“Bamboo cutter Okina raises a mysterious baby, Kaguya, who becomes a reluctant princess after he finds celestial gold.”
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
かぐや姫の物語
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AI-powered analysis tailored to your taste
Based on your preference for character-driven stories with layered emotional arcs, this title's exploration of identity and belonging would deeply resonate. The pacing mirrors series you've rated highly, and its thematic depth aligns with your appreciation for nuanced storytelling...
However, the slow initial episodes might test your patience given your history of dropping shows that don't hook you early. The art style shift in the middle arc could also be a concern...
Synopsis
Bamboo cutter Okina raises a mysterious baby, Kaguya, who becomes a reluctant princess after he finds celestial gold.
Deep in the countryside, a man named Okina works as a bamboo cutter in a forest, chopping away at the hollow plants day after day. One day, he discovers a small baby inside a glowing shoot. He immediately takes her home, convinced that she is a princess sent to Earth as a divine blessing from heaven. Okina and his wife Ouna take it upon themselves to raise the infant as their own, watching over her as she quickly grows into an energetic young girl. Given the name Kaguya, she fits right in with the village she has come to call home, going on adventures with the other children and enjoying what youth has to offer. But when Okina finds a large fortune of gold and treasure in the forest, Kaguya's life is completely changed. Believing this to be yet another gift from heaven, he takes it upon himself to turn his daughter into a real princess using the wealth he has just obtained, relocating the family to a mansion in the capital. As she leaves her friends behind to enter into an unwanted life of royalty, Kaguya's origins and purpose slowly come to light.
What people say
Community consensus
Derived from 79 sampled reviews
What 79 viewers settled on.
Mostly aligned
σ 1.73 · some divergence
5.1 pts
Recommenders 8.9 · others 3.8
↑ 0.18
Running avg · Dec 2014 → Oct 2025
- 8 “The art style is beautiful and a breath of fresh air when compared to the usual anime style we've come to be accustomed to, and the story is a trope, but one that is far from the common tropes...”
- 10 “This film is so beautiful. It was mixed feelings, but as a woman, it was a happy ending for Princess Kaguya, finding peace away from greed and the people who disturbed her. She deserved better! She...”
- 10 “This adaptation of the ancient 竹取物語 (The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter) delivers a rich story complemented by stunning hand-drawn animation that perfectly captures old Japanese art aesthetics. While...”
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A Movie Production
Studio Ghibli.- Format 1 × 137′ eps × min
- Total runtime 2h 17m all episodes
- Aired Nov 2013 – ongoing
- Source Movie media type
- Rated R+ Mild Nudity
- Ref. BS-7468 catalog
Licensed by
- GKIDS Licensor