Ah, non-Disney 80's animated features.
1984's The Enchanted Journey concerns a chipmunk by the name of "Glicko," who is a "city chipmunk," living as someone's pet. He (I think) meets a girl chipmunk who tells him about wild chipmunks living free and happy in the wilderness, and so undertakes a quest with her to get there, etc. They face the usual trials and tribulations along the way, hunger, cold, and predators (including a really damn scary fox). And of course it has a happy ending.
Looking back on it, based on my memories alone, it was a pretty dark film. Not Watership Down or Plague Dogs dark, but still way more serious in tone than Disney's stuff of the era. The Terminator-esque, singleminded nature of the fox alone is some good nightmare fuel (he keeps showing up, over and over, dogging our heroes until the end, a lot like Sharptooth in The Land Before Time, actually). Which I'm fine with. Every so often, I like a good serious cartoon.
Anyone else seen it and liked it?
I will make an effort to watch it.
What style of animation is it? Does it have a Don Bleuth feel to it all? I'm generally a fan of that kind of animation.
It is an anime actually.
WOW!! this is definitely in my top 10 list of animations, or top 10 list of any type of movie for that matter! This is a great, "must see" movie. It's funny in some parts and dramatic in others, with sad, touching spots throughout. The voice acting, featuring the late, great Orson Wells in one of his last roles, is top of the line. This is a great movie for all the family and provides a good alternative from the tripe that Disney has been releasing lately. Hunt this down and watch it if you can.