The Magic Ballad
おこんじょうるり
Synopsis
The 25 minute film tells the tale of an ailing elderly woman named Itako who encounters a fox named Okon. The story opens with Itako lying bedridden, as she has for a long time. Okon enters her home and Itako tells the fox that he is welcome to take anything that he wants, for she has no use for anything anymore. Okon is delighted and in order to return the favour (the act of ongaeshi), Okon performs a magic jyōruri (a ballad with shamisen accompaniment) that heals Itako so that she is fit enough to walk again. Everyone is surprised by Itako's sudden recovery. She then hears of a hunter who has been badly injured and is near death. Itako hides Okon in the back of her shirt and has the fox sing the song while she plays shamisen in order to heal the man. This act of kindness is repeated for others until Itako's good fortune leads some to be suspicious of her.
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Tadanari Okamoto
- Original Title
- おこんじょうるり
- Country of Origin
- Japan
- Spoken Languages
- Japanese
- Runtime
- 26m
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Tadanari Okamoto
Department Leadership Roster
Tadanari Okamoto
Director
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Magic Ballad.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Magic Ballad.
list7
Seasonal: Oscar Season Picks
Auto-managed by seasonal classifier. Do not edit manually.
Seasonal: Oscar Season Picks
Auto-managed by seasonal classifier. Do not edit manually.
Similar Titles to The Magic Ballad
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
4.2Anime
6.7
7.5
7.8
7.6
7.1
5.5
Anime
9.2
5.0
5.8
6.7
7.0
5.7
More Like The Magic Ballad
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Magic Ballad
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Magic Ballad about?
The 25 minute film tells the tale of an ailing elderly woman named Itako who encounters a fox named Okon. The story opens with Itako lying bedridden, as she has for a long time. Okon enters her home and Itako tells the fox that he is welcome to take anything that he wants, for she has no use for anything anymore. Okon is delighted and in order to return the favour (the act of ongaeshi), Okon performs a magic jyōruri (a ballad with shamisen accompaniment) that heals Itako so that she is fit enough to walk again. Everyone is surprised by Itako's sudden recovery. She then hears of a hunter who has been badly injured and is near death. Itako hides Okon in the back of her shirt and has the fox sing the song while she plays shamisen in order to heal the man. This act of kindness is repeated for others until Itako's good fortune leads some to be suspicious of her.
Who directed The Magic Ballad?
The Magic Ballad was directed by Tadanari Okamoto.
Who stars in The Magic Ballad?
The principal cast of The Magic Ballad includes Teruko Nagaoka, Tetsuo Goto.
When was The Magic Ballad released and how long is it?
The Magic Ballad was released in 1982 with a total runtime of 26m.