Unacknowledged Virtue of The Last Unicorn: 3 Synopsis, Storyboards and Synchronicity continued

In addition to exploring the identity of this synopsis, it seems necessary to deepen our consideration of the specific production process through interviews with the staff involved in the production of each scene.

The white unicorn lived in a forest of lilacs. Even though she was very old, she was as beautiful as a fairy maiden.
Unicorns are immortal, but she didn’t have a single companion. Immortal unicorns cannot die. But she thought of herself as “the last unicorn.”


The starting part of the synopsis. The part where the unicorn recognizes herself as “the last unicorn” from the beginning is also a different description from both the original and the finished anime. It does not seem to be a translation mistake from the original novel, and it is a passage that reminds us of the existence of a “deviant” work. There are some more examples of this kind. (note)

note:
Assuming a matrix notation that lists all the possible aspects of manifestations of archetype, including every contradiction, before they converge to a single phase through a phenomenalization process, a multidimensional chart reflecting the myriad attribute axes and deviations is assumed to be shown in the mandala representation. Targeting fictional characters such as Hatsune Miku, the author explored an attempt to integrate exhaustive possible modes of phenomenal expression and unrevealed latencies as a list of variant and isomorphic forms as a possibility of matrix description in the study of subculture, Existence, Phenomenon and Personality: Individuality in Figurines, Anime, Game; Bokka-sha, (2014). The idea of describing individual beings in relation to the totality of the universe in order to understand the nature of wholeness exemplifies the philosophical understanding of the ancient symbolic philosophy that leads to the magic principle introduced in The Last Unicorn.


In this synopsis, the unicorn is aware from the beginning that she is “the last unicorn”, and it is only after overhearing the conversation of the hunters that she begins to expect the existence of other unicorns besides herself. It is a completely different story development from both the original and the finished Rankin Bass anime.
One of the most interesting parts of the anime The Last Unicorn’s presentation is that the scene the unicorn encounters a butterfly is changed to the forest before she started her journey. The butterfly wanders into her forest. In the original novel, it is after the unicorn decided to leave her forest to find her friends, that she encounters the butterfly on her journey. In the development of the anime version, it can be interpreted that the fluctuation in the unicorn’s own mind was depicted as shadow which assumed the form of a butterfly. However, the appearance of the butterfly in the synopsis is after the unicorn leaves the forest, as described in the original novel.

On the other hand, in the storyboards the butterfly’s appearance is altered and it is before the unicorn started her journey to find her lost people. Until now, the author assumed that the subtle change in this section reflected the development of Peter S. Beagle’s understanding of the content of his own work 12 years after the original novel was published, but it is not ascertained yet. (note)

note:
In the author’s research book A Study of the Animated Film The Last Unicorn; Bokka-sha, (2012), attempts are made to extract the latent semantic axis in the anime’s visual expression through detailed contrasts between the dialogue developed in the anime and the description of the original novel. One of the most striking elements that differed from the original description was the arrangement of the encounter scene with the butterfly.


Topcraft staff basically did not read the detailed description of the original novel, and none of the instructions from the original author or Rankin Bass were found on this part, according to previous interviews. I am once again interested in what kind of unknown materials will emerge in the future, and what possibilities of interpretation and consideration may be procured on the manifestation modes of fictional identity.
Meeting scene with the witch Mommy Fortuna and her capturing of the unicorn are also differently described in the synopsis. The finished version of the anime is faithful to the original and quite natural. However, in this synopsis, changes have been made in such a way as to spoil the unique impression of the unicorn that was deliberately told through elaborate descriptions in the original work.

She pleads to Mommy Fortuna, “I must go to find the Red Bull, please leave me…”


This is an incongruous scene that is clearly different from what can be understood as the digest of the original work. It gives a strong impression of a simplified storyline of an existing video work, but it is difficult to judge without testimony. One notices some descriptions that are slightly different from either the original or the finished anime, but many of them are considered undesirable modifications.
The original author Peter S. Beagle himself took charge of the scenario of the Rankin Bass anime, and although there are drastic omissions, many of the elaborate expressions are left as they are in the original novel. Overall, the finished version of the anime is very faithful to the original work. And in the parts of the visual description that are free from the constraints of the scenario, excellent expressions are achieved that can be understood as a kind of phase shift of the latent theme of the original story.

The Midnight Carnival episode also ends in a distinctly different version.

The unicorn rescues the other caged animals one after another. However, these animals jump on Mommy Fortuna they hold a grudge against. In the meantime, the unicorn and Schmendrick escape.


As stated in the synopsis notice, Mommy Fortuna’s last moment is brought about by the revenge of the animals that escaped from their cages. In the original story and the finished anime faithful to it, the scene of the Harpy’s revenge murder is depicted, but this episode has been entirely deleted in the synopsis. It is very impressive that the Rankin Bass anime presents this scene without avoiding elements of horror and grotesque. The storyboards show Mommy Fortuna accepting the Harpy’s attack as if she were welcoming her vengeance. In the finished anime, the crow breaks away from Mommy Fortuna’s hat just before the Harpy’s attack and writhes in the corner of the screen, as if implying the death of the witch under the wings of the harpy who takes brutal revenge. This scene, which is not reflected in the dialogue of the scenario, seems to have been inserted by Topcraft, achieving a unique visual expression.