A sword-for-hire and a kidnapped kid shouldn't work as a duo in 24 minutes, but Buta proves you don't need runtime to prove chemistry. The animation moves with actual weight, every frame earning its place instead of filling time. You watch a complete adventure unfold, one that respects both the kid's desperation and the samurai's exhaustion, then it ends before the story can exhaust itself, leaving you wanting more instead of wishing it was shorter.

Buta, a swordsman for hire, joins the Tufugu Pirates on a voyage in search of a hoard of treasure. Below deck he finds Kitsune, the son of a rich merchant, whom the pirates kidnapped along with an old family treasure map. After some misunderstandings, and with the promise of a bigger payday, Buta and Kitsune set off on an adventure of their own. The film mixes action, adventure and comedy as the treasure hunt unfolds.