Buddha: The Great Departure

Set in ancient India, this story follows Siddhartha, a prince of the Shakya kingdom. While his father attempts to train him as a warrior and shield him from hardship, Siddhartha encounters a girl named Migaila, leading him to discover love and the reality of human suffering. He begins to question the rigid caste system and the nature of existence. Simultaneously, a man named Chapra rises from humble beginnings to become a general in the opposing Kosala army. The escalating conflict between these two kingdoms eventually forces Siddhartha to re-evaluate his life and seek a spiritual path.

Directed by Kouzou Morishita, this animated historical drama is the fifth film in the director's chronological career, following his earlier work such as Call of the Wild: Howl, Buck and Saint Seiya: Evil Goddess Eris. The film was produced by Toei Animation, Toei Company, Warner Bros. Japan, and Yomiuri Shimbun Company, with a screenplay by Reiko Yoshida. The voice cast features Hidetaka Yoshioka as Siddhartha Gotama and Masato Sakai as Chapra, with narration provided by Sayuri Yoshinaga.

The film has received generally positive responses from viewers, holding a 7.5 rating on TMDB based on 76 votes and a 6.3 rating on IMDb from 554 votes.