Kai Doh Maru

Set in the Shoryaku and Chotoku eras of Japan’s Heian period, the animated short Kai Doh Maru is set against a background of a capital under threat from disease, outlaws, and political plots. The story reworks themes from Japanese folklore, focusing on the relationship between Sakata no Kintoki (Kintarō) and Minamoto no Raikō, one of the first military Minamoto and “monster hunter” of folklore. The story replaces the traditional image of Kintaro – a strong, ruddy-cheeked man – with that of a determined, tomboyish girl, while retaining much of the traditional character such as the carrying of an axe. Other historical figures from the period who have also become objects of folklore, such as Fujiwara no Michinaga and the rebel Taira no Masakado also make an appearance.