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One day, the lonely woodworker Gepetto fetches a log and carves it into the shape of a boy; he names it Pinocchio and promises to treat it as his own son. Gepetto's wish soon comes true when a fairy turns Pinocchio into a boy - albeit still in his wooden form - and gives a cricket the power to speak in order to keep track of the newly-created child. Pinocchio wants badly to become a real boy by whatever means necessary, often becoming selfish in the process and leaving his fairy benefactor to punish him by turning parts of his body into trees. In addition, the townsfolk take advantage of Pinocchio's naivety at near every turn, selling him as a talking tree, kidnapping and forcing him to perform as a circus freak, and tricking him into giving up his money - amongst other things. Can Pinocchio survive these harsh lessons and become a real boy?
As a child, Chirin the lamb is taught by his loving mother to be wary of leaving their pasture; wolves and other predators are a constant threat, though the naïve Chirin believes they would never eat his kind. But when a wolf breaches the perimeter and kills his mother while she protects him, Chirin decides he must do the unthinkable: find the wolf and demand that he trains Chirin to be strong. Chirin must undergo rigorous conditions and be the very thing that he despises so that he may have his revenge, but will he lose himself in the process?
Chirin no Suzu and Kashi ni are two tales for kids that ABSOLUTELY AREN'T FOR KIDS, being cautionary tales with a violent, sadistic edge. If you liked one I'd definitely try out the other.
Produced consecutively by Tatsunoko Pro, these two titles are both quite similar - though not overtly. While about two entirely different subjects, both appear at glance to be children's titles, while in reality the main character is subjected to bullying and cruel situations on a regular basis. The tone of one is definitely like the other.
Palme is a robot crafted from the wood of a rare tree; though he isn't a real boy, he wants nothing more than to please Xian, the wife of his master. Upon the eve of her death, Palme ceases to function, until one night he is brought an egg from a mysterious woman. "The Egg of Touto must be returned to Soma," she says, and vanishes into the night. Now, with the help of newfound friends and allies, he must travel to The Below to return the treasure, before those who would steal it destroy both him and his companions.
A Tree of Palme and Kashi no Ki Mokku are extremely similar, telling their own dark and melancholy tales of Pinocchio. Both are definitely not meant for children even though they appear to be, and portray a less than perfect protagonist. If you liked one you'd definitely like the other.
