A Sumo Wrestler's Tail
ちゅうずもう
A Sumo Wrestler's Tail
ちゅうずもう
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What this film brings
Content barometer
Violence
1/5
Mild
Fear
1/5
Mild
Sexuality
0/5
None
Language
0/5
None
Narrative complexity
0/5
Simple
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
This Japanese animated short has a gentle, folkloric atmosphere, following an elderly farming couple and a group of mice involved in playful sumo matches. The main sensitive material comes from the wrestling scenes, where the mice are pushed, knocked over, or briefly embarrassed by stronger opponents, yet nothing is graphic and there are no visible injuries. The intensity is very low and these moments are not overwhelming, because the story focuses much more on whimsy, encouragement, and the amusing idea of helping the mice improve. Most children around age 4 should be comfortable with it, although very sensitive viewers might notice the repeated losses or feel a little uneasy about animals secretly living inside the home. Parents can support the viewing by framing the matches as comic sport and by highlighting the film's messages about kindness, perseverance, and caring for smaller, weaker characters.
Synopsis
Chu Zumo is the story of an old farmer who discovers a group of rats heading to a sumo wrestling bout. After they lose miserably he decides to feed the rats to boost their chances of winning.
Difficult scenes
The sumo matches show mice pushing each other and being knocked down in a competitive setting. These scenes stay very stylized and light, yet a young child could still react to the smaller mice losing repeatedly against larger opponents. Early in the story, the farmer notices the mice at night and follows them to their secret activity. The mood is not truly scary, but the nighttime setting may create mild suspense for children who are sensitive to quiet darkness or to small animals appearing unexpectedly.
Where to watch
No verified platform for the US market yet. We keep this section updated as availability changes.
Availability checked on Apr 01, 2026
About this title
- Format
- Short film
- Year
- 2010
- Runtime
- 13m
- Countries
- Japan
- Original language
- JA
- Directed by
- Akihiko Yamashita
- Main cast
- Sawako Agawa
- Studios
- Studio Ghibli
Content barometer
Violence
1/5
Mild
Fear
1/5
Mild
Sexuality
0/5
None
Language
0/5
None
Narrative complexity
0/5
Simple
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
This Japanese animated short has a gentle, folkloric atmosphere, following an elderly farming couple and a group of mice involved in playful sumo matches. The main sensitive material comes from the wrestling scenes, where the mice are pushed, knocked over, or briefly embarrassed by stronger opponents, yet nothing is graphic and there are no visible injuries. The intensity is very low and these moments are not overwhelming, because the story focuses much more on whimsy, encouragement, and the amusing idea of helping the mice improve. Most children around age 4 should be comfortable with it, although very sensitive viewers might notice the repeated losses or feel a little uneasy about animals secretly living inside the home. Parents can support the viewing by framing the matches as comic sport and by highlighting the film's messages about kindness, perseverance, and caring for smaller, weaker characters.
Synopsis
Chu Zumo is the story of an old farmer who discovers a group of rats heading to a sumo wrestling bout. After they lose miserably he decides to feed the rats to boost their chances of winning.
Difficult scenes
The sumo matches show mice pushing each other and being knocked down in a competitive setting. These scenes stay very stylized and light, yet a young child could still react to the smaller mice losing repeatedly against larger opponents. Early in the story, the farmer notices the mice at night and follows them to their secret activity. The mood is not truly scary, but the nighttime setting may create mild suspense for children who are sensitive to quiet darkness or to small animals appearing unexpectedly.