Magic Candies
{{Short description|Animated short film}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Magic Candies
| image = Magic_Candies_Film_Poster.jpg
| director = Daisuke Nishio
| writer = Baek Hee-na
| producer = Takashi Washio
| starring =
| editing =
| music = Naoki Sato
| studio = Toei Animation
| distributor =
| released =
| runtime = 21 minutes
| country = Japan
| language = Japanese
}}
Magic Candies is a 2024 Japanese animated short film directed by Daisuke Nishio, written by Baek Hee-na and produced by Japanese animation studio Toei Animation.{{Cite web |date=2024-09-24 |title=백희나 작가 원작 애니메이션 '알사탕' 한국어판 부국제에서 첫 선 |url=https://enews.imbc.com/News/RetrieveNewsInfo/431178 |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=iMBC 연예 |language=ko}} The story is inspired by the Korean picture book Magic Candies.{{Cite web |last1=critic |first1=Jackson MurphyJackson Murphy is a movie |last2=Lights-Camera-Jackson.com |first2=entertainment columnist He is the creator of the website |last3=Television |first3=Has Made Numerous Appearances on |last4=radio. |date=2025-01-09 |title=INTERVIEW: A Taste Of "Magic Candies" |url=https://www.animationscoop.com/interview-a-taste-of-magic-candies/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Animation Scoop |language=en-US}} The 21-minute film took four years to complete.{{Cite web |last=Zahed |first=Ramin |date=2025-01-10 |title='Magic Candies' Producer Takashi Washio Shares the Sweet Surprises of His Oscar-Shortlisted Short |url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/2025/01/magic-candies-producer-takashi-washio-shares-the-sweet-surprises-of-his-oscar-shortlisted-short/ |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Animation Magazine |language=en-US}} It premiered at the 2024 New York International Children's Film Festival{{Cite web |last=Kopian |first=Steve |title=Magic Candies/ Klutzy Witch Double Feature at NYICFF 2024 |url=http://www.unseenfilms.net/2024/03/magic-candies-klutzy-witch-double.html |access-date=2025-01-03 |language=en}} and has received several nominations and awards, including a nomination for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2024 AFI Fest{{Cite web |title=MAGIC CANDIES {{!}} AFI FEST |url=https://fest.afi.com/2024/short-film-competition-2024/magic-candies/ |access-date=2025-01-03 |language=en}} and a nomination for the Best Short Film award at the London Film Festival.{{Cite news |title=Short Film Competition {{!}} BFI London Film Festival 2024 |url=https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/lff/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=short-film-competition |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240912095114/https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/lff/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=short-film-competition |archive-date=2024-09-12 |access-date=2025-01-03 |work=BFI London Film Festival 2024 |language=en}} On January 23, 2025, Magic Candies was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Animated Short Film category, marking the first Toei film to achieve that honor.{{cite web | url=https://deadline.com/2025/01/2025-oscars-nominations-list-1236264399/ | title=Oscar Nominations: 'Emilia Pérez' Leads with 13; 'The Brutalist' and 'Wicked' Score 10 Apiece in Wide-Open Race | date=23 January 2025 }}
Plot
Dong-Dong is a young, friendless boy who enjoys playing with marbles. While trying to purchase more, he instead buys round candies, and samples them when he gets home.
The first, patterned like the couch in the family home, allows him to actually speak to the couch, but only as long as the candy is in his mouth. The couch asks him to retrieve the remote from its side, and requests that he tell his father to stop farting on it so much. Shocked, Dong-Dong agrees, and shortly after, the candy melts away, leaving the couch inanimate once more.
Realizing that the candies are magic, Dong-Dong tries the next, which is the pattern of his dog, Gusuri. He asks why Gusuri no longer likes playing with him, and Gusuri explains that he's now an older dog, and prefers quieter activities. Gusuri assures Dong-Dong that he loves him, as Dong-Dong comforted him when he was a puppy and takes good care of him. After they play together like old times, Gusuri uses their last moments of communication to urge Dong-Dong to make friends and not worry about him.
Dong-Dong's dad then arrives home. He is a strict father, having many rules and expectations for his son. Dong-Dong, annoyed at his overbearing nature, eats a candy while in bed, which is revealed to be connected to his father. He hears his father's affectionate, loving thoughts towards him, and Dong-Dong gets up to hug him, appreciating and reciprocating his feelings.
As Dong-Dong does his homework the next day, he tries his next candy, which is revealed to be bubblegum. The bubble floats out of the window, and returns with the voice of his late grandmother. His grandmother assures him that she's having fun in the afterlife, meeting her old friends and watching over him. Like Gusuri, she urges him to make friends of his own. Dong-Dong happily saves the gum under the desk, pleased that he can speak to his grandmother whenever he likes.
The next piece of candy leads him outside, where he hears the voices of leaves happily wishing each other good-bye as they fall from the trees. As he finishes the candy, Dong-Dong notices a boy his age watching him. The final piece of candy is clear and flavorless, and Dong-Dong decides to create his own voice for it, asking the other boy if he wants to play. The boy agrees, and they become good friends.
Reception
References
External links
- [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31888603/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_4_nm_2_in_0_q_magic%2520candies Magic Candies] at IMDb
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzofxljh-rw Magic Candies Trailer] on [https://www.youtube.com YouTube]
Category:2024 animated short films
Category:Japanese animated short films