Yasuji Murata's Monkey and the Crabs

"Yasuji Murata's Monkey and the Crabs" is the 18th film in the Athena Film Library series, produced by Yokohama Cinema Shokai. Released in both 35mm and 16mm formats, the surviving print is a 16mm version from Konishiroku Honten. This animation marks Yasuji Murata's first animated work. The film's imagery, particularly the crabs and a mortar, draws inspiration from Sengai Igawa's picture book, "Monkey and the Crabs" (1937). The existing version is believed to be a shortened adaptation, potentially omitting the opening scene where a greedy monkey deceives a crab. The core narrative likely revolves around the ensuing conflict.