Private Norakuro in Boot Camp / Private Norakuro in Training

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Original Title	のらくろ二等兵教練の卷のらくろ二等兵演習の卷
Japanese kana Rendering	Norakuro Nitohei Kyoren no maki / Norakuro Nitohei Ensyu no maki
English Title	Private Norakuro in Boot Camp / Private Norakuro in Training
Production Date	1933
Author	Yasuji Murata
Duration (minutes)	14
Sound	silent
Color	b/w
Plot	Norakuro, black stray dog, joins the army to serve as a private. Norakuro, who is in charge of cleaning, looks through the keyhole to see inside the 5th Company Commander's room. Having confirmed that the Commander is absent, Norakuro goes into the room and smokes a cigarette wearing the Commander's saber, as if he were a Captain. Then, a bugle for assembly sounds. As Norakuro rushes out of the room, he runs into the real Company Commander. The Commander spots the saber Norakuro is wearing and is about to reprimand him. However, as Norakuro passes by the Commander, he puts the saber back on the Commander's belt. The Commander gives a command to a group of new privates. On the command "Right face," Norakuro turns left instead of right and is reprimanded by the Commander. Then, Norakuro and the three white dogs go on a march, with Norakuro in front. The Regiment Captain calls the Company Commander to tell him that the new recruits will participate in the joint training with the 6th Company the following week. Norakuro and his group continue the march until they come across a horizontal bar. Thinking that bypassing the bar would be disobeying the command, they climb the bar and even go through a stable to continue to march straight forward. Going into the stable at the head of the march, Norakuro is kicked by the horse and gets injured. The Commander reprimands Norakuro while at the same time comforting him. On the training day, Norakuro, of the white team, wearing a white stomach band, is unable to walk anymore and is left behind. Two scouts of the black team spot Norakuro and try to capture him. However, regaining strength by drinking water from his water bottle, Norakuro kicks crow droppings into the face of a scout, beats the scouts in a footrace around a big rock and escapes them, locking them in a crate on the truck carrier. Norakuro drives the truck too fast and falls off a cliff. He is saved from falling by an eagle. Flying on the back of the eagle, Norakuro spots a tank. To disable the tank, he digs a pitfall with the cooperation of the eagle. When the tank falls into the pitfall, the Regiment Captain comes out of the tank. Norakuro is scolded by the Captain.
Description	The 69th issue of the Athena Film Library educational movie series produced by Yokohama Cinema Shokai (it is presented as the "67th issue" in the credits. However, according to the List of Athena Film Library Movies in Seventy Years of Eisuke Saeki's Yokocine, Leader of the Movie Culture (Yokocine D. I. A., 1995), this is the 69th issue. The number is likely to have been changed subsequently). The first animation produced based on the comic Norakuro series, which Suiho Tagawa started to publish in the magazine Shonen Kurabu (published by Dainihon Yubenkai Kodansha) in January 1931. The original Japanese title of the comic series published in the magazine was Norakuro Nitosotsu. The title was changed to Norakuro Nitohei when the comic was published as a book in the series Manga Josetsukan (Dainihon Yubenkai Kodansha, 1931). Norakuro, black stray dog, joins the army and is promoted through the ranks from private to captain. The series ended in August 1941. In this first animation, private Norakuro, who is energetic, but careless and often makes mistakes, is depicted as a comical character. Other major characters also appear in the story, including the Company Commander Mole, who is strict but sympathetic, as well as the stern Regiment Captain Bull. The title "Japan Red Cross of Saitama" at the outset of the film was added when this print was screened at that facility.
Production Company	Yokohama Cinema Shokai
Distribution	35-mm version: Okamoto Yoko (Kanto)* and Oku Shokai (Kansai)*
Release Date	June 1933
Credits: Director	Animation: Yasuji Murata
Credits: Staff, Cast, etc.	Story: Suiho Tagawa, Adaptation: Chuzo Aochi
Intertitles	T1: Japan Red Cross of Saitama T2: Produced by Yokohama Cinema Shokai T3: Private Norakuro T4: Story by Suiho Tagawa / Adapted by Chuzo Aochi / Animation by Yasuji Murata T5: My name is Norakuro. It means black stray dog. I moved up from being an orphan to a serviceman. T6: You'll see my army life. I'm still a new recruit so forgive me if I make a mistake. T7: Private Norakuro in Boot Camp T8: I am Captain Norakuro, the 5th Company Commander. T9: Aren't I Capt-ivating? T10: What's going on? T11: That's the bugle call for assembly. T12: Obey your superior officer. Raise your hand if you understand. T13: Understood! T14: Right face! T15: Oh, it's you again! T16: Forward, march! T17: Hello, Captain! T18: Basic training is such a pain! T19: I have to baby them every step! T20: Make sure they're ready for the joint training with the 6th Company. T21: Yes, sir. They'll be ready. T22: What should we do? T23: The order was to march forward so we have to climb this. T24: This one will be tougher. T25: We must go forward. T26: I commend you for following orders but use your brains! T27: Yes, sir! T28: Does it hurt? T29: It's nothing, Captain. T30: Private Norakuro in Training T31: 20 or 30 miles is nothing for a soldier! T32: I can't walk anymore. T33: Cowards will be left behind. T34: I've got my strength back. T35: That's an enemy AWOL. T36: We'll capture him. T37: This is great! T38: It's an enemy tank! I'll disable it. T39: Here it comes! T40: You ambushed your own Regiment Commander! T41: I thought it was an enemy tank. T42: You idiot! T43: Private Norakuro / The End
Censorship - Date and Number	Home Ministry censorship number: H13736 (December 15, 1933)
References	・ "Introduction to New Movies: Private Norakuro," Katsuei, No. 66 (August 1933), p. 51.
Frames per Second	20fps
Source of Digital Copy	The 35mm nitrate positive donated from Kuwano Ltd. -> The 35mm internegative owned by NFC
Completeness	complete
Additional Notes
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