Abstract
In the 1970s, short children's films produced by Toei Educational Films were shown in Japanese
elementary schools as part of moral education. Makio's Solo Journey , directed by Takejiro ONISHI, was
one such film. I was deeply impressed when I saw it in the school gymnasium as a fourth-grade student.
Toei's educational films are available only on 16mm reels in a few libraries across Japan and have never
been released on DVD or Blu-ray. As a result, they are difficult to access today and have become “phantom
films” that exist only in the memories of those who saw them in the past. Fortunately, a few years ago, I
came across a rare handwritten screenplay at a used bookstore in Tokyo.
The original novel, Makio's Solo Journey (1973) by Haruko SHOGENJI (1914-2015), is widely
recognized as a masterpiece of children's literature. During spring break, Makio, a shy elementary school
student from Nagoya, visits his aunt's house in Tokyo. Due to the sudden illness of her baby, he ends up
staying home with 5-year-old Chiaki.
How does the film depict this five-day adventure? This article compares the film’s script with the
original novel to reveal how the 35-minute film movingly captures Makio's emotional and personal growth.
