[item2=Ringing Bell]

What MONSTER on the staff did this?? Making me think about this at Christmastime!

I'M GONNA DEFEAT YOU, UOU

I was in my 30s when I saw that movie and I was messed up for days.

laffo I was like, six when I first saw it and I just remember thinking, "Dang, Hello Kitty, you roll dark." Still love it!

I 100% would have loved it at that age! I was watching it thinking if I'd seen it as a child I would've enjoyed it so much more. My favorite movie then was The Land Before Time, which I also can't watch as an adult because I can't stand watching his mom die. I don't know what happened between then and now but I nearly burst a blood vessel crying when Bing-Bong "died" in Inside Out. Better grasp of the concept of mortality, I guess. Ringing Bell had some great art, though. The second half was really well-done. Admittedly I thought the half with baby Chirin dragged a bit in spots. Overall though I'd definitely show it to kids with a stronger stomach than I have. My cousin's little girl is about to turn six and I've been trying to turn her into a cartoon nerd. I sent her Ponyo for Christmas, so we'll see how she takes that and go from there. She likes emotional stories and she's a tough kid so I think she'll stomach Ringing Bell way better than I did.

I only vaguely remembered this little gem. Had to dig it up on you-tube and re-watch it. :(:)

The part with the bird nest is always the one that guts me. That was so needlessly brutal! I know it was the point to show Chirin that nature IS cruel and sometimes bad things still happen no matter how hard you try, but god! Still gets me a little misty. He tried so hard...

Another one from this era (that I'm gonna ruin my wife's life with soon with a rewatch) is The Mouse & His Child. THAT one really left a HUGE impression on me, to the point I'm pretty sure it's where I got my love of dark stories from. How is a kid supposed to process the anxiety of lacking autonomy and self-direction when it's shown to you in the form of two mice who can't stop holding hands even when they WANT to? Absolutely mental. Love it.

Also sounds like you're embracing your Cool Aunt status, where you're the one who shows the kiddos all the COOL STUFF. Hell yeah.

Would love to hear your thoughts since you've only just refreshed yourself on it. How much did you remember? Did anything from it catch you off guard this time? Sorry, revisiting/rediscovering old, weird cartoons half-remembered from childhood is, like, one of my favourite hobbies.

EDIT: I have returned to inform you that the Japanese studio that worked on The Mouse & His Child was ALSO Sanrio. Everything makes so more much sense now...

As a youngster I cried for Chirin, as an adult I cried for Woe. Sad that after you've faced the grown up side of life it's easier to empathize with the wolf than the lamb. I'll have to watch the Mouse and his Child, thanks for the link. You've got me re-watching old animation now. Just finished One Stormy night, a cute little odd couple relationship story between a wolf and a goat that's a 180 from The Ringing Bell.

I am like 98% positive I followed up Ringing Bell with One Stormy Night back-to-back the night I showed the first one to my wife. Excellent chaser. EXCELLENT. Mai is officially Too Cute.

What movie??

The bird's nest scene was the one that kept me up at night. "Why do the weak have to die?" I didn't sign on for an existential crisis in this anime about a sheep. The mom's death was sad, and the ending was depressing, but...the egg scene just made me lose the will to live for a minute. These are the people that brought me Hello Kitty?! Definitely going to have to check out The Mouse and His Child.

Ringing Bell (I've also seen it called Chirin's Bell).

D: Well, judging from the comments it's not one I want to see.