Film

The Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon

Name: The Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon
Genre: Animation, Family, Adventure, Fantasy
Released: 1963
Cast: Morio Kazama, Chiharu Kuri, Yukiko Okada, Masato Yamanouchi, Kiyoshi Kawakubo

Mythological fantasy

A 1963 Japanese animated film that retells the myth of Susanoo with the emotional heart of a child's quest. Gorgeously hand-drawn, it moves between tender family moments and genuinely unsettling creature encounters. It's for anyone who loves folklore reimagined with feeling, or who discovered Studio Ghibli and wants to know what came before.

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you love early Japanese cel animation where old gods feel strange and unsettled rather than cosy, and you don't mind a quest told at a dreamy, deliberate pace.

Skip it if you want brisk, snappy storytelling or modern polish; the 1963 look is dated, and the mythic episodes can feel episodic and slow for anyone used to tight plotting.

What it asks of you: Roughly an hour and a half of patience with scenes that drift from one encounter to the next, a gentler pace than modern animation, and openness to folklore's strange logic.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Spirited Away2001

Miyazaki's masterpiece draws directly from Japanese mythology and folklore, with the same sense of wonder and peril. A child protagonist navigates a spirit world with grace and courage, just as Susanoo does here.

But It's longer and far more complex, with a plot that asks more of viewers. If you want something simpler and more linear, this might frustrate.

Princess Mononoke1997

Epic, visually stunning, and steeped in Shinto mythology. Both films treat Japanese folklore with reverence while making it immediate and alive. The action sequences here have similar weight and consequence.

But It's violent and philosophically dense in ways the 1963 film isn't. Darker tone, adult concerns. Not a family film despite the animation.

Grave of the Fireflies1988

Another Studio Ghibli masterpiece that uses animation for genuine emotional devastation. Both films prove animation can reach depths that live-action often misses. Haunting and unforgettable.

But It's about the firebombing of Japan and childhood loss. Devastatingly sad. Not a comfort watch, and emotionally demanding in a different register entirely.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Urusei Yatsura: Only You1983

Both are quests through a spirit world to save or find a precious person. Both use animation to achieve visual grace that grounds emotional stakes. Both are mid-century-to-80s anime that proved the medium's range.

A comedy-romance anime that sounds nothing like this film but shares its DNA: a search across the spirit world for a beloved person, gorgeous hand-drawn animation, and genuine stakes beneath the humor. It's proof that 1980s anime could be as visually sophisticated as anything Ghibli made.

But It's comedic and romantic where this is mythic and sorrowful. If you want reverence and weight, the tone here is too light. Also, the plot is bonkers and requires some tolerance for absurdity.

Panda! Go Panda!1972

An earlier Ghibli work with similar warmth and hand-drawn charm. A child-centered adventure with magical elements and genuine stakes. Lighter in tone but the same visual poetry.

But It's quite short and straightforward. If you're looking for narrative complexity, you won't find it here. Somewhat slow by modern standards.

The Snow Queen1957

A Soviet animated film from roughly the same era, also based on folklore. It shares the fairy-tale structure, the stunning animation, and a child protagonist on a mythic journey. Surprisingly moving.

But The pacing is glacial and the animation style takes adjustment. It feels very of its time in ways that can feel dated. Subtitled, if that matters.

Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons2013

A Chinese animated adaptation of the classic novel, with similar mythological roots and a young hero's quest. Visually inventive and emotionally generous. Great if you're hungry for more folklore-based animation.

But It's somewhat rougher in animation quality than Ghibli. The pacing is uneven and the English dubbing (if you go that route) can be distracting.

Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons poster

The Little Mermaid1989

Disney's great fairy-tale adaptation. Like this film, it takes a folk story and gives it emotional core and gorgeous animation. A young protagonist navigates wonder and danger with resilience.

But It's cheerier and more determined to be entertainment. Less contemplative, more musical. The worldview is fundamentally different—lighter, more optimistic.

Howl's Moving Castle2004

Miyazaki again, but this time focused on wonder and whimsy. Stunning animation, a magical world richly imagined, and the same care for character that makes this 1963 film sing.

But It's a love story first and foremost. If you want myth and peril, this tilts toward romance and charm. Considerably less dark or spiritually heavy.

Warriors of the Wind1984

A young woman's journey through a hostile world where nature itself is dangerous. Like this film, it balances intimate character moments with moments of awe and terror. Visually extraordinary.

But The plot is dense and political in ways this 1963 film isn't. The scope is enormous. If you want something intimate and mythic, this expands into epic territory.

The Tale of The Princess Kaguya2013

Both adapt foundational Japanese folklore with emotional specificity rather than spectacle. Both use animation's ability to convey feeling over realism. Both are about encountering the divine and losing what you love.

Takahata's masterwork, also based on Japanese folklore (the Taketori Monogatari). It's hand-drawn animation of staggering delicacy, with a story about loss and the passage of time that cuts to the bone. One of the greatest animated films ever made.

But It's nearly two hours and moves at a contemplative, sometimes glacial pace. Visually, it's sparse and sketchy in places—some find it unfinished-looking. Emotionally devastating in ways that require patience and openness.