5/5 Taro the Dragon Boy
  by Alex Fozzard
Great buy!! My niece and nephew loved this movie just as much as I did.

5/5 I Love This Movie!
  by R. Long (Kennett Square, PA USA)
I purchased this on a whim and was so glad I did. Yes, the animation isn't up to today's standards, but do you hate a Cab Callaway recording because he didn't have today's technology? I think not. The story is delightful and was enjoyed by all members of my household, age 4 to 40. Even the teens watched it several times. Taro has all the classic elements of the folk tale with plenty of surprises, little jokes and side stories along the way. It is definitely quirky and for those with an odd sense of humor.

5/5 lush and beautiful
  by echoes of empires (San Francisco, CA USA)
I happened across this dvd (w/original Japanese language) in a used record store and thought I'd give it a try - and boy, it's one of my favorite 'kids' movies' hands down (and I've seen so many!). It's based on a few traditional Japanese folk stories that are interwoven. I found the animation gorgeous and the story itself full of wonder, just very enchanting and beautiful, and the music complimented every scene. If you like folk and fairy tales, or simply beautiful and moving animation, this is great.

1/5 taro the dragon boy (disappointed)
  by J. Luke (UT)
It's an okay movie, the animation is ancient and looks terrible, at least compared with today's great anime such as Howls moving castle.

Story line: Taro is a boy who goes off in search of his mother which was turned into a dragon for her selfishness of eating all the fish on a mountain. In his journey he helps save the people by working hard and planting enough rice to feed everyone. He also saves his mother and helps build a village where everyone will have enough to eat.

What's wrong with the movie? A few nude scenes, which are kind of stupid since they have nothing to do with progressing the story; but it's not offensive. The character is annoying, at least the voice over is. The character design is inconsistent at best. The animals are not correct in their walking patterns or in their structure. They should have looked at Bambi to learn how to draw a deer. The story line has no main depth. The color choice is depressing at best. Dark gray colors for a watercolor background. I guess if you grew up with a movie like this you'd like it and wouldn't care what I said. But if your picky and like quality animation and story telling don't purchase Taro the boy dragon. If you want something great Purchase a Hayao Miyazaki movie such as Howl's moving castle, Spirited Away, The cat returns, Princess Mononoke, My neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service.

5/5 Fantastic Story
  by Cadance (Los Angeles)
It's a beautifully drawn Japanese story about a boy who learns how not to be selfish and decides to find his long lost mother with the help of animals, people and magic creatures he meets along his journey. Selfishness and it's consequences are the main focus of this movie, but it is also a story of love between a mother and child so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes when I first saw it in the movie theater at age 9. Today I am 36 and was thrilled to find it on DVD for my 4-year-old girl. Now we enjoy it together and she loves to teach me the theme song which she knows by heart. I most definitely recommend this to anyone 3 years and older.