A Thousand and One Nights (1969 film)

In 1969, Mushi Production launched its adult-oriented Animerama trilogy with *A Thousand and One Nights*, a fantasy film directed by Eiichi Yamamoto and originally conceived by Osamu Tezuka. The trilogy continued with *Cleopatra* (1970) and *Belladonna of Sadness* (1973). Domestically, the film performed well, earning ¥290 million in box-office revenue, but it saw little attention beyond Japan, receiving only a limited release in the United States.

The plot follows Aldin, a poor water seller who rescues a slave woman named Miriam from an auction in Baghdad. After they hide and have sex in a mansion, the owner, Shalieman, locks them in. Meanwhile, Badli, the chief of police’s right-hand man, rapes Madia, the daughter of the forty thieves’ leader. Havasalakum, the police chief’s son, captures Miriam, and Badli murders Shalieman. Aldin is tortured and imprisoned for the murder, while Miriam dies in childbirth. A year later, Aldin is freed and spares Badli in the desert. He discovers the thieves’ treasure cave, where Madia initially threatens him but later agrees to travel with him. They fly on a magic wooden horse, are drowned by living hair, and wash ashore on Lotus Island. There, Aldin has sex with sirens, but their queen, Lamia, transforms into a serpent, and he flees. After surviving a man-eating giant, he acquires a magical ship. Fifteen years later, Aldin returns to Baghdad, wins a competition to become king, and tries to force Princess Jalis—Miriam’s daughter—to marry him. She loves a shepherd named Aslan. Facing a revolt, Aldin abdicates and chooses to wander as a poor man again.

The English dub, recorded in Italy and cut to 100 minutes, was considered lost until Discotek Media restored it and released it on Blu-ray alongside the original Japanese version on November 24, 2020. The film predates *Fritz the Cat*, the first American X-rated animated film, by three years.

Osamu Tezuka conceived the Animerama series to prove that animation could appeal to all ages and interests worldwide, countering its reputation as children’s entertainment. Alongside erotic themes, the films mixed traditional animation with experimental sequences, limited animation, and still paintings influenced by the UPA style and Yōji Kuri. The main character was modeled on French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo, and the soundtrack included rock music by The Helpful Soul, with additional c