The Dancing Girl

"The Dancing Girl" (舞姫, Maihime) was the first published short story by the Japanese writer Mori Ōgai. The story first appeared in Kokumin no Tomo in 1890, and is based on Mori's own experiences as a medical student in Germany. In some ways, this tale foreshadows Puccini's Madama Butterfly, which deals with a similar theme but with a slight role reversal: in Madama Butterfly, a Western man abandons a Japanese woman, while in The Dancing Girl a Japanese man leaves a Western woman. The short story was adapted into an episode of Animated Classics of Japanese Literature, which was released in North America by Central Park Media. It was also adapted into an OVA (Original Video Animation) by Toei Animation in 2006.