Chibi Maruko-chan Watashi no Sukina Uta

Aired: 1992

The second theatrical feature for the popular anime Chibi Maruko-chan, based on creator Momoko Sakura's essay about discovering that one of her favorite songs was actually a wartime morale anthem. The story interweaves Maruko's summertime friendship with a kind painter onee-san with the children's song Menkoi Kouma, expanding into a uniquely structured film built around several distinct musical sequences. Each musical part — featuring contributions from luminaries such as Eiichi Otaki, Haruomi Hosono, Indonesian dangdut reggae, and the legendary Ryoichi Hattori — is animated as its own short music video by a different animator, producing a richly variegated cinematic experience. With Shigesato Itoi's tagline Shimijimi Shimasho, the film earned a quiet, reflective reputation among Maruko theatrical works.