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Atama-yama

  • 20022002
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 10m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
1.5K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • IMDbPro
Atama-yama (2002)
  • Animation
  • Comedy
  • Fantasy
A sad rakugo of a stingy old man experiencing the unforeseen consequences of eating a few cherries whole, without throwing the pits away.A sad rakugo of a stingy old man experiencing the unforeseen consequences of eating a few cherries whole, without throwing the pits away.A sad rakugo of a stingy old man experiencing the unforeseen consequences of eating a few cherries whole, without throwing the pits away.
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
1.5K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Koji Yamamura
  • Writer
    • Shôji Yonemura(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Takeharu Kunimoto(voice)
    • Bruno Metzger(voice)
Top credits
  • Director
    • Koji Yamamura
  • Writer
    • Shôji Yonemura(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Takeharu Kunimoto(voice)
    • Bruno Metzger(voice)
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 18User reviews
    • 5Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 5 wins & 1 nomination total

    Photos7

    Atama-yama (2002)
    Fait d'hiver (2001)
    Office Space (1992)
    Atama-yama (2002)
    Atama-yama (2002)
    Atama-yama (2002)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Takeharu Kunimoto
    • Narratoras Narrator
    • (voice)
    Bruno Metzger
      • Director
        • Koji Yamamura
      • Writer
        • Shôji Yonemura(screenplay)
      • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
      • All cast & crew

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      Storyline

      Edit
      Accompanied by a shamisen, a masterful storyteller verses his lyric and sad rakugo (a traditional form of Japanese verbal entertainment) of a stingy old man living in a squalid tiny apartment in Tokyo, who after scavenging a few cherries from the pavement, he eats them whole for fear of wasting the pits. Before long, a minuscule cherry tree sprouts unexpectedly atop his bulging head, and when all efforts to get rid of it are proven futile, he allows it to grow into a magnificent tree where people gather for hanami under its cherry blossoms. And then, when the hordes of men start being annoying, the desperate man takes a decision that will follow him for the rest of his life. —Nick Riganas
      • cherry blossom
      • pit
      • old man
      • scavenger
      • tree
      • 9 more
      • Plot summary
      • Add synopsis
      • Genres
        • Animation
        • Comedy
        • Fantasy
        • Short
      • Certificate
        • Not Rated
      • Parents guide

      Did you know

      Edit
      • Quotes

        Narrator: Finally, the man threw himself into his head pond.

        Narrator: and he died.

      • Connections
        Featured in The 75th Annual Academy Awards (2003)

      User reviews18

      Review
      Top review
      9/10
      Atama-yama is one wonderfully weird animated short from Japan
      I just discovered this animation artist from Japan, Koji Yamamura, from Amid on Cartoon Brew. One of Yamamura's animated shorts showcased there was this one as linked from YouTube, Atama-yama (Mt. Head), that was nominated for the Oscar as Best Animated Short for 2002. It tells how a man who chews cherry pits keeps having some leaves grow on top of his bald head that he frequently cuts off and saves in a jar. After a while, he lets the leaves grow into a tree but then people start hanging around on his head so he tears the tree off leaving a hole with water. As all this happens, a narrator tells what goes on in various pitches. This was such an interestingly weird short that I may watch it again to catch up on all the images. Yamamura is truly an artist among his country's animators. Uniquely funny especially with the way it all ended. So on that note, I highly recommend Atama-yama.
      helpful•2
      2
      • tavm
      • Jan 26, 2008

      Details

      Edit
      • Release date
        • January 2004 (United States)
      • Country of origin
        • Japan
      • Official site
        • Yamamura Animation
      • Language
        • Japanese
      • Also known as
        • Mount Head
      • Production company
        • Yamamura Animation
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Technical specs

      Edit
      • Runtime
        10 minutes
      • Color
        • Color
      • Sound mix
        • Dolby Digital
      • Aspect ratio
        • 1.37 : 1

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