Amid Ranbir Kapoor and Yash's Ramayana release, netizens share clips from Japanese filmmaker Yugo Sako's Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama. Where to watch the epic in India?

Ramayana: Part 1 arrived in theatres worldwide on Thursday, November 5, 2026. It was timed perfectly for the festival of Diwali. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, this epic saga features a star-studded cast with Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Rama, Sai Pallavi as Goddess Sita, and Yash as Lankesh (Ravana) and Ravie Dubey as Laxshmana. The film opened on a good note at the box office and earned Rs 200 crore globally in just two days. Amid this, one of the previous iterations of Ramayana is making rounds on the internet.

The one we are talking about is Japanese filmmakerYugo Sako'ss Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama.

Why Yugo Sako's Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama is trending?

For the unversed, Yugo Sako's Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama was reportedly made with the help of around 450 Japanese and Indian artists and was completed in December 1992. The animated film was screened at several film festivals the following year. Indian audiences first got a glimpse of it on January 10, 1993, at the 24th International Film Festival of India (IFFI). It later travelled to international festivals, including the Vancouver International Film Festival.



The film finally received a theatrical release in Japan on November 3, 1997. However, it never made it to Indian cinemas in the 1990s, reportedly due to the religious and political tensions surrounding the Ramayana after the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition, as reported by NDTV. It later found its way into Indian homes through television channels such as Doordarshan and Cartoon Network.




Moreover, the film found a new audience over the years and developed a strong cult following among animation and mythology fans. In January 2025, it returned to Indian cinemas in a 4K version, distributed by Geek Pictures India. The re-release was available in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.



With Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Yash, becoming a major talking point on social media, Sako's animated adaptation has once again entered the conversation. Several clips from the animated movie are making rounds on the internet and comparing its treatment of the characters with the latest adaptation.



From Ravana's characterisation to the visual presentation of the epic, viewers have been revisiting what made the 1990s film special. Its hand-drawn animation and attention to the source material have also led to comparisons with the technology-driven visuals used in modern mythological films.

Where to watch Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama in India?

For those who want to watch the Indo-Japanese animated film at home, Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama is available on YouTube. It can be found on a channel titled Ramayana: The Legend Of Prince Rama, which has reportedly received around 10 million views for the film. However, the available version appears to be limited to 240p resolution. Stay tuned for more updates.