Ambiguous Situation: The bulk of the story is one big Mind Screw so it goes without saying that what is or isn't 'real' can be left up to interpretation.The director also added the blind conductor to the story. Adaptation Distillation: Some things in the book Miyazawa didn't specify, so Gisaburo had to use his imagination.Contrast with The Life of Guskou Budori, another adaptation of Miyazawa's book, also by Gisaburoo. Not to be confused with Galaxy Express 999.Ĭompare One Stormy Night, an animated film adaptation of a children's book also directed by Gisaburoo. A 2011 play in English by the University of Massachusetts.A 2004 musical by the Warabiza performing arts company.A theatrical sketch in a 2002 play consisting of Kenji's works, written by Yutaka Narui.A 1986 theatrical drama by Sou Kitamura, titled Sou Kou: Ginga Tetsudou no Yoru (想稿・銀河鉄道の夜).A 1985 animated film directed by Gisaburoo Sugii.Four drafts are known to exist, of which the last one is the best-known. The original novel by Miyazawa Kenji, published posthumously in 1934.But not anymore! Discotek Media has announced a DVD and Blu-ray release for 2015. There was a decent English dub released in 2001 starring Veronica Taylor and Crispin Freeman, but was out-of-print for a while, and the DVD was nigh-impossible to find for less than 70 USD. All signs and 'chapter titles' in the film are also in Esperanto. Also, to honor Miyazawa's love for Esperanto the film was alternatively named Nokto de la Galaksia Fervojo. The 1985 film changes all but a few characters from humans to anthropomorphic cats, apparently, to honor the author's belief in reincarnation. The train in question is traveling along The Milky Way, heading for an unknown destination. His best friend Campanella happens to be riding with him in the same car. and suddenly finds himself aboard a magical train. Night on the Galactic Railroad is a Mind Screw tale peppered with a good bit of religious symbolism, but it's that special kind of Mind Screw - the kind where you can actually understand things if you give them a good bit of thought.Ī boy named Giovanni, while going to get milk for his mother, decides to take a rest under the starry sky.

Considered a classic in Japan, it has since been adapted into an animated film and numerous stage plays. Night on the Galactic Railroad (銀河鉄道の夜, romanised Ginga Tetsudou no Yoru) is a 1927 novel by Japanese children's book author Kenji Miyazawa.

Night on the galactic railroad story