasant on the ears, lacks subtlety - if a scene is meant to be happy/sad, you can be sure the music will be shouting that emotion into your ears.
The art is undeniably dated, but still watchable. During the lighter portions of "Ringing Bell", it had no problem conveying the cuteness and playfulness befitting a children's anime. However these same elements do not play nicely with the anime's darker side, and I am left with an impression of an anime comprising two halves that don't gel.
Still, the concept was interesting, and while realising it the movie did rustle up some powerful moments. Just don't expect too much - it is for children after all, and doesn't do much beyond that.
Personal rating: +0.5 (decent)
Narcozez
The quick take: If Lion King and Vinland Saga had a baby, it’d be this movie. It’s a kid’s movie that tackles a lot of difficult themes (as many children’s films do), but it doesn’t sugarcoat or add fluff in order to do so. It’s quick to unveil its intentions to explain a long argued topic of if there is such a thing as Virtuous Vengeance. It doesn’t take the easy way of displaying revenge=bad. Aristotle believed if someone has wronged us simply because they see us as having no value (whether intrinsic or instrumental) then in that case you might have real reason to seekrevenge but though it’s morally justifiable it can cost you everything, more than was taken from you at the start. Vengeance comes with ramifications and if left unchecked can become a consuming cycle to regain what was lost.
This kid’s movie tackled that in head-on way that was refreshing and really standout. It was a warm and honest sadness is the best way to describe it. It set out to explain a difficult concept and it did it well.
Sidewinder51
Rate a 7 English Dubbed Story -An animal version to the film series rocky. -introduction was okay -Conclusion was great for the use symbolism. -stay true to dreams for you never know when they can become reality. Art/sound-no issues
-blood use is tame. It is mentioned but not really shown.
Character
-gradual grown is seen
-had a good backstory
-ending reflected on the introduction
Enjoyment
Challenges are a constant worry of a child. Unless us adults we focus on money, jobs, bills and so forth. Some of the challenges for kids are amount personal standing. Those i find to be the most impacting. Person standing challenges would be the amount of value in areas such as personal growth one has. While things happen that we can't control we tend to forget the power that we do have. This movie reminds us of that power. Not only that but how it can make a difference.
TalkUltraman
I stumbled upon this film while surfing through Crunchyroll. I was simply trying to watch any vintage anime titles before 1980, specifically anything that resembled Toei's "The Boy Sarutobi Sasuke" or "Journey to the West." Eventually, I stumbled onto Ringing Bell, read its description and immediately hit play. I found its story simple but very compelling and relatable. Also, I was taken back at how it depicts life, and revenge through animals. I loved how the film goes from being a cheery family friendly animate feature then mixes in radical shonen art styles and storytelling. Chirin's design for when he finally become an adult andvicious fighter is simply amazing; as an Aries it vibes with me way too much.
Ultimately, I do not think I have a preference as to how the film should be watched, both its subbed and dub options are great. I have shown this short to others in either formats, and it is naturally draws in viewers. I think it catches people off guard with its animation style and story which has allowed it to become a cult classic. I recommend people seeing this at least once in their lives.
matthigh
So....let's see if I got the moral of this right: If you work very, very hard with unwavering determination, you will be rewarded with hatred, fear and isolation! Whee! Did I get that right? The infamous "Bell of Chirin", where a little lamb transforms himself into a killing machine, the perfect little fable to scare the bejeezus out of small children everywhere. It's a story in three acts: First part is the idyllic introduction, where a playful, carefree little Chirin is romping around in the meadow with his mother. The second part is whenthe big bad wolf attacks, and Chirin steels up the determination to become the wolf's apprentice, no matter the consequences. And the third act...well, those consequences.
Despite its present-day Hello Kitty and Friends reputation, the earlier years of Sanrio were peppered with little not-so-Disney stories. Makes one wonder how the world would have turned out differently if the kids of today were raised with stories like these, as opposed to the sugary syrup that is Disney.
Tuskus
Ringing Bell (or Chirin no Suzu) is a 70's children's cartoon animated by Sanrio, the same company that created Hello Kitty. The movie is about a little lamb named Chirin that lives in a scenic pasture with his loving mother and a herd of other sheep. One stormy night, the Wolf King comes to the barn where the herd stays and kills Chirin's mother. The distraught Chirin decides that he must get revenge on the Wolf King. As Chirin's Bell continues, things get more and more brutal until we get to the bleak end that offers no hope for our sheep protagonist. The whole reasonto watch this movie is to watch terrible things happen to the cute anthropomorphic Chirin and either laugh or cry depending on how heartless you are. It's the same sort of kid's cartoon that Bambi and Watership Down. Unfortunately, Ringing Bell was only released in the US on VHS in the 80's. The only way to see it is through YouTube or BitTorrent. Still, it's worth looking for if you want so see a cruel cartoon.
UserWeebdacted
Child experiences intense psychological trauma and as a result experiences a psychotic break. In the mourning and aftermath of his loss, the child joins forces with a mass murderer in an attempt to protect himself and avoid future trauma. The child trains with murderer, eventually becoming a killing machine, only to realize that he must break the cycle of violence by stopping the murderer for good. Former-child now Rambo-lamb-o is rejected by his people, forced to live his life as a nomad for the rest of his days. The moral of the story? If your sheep mom is killed, do not try to become a wolfor it will be difficult and when you eventually succeed you will realize that the wolf still makes you angry inside due to all of your unresolved trauma and you will lash out and kill the wolf because he is bad and you do not want to be bad like the wolf who is bad.
lethargilistic
"You killed my mom! Teach me to be like you!" So, first of all: Relatable. I wasn't expecting too much from this other than being a vehicle for a Sanrio character, so it was definitely a surprise. It's a grim story that doesn't offer a lot of definitive answers to the questions it raises. I can't say I agree with the message I felt was supposed to be taken away from it, though. The problem it presents is that Chirin struggled to process his mother's death and he resolved to do whatever it took to get revenge. Because he was born weak, there was nothing he coulddo to change his situation or help others unless he adopted the methods of his cold-hearted enemy. I was with it that far. From that point on, going into the final act, it's clear that achieving this form of power has corrupted Chirin and made him an outcast permanently. So I feel like this was saying that seeking the power to destroy takes away your opportunity to defend others, and that's what I disagree with.
When Chirin fought off the snake, but could not save the bird or the eggs, we saw someone who was willing to put his life on the line to violently resist oppression. But he was not strong or practiced enough. He failed and was devastated. There was no reason to assume that following in the wolf's footsteps would have REQUIRED him to close his heart to others. But that's the railroad the story goes down and Chirin scares the sheep such that he cannot join them. This is anti-violence propaganda, suitable only as a children's story if you want children to grow up believing the best people are those who turn away from taking the power to protect others from "bad" places. Y'know, like the Star Wars prequels. It's a nonsense moral, especially when the supposed "good guys" in real life are hyper-violent imperialists bent on building the weapons of mass destruction required to achieve world domination. That is to say, not the fucking good guys. They just smile a lot and frown at riots and violent protests from the actual good guys who oppose the state-sanctioned violence.
But, whatever. It doesn't align with me there. It definitely agrees with me artistically, though. The character designs in this are top shelf. Chirin's child form is perfectly malleable to whatever exaggerated movement they want to give it while maintaining its adorable qualities. And yet it still fits perfectly alongside (contrasting against, of course) the wolf's grizzled and shadowy profile. And the natural movements they achieved for the wolf were amazing. This is superb anime and a startlingly good realization of the story they wanted to tell.
