THE BOOK OF THE DEAD is based on the book SHISHA NO SHO originally written by ORIGUCHI Shinobu which was on a difficult subject, but I interpreted this as a story of "obsession and deliverance" in which the properties of puppets can be fully utilized. The story, which tells about the earnest faith of FUJIWARA no Iratsume appeasing the wandering spirit of Otsu no Miko who has died a violent death at a young age, now, gives a hint about questions as to what are the Japanese and where they are going. I feel that I could express something in an area where no one has gone before with the help of the expressive power of puppets.

This work is an undeniable masterpiece. The director KAWAMOTO Kihachiro, one of the leading puppet animation artists, also creates his own artistic puppets, 30 years after he was inspired by the author ORIGUCHI Shinobu's original novel, and succeeded in making it into a great film. Taking place in Nara in the 8th Century, through an encounter of the spirits of a daughter of FUJIWARA-NANKE and Otsu no Miko who died a violent death, KAWAMOTO weaves a glorious and visionary story of human beings' obsession and deliverance. A puppet animation, it is a mystic and fertile world structured by an incredible amount of time, energy, and sensitivity, and has a magical power which captivates viewers. It will be difficult to meet another such animation in the near future. In the beautiful silence which puppets weave, we cannot help feeling the strong will and high aspiration of director KAWAMOTO who is now in his 80s.