Feb. 08, 2014|Japan|120 Min.|Not Rated
Genre: Animation;Drama;History
Description: **Buddha 2: The Endless Journey (2014)**
**Storyline:**
Set 2,500 years ago in India, the film follows Siddhartha, a prince of the Shakya clan. He abandons his royal life to explore the world and understand its truths. Along his journey, he encounters Assaji, a mysterious boy with the ability to predict the future, a one-eyed monk, and Depa. Siddhartha is deeply affected by the widespread suffering he witnesses. Meanwhile, Prince Ruri of Kosara launches an attack on the Shakya clan, adding to the turmoil.
This is the second installment in the Buddha series by Tezuka Productions. Unfortunately, the film significantly condenses the source material, stripping away 90% of the original plot and cramming the remaining narrative into a 90-minute runtime. This approach removes the depth, solemnity, and context of the story, replacing Tezuka’s iconic art style with generic anime visuals.
The adaptation falls short in multiple ways. Characters appear abruptly, and some animated sequences are poorly executed, to the point of being unintentionally comical. There’s even a segment that feels disconnected from the rest of the film. Overall, these movies fail as an introduction to Buddha’s life story and do not serve as a suitable replacement for the original manga.
The essential purpose of an adaptation is either to offer an alternative to the source material or to provide a new experience that the original could not achieve. This film does neither. It simplifies the story, omits crucial details, and only covers about half of the manga’s content, focusing solely on the most basic plot points.
**Review Summary:**
The *Buddha 2: The Endless Journey* adaptation is a disappointing representation of Tezuka’s work. It lacks the depth and artistry of the original manga and fails to engage audiences with its rushed storytelling and generic visuals. For those interested in Buddha’s life, this film is far from an ideal choice.
Cast director: Toshiaki Komura
Cast actor: Hidetaka Yoshioka, Kanako Toujou, Hiromasa Taguchi, Keiji Fujiwara, Yoko Maki, Sayuri Yoshinaga, Kenichi Matsuyama
Original name: BUDDHA 2 手塚治虫のブッダ -終わりなき旅-