The Story

The Tales of Princess Kaguya seems to be mostly based around The legend titled The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. The legend is considered to be one of the oldest surviving pieces of Japanese fiction, known as a monogatari, written either in the late 9th or early 10th century. The author of The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter is also unknown, and scholars have variously attributed it to Minamoto no Shitagō (911–983), to the Abbot Henjō, to a member of the Imbe clan, to a member of a political faction opposed to Emperor Tenmu, and to the kanshi poet Ki no Haseo (842–912). It is also debated whether the tale was written by one person or a group of people, and whether it was written in kanbun, Japanese kana, or even Chinese.
For many, it’s one of the oldest works of science fiction, coinciding with a Japanese spirit and taste for such stories. With beings from other planets, it’s a story of beauty, exile, belonging and love.
The Tale of Princess Kaguya is a story about materialism, the trivial nature of beauty, the challenges of parenthood, and the importance of separating your own wishes and goals from your child’s own hopes and dreams.