Will Power

Original Title 心の力
Japanese kana Rendering Kokoro no chikara
English Title Will Power
Production Date 1931
Author Noburo Ofuji
Duration (minutes) 18
Sound silent
Color b/w
Plot There is a beautiful castle surrounded by cherry trees in the southern lands. Inside the castle, there is a princess who is more beautiful than the cherry trees. Dangobei, the most cowardly person in the castle town, is a weakling who is even teased by a puppy and a black cat. But, when he is given “Nihon-ichi chikara-fuda,” a good-luck charm, the puppy and the black cat accompany him, he wins a martial arts match, and then marries the princess. One night, a villain sneaks into the castle and kidnaps the princess. He escapes by boat, and Dangobei sets off in pursuit. In the middle of the chase, the villain is eaten by a monster. Dangobei, who realizes that he lost the charm when he jumped into the sea, runs away from the monster. The puppy, one of Dangobei’s followers, finds the charm at the seashore and delivers it to him. However, the black cat finds that the contents of the charm are still missing. In the meantime, Dangobei, who believes he now has the charm, fights in the seawater and successfully defeats the monster. As Dangobei returns in triumph, he finds the contents of the charm he lost and realizes that being courageous or cowardly is merely a reflection of one’s state of mind.
Description The best of the series of chiyogami movies invented by Noburo Ofuji that feature Dangobei, a young samurai. The main character is a timid protagonist who gets courage and strength by believing in himself and ends up marrying a beautiful girl. Other characters include Heibei the Pooch and Kuro Nyago, who was featured in the film Black Cat (1929). The scene where the protagonist fights with a monster in the ocean is reminiscent of the ocean in The Whale (1952) and The Phantom Ship (1956), Ofuji's post-war masterpieces. In FC 46: Japanese Animation Movies, 1924 to 1958, description of movies screened at the Film Center (1978, p. 18), it is explained that the story was taken from an American movie Grandma's Boy (1922), which featured Harold Lloyd.
Production Company the Ministry of Education/Chiyogami Eigasha
Distribution the Ministry of Education
Release Date
Credits: Director Animation: Noburo Ofuji
Credits: Staff, Cast, etc.
Intertitles 1「文部省製作」、T2「心の力 千代紙映画」、T3「作画 大藤信郎」、T4「今は昔 南の國に 櫻の花に 包まれた 美しいお城が ござりました」、T5「櫻の花より いとも麗しき お城の姫君」、T6「このお城下の 町に住む 臆病者の 團子兵衛」、T7「ワンワン」、T8「うしうし」、T9「よわ虫 け虫」、T10「よわ虫 出て来い!」、T11「ガサー」、T12「ゴソー」、T13「ニャゴー」、T14「12345678910」、T15「勝つた…・」、T16「ワンワン」、T17「どうぞ 私めに勇気と力を お授け下さりませ」、T18「日本一力札」、T19「今日から拙者は 日本一の力持ぢや」、T20「キャー キャー」、T21「のされた!」、T22「日本一の力の お守りを持つ 拙者にてむかふか」、T23「降参 降参 ご家臣になされて 下さりませ」、T24「しからば 拙者について参れ」、T25「我君様には まづ ま……・・づ」、T26「お城の武術試合に 優勝した者には 姫の聟君として この國をお譲り 致します 櫻の城太守」、T27「お城の試合は いまや眞最中」、T28「日本一の武勇者 團子兵衛様の お通りでござる」、T29「私めは 團子兵衛と申す者で ござります」、T30「どうぞ 試合にご優勝なされて 下さりませ」、T31「フレ!フレ!」、T32「力札!」、T33「力札ぢやな これさへ あれば……・・」、T34「その夜……・・」、T35「姫君がさらはれた……・・」、T36「まつてくれ!」、T37「力札の忘れ物!」、T38「おのれ怪物 我こそは……・・」、T39「力札がないぞ!」、T40「力札!うけ取つたり」、T41「あつぱれあつぱれ めでたし めでたし」、T42「日本一力札」、T43「勇気も臆病も 己れの心の 持ちやうによって 生ずるものなり」、T44「その後の 団子兵衛は 力札がなくとも 身も心も強い 若者と なりました」、T45「終」。
Censorship - Date and Number
References ・「新作教育映畫紹介 心の力」『映畫教育』1931年9月号・第43輯、36頁(写真3頁)。
・「最近完成の映畫 千代紙映畫 心の力」『文部省教育映畫時報 8』文部省社會教育局、1931年11月、64頁。
Frames per Second 16fps Note: The streaming video here runs at 24fps
Source of Digital Copy The 35mm nitrate original negative owned by Ministry of Education -> The 35mm interpositive owned by NFC -> 35mm internegative -> The 35mm positive
Completeness complete
Additional Notes
Related Links still photos<Noburo Ofuji Memorial Museum / Gallery>
artwork<Noburo Ofuji Memorial Museum / Gallery>

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