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Information

Title (English) The Little Norse Prince

Title (Japanese) Taiyo no Oji - Hols no Daiboken

Advertising
Fantasy Novel

Notes Movie,82 mins, 1968. The Optimum DVD has mono sound.
Alternate titles:
Horus, Prince of the Sun
Little Norse Prince Valiant
Little Norse Prince
Prince of the Sun: The Great Adventure of Horus
Taiyo no Oji - Hols no Daibouken (Japanese)
The Adventures of Hols, Prince of the Sun
The Great Adventure of Little Prince Valiant

Classification -

Synopsis In the opening sequence, the boy Hols fights off a pack of wolves and, losing his axe, makes a final stand atop a rock which turns out to be a slumbering Rock Giant. He pulls a blade out of the Rock Giant - the Sword of the Sun. If re-forged, the sword's destiny will transform the boy into the Prince of the Sun.
Hols, last survivor of a village destroyed by the frost demon Grunwald, takes refuge at a village threatened by Grunwalds's magic. He befriends Hilda, a lonely girl with a beautiful singing voice, but falls out of favour with the villagers as Hilda is revealed to have a dark secret.

Review This is the debut feature of Isao Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies, Pom Poko) and is less known than the movies from the Studio Ghibli stable. It first appeared in 1968 (39 years ago!) and has recently been released by Optimum Asia.
I was expecting some rather outdated "classic" and was pleasantly surprised that this movie exceeded my expectations. The dramatic opening sequence, in which the boy Hols fights off a pack of wolves and, losing his axe, makes a final stand atop a rock which turns out to be a slumbering Rock Giant, sets the marker for what is to follow.
The movie has impressive animation, well realised characters and settings, powerful and touching themes, and some fine music. Particularly pleasing is that the village seems to have a life of its own, including fish-drying and a wedding, and is not just a backdrop for the main action.
Overall the movie seems surprisingly modern, and in fact I'd rate it above one or two of the more recent Studio Ghibli output.

Credits Director: Isao Takahata
Scenario: Kazuo Fukazawa
Music: Michio Mamiya
Character Design: Yoichi Kotabe
Art Director: Mataji Urata
Animation Director: Yasuo Otsuka
Concept Artist: Hayao Miyazaki

Episodes

Release UK: DVD

TV Showing See the whole series for free? This series may be syndicated to regional cable, satellite or terrestial TV stations. For Europe click here.

Date 1968-07-21

Production Toei Animation

Broadcaster

Animation

References & Help Look up the latest data on this title at:
Richard Llewellyn's Animated Divots, or
Anime News Network (see Encyclopedia section) ,
or in "The Anime Encyclopedia" (Clements & McCarthy, Stone Bridge Press, 2001).
Help & further information.

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Information
Title (English)	The Little Norse Prince
Title (Japanese)	Taiyo no Oji - Hols no Daiboken
Advertising Fantasy Novel
Notes	Movie,82 mins, 1968. The Optimum DVD has mono sound. Alternate titles: Horus, Prince of the Sun Little Norse Prince Valiant Little Norse Prince Prince of the Sun: The Great Adventure of Horus Taiyo no Oji - Hols no Daibouken (Japanese) The Adventures of Hols, Prince of the Sun The Great Adventure of Little Prince Valiant
Classification	-
Synopsis	In the opening sequence, the boy Hols fights off a pack of wolves and, losing his axe, makes a final stand atop a rock which turns out to be a slumbering Rock Giant. He pulls a blade out of the Rock Giant - the Sword of the Sun. If re-forged, the sword's destiny will transform the boy into the Prince of the Sun. Hols, last survivor of a village destroyed by the frost demon Grunwald, takes refuge at a village threatened by Grunwalds's magic. He befriends Hilda, a lonely girl with a beautiful singing voice, but falls out of favour with the villagers as Hilda is revealed to have a dark secret.
Review	This is the debut feature of Isao Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies, Pom Poko) and is less known than the movies from the Studio Ghibli stable. It first appeared in 1968 (39 years ago!) and has recently been released by Optimum Asia. I was expecting some rather outdated "classic" and was pleasantly surprised that this movie exceeded my expectations. The dramatic opening sequence, in which the boy Hols fights off a pack of wolves and, losing his axe, makes a final stand atop a rock which turns out to be a slumbering Rock Giant, sets the marker for what is to follow. The movie has impressive animation, well realised characters and settings, powerful and touching themes, and some fine music. Particularly pleasing is that the village seems to have a life of its own, including fish-drying and a wedding, and is not just a backdrop for the main action. Overall the movie seems surprisingly modern, and in fact I'd rate it above one or two of the more recent Studio Ghibli output.
Credits	Director: Isao Takahata Scenario: Kazuo Fukazawa Music: Michio Mamiya Character Design: Yoichi Kotabe Art Director: Mataji Urata Animation Director: Yasuo Otsuka Concept Artist: Hayao Miyazaki
Episodes
Release	UK: DVD
TV Showing	See the whole series for free? This series may be syndicated to regional cable, satellite or terrestial TV stations. For Europe click here.
Date	1968-07-21
Production	Toei Animation
Broadcaster
Animation
References & Help	Look up the latest data on this title at: Richard Llewellyn's Animated Divots, or Anime News Network (see Encyclopedia section) , or in "The Anime Encyclopedia" (Clements & McCarthy, Stone Bridge Press, 2001). Help & further information.