Buddha: The Great Departure

2011 1h 51m JA

🙌

7.5

BANGER

★7.5TMDB · 76

AdventureAnimationDramaHistory

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Prince Siddhartha is heir to the Shakya kingdom, which is constantly at war with the more powerful Kosala kingdom. His father tries to raise as him as a warrior leader and to shield him from the miseries of the world. Meeting the young outcast girl Migaila, Siddhartha experiences love for the first time but also witnesses the suffering that afflicts humankind. Meanwhile, in Kosala, Chapra rises through the military, despite his lowly origins, to become a hero and general of the army. A final showdown between the two kingdoms forces Siddhartha to re-evaluate the path he is following.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Sayuri Yoshinaga
Narration / Chapra's Mother (voice)
Masato Sakai
Chapra (voice)
観世清和
King Suddhodana (voice)
Hidetaka Yoshioka
Siddhartha Gotama / Buddha (voice)
Ai Orikasa
Childhood Siddhartha (voice)
Junko Takeuchi
Childhood Chapra (voice)
Tessyo Genda
General Budai (voice)
Keiji Fujiwara
Bandaka (voice)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Kouzou Morishita
Writers: Gou Koga, Reiko Yoshida
Languages: Japanese
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 15 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

CRAFT

Did you know

Part of the "Osamu Tezuka's Buddha" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Kouzou Morishita, shot by Kenji Takahashi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Michiru Oshima. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Shinichi Fukumitsu shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Sayuri Yoshinaga and Masato Sakai and 観世清和 carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt1686865 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 76 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Kouzou Morishita directs. Kenji Takahashi behind the camera. Michiru Oshima scores. Shinichi Fukumitsu cuts. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 15 years ago.
2Part of the "Osamu Tezuka's Buddha" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
3Directed by Kouzou Morishita, shot by Kenji Takahashi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Michiru Oshima. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Shinichi Fukumitsu shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Sayuri Yoshinaga and Masato Sakai and 観世清和 carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt1686865 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 76 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Kenji Takahashi
Original score: Michiru Oshima
Editing: Shinichi Fukumitsu
Runtime: 111 min · 1h 51m
Status: Released
Original language: JA
IMDB: Buddha: The Great Departure (2011)

Part of

Osamu Tezuka's Buddha

In ancient India, the lives of the re plagued by drought, famine, constant warfare and the injustices of the strict caste system. The intertwining lives of many unhappy souls are drawn together by the birth of the young prince Siddhartha, who embarks on a spiritual journey, becomes Buddha, "the Enlightened One," and attempts to bring about a spiritual rebirth of the people in this desperate age.