What if Allspark Pictures founded in 1904?/Ringing Bell

Ringing Bell (チリンの鈴, Chirin no Suzu, lit. Chirin's Bell) is the 1978 Japanese anime adventure-drama film adaption of the storybook of the same name written by Takashi Yanase. It is most notable by fans and critics as a family film which makes a sharp sudden turn into a dark and violent story that criticizes and reflects upon the theme of revenge. It is also recognized as one of the only Japanese shock films directed towards children and families.

Ringing Bell was produced by Sanrio and Allspark Pictures and originally shown as a double feature alongside the US/Sanrio co-production The Mouse and his Child. It is Allspark/Sanrio's first anime film to have a dark plot, only two films they co-produced with Sunrise, The Ideon: A Contact and The Ideon: Be Invoked - both of which serve as the conclusion to Yoshiyuki Tomino's Space Runaway Ideon, follow suit. Like the above-mentioned Ideon films, it is among Allspark/Sanrio's first work to be aimed at young adult audience members in and outside Japan, despite the PG rating in the USA. However on subsequent releases, a PG-13 rating is used for the film, which would be Allspark's only animated film to not have a G or PG rating.