Ooedo Torimonochou: Nezumi Kozou

This is a Sanrio short for kids, so it's more like a "cartoon" than an "anime." The basic plot is that Okiku, a girl the main character likes, gets kidnapped by someone who lives in a castle, and the main character is trying to save her. The main character, Chukichi, has a secret: when he eats mitarashi dango, he transforms into the infamous folk hero thief, Nezumi Kozou. The 11-minute episode follows him as he attempts to chase down the kidnappers and rescue Okiku, to unexpected results. It's narrated by a cat in rakugo comic storytelling style. The story is OK, but a little too fast-paced,and relies on cartoon-like gags to move the plot along. The animation is also OK, but limited, and sometimes the characters speak without moving their mouths. If you look closely, you can spot cameos by other Sanrio characters, including Hello Kitty herself, in some of the scenes. As for music, the two main characters sing songs about themselves while the action is playing out, and the songs are supposed to be funny, but they're kind of annoying. The background music is forgettable. The voice acting gets the job done, but it's nothing special. If you want to watch something short that's for kids, this is acceptable, although it's rather boring despite the fast pace.