| Ringing Bell | |
 Poster of the film | |
| チリンの鈴 (Chirin no Suzu) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Drama,dark fantasy,adventure |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Takashi Yanase |
| Published by | Froebel-Kan |
| Demographic | Shōnen |
| Published | 1978 |
| Anime film | |
| Directed by | Masami Hata |
| Produced by | Shintaro Tsuji Tsunemasa Hatano |
| Studio | Sanrio Films |
| Licensed by | |
| Released | March 11, 1978 (Japan) April 8, 1983 (US) |
| Runtime | 47 minutes |
Ringing Bell (チリンの鈴,Chirin no Suzu, lit.Chirin's Bell) is a 1978 Japaneseanime adventure-drama film adaptation of the storybook of the same name written byTakashi Yanase, the creator ofAnpanman.[1] It is most notable by fans and critics as a family film which makes a sharp, sudden turn into a dark and violent story that criticizes and reflects upon the theme ofrevenge andwar.
Ringing Bell was produced bySanrio and originally shown as a double feature alongside the US/Sanrio co-productionThe Mouse and his Child.[2] It is Sanrio's first anime film to have a dark plot, only two films they co-produced withSunrise,The Ideon: A Contact andThe Ideon: Be Invoked – both of which serve as the conclusion toYoshiyuki Tomino'sSpace Runaway Ideon, follow suit. Like the above-mentionedIdeon films, it is among Sanrio's first works to be aimed atyoung adult audience members in and outside Japan.
A young lamb named Chirin lives a carefree life with his flock on a farm. He is adventurous and prone to getting lost, so he wears a bell around his neck so his mother can always find him. She warns him he must never venture beyond the farm's fence, or else he might be killed by the wolf that lives in the nearby mountains. Soon after, the wolf sneaks into the barn at night and kills the sheep, including Chirin's mother, just when she protected Chirin.
Seeking revenge, and disillusioned by the apathy from all the other sheep towards him over his mother's death, Chirin ultimately leaves the farm and pursues the wolf up the mountain. Over the course of his journey, he witnesses many sights and wonders while also discovering how fierce the world outside the farm is before eventually catching up with the wolf. However, he quickly realizes he cannot fight him, and instead asks the wolf to train him to become strong. The wolf agrees, despite knowing Chirin intends to kill him one day. Over the course of this training, Chirin grows into a powerful, sure-footed, and fearless ram with deadly horns. Three years later, Chirin has transformed into a ruthless killer and thrown away his quest for vengeance; having come to view his mentor as a father figure and the mountains his new home. Together, they dominate the lands; killing anyone who dares to oppose them.
One day, the wolf takes him down to the farm Chirin once came from; but does not see or accept it as his home anymore. After dealing with the guard dogs outside, the wolf orders Chirin to kill the sheep within himself; however, finding himself being reminded of his mother when he sees a lamb resembling his child self among them, Chirin refuses. The two fight, and Chirin fatally wounds the wolf with his horns. Despite his mortal injury, the wolf happily confesses to Chirin that he is proud of his student's maturation, declaring that Chirin, like himself, is now a lone wolf.
Despite saving them, Chirin is rejected by his terrified flock and is forced to return to the mountains; now alone. After hallucinating the wolf's return, Chirin laments that he has nowhere left to go, and no one else to love (or would love him), crying out in sorrow for the wolf to come back. Chirin is never seen again, but the faint ringing of his bell can still be heard on stormy nights, much like the howls of the lone wolves before him.[3]
Though the film is not as well-known outside Japan, Western critics such as Justin Sevakis ofAnime News Network praised the dark storyline and artwork, and noted that it delivered a "sort of quick punch-to-the-face of the innocent." Sevakis also commented that "there is almost nothing uplifting aboutRinging Bell and yet it maintains its sense of adorable while simultaneously destroying our concepts of the beauty of nature."[4]
Paul Lê reviewed the film forBloody Disgusting, dubbing it "Nightmare Fuel for All Ages" in the review's title. Lê wrote, "Ringing Bell is a brutal watch at any age, especially today when cultural attitudes and standards regarding children’s media have shifted," and concluded, "The [film's] goal here is not too clear, and adults will have a hard time breaking everything down for younger viewers."[5]
The film is available both on DVD andCrunchyroll.[6]
