The most popular award winning animated cartoon on Ramayan was made by Japanese producer and director Yugo Sako. Sako's movie, "Prince of Light: The Legend of Ramayana," had already received acclaim abroad as "The Warrior Prince." Moviegoers saw the action-packed, award-winning film in multiplexes across America. Yugo Sako first visited India in 1985 to film a documentary, "The Ramayan Relics," about an archeological excavation near Ayodhya. He was smitten by the story of Prince Ram's triumph over the forces of darkness, and as his research into the epic deepened, he realized it was much more than just a myth: It encompassed a whole philosophy of living and had historical underpinnings. He read Valmiki's Ramayana in Japanese and went on to study ten different versions, all in Japanese. Although he was a documentary filmmaker, he felt only an animated format could capture the true magic and power of Ramayana. He says, "Because Ram is God, I felt it was best to depict him in animation, rather than by an actor." Meeting with academics, archaeologists and historians, Sako painstakingly researched the story of Ram, and spent months checking out costumes and architectural details. As a foreigner, he wanted to be extra vigilant in staying true to the epic. All the futuristic gizmos, flying vehicles, and even weapons of mass destruction depicted in the film are mentioned in the Ramayana. Sako collaborated with Ram Mohan, an eminent animator in India, to design the key art. In 1990, he started work in Japan on the principal animation, using over 450 artists. When Sako first proposed this film, the Indian government had been reluctant to hand over an Indian epic to a foreigner. Now, he's won over the skeptics with his integrity and devotion to details. He knows Valmiki's Ramayana backwards and forwards. Sako finds humanity in his characters. Although Sako is not a Hindu, he is attracted to many of Hinduism's beliefs. “In my mind I feel I am Hindu." Next on the agenda for Sako is the story of Lord Krishna, the Celestial Cowherd.
