#おもひでぽろぽろ

[ghiblicentral]

ONLY YESTERDAY (おもひでぽろぽろ) 1991, dir. Isao Takahata

[elysieeh]

Bulgarian Music in Studio Ghibli films

”Myth has it that Orpheus was born in what is now Bulgaria. It seemed to be fact, not myth, that his daughters are still singing there”

These words were written by the New York Times in the remote 1963 — the year in which the largest Bulgarian folk ensemble crossed the Iron Curtain to conquer an entire continent with its cosmic art.

The 1975 release of Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares, a compilation album of modern arrangements of Bulgarian folk songs, further popularized Bulgarian music, and in 1977, a vinyl record featuring the folk song “Izlel ye Delyo Haydutin” (Eng: Come out rebel Delyo) began its journey aboard the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecrafts.

From this point on popularity from the West spread to the East, and Bulgarian folk music made it to the entertainment industry, including legendary Japanese anime films, like the cult cyberpunk “Ghost in the Shell” or the heartwarming Studio Ghibli features.

In this short article I write about two occasions of Bulgarian music playing in Studio Ghibli’s films.

The record that inspired the creation of “Only Yesterday”

“Only Yesterday” is a 1991 Japanese animated drama film written and directed by Isao Takahata, based on the 1982 manga of the same title by Hotaru Okamoto and Yuko Tone. Set in rural Japan, the film draws parallels with the peasant lifestyle present in Eastern Europe.

The original work is a compilation of short stories about 11-year-old Taeko’s daily life in 1966. Director Takahata had a hard time making it into a movie since the manga, told in the form of a memoir, has no plot to hold a feature. Together with producer Toshio Suzuki, they came up with the solution of bringing the narrator of the story, adult Taeko, into the movie. But there is a curious anecdote about how this idea came to mind.

Taeko picks safflower as the Bulgarian song “Malka moma dvori mete” plays in the background. © Studio Ghibli

In a 2021 interview with students from Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, producer Suzuki recounts how a record of Bulgarian songs performed by the children choir “Bodra Smyana”, introduced to him by director Takahata, inspired the creation of the movie. Moved by the cosmic voices of the children, they decided to make “Only Yesterday” a musical. He also recalls what a tiring process it was to acquire the rights to the music, but if you’ve seen the movie, I am sure you will agree that it was worth it; the haunting, beautiful songs with the pastoral images of farmers picking flowers contribute to one of the greatest scenes created in cinema.

Producer Suzuki showing the record that inspired the creation of ”Only Yesterday”. Source: Studio Ghibli’s Twitter

In “Only Yesterday”, we can hear two songs from the album Bulgarian Polyphony I by Philip Koutev Ensemble. The upbeat “Dilmano Dilbero” [Eng. beautiful Dilmana] sets a happy mood as the protagonist gets changed and ready to go on the field. As the scene shifts and Taeko starts narrating a sad story about the girls in the past picking safflower with their bare hands, the song and mood shift as well.

While the first song has a fast rhythm, with lyrics about pepper planting that can also be interpreted figuratively, the second one, “Malka Moma Dvori Mete” [Eng., a little girl sweeps the yard], is a ballad about a young girl who is forced into marriage but has never known true love.

Both compositions sing about life-cycle events like marriage and the regular coming of the harvests, with lyrics perfectly fitting the setting and plot of the movie, which makes me wonder if the filmmakers chose them by chance or if they had someone translate the words.

Bulgarian Cosmic Voices Enchanting Howl

“Howl’s Moving Castle” is a 2004 Japanese animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, loosely based on the 1986 novel of the same name by British author Diana Wynne Jones. Set in a fictional kingdom the movie draws inspiration from various places in Europe. One of them being Bulgaria.

The story focuses on a young girl, named Sophie, magically transformed into an old woman, and a self-confident but emotionally unstable young wizard, Howl, living in a magical moving castle.

A sketch of a Star Child. Source: The Art of Howl’s Moving Castle

If you’ve seen the movie, you surely remember the scene when Madame Suliman ambushes Howl and tries to strip him of his magic powers. Star Children encircle him and his companions; their shadows grow big, dark and intimidating. They start dancing and chanting unintelligible magic words and are almost successful in their devilish act.

This scene, together with the music played in the background, have been a favourite of many fans of the film. Some even recount it giving them nightmares when they were children.

Star Children encircle Howl in an attempt to strip him of his magic powers. © Studio Ghibli

It turns out, however, that these aren’t any incantations, but the lyrics of a folk song. In Bulgarian. And a love song! Contrary to popular belief, the lyrics have nothing to do with magic and are actually about a boy taking his sweetheart, Dona, to the market to buy her new clothes. The excerpt used in the movie is very short and a bit altered from the original, but the words used go like this: Trendafilcheto, kalafercheto, Done mamino, translated as “the rose, the costmary, my darling Dona”.

I am planing a follow up article where I will post the translated lyrics together with a brief explanation on how they are related to the movies.

If you want to comment on or add something, I would love to hear!

Source

[obscureanimeoftheday]

Obscure Anime of The Day:

Omoide Poroporo

Aired: 1991

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Josei, Mystery, Romance, School, Slice of Life

[addictivecontradiction]

おもひでぽろぽろ, 1991

[losercaps]

Studio Ghibli // 株式会社スタジオジブリ

Castle in the Sky / 天空の城ラピュタ

My Neighbor Totoro /となりのトトロ

Grave of the Fireflies / 火垂るの墓

Kiki's Delivery Service / 魔女の宅急便

Only Yesterday / おもひでぽろぽろ

Porco Rosso / 紅の豚

Pom Poko / 平成狸合戦ぽんぽこ

Whisper of the Heart / 耳をすませば

Princess Mononoke / もののけ姫

My Neighbors the Yamadas / ホーホケキョとなりの山田くん

Spirited Away / 千と千尋の神隠し

The Cat Returns / 猫の恩返し

Howl's Moving Castle / ハウルの動く城

Tales from Earthsea / ゲド戦記

Ponyo / 崖の上のポニョ

Arrietty / Arrietty the Borrower / 借りぐらしのアリエッティ

From Up on Poppy Hill / コクリコ坂から

The Wind Rises / 風立ちぬ

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya / かぐや姫の物語

When Marnie Was There / 思い出のマーニー

The Boy and the Heron / 君たちはどう生きるか

Ocean Waves / I Can Hear the Sea / 海がきこえる

Ronja, the Robber's Daughter / 山賊の娘ローニャ

01. / 02. / 03. / 04. / 05. / 06. / 07. / 08. / 09. / 10. / 11. / 12.

Earwig and the Witch / アーヤと魔女

[astayara]

Таэко из аниме-фильма «Ещё вчера» (режиссёр Исао Такахата, 1991)

[lecv140291]

Omoide Poroporo (Película) + 1 versión

[naokorganic]

気持ちはスペインバルセロナから、インドへと移行しつつありますが🌿🌿 今日、急に父から送られてきたLINEに貼り付けられたのは、６歳の時の私と、若かりし頃の母。 スペインはトレドあたりでの記念皿だそうですが、、 どう見ても男の子じゃ？！？！🤣 というわけで面白がって、男の子みたいじゃない？とパートナーに送りましたら、 『元々そうだったのかもね？！』という意味深な返事🥹🎉爆 そーねそーね。。 元々男の子みたいだったから、女の子みたいな人と付き合うのかもね？！？！🎎✨✨ まぁ、結果オーライでなんでも良し👌✨ 昔の記念皿を見つけてくれてありがとう父よ。母は若くて綺麗だったねww😆🙌 #harmonywithearth #ハーモニーウィズアース #毛利奈緒子 #ホリスティック思考 #おもひでぽろぽろ (Organic Healing Salon& Atelier『Harmony with Earth』Naoko Mohri) https://www.instagram.com/p/Co_zkw4Og7n/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[seymourmusicclub]

[alecsv]

[sesameandsalt]

感想

観た…オラは見た。

とんでもねえ物語をオラはみてしまった

もうだめだ、自分の中でとどめてはおけない。時は来た…我が家にもあの。噂の、アンソロがやってきたのだ

（こんな辺境の地を先に見る人絶対居ないと思うが、なんせ奇跡の作品。500万が１、次元の歪みが起こるという危惧をも想定。）

この先

ドラゴンボール地上げ屋アンソロジー😇の 「"Happy ３１８ day”」のネタバレが全体的に含まれますので 未読の方は、絶対にみないでください。 CAUTION！ If you have not read the cartoon Saiyan Anthology"Happy ３１８ day"ｂｙ Supobi, do not read the rest of this article.

祝！SUPOBI・紙・媒体！！！！！⭐️✨🙏🙏🙏🙏✨👏👏🙌🙌🙌✨⭐️

I’mSUPOBIの紙媒体コレクターマン（買うよ～←ダフ屋？！←WBCの東京ドームで声かけられた） ssssssssssssssssssss SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSAIKOU!!!!!!! SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSUPOBI!!!!!!!!⭐️✨⭐️✨😭⭐️✨⭐️

人類に告ぐ

人よ忘れるな

これが、 ドラゴンボールのサイヤ文化を千代に八千代に遺した御仁なのだ

スカウターを スマホのように扱うのスポビさんが人類初だからね？！ ↑これに始まる、 スポビさまのサイヤ風俗史観 公式も影響受けてるから、みんな見慣れてて気が付かんかもしれんけど （自然すぎて気が付かないつうのも、すげーことなんだよ！！！）

スポビ発やねんまじで！

当時・・・ なんでそうリアルな描写が次つぎにpobiちゃまから編み出されていたのかなと改めて考えてみて スポビさまは、世界観に誰よりも深く入り込んでいたから。 自然と、スカウターならこういうふうに扱ったんだとか、そういう思いに至ったのだろうと

誰よりもコンテンツを愛するこころ 正しいファンアートのありかたを学んだ

一言で言うと感銘を受けた 歴史があるんだ… でさーーーーーーーーー

もうね…読み終わった後、 「・・・なに、この話… なに、なに、なんなん… ヤバい、ヤバいヤバいって！！！」 叫んでしまったもんそれから 毎日毎日 この話ヤバくね？？？　って改めて言ってる あと…こんな高クォリティ読んだ後にとてもじゃないが 絵で上手く書けないからよ… 文章で描きますが、稀代の猫好きとしてpobi'sコゲちゃん！（タマ）におどれえた 顔があの顔なのに身体が、動きがちょうリアル猫だった　クッソかわいかったどの猫漫画よりも 音が聞こえた（持って、おろして　トン　みたいな） 猫、箱、かぎに来るよねーーーーーｯｯ 💕🐈 😭😂🤣 ナッパかっけーーーーEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ほんとにほんとにカッコいい pobi'sナッパ くそかっけーラディッツと 超かっけーベジータ王子とのリアル男同士の会話を見よ！！！ pobiちゃまのパパ王見られて嬉しいよ～～～ ほんとにほんとに嬉しいな筆舌にしがたいとはこのことだ いやーすげー漫画だった… まさか３１８の日をテーマに、 描かれるなんてなあ…泣ける　  ごちそうの中に宇宙カニ🦀いた…😂🤣 いつも思うが、 こんな漫画見たことない。。🎶✨🎸🎹✨けど感銘が別格だよ… pobiさまのサイヤが My wayなんだよ 俺ぁ サイヤと Coolで面白くて、やさしい supobiを愛してんだよ　 もう思い残すこたあない… ・・・・感謝、宝物にします。  VIVA・HAPPYサイヤの日！！！！ 🎂🍰３🍰１８🍰💕

[straycatj]

かれんだできたのです

My calendar has just published!

家主はさいしょ　おみせから100％おふしたかったみたいですが

50円いじょうおしはらいがひつようらしく

いつもどおり　だうんろーどしてください

（おみせ　くーぽんstraycatjで　50円でかえるです

　オレのオヤツ代おしはらいしてくれる人いたら

　おみせからよろしくなのです）

My landlady planned to discount 100% on her store but that store system needs pay more than 50yen, so you can download as same as usual!(But you can DL it 50yen from her store with coupon code "straycatj" if you thankdfully pay for my yummy treats…

DL(toJan4th in JST)

[addictivecontradiction]

おもひでぽろぽろ, 1991

[videoclubs]

ONLY YESTERDAY ‘おもひでぽろぽろ’ dir. Isao Takahata 

[demoncity]

Only Yesterday おもひでぽろぽろ 1991 | dir. Isao Takahata

[animations-daily]

ONLY YESTERDAY ‘おもひでぽろぽろ’ dir. Isao Takahata