Abstract:

"This filmmaker apparently believes a young audience needs a gimmick to excite attention and imagination. To arouse the adventure-loving spirit in all of us, the mechanism here is a day in the life of a boy Ito whose kite roams the sky seeing vistas beyond earth-bound ken. We see a kite's-eye view of the countryside while Ito guides us through rice fields and tea orchards past fishermen and on the local train for a trip to the city. Back in the country, Ito looks up; seeing a plane, he wonders about the larger world he lives in. Rich in information, though slightly dated."