May 7, 2022

It might be surprising to learn the company behind Hello Kitty once branched out into dramatic filmmaking. And early into this short-lived venture, Sanrio produced one of its most notable films to date. Masami Hata’s 1978 adaptation of Takashi Yanase’s Ringing Bell (Chirin no suzu) found its way to the U.S. in the early ‘80s thanks to RCA/Columbia Pictures...