is a 1981 Japanese anime film by Sanrio, based on a story by Shintaro Tsuji. It is said to be a loose retelling of Romeo and Juliet, itself a European version of many tales of star-crossed lovers in a variety of cultures and eras. In this story, the children of the gods of fire and water fall in love and fight to stay together in the face of adversity.
Story
Long ago both Glaucus (named Oceanus in the English adaptation), the God of Water, and Themis (named Hyperia in the English adaptation), the Goddess of Fire, lived as one. However, Argon (named Algorac in the English adaptation), Lord of the Winds, grew jealous of Glaucus and Themis's love and turned them against one another by lying to each that the other was plotting to overthrow them. The war between Water and Fire began. After both sides were nearly destroyed, the highest god of them all intervened and struck down Argon, tearing loose his eye (the source of his power), and damned him to the deepest abyss of the oceans, entrusting the eye to Glaucus and keeping the seas calm. Themis at that same time created a Holy Flame near the sea that would, in her opinion, keep the seas calm so that her children of Fire would live forever and never be extinguished. From that point on, the two elemental siblings were forever parted to keep peace between them.
Years later, Prince Sirius (named Syrius in the English adaptation), the son of Glaucus, becomes heir to the Sea Kingdom and is given the Eye of Argon to protect. Princess Malta, the daughter of Themis, also becomes the new heir to the Fire Kingdom, being charged with guarding the Holy Flame at the edge of the sea each night until her sixteenth birthday, when she will become queen. As Sirius plays with his little brother Teak (named Bibble in the English adaptation), he wanders off into the forbidden waters of the Sea Kingdom. He follows a bright light which leads him above the surface of the water for the first time. There Sirius and Malta see each other for the first time. As Sirius climbs on to a rock to get a closer look, the flame burns brightly and forces Sirius back into the water where he falls unconscious. Teak finds him and rescues him from being pulled into the whirlpool where Argon is kept. As Sirius is made ruler of the Sea Kingdom, a jealous and bullying Japanese giant salamander named Mabuse (named Mugwug in the English adaptation), attempts to take the eye of Argon away from Sirius and get the creatures of the deep to make him the king of the sea, but Sirius deals with him easily and sends him flying.
Malta returns to the Holy Flame, accompanied by her friend Piale, but becomes agitated as she worries that the strange boy - or one of the monsters from the sea that her mother has warned her about - will appear. The next night Sirius returns to see her. They introduce themselves and after realizing they mean each other no harm, they begin to fall in love. Sirius tells her all about life under the sea, which Malta finds fascinating. As the sun begins to rise, however, Sirius must return to the sea, because the children of the water will die if they are touched by sunlight. They bid each other farewell until the next night and Malta gives him a kiss.
Sirius and Malta are extremely happy throughout the following day, which doesn't go unnoticed by Teak, Piale and Themis. As Sirius and Malta play in Malta's secret garden that night, Teak journeys through the forbidden waters and sees the two dancing with each other. Unfortunately, a group of gigantic, deadly jellyfish take the opportunity to attack the sea kingdom while Sirius is away. Sirius sees the calm waters turn rough and goes to fight, but it is too late. Teak, who was hurt by the jellyfish, lashes out at his brother and reveals he knew where he was. After asking Moelle (named Aristurtle in the English adaptation), the oldest and wisest sea turtle in the ocean, for some advice, Sirius is advised to forget about Malta. Malta is upset when Sirius doesn't return the following evening. Mabuse tries to convince Sirius that the burden of the Eye is too heavy and he will gladly take it from him, but Sirius refuses and instead decides to see Malta again. Mabuse, deducing that he is hiding something, follows him.