"Chirin couldnt understand what his mother had done to deserve dying at the hands of the Wolf King. What did any of the sheep do for that matter? But the Wolf still came and the sheep still died; helpless at the fangs of their enemy. Nature had been unfair to Chirin... and to his mother."
Ringing Bell is a 1978 Japanese animated film adaptation of the storybook of the same name written by Takashi Yanase, the creator of Anpanman. It is most notable by fans and critics as a family film which makes a sharp, sudden turn into a dark and violent story that criticizes and reflects upon the theme of revenge and war.
"When we are young, we dont know a lot of things. But the small amount of knowledge we do possess makes us happy. Knowing our home, our friends, how to get places, and maybe how to get back. The world is a strange new place; a great puzzle. Sights, sounds, and smells are its pieces. We see things we know nothing about; things that surprise us, and sometimes sadden us. But as we explore and grow, the time comes when we learn; we learn about the world and we grow older."
Ringing Bell"Our young friends name is Chirin. He has more energy than all the other lambs in the pasture put together. He wears a ringing bell around his neck, and although Chirin likes the sound, it is there to help his Mother find him if he gets lost... or fall if he doesnt watch where he is going."
Ringing Bell"Chirin tried to tell the frightened sheep that he had once lived with in the meadow, but no one believed him. The creature they saw before them was not one of their kind. Chirin was neither wolf nor sheep, he was an animal which only caused fear and terror. He wouldnt find a home again with the sheep of his childhood; and without the Wolf, Chirin realized he had no home at all."
Ringing Bell"To turn out like this is the fate of every wolf. I always knew I would die in some feud, at the hands of someone stronger. But Im glad that the one who did it was you."
Ringing Bell"[final lines] The Snow fell for days without letting up, covering the ground with a smooth white blanket. Whatever happened on that mountain, whatever happened in that meadow, was covered up without a trace to remind those who had witnessed it. And later, some claimed to remember Chirin as a lamb, others said he was a spirit from the mountain. But they were too wrapped up with their own lives to worry about it for long. And one night during a terrible blizzard, the gentle sound of a bell was heard. But the sheep in the meadow never saw Chirin again."
Ringing Bell