Shimajiro in Bookland
Directed by Hiroshi Kawamata, Isamu HirabayashiThis is the fourth movie starring a tiger boy named Shimajiro, and it has already been screened in movie theaters around Japan. Like its three predecessors, the movie has been conceived to be a child's first movie theater experience, and has been designed in a way that will hold the attention of a young audience throughout the film. Each child is given a cardboard megaphone that they are encouraged to use at various times by the story's characters to cheer them on or shout a particular phrase, and even use as a tool to help the characters out of a tight spot. In the movie, Shimajiro and his friends find themselves magically transported into the pages of an illustrated children's book. In keeping with this storybook theme, every encounter is depicted using different media-from animation to puppetry and paper dolls-and incorporates a wide variety of interactive activities, including singing, dancing, and riddles. Japanese screenings of the movie came with a short break in the middle, while the lighting and sound in the theater are adjusted to give the children the most comfortable experience possible.
