History Literature / TheRoseFlowerAndJoe

* EarlyBirdCameo: An earlier version of the story, published in 1971, was featured in Takashi Yanase's ''[https://www.''[[https://www.amazon.co.jp/十ニの真珠-ふしぎな絵本-やなせたかし/dp/4835449010 Twelve Pearls]'' Pearls]]'' along with his other works.

* GhibliHills: The entire short takes place at a peaceful and pretty meadow surrounded by greenery, filled with beautiful flowers, trees, and hills.

''The Rose Flower and Joe'' (バラの花とジョー "Bara no Hana to Joe") or ''Rose Flower and Joe''/''The Rose and Joe'' is a 1977 Japanese animated short by [[Creator/{{Sanrio}} Sanrio Animation]] based on a children's story by Creator/TakashiYanase (best-known as the creator of ''Literature/{{Anpanman}}''), [[SelfAdaptation who also directed the animated short.]] It's about a kindhearted homeless brown dog named "Joe" (voiced by Creator/MinoriMatsushima) who quickly falls in love with a pink rose flower. Throughout the short, Joe has to protect the rose flower from a mean spirited crow.

* ArtShift: During Joe's first imagination sequence where he's dressed up and dating the rose flower. The art style shifts to Takashi Yanase's own illustrations compared to the rest of the short. Yanase's art style would later return during a sequence after Joe faints after getting attacked by a crow including the closing credits.

* AsideGlance: Joe is seen looking at the viewer twice in the short. The first is after the rose flower suddenly gives him a kiss and after he wakes up from daydreaming (as seen on the page image). [[https://www.kosho.or.jp/upload/save_image/21000180/20190624132849324330_d93c5dc01331cf47b5a0eb5b9b7fc7dc.jpg The Japanese cover also showed Joe looking at the viewer.]]
* BadassAdorable: Joe since he will go out of his way to prevent the crow from attacking the rose. At the same time, he looks so cute when he's saving the rose flower due to his romantic relationship.

* BlushSticker: The rose flower is depicted with rosy cheeks while Joe is giving pink rosy cheeks during his first fantasy sequence.
* CardiovascularLove: Hearts are used frequently in this short, such as hearts flying around Joe after the rose kisses him and [[spoiler: Joe kissing the rose as an angel.]]
* CreepyCrows: The main antagonist is a black crow, who antagonizes the main protagonist and wants to destroy the rose flower.
* DarkReprise: A somber variation of the short's theme song is heard [[spoiler: as Joe's dying as he's talking to the rose flower for the final time. It is also played after Joe and the rose flower dies. However, it later becomes more heartfelt and upbeat as we see Joe (now as an angel) landing on the same cloud that the pink rose flower resides in.]]

* EyeScream: [[spoiler: Joe loses his ability to see after the crow attacks both of his eyes.]]
* FantasySequence: Used frequently throughout the film, notably the scene where Joe imagines himself dancing with the rose flower complete with fancy clothing and hat. [[spoiler: Alongside the scene where Joe is riding on a white swan and sitting on top of a hill after going blind.]]

** Joe is also seen briefly wearing a military outfit after successfully getting rid of the black crow after his first attempt at attacking the rose flower.
* GoOutWithASmile:[[spoiler: Joe is seen smiling as he peacefully dies next to the rose flower.]]

* HateSink: The short's main antagonist is a black crow that constantly terrorizes Joe and the rose flower. He's frequently seen laughing at Joe's misfortune that he caused. Eventually, [[spoiler: the crow ends up blinding Joe without warning and still mocks him, which ends up biting him in the butt.]]

* LoveTheme: "Bara no Hana to Joe'' is the love theme for Joe and the rose flower which is played throughout the short.

* MinimalistCast: Joe, the rose flower, and an unnamed black crow are the only characters in the short. While we do see three other crows, they only have a couple minutes of screen time and never reappear in the film. The unnamed angels that are wearing hats and control the weather don't count as characters since they don't interact with the main characters.
* MoodWhiplash: After Joe defeats three crows from attacking the rose flower. Joe is extremely proud for saving her once again with the rose feeding him a drop of water from its petal. [[spoiler: However, the mood is quickly ruined once the black crow decides to attack Joe instead of the rose flower causing him to become blind.]]
* NoNameGiven: Besides Joe, the rose flower and the black crow (later joined by two crows) are never given a name.
* NoOneShouldSurviveThat: [[spoiler: While Joe managed to survive falling down a large cliff and into a waterfall. It's clear that Joe is very close to death's door, since he's no longer smiling, weak, and can barely jump between a cliff. He manages to smile again after reuniting with the rose flower before dying for real.]]

* SnowMeansDeath: [[spoiler: After Joe and the rose flower both die in the middle of Fall. It suddenly begins snowing and covers the rose flower and Joe's body in the process.]]

* TitleDrop: The Japanese title is used for Joe and the rose flower's love song.
* TheBigDamnKiss: [[spoiler: The short ends with Joe as an angel, giving the rose flower a big kiss alongside kissing it's steam.]]

* TogetherInDeath: [[spoiler: Joe and the rose flower both die together. On the bright side, they do reunite in heaven and share a kiss.]]
* UndyingLoyalty: Joe is very loyal to the pink rose due to developing a close relationship with the rose since he was a young puppy. As a result, he develops a romantic relationship with the rose and will go to great lengths to prevent the rose from getting destroyed and harmed. [[spoiler: Even when he ends up blind, he decides to head straight back to the rose where he eventually dies with.]]

That same year, Sanrio released another animated short called ''Little Jumbo'' which is also based on Yanase's works. The team behind this short film would later go on to make a feature film adaptation of ''Chirin no Suzu'' (known as ''Anime/RingingBell'' in the West) which started production at the time of this short's release. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6wvqKpxpXQ&t=130s An English translation (via Closed Captions) can be viewed here.]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMEw4KP0fKY Another version of the short was uploaded that contains subtitles]] instead of close captions.

The short's musical score was composed by Hisao Nishiwaki, with the short's theme song sung by Youko Seri, with lyrics written by Yanase ([[SelfAdaptation who also directed this short]]).

''The Rose Flower and Joe'' (バラの花とジョー "Bara no Hana to Joe") is a 1977 Japanese animated short by [[Creator/{{Sanrio}} Sanrio Animation]] based on a children's story by Creator/TakashiYanase (best-known as the creator of ''Literature/{{Anpanman}}''), [[SelfAdaptation who also directed the animated short.]] It's about a kindhearted homeless brown dog named "Joe" (voiced by Creator/MinoriMatsushima) who quickly falls in love with a pink rose flower. Throughout the short, Joe has to protect the rose flower from a mean spirited crow.

''The Rose Flower and Joe'' (バラの花とジョー "Bara no Hana to Joe") is a 1977 Japanese animated short by [[Creator/{{Sanrio}} Sanrio Animation]] based on a children's story by Creator/TakashiYanase, [[SelfAdaptation who also directed the animated short.]] It's about a kindhearted homeless brown dog named "Joe" (voiced by Creator/MinoriMatsushima) who quickly falls in love with a pink rose flower. Throughout the short, Joe has to protect the rose flower from a mean spirited crow.

* ArtShift: During Joe's first imagination sequence where he's dressed up and dating the rose flower. The art style shifts to Takashi Yanase's own illustrations compared to the rest of the short.

That same year, Sanrio released another animated short called ''Little Jumbo'' which is also based on Yanase's works. The team behind this short film would later go on to make a feature film adaptation of ''Chirin no Suzu'' (known as ''Anime/RingingBell'' in the West) which started production at the time of this short's release. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6wvqKpxpXQ&t=130s An English translation (via Closed Captions) can be viewed here.]]

!!''The Rose Flower and Joe'' provides examples of::

* VSign: Joe is seeing giving the peace gesture after defeating the crow [[spoiler: after ending up blind and later faints.]]

* LighterAndSofter: Compared to ''Yasashii Lion'' (''The Kindly Lion'') and ''Chirin no Suzu'' (''Anime/RingingBell'') [[DownerEnding where both works end in tragedy and have a melancholy tone]]. ''The Rose Flower and Joe'' is considered to be most the lighthearted and upbeat work by Sanrio Animation and Takashi Yanase.

''The Rose Flower and Joe'' (バラの花とジョー Bara no Hana to Joe) is a 1977 Japanese animated short by [[Creator/{{Sanrio}} Sanrio Animation]] based on a children's story by Creator/TakashiYanase, [[SelfAdaptation who also directed the animated short.]] It's about a kindhearted homeless brown dog named "Joe" (voiced by Creator/MinoriMatsushima) who quickly falls in love with a pink rose flower. Throughout the short, Joe has to protect the rose flower from a mean spirited crow.