The Tale of The Princess Kaguya - Characters & Cast

Her primary motivation is to live a life of freedom and authenticity, connected to nature and the people she loves. She resists being objectified or defined by others' expectations, whether from her father, her suitors, or society at large. She longs for the simple happiness she knew as a child.

Kaguya begins as a joyful, free-spirited child of nature, full of life and wonder. When forced into the role of a noblewoman, her spirit is gradually crushed by the rigid expectations and materialism of the capital. She struggles to please her beloved father while yearning for her lost freedom. Her journey is one of increasing sorrow and isolation, leading her to realize the profound value of the simple life she was forced to abandon. Ultimately, she accepts her celestial destiny with a heart full of love and regret for the world she must leave behind.

He is motivated by a deep, albeit misguided, love for Kaguya. He genuinely believes that making her a princess and marrying her to a powerful lord will secure her happiness and fulfill her divine destiny. He is also driven by the societal belief that wealth and status are the ultimate goals.

The Bamboo Cutter starts as a simple, loving father. Upon finding gold, he becomes convinced that Kaguya is destined for greatness and that it is his duty to provide her with a life of nobility. His love for her becomes entangled with his own ambition and a misguided understanding of happiness. He forces a life upon her that makes her miserable, and by the time he realizes his grave mistake, it is too late. His arc is a tragic one, from a humble father to a man who, through love and ignorance, destroys his daughter's happiness.

Her motivation is simple and pure: Kaguya's well-being and happiness. She is not concerned with status or wealth, but with nurturing the child she loves. She advocates for a simpler, more emotionally fulfilling life for her daughter.

The wife provides a constant source of unconditional love and maternal warmth for Kaguya. Unlike her husband, she is more attuned to Kaguya's emotional needs and is skeptical of the move to the capital. While she is often passive and unable to prevent her husband's decisions, her empathy and quiet support are Kaguya's main source of comfort within the stifling mansion. Her arc is less about change and more about being the emotional anchor in a turbulent story.

Sutemaru is motivated by his love for Kaguya and his connection to their shared home and way of life. He represents a path not taken, a life of simple, earthly happiness that Kaguya was denied.

Sutemaru is Kaguya's childhood friend and first love, representing the joyful, free life she was forced to leave behind. He is a strong and kind presence in her early life. When they reunite years later, their connection is still powerful. Their magical flight together is a moment of pure, unadulterated freedom and joy, a glimpse of the life they could have had. However, he is now married with a child, and their reunion only serves to emphasize the tragedy of what has been lost.