[2] It is directed by Takeo Nakamura and written by Shintaro Tsuji, Eugene A. Fournier and Thomas Joachim.

Narrated by the adult Clara, she tells the story of Ragman, a mysterious old man who roams about the city looking into people's houses and turns children into mice if he catches them up past their bed time.

She tells her aunt about the mice and her doll being missing, but Gerda insists that she is talking nonsense and is ill with a fever.

However, the King refused to agree to Morphia's final term: Princess Mary must marry her son, Gaar.

As punishment for refusing, Morphia cursed the princess to look like a hideous mouse and lie in sleep until King Goodwin agrees to the marriage.

Just as it seems the toy soldiers are losing, Franz destroys The Nut of Darkness and kills Morphia - but not before she places a curse on him, turning him into a nutcracker doll.

Clara carries the Nutcracker back to the palace, where she finds the court and King Goodwin are celebrating Princess Mary's awakening.

Seeing Franz's new state, the princess abandons the marriage promise and calls the Nutcracker ugly.

Clara leaves the kingdom to wander in search of anyone who knows how to return Franz to human, unaware that Gaar survived the attack and is following her.

She eventually comes across the Watchmaker, who tells her the only way to save Franz is through an act of true, unselfish love.

As Clara is recounting what happened and trying to ask Drosselmeyer what he was doing in the clock, Aunt Gerda comes in to say Fritz has arrived.

[5] A remastered version of the film was greenlit by Sanrio on August 1, 2014 and was released on November 29, 2014 as part of Hello Kitty's 40th anniversary.

[9] Discotek Media[10] released the movie to Region 1 DVD in both its English and original Japanese versions on August 29, 2017.