I saw this when I was 9 yrs. old. I've seen it subsequently on PBS/Disney Channel several times since over the years and still enjoy it. Big Bird and his canine pal Barkley travel to Japan and within less than one day of arriving in the country are lost with very little money, no plane tickets home and unable to communicate in the native language. Fortunately, a lovely but mysterious young Japanese woman befriends them and takes them acorss Japan learning the language, meeting interesting new people and seeing the amazing sights. The scene with the children's play of THE SHINING PRINCESS OF THE BAMBOO alone is worth seeing simply for the incredible costume design. All-around entertainment for kids 1-100!
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There is no greater testament to the strengths of this movie than my admitting that at the age of 22, I still remember the lyrics to half of the songs in the movie (and I haven't seen it since I was 5).
Big Bird is in Japan, but he and Barkley lose their bus when they spend too much time trying to eat plastic sushi. The mournful song "Homesick" follows ("I don't have a fever / but I do feel a pain..."). Luckily, a mysterious Japanese woman who speaks English comes to their help, and an adventure through Japan begins.
They sing on the car-ride:
"We're off to Kyoto like Dorothy and Toto;
I've got feathers,
He's got fleas,
--I speak Japanese."
A classroom of children enact the story of the moon goddess, Barkley is frightened by the statues in a temple, Big Bird learns how to bow and to speak common phrases in Japanese (and yes, I still remember the entire songful) and they all find out that their Japanese friend has a secret of her own.
The movie has a kid-pleasing plot, if one that may occasionally frighten the youngest, and it definitely teaches some important basics on Japan. Most impressive, however, was the catchy music. Even now, whenever I see a moon "hanging in the trees / so pretty and white," I think of the haunting tune of the misplaced Japanese moon goddess from this very film.
A movie that stays with you indeed.
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We recently returned from living in Japan for 3 1/2 years. This movie was loved by our children and it provides a great snapshot of what life is really like in Japan. Although it is oriented for youngsters, there are numerous jokes and comments for the "older" crowd. As a matter of fact, we showed this video to a group of Japanese junior high students who thought it was wonderful. Highly recommended for anyone interested in preparing children for living in Japan or for children interested in a different culture.
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i just totally loved this video. Big Bird and Barkey were great. It was a great little tale about Big Bird's trip in Japan, and if you're really into learning about the japanese culture, you'll definitely enjoy this video! There is also a great surprise ending to this story, so watch it and enjoy it!!
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I absolutely loved this movie when I was younger. I rediscovered the tape my mother recorded it on recently and watched it over again. I showed it to my friends too and they all loved it. I plan on majoring in japanese when I go off to college next year. This video was the beginning of my love of japanese culture.
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