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Within the tranquil depths of a pristine primeval forest, a diverse community of woodland creatures lives in ecological harmony. Among them, an energetic young flying squirrel explores the lush canopies, finding shelter and forging tender bonds with gentle forest dwellers. However, peaceful woodland life is ruthlessly shattered when industrialized human loggers arrive with heavy machinery, chainsaws, and firearms, razing ancient trees and slaughtering innocent wildlife. Refusing to surrender his beloved homeland, the courageous flying squirrel rallies surviving forest animals into a desperate resistance against destructive modern machinery, fighting for nature's eternal survival.
⚠ Background — may contain spoilers
Tezuka Productions produced this visionary twenty-nine-minute animated masterpiece, released in December 1987. Conceived and directed by manga pioneer Osamu Tezuka, the dialogue-free production was synchronized to the dramatic movements of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony. Conceived as a celebration of animation history, the visuals evolved chronologically through distinct artistic eras, advancing from optical phenakistoscopes and vintage Disney rubber-hose styles to lush modern cel animation. The film earned immense critical prestige, winning the Noburo Ofuji Award at the 1988 Mainichi Film Awards for its breathtaking artistic innovation.
Sadly, this short isn't the classic Tezuka intended it to be, but many of his other works ensure his immortality in the field long after this one is forgotten.
