Masato and the Mask – Synopsis
Masato is a young FOX SPIRIT in the SPIRIT WORLD. One night after his older FOX BRETHREN plays a prank on FROG, Masato witnesses a MAGICAL GATE open atop a mountain. On the other side, he sees a HUMAN MAN in the PHYSICAL WORLD, practising some Martial Arts katas with the WHITE LIGHT. Curious, Masato goes through.
There, he falls in love with a HUMAN GIRL, the Human Man’s daughter. Together, they share a powerful vision of the future, where Masato is in Human form, and they are married with a child. However upon return to the Spirit World, the Spirit Elders scold Masato for forbidden magic, and close the Gate forever.
Heartbroken, Masato learns from Fox Brethren that there is another way to ‘World-Hop’, and is introduced to Frog. Frog agrees to help, though his methods are only illusory, and temporary. Once in the Physical World, Masato and Fox Brethren witness a FIGHT, and a FIRE in the Girl’s home, killing the Girl’s parents. Masato pursues the Girl, but she has run away.
Barely returning, Masato begs Frog to help him take a real Human Form, claiming True Love. Frog says there is only one way; Win a mystical martial arts tournament, where the winner receives a real ‘World-Hopping’ MASK that transforms the winner to a true Human form, able to enter the Physical World. Fox Brethren and Frog agree to coach Masato, and they set off for ‘Hakaku’s World-Hop Fighting Tournament’.
There, Frog and Fox Brethren are given temporary form as adult Humans, but Masato takes the form of a young Human boy. This season’s theme: SUMO! Masato tries his best, but sees in a dream that the Girl has DIED. Frog experiments with magic to find her in her next incarnation, and is successful. Masato connects with her in his dreams, however the Girl dies again, and the connection is broken. More concerned with the Girl than with fighting, and being vastly out-sized, Masato LOSES the tournament, and they return home.
On their way back, they learn that the next tournament will start immediately. They discover some new magic that may help Masato find her, however Fox Brethren has lost hope, and goes home. Masato and Frog return to try again, and this time the theme is PRO WRESTLING; a 25-fighter ladder-match Royal Rumble! Fox Brethren appears as a last minute competitor, claiming he wants the Mask to find his own lost True Love.
Masato WINS, and earns the Mask. Fox Brethren thanks Masato for restoring his hope, and vows to win the next tournament. Masato says goodbye to him and Frog, and Hakaku helps him to use his winning Mask to make a real World-Hop to BRAZIL, to find the latest Human incarnation of the Girl he loves.