The Little Norse Prince, Isao Takahata

The Little Norse Prince ia a Japanese animation directed by Isao Takahata whilst Hayao Miyazaki worked on set design and key animation. It was released in 1968 by Toei Doga. Anyone familiar with Studio Ghibli will recognise those two names in a pre Ghibli collaboration (this is the first time they worked together). Although it can be seen as different to the later Ghibli films (the style is slightly more naive) it comes with the same quality guarantee and unique charm.

Set in a Nordic world of demons and giants, the animation starts at apace with the young Horus (Hols) being chased by a pack of wolves. He accidentally wakes of a stone giant called Mogue. He pulls a splinter out of his shoulder, which transpires to be the sword of the sun. If Hols can reforge the sword Mogue promises him he will come to see him and proclaim him Prince of the Sun. On his deathbed his father tells him how the village he came from was devastated by the ice devil Grunwald and tells Hols to go back there. Hols sets off for the village with his bear Koro. He finds the village and comes across a mysterious girl called Hilda.

It became an underground hit and is considered a milestone in the history of anime. It is also part of the movement in animated film to address an adult audience. The story was based on a puppet-theater drama by scriptwriter Kazuo Fuzakawa. This in itself came from a reinterpretation from Yukar an Ainu (the indigenous people of Hokkaido) epic.