The Tale of the Princess Kaguya: Difference between revisions

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* [[Leitmotif]]: Princess Kaguya's theme is established in the very first thing audiences see — the opening credits — with the track "Overture". It is frequently used both diegetically and non diegetically to the point where the film borders on having a [[Theme and Variations Soundtrack]]. She also sings it when she's playing with the children and Sutemaru in [[Arcadia]]. Other prominent motifs include "Life" and "Li'l Bamboo".

* [[Lonely at the Top]]: Princess Kaguya struggles to make genuine and authentic friends as a Princess. Despite living a luxurious life surrounded by wealthy individuals, she longs for her old lifestyle. The trope is made more powerful by the fact that the Princess does not have a choice in getting to the top; she is forced into the top by her parents.

* [[Lonely Rich Kid]]: Princess Kaguya, who makes friends while she is living in a humble village. When her father finds gold nuggets spilling from a bamboo shoot, her and her family are taken to the capital, away from her childhood friends. The strict behavioural standards imposed on royalty means she struggles to make friends as a member of the nobility, and her only meaningful relationships come from the people she befriended before leaving. When Princess Kaguya returns to the countryside near the end of the film, she once again meets Sutemaru and feels the joy she felt when she was a poor kid.

* [[MacGuffin]]: The items that Kaguya asks the suitors to bring her.

* [[Magic Realism]]: The film begins and ends with supernatural elements, with additional magic sprinkled occasionally throughout its runtime. The rest of the film, however, is rather realistic, and the magic only impacts Princess Kaguya herself. Instead of characters racing to destroy an ancient power source, we have an internal, character driven conflict. You could say the magic is simply an allegory for life and death.