Kike wadatsumi no koe: Nippon senbotsu gakusei shuki (1950)

[bunniefuu]

TOEI Company presents

In cooperation with organizations

of Student Veterans Support

LISTEN TO THE VOICES OF THE SEA

Manufacturing: Masahiro Makino

Scenario: Kadzuo Funahashi

Cinematographer: Shinkichi Otsuka

Production: Tesiro Katsura

Editing: Shintaro Miyamoto

Music: Akira lfukube

Cast:

Hajime lzu, Yasumi Hara

Akitake Kono, Kinzo Shin

Yuriko Hanabusa, Haruko Sugimura,

Yoichi Numata, Soji Kamishiro,

Koichi Hayashi, Kyosuke Tsuki,

Yoshio Omori, Asao Sano

Director:

Hideo Sekigawa

What should those do who survived,

if the dead will not return?

Who and about what should those

who survived be asked,

if you can't ask the dead any-more?

Should those who survived

remain silent

if the dead can no longer remain silent?

BURMA

Dear Japanese soldiers,

listen to the following message.

Your commanders apparently

hide from you

the defeat of the Japanese army.

The Japanese Army is losing

catastrophically on all fronts.

Units of Retsu were devastated

by the British-lndian army

near Kojima. Units of Matsuri

were also nearly destroyed.

Later, units of Kiku

from the area of Hukawang

were attacked by the British

bombers in the lrrawaddy Delta

and fled.

You, too, came here

to get into lmpala,

but it just becomes

a march of death.

Dear Japanese soldiers

your leaders are lying to you,

- that your Emperor is God...

- Sorry.

To die for the emperor

is the highest honour,

to sacrifice yourselves -

your most sacred task,

but after the horrific acts that

you had to commit,

you know that all of this

is simply lies.

Maybe you want to remain faithful

to His Imperial Majesty,

but this way you are going

against humanity.

The Command of the Japanese Army,

which believes

that these inhumane acts are a

manifestation of loyalty to the Emperor,

are committing a horrific

extermination of its own people.

Forcing the wounded and sick soldiers

to fight in vain,

while not providing them with medical

care, food or even ammunition.

Soon it will come to the

destruction of all the troops.

Dear Japanese soldiers,

the outcome of the battles

has long ago been decided.

Come to us immediately.

Good food and clean clothes

await you here.

- This is a wild onion.

Front-line students,

you must think logically

about your situation.

- Everybody who came before us,

has certainly eaten it.

Explain everything to

your comrades, who were,

unfortunately, brought up in

a vicious Japanese manner.

Take their hand and

come to us.

We appeal to you; this

is the greatest blessing

that you now can give.

Now follows the musical program.

They try to make

fools out of us.

They think that we will just be

taken prisoner, these fools!

Villains!!

From their nonsense, a person's

stomach will grumble even more.

They are trying their

best with these programs,

so we are probably close

to a unit of ours.

Yes, we need to find it.

Who is there?!

- Who is here?

- Private Oki.

What are you doing here?

We lost our division.

You have lagged behind!

We apologise for having disturbed you,

but could you give

us some food?

We are also producing it.

We beg you.

Don't behave like a beggar.

We are almost there.

Do you think that the soldiers

listen to these programs?

Yes, even though they were ordered

not to listen to them.

The enemy appeals to the front line

students. How many are there with us?

Eight, it seems, in

Cadet Maki's regiment.

- ls this Kawanishi among them?

- Yes.

- We have to watch him.

- Okay.

Allow me to enter.

Attention!

A straggler from a different

company has arrived.

What? You shouldn't bring strangers

here all the time!

Yes, sir!

Go on to your company!

We don't have any food for you.

- From which company are you?

- From squad Sakuo, company Jumi.

- Wasn't company Saku destroyed?

- Yes, it was.

Can we use them for something?

We can, for example,

send them to gather some food.

Find a place where people from

the local villages are hiding

and bring one cow.

If there is a pig,

it will be even better.

- Yes, sir.

- Yes, sir.

You won't get any food until

you bring us some animal.

- Then you can stay with us.

- Yes, sir.

You are very lucky.

You should thank the battalion commander.

Commander, sir,

we thank you many times.

Aoji, as you are the one who found them,

have them join your squad. Got it?

Yes, sir.

Aren't you a teacher, Mr. Oki?

I'm Maki.

Goro Maki from your faculty.

Oh, Maki.

Professor!

What? You know each other?

Yes. This is my university professor.

So then you are a university lecturer?

Yes, a senior teacher.

- What did you teach?

- French literature.

This is enemy literature.

Who are famous French writers?

Shakespeare?

Yes.

Ah, he is worth nothing.

Yes.

- When were you called?

- Actually, right after you.

- Private!

- Aye.

I don't know how important you were

in the civilian world, but this is the Army!

Why are you having fun with him?

Cadet, you know the military regulations?!

This isn't the university.

Behave yourself with dignity!

Yes, sir.

Private!

You were left behind,

because you lack discipline.

I'll teach you how to behave.

- Follow me!

- Yes, sir.

Commander, sir, I can do

a massage very well.

Maybe you need a back massage.

I see that you're observant. Okay,

you can massage me. Come on!

This worries me.

Will we find this shelter?

it's better to let it go.

Lt. Kisino hates us front-line students.

The more you care about Mr. Oki,

the harder it will get for him.

The last lecture of Mr. Oki

was about Montaigne.

Sometimes I remember it.

- Hey! Can't you go any faster?

- Yes.

What ''yes'', you dog! Go faster!

Give it to me!

What is this?

Rusty rubbish.

- Fetch, you dog! Run!

- Yes, sir.

What is this? You can't bark?

Bark!

Woof, woof. Woof, woof!

That's right, you dog!

Go on!

Comme I'Ame Descharge ses

Passions sur des Objects Faux,

Quand les Vrais Luy Defaillent.

Human thought is meaningless, if

it doesn't have any particular purpose.

Since this is not a lecture

in Latin,

I wrote you a

French translation.

Translations vary depending

on the media;

this is created on the basis

of the Tsunara edition.

As can be concluded from the

introduction to the poem of Lucian,

the works by this author

were his favourite,

right after Ovid.

The most important work of

Lucian, as I wrote here,

it's Pharsalus, or otherwise Farsalus.

ln French it’s Pharsalus.

Farsalus is the name of an area

in Greece. It’s that place

where Caesar defeated Pompey

and that's why

the book was named after it.

Mentioned in the poem:

''wind and the dense forest'',

here ''Ventus'' means ''wind''.

So, ''if nothing is interfering

with the wind, he will lose strength

and will spread in the air.''

We can interpret it like this,

that is why the ''ut'' means ''comme''.

One of the poems is connected

to the following text.

The rest was translated by Maki

and he did it really well,

so I think that this is a

very good translation.

But let us translate this together.

When reading the text we

mean the name of the chapter

''Human thought is meaningless, if

it doesn't have any particular purpose''.

Here ''mesme'' connects it

with the previous text.

''Just as

the shocked agitated soul,

while it doesn't catch anything,

finally vanishes from itself.''

''Prinse'' is the present ''prise''.

Montaigne was a man

from the 16th century, that's why

he still used medieval spelling.

After ''il'' there is an interval with ''faut''.

''Therefore, she should have been

given nothing that would get in her way

or influence her.

Plutarch said a thing about people

who indulge in monkeys and dogs.

''Our internal organ of love.''

Here ''Partie'' means

''portion du corrs''.

''Organ of love, if it's not directed

to the correct item,

will not be left alone,

but will create

an incredible false

target for itself''.

''Our passionate soul will

create a false,

fictitious partner.

We will stupefy ourselves, even if

it's not opposed to

what we believe.

''Plugtost quo'', we know

that even if we do something

nothing of this will change''.

The word ''faulce'' in today's French

is ''fausse'',

''valre'' means ''meme'' today.

Because ''frivole'' means

''Que merite point de confidence'',

I emphatically translated it

with the word ''unbelievable''.

Because ''fantastique'' means

''qui ne existe qu'en imagination''

or ''qui na que l'apparence,

d'un etre corporel'',

it seemed a little too strong to me,

so I boldly translated it

as ''fictional''.

Further, quoting Plutarch,

the opening phrase

of ''Plutarch's biographie''.

We are on half of the text, but today

we managed to get just to here.

This is our last lecture;

to me this chapter seems the

darkest in the text of Montaigne.

Due to the fact that we have to

break this chapter in half,

I can't rejoice too much for you,

as you all were called up for w*r.

if you have any questions relating

to grammar

or content, then don't

hesitate to ask.

Yes.

Your hour closes our student life,

instead of a pen, we will get

a g*n and rush to the battlefields.

I think that it's natural that we,

as individuals of our nation

have to follow the

fate of our country.

When we get to the front,

we will just get used to

the reality of ''death''.

But to this day we are as

outsiders, as students,

wiled away our days searching and

studying the beauty and the truth.

Therefore, we cover ourselves with

sorrow and lead ourselves astray.

Professor, how would you see it

if you were in our situation?

Your current situation is too

serious, I don't have the right

and don't have the courage to

teach you the exalted thoughts.

But let me quote a phrase

of Montaigne:

''Que philosophe, c'est

apprendre a'mourir'',

or ''The Meaning of Philosophy -

it's closer to death''.

Montaigne lived in the 16th century,

in troubled times,

the dreadful time of religious

wars and the plague.

Therefore, it's more than natural that

he was thinking about the topic of death.

Montaigne cites this.

''Only terrible things are

happening all around us.

A mortuary shroud is

put on us already,

as if we were already buried.

Children experience fear at the sight

of a man with a mask on his face,

even if it was a friend.

Similarly, this is the case with us''.

One of the passages of the

twenty-fourth essay of Seneca.

He continues:

''We need to unmask all

our actions and people.

if you remove the mask,

we will find that hiding under it is

an ordinary attendant, or simply a servant,

and we aren't afraid of them

and quietly go pass them.

The same with death''.

Further:

''The kind of death which

we mustn't solemnly prepare for,

is the greatest happiness.''

That's how this chapter ends.

I heartily wish that luck will

accompany you at the front.

- Move faster!

- Yes, sir.

Professor, sir.

Call me Oki.

it's better.

- Please take this.

- Thank you.

What are you doing here?

I have been instructed

to serve the commander.

Don't take it too seriously.

Here is one senior student, you

want me to introduce you to him?

Yes, of course.

He was a student activist,

already 4 years in the army,

but still only a private.

He has a heart of gold.

ls Kawanishi here?

- I'm here.

- Come here for a minute.

Our army is lucky,

first successes at the front.

Japan sent the first reinforcements.

it smells like some

kind of delicacy.

Provide assistance to him in everything.

I ask that of you.

I'm glad I can help you.

Baked chicken.

- I brought you some paper.

- Thank you.

- How do you feel?

- The smell makes me very hungry.

Did you draw anything?

You're good at it.

I want, at least once,

to have a proper meal, before I die.

My mother also draws. You have

something in common with her.

Akiyama, am I right?

Please wait!

What's that noise?

You also hear it?

A burst skull.

Blood, it's blood!

Stop, you fool!

Otherwise, I will also become ill.

Blood, blood, it's blood!

Yamada! Calm down.

- Platoon Aoji, line up!

- Yes, sir.

Let's go.

University professor,

you could try a bit harder now.

To be able to resist fried chicken,

we will try and find

some domestic animals.

Spy planes are flying everywhere,

we'll be finished if

they find us.

We'll hide in the jungle.

Such a nasty raw wind is blowing.

it's a sign of the rainy season.

After several years at the front

you will develop your own instinct,

just like insects.

But in return you get

a void in your head.

My head is already no longer working.

Tanks!

Dear Japanese soldiers,

we have some news for you.

During the transmission, we will

not sh**t, so listen quietly.

The leaders of Japan hide

the current world situation

from you.

On May 7, Germany signed

an unconditional surrender.

Furthermore, in San

Francisco representatives

from more than 40 countries met

and signed the international Charter

for the maintenance of peace

and have agreed to end the w*r.

Only the leaders of Japan are

opposing the rest of the world

and continue to sacrifice you

in this senseless w*r.

Do you like it?

Soldiers, stop once

and for all placing

your precious lives in danger

for these evil leaders.

it's better if you go immediately to us.

Next, we will

transmit music for you again

How can this end?

We must fight to the end.

But I can't just die

here like a lousy dog.

if we have to throw away

our lives for nothing,

why didn't I sacrifice my life then?

Everything is just delayed.

Couldn't you do anything else,

before the w*r broke out?

At a time when the conflict

broke out with Mr. Kawai,

we could have saved everything.

NOTICE: PROFESSORS KAWAI AND

HIJIKATA AREN'T GIVING THE LECTURES

At that time I already

worked at the university.

Why didn't we defend

Mr. Kawai more actively

back then?

Now of course it's too late.

1939, PROFESSOR KAWAI CHARGED

But why was I hiding

from it all in the world of science?

However, I felt uncontrollable

anger and anxiety,

but I tried to ignore it and

retreated into my own inner world.

I was a coward.

Despite this fact, from what I've

see, it must be resisted.

PATRIOTIC COUNCIL

I was a fool.

Now I've finally got it.

ln this short-lived life,

I could have done something

that would have had some value.

it would at least not be

so useless as it is now.

But...

While not everyone opposes it,

it's meaningless.

I'm a good example of this.

it was a blast of youthful

enthusiasm and pure ideals.

But I haven't had a chance.

They had absolute power.

Suppressing our resistance was easier

than twisting the arm

of an infant.

WE ARE AGAINST THE w*r!

I was blackmailed, lied to,

misled and

tormented by

the crying of my mother.

Finally, I was forced to change

and then the army awaited me.

When I was drafted into the army,

I read in the newspapers

that a young communist was inspired

by the historical meaning of w*r

in East Asia and from his prison

demanded that he

be sent as a volunteer to the front.

Did I demand?! Such a farce.

if I knew that

it would be this way,

I should have bit

my tongue and hanged myself.

Sometimes I think about it.

I have a feeling that

someone is making fun of me.

We have to k*ll people who

we don't hate.

All of this is monstrous.

You found something?

I feel unpleasant that because of me

you have to starve even more... Thank you.

Doctor Nonomura arrived.

What a rarity!

He brought an order from

the company commander!

Thank you.

He also brought mail.

We thank you.

- Cadet Maki.

- Aye.

This is for you.

Probably from your beloved.

He's dead.

He too.

He's alive.

He's dead too.

He too.

Dead.

Kawanishi Hiroshi.

I'll take it to them.

- Wait a minute.

- Yes.

We must be careful with this.

It must pass censorship.

- Understood. You may go.

- Thank you.

What is this?

Order from the division command.

Private Sakagami, a letter for you.

Get up, a letter came for you.

Come on, what's wrong with you?

That doesn't look good.

Hey, Sakagami!

What, you're going to die so peacefully?

Hey, you got a letter from your wife.

Idiot.

Sakagami, I'll read it for you.

Listen carefully.

There's also a letter from your child.

Father, how are you?

I listen to mother,

don't be angry with her.

When you come back,

I'll be even better.

Troop commanders, line up!

Mother and I wish that you

quickly return in full health.

Who, like him, will die next? Chiba?

Or lijima?

Why me? Why should I die?

''Sibayima Battalion was ordered to

move from their position,

and cover the movement of

the regiment in the rearguard.

Break camp at Hill 106

and resist the enemy attacks

with all your might''.

lt does not say that we have

to fight to the last man,

but I understand it that way.

''Since currently there is no

chance of getting ammunition,

the battalion will have

to dispense the ammunition

that is available at the moment.

Additionally, to maximise

the combat potential,

everyone who has a temperature

lower than 40 degrees

or who is only slightly injured,

will not be considered sick.

The remaining wounded soldiers must

remain in the camp''.

Regarding who will remain where,

Dr. Nonomura will decide

based on health inspections.

- Commander, sir!

- What is wrong?

We would like to bring all

the wounded and sick with us.

We will provide their transportation

at all costs.

Please do that.

Transporting of the critically injured

and sick patients will affect

our fighting capabilities.

But so far, we've been fighting

together all this time.

- Combat capability is more important.

- But...

We can't change orders given

by division command.

Our battalion will leave the current

position tomorrow at dusk.

Until that time,

go cook some food.

To those who will remain, I

will personally give the order.

Till that time, it is prohibited to

talk to anyone about it.

- ls that clear?

- Yes, sir.

Sgt. Aoji, do you understand?

Yes, sir.

They say the order came

from division command.

The seriously wounded

can return home.

ls that true? We will

be able to return?

Seriously?

I could go home safely.

Now, Dr. Nonomura

will examine all of you.

There is no alcohol

for disinfection;

all of them have

worm infested wounds.

Instead, use dry gauze

fibre banana leaves

and maize leaves as bandages.

But those are already used up.

Hey, look!

He's still alive.

See, his lips are moving.

Enough, enough.

Don't look at me!

I...

Why did I do it?

He has mental problems.

His conscience is torturing him,

because in China he broke the head

of some peasant with a rock.

- Change his bandages.

- Yes, sir.

- What's your name?

- Junior Sergeant Omati.

- What's your sickness?

- Military dystrophy.

- Can you walk?

- Not by myself.

- What's your name?

- Private Minota.

- You draw?

- Yes.

- What did you do in the civilian world?

- Studied at the Art University.

- Frontline student?

- Yes.

- Applied to the Cadet Corps?

- Applied, but not successfully.

- Why?

- Because I only can draw.

Okay.

How did you get here?

I was wrapped in a mat

and was taken by horse.

That's how.

He's also a frontline student.

- Don't say it. Where are you from?

- From Waseda.

And I'm from Kayo.

Perhaps we once met, when

we went to watch baseball.

What's wrong with you?

Come on, leave me a bit.

Share some.

I can't. There won't be

anything left for tomorrow.

I'll give you a cigarette for it.

How about it?

Will you accept one handful?

Try to smoke,

you'll see.

- Okay, but only a handful.

- Good.

This is truly an impoverished unit!

But thanks to the professor you

can share the food with me.

Upon graduation I'll still work

in the faculty hospital.

We have daily air raid drills

with the rest of our neighbourhood.

I'm a senior nurse.

ln my neighbourhood,

I am very busy teaching

others how to bandage the wounded.

Recently for the first time in a while,

I visited the Philharmonic Hall.

During the concert,

I became sad.

They played the same song,

like when we were there together.

What do you mean, far away?

Surely somewhere in the south.

It doesn't matter,

it will be overseas.

Letters will have to

travel a long distance.

- I think I made a mistake.

- What?

It was ugly on my part.

Against you.

- Do you mean a wedding?

- Yes. I'm a fool, aren't I?

I was afraid. I betrayed

my own feelings and

made even you miserable.

Okay. lt's alright.

Prepare for departure!

- This is for you.

- Thank you.

I must go.

Take care of yourself.

I will be waiting.

I WISH YOU GOOD LUCK

FAREWELL FOREVER.

I WISH YOU HAPPINESS.

Cadet Maki, aren't you happy?

I haven't had a

woman for a long time.

What was the name of

that girl from Napruso?

- Eriko?

- Yes, Eriko.

That was one hell of a specimen

and what a beautiful big a*s.

- Oki, you have a wife?

- Yes.

- So? You think about her sometimes?

- Yes.

- Oki?

- What?

- Are the officers already asleep?

- Yes, all are already asleep.

- What are you doing?

- Let's go get something to eat.

Where?

Don't lie to me.

You are sneaking away.

Are you going off to steal something?

Just a little bit.

Like you, we have nothing.

Let it go!

- Let's go for the horse.

- Horse?

Yes. The horse of the commander.

- And what do you want to do with it?

- To eat it.

If we do nothing,

it's not even certain that we

all will survive tomorrow's hike.

What is a horse anyway? It's

not far from cannibalism.

Okay, I'll go with you. Let's

pretend we did it with the whole unit.

- Thank you. - Thank you.

- It's hot.

KANNON BODHISATTVA

WITH A HORSE'S HEAD

Guys, we've brought meat.

Did everyone get up already?

Eat properly.

And not a word to anyone.

ls that clear?

- Commander, sir, your horse has escaped.

- What?

And the guard? Guard!

He says he didn't

notice anything special.

- Well, he probably hasn't escaped.

- Yes.

This horse couldn't just run away.

What are you looking at?

- You know something about this?

- No.

ln any case, we will organise an

emergency formation and look for him.

Lieutenant!

It's most likely that this

hose was k*lled and eaten.

What?

This morning, the wounded private

lijima vomited from overeating.

ln the vomit there were pieces of

something that looked like horse meat.

I asked him what is was, but

he didn't want to tell me.

Seriously? Okay.

You will come with me.

Hey, lijima.

They say you ate horse meat.

Who gave it to you? Tell me!

I command you to answer me now!

You ate it, too!

So can someone at least

give an answer?

- What does he have?

- Lung disease and malaria.

Put him on a stretcher

and follow me.

Listen, I'll give you some quinine.

Tell me who it was.

I'll know it soon enough, so tell me!

Sgt. Aoji.

Sgt. Aoji!

Commander is calling for you.

Okay.

Allow me to enter.

Sgt. Aoji has arrived.

They say you gave

the solders horse meat.

- Yes, that's correct.

- Where did you find it?

I k*lled the animal myself.

b*stard! You're just a frontline student!

What the hell are you thinking?

And you call yourself a commander?

Stand up!

Know that this will go

to the military court!

I'll strip you of your rank!

Did they teach you at the

university how to steal? b*stard.

If you want meat so bad, I'll

give you some high-grade beef!

Eat!

What are you doing here!

Get out!

Well? It smells like beef.

This is what it is!

Come on, eat it!

What are you doing, you brat!

ls that so! Maybe you

want to fight the officer.

Sgt. Aoji did it for us.

Stop it, Kawanishi.

That's not it.

It was our idea,

so please punish us.

Okay, I'll punish you.

But first show the soldiers

everything you eat here.

Shut up! You're just a soldier,

who do you think you are!

Soldiers are people too.

Kawanishi!

- Calm down!

- Kawanishi!!

Stop it! Or something will happen!

Quickly. Get out of here!

What kind of boorish villain is he? This

has not happened before in the army.

- He is against the w*r.

- Forget it...

We can't let him live.

We have to k*ll him secretly.

Is Private Kawanishi here?

Come with me!

Where did you k*ll that horse?

Take me there.

Why are you resisting so much?

What?

Trying to protect Aoji?

Did you not understand why

I punished him so severely?

The commander was in a rage.

He surely would have

cut him in two half.

And you got involved so suddenly.

All my efforts have

gone to waste.

I've always liked Aoji.

I know that you are

suffering terribly.

- ls it still far?

- We will arrive shortly.

YOUR MOTHER

This is for the sake of

our homeland. I'm sorry!

Mother!

Now I will call you by name.

All who are not named, will

not be recognised as patients.

They are to go back to heir platoons

immediately and get ready for battle.

Do you understand?

- Cadet Kimura.

- Yes.

Sgt. Yamada.

- Junior Sgt. Omati.

- Yes.

- Private Chiba.

- Yes.

- Private Minota.

- Yes.

- Private ljuma.

- Yes.

- Private Akiyama.

- Yes.

Only seven men.

I want you seven to stay

here and fight to the end.

It's really hard for me

to leave you here,

but this is an order from division command

and nothing can be done about it.

I wish that you fulfil your task

with all your courage.

I'm sure you've already

decided it all in your hearts,

but remember the glory

you will get as the

imperial gods of w*r.

ls that clear?

Doctor.

We will do our best.

Please take us with you.

Doctor, please.

- Hey, we should take them with us.

- Exactly.

- Take us with you!

- That will not do!

Or we'll leave everyone here!

I'll not allow anyone

to disobey orders.

Commander, sir,

I'm Cadet Kimura.

I volunteered, so I don't

care about death.

And if I should fall here,

in this holy w*r,

I would become a spirit

and race to the sky

over the b*ttlefield.

Please calm down.

You're an imperial frontline student.

Each of you will get a grenade.

Everyone listen!

Military regulations:

Death of a soldier.

Life and death

are linked with a noble spirit of

self-sacrifice during service.

You need to rise above life and

death to fulfil your duty to the end.

Attention!

Negisi unit of 15 soldiers is formed,

the total number is 16 men.

One soldier is missing.

That is private Kawanishi.

Ran away?

- We shall find him.

- No need.

- But, lieutenant, sir...

- This will only delay our departure.

Starting with the first company, forward!

March!

- First platoon forward!

- March!

Forward!

- Platoon, forward!

- March!

- Platoon, forward!

- March!

- Platoon, forward!

- March!

- Platoon, forward!

- Yes, sir!

- Platoon, forward!

- March!

Guys! Take care!

When you return home,

give my regards to everyone there!

- Goodbye!

- Goodbye!

Goodbye!

Stop it! Shut up immediately!

Who? You called me?

Who was that?

Why did you break down over

the m*rder of one man?

You've come to k*ll me?

Why are you here!

Go away! Go away!

Chiba! Where are you going?

I'm going along with the unit.

See? I can walk.

Hey! Wait for me!

Wait for me!

Take me with you!

Take me with you.

I don't want to die here.

I don't want to die here.

Wait for me.

I don't want to die.

Son.

Son!

Son!

There are tropical colours all around here.

They are so intense.

When a person looks

at them all the time,

he begins to miss the soft tones,

like a Cezanne painting.

Japanese mountains, rivers and the sea.

Ah, yes.

Don't whine.

I remembered something.

When you go out to sea,

your body is saturated with water.

Sasara, sasara, in a noisy place, now

you mustn't say you don't want to go there.

If not, just say so, as a sasara

doesn't go to a noisy place.

Sasara, sasara.

So, I'll go to the toilet.

Halt!

The commander no longer has a horse,

so we will stop every minute.

At least we can take a break.

Flowers on the mountain are blooming,

the whole coast covered in green lush.

These are not Kyoto flowers,

this is Yoshida mountain

in the moonlight.

On the road, overgrown with summer

greenery, when we look at the stars

in the sky,

filled with great hope,

boiling in our hearts.

Aoji, sir.

Kawanishi...

Get up!

Bombardment!

Sounds like a scary spring thunderstorm.

It can destroy someone's mind;

it can hit someone's chest.

Your intermittent loud voices

are echoing in my chest,

they feel like they

are terribly cold.

Minato, listen.

We are still alive.

They always make fools out of us.

But what should I do to not

make a fool out of myself?

Thinking about it all the time.

What is death?

I think that death in itself exists.

But does gradual dying exist,

and death that suddenly

overwhelms you?

Now we are waiting to

die in a sudden defeat.

This world is just like

never-ending music.

Death is dancing on her notes.

But we will die faster

than we can become

one of the notes

of this symphony.

We will be expelled from her.

Fate gave us life from

beginning till the end.

It's morning already.

How beautiful is this?

I'll go to the Imperial Palace.

I'm going to inform His Royal Highness

about the situation at the front.

Ah! Who's pouring this water on me?

Hey, you coward!

Come down!

I'll show you, you as*h*le!

Who permitted you to pour

water on a superior?

Yamada-san, we will die together.

I don't want to! I don't want to!

I don't want to die! m*rder*r!

Somebody, help me!

We'll die together!

Death, which will destroy us!

You see these wonderful students,

who have been abandoned at the front.

They are going to incur God's

vengeance

and are getting ready

to destroy the enemy.

The day that decides the

fate of our empire has come.

One by one they leave

the university benches

with courage and determination.

Just look at their enthusiastic

spirit, their full-blooded youth.

On this day they

joined the lmperial Army.

As representatives of His

Imperial Majesty, they promise

eternal prosperity to our

invincible Imperial Army.

And from now on they will

shine on the b*ttlefield.

- Say, in which direction lies Japan?

- I don't know.

West is over there.

Does it make a difference then?

Then it's there.

It's his joints.

- Are you going?

- I'll try to walk as far as I can.

Where to?

I feel as if my mother

is calling to me.

I can't.

- I'm happy that I got to know you.

- What are you saying?

Run already.

Goodbye!

Faith is the distance, as the last

remnants of snow. Faith sparkles!

Let her sparkle all she wants,

she'll become a power

that can lead a perfectly idle man.

Only solitude

and freedom of the spirit

can help me recall

that I was once a human.

PLEASE SEND THESE SKETCHES

TO JAPAN

TO THE INSTITUTE OF ART,

WHEN THIS w*r ENDS.

Goodbye, Akiyama!

Dear Japanese soldiers, what

are you all fighting for?

Your leaders, politicians and commanders

are constantly repeating

that this is all for your country

or for His Imperial Majesty.

Your commanders are

hiding in safe places,

from which they give you

orders and make you fight

this terrible w*r.

Here! Here!

Now.

Can't see. I can't see.

Doctor, you got hit in

you eyes? Doctor!

I need a doctor, help me!

Medic!

Come. Don't be afraid.

- You want to help?

- That's good.

As you wish!

As they say, if it's for your country,

then you must do it, like it or not.

All who are wounded, give

your ammunition to the commanders!

Ammunition and provisions

of those who died

will go to the the nearest person!

Join the army and leave

a beautiful girl behind in tear.

Kawanishi is here,

Kawanishi has come!

Look, over there.

Covered in blood. You see?

So, that is the spirit.

He was shot in the back.

So, be careful!

You brat, be careful!

Stop it, Tsuruta!

What are you doing?

Oh, you scum! You're just a soldier,

who do you think you are?

Villain!

Idiot!

Commander, sir, this will lead to

the destruction of the unit.

You must make a decision.

ln this situation, it will be difficult

to retreat with the entire unit.

We will take a few strong men

and retreat only with them.

Then it will be enough to just send

a report to the General Staff

that the whole unit has died.

Doctor!

The commander is calling for you.

Hey, what are you doing here again?

Getting in my way again?

You scum! That's it,

this will be the end of you.

Stop it! Stop.

Commander, sir!

Commander, sir!

Get down!

Doctor, how could you!

Careful!

Commander, sir! Mr. Kisino!

The commander is escaping!

The commander escaped!

The commander's gone!

Ah!

The commander escaped!

I'll show them,

these villains!

I don't want to die.

Absurd.

How absurd. It's pointless.

Who started this w*r anyway?

To hell with it!

Flowers on the mountain are blooming,

the whole coast covered in green lush.

These are not Kyoto flowers,

this is Yoshida mountain

in the moonlight.

On the road, overgrown with summer

greenery, when we look at the stars

in the sky.

Professor, sir, hold on!

Professor, professor...

Help me!

Maki, are you all right?

Maki. The rib cage? You'll cope with it.

Maki.

Our end is approaching.

Professor, sir.

When you return home,

can you...

Can you take this to my home?

Tell them that I wrote everything

I couldn't say in person right here.

Professor, sir.

It's as if your last

lecture at the university,

a lecture on Montaigne,

was given only recently.

I then wanted

to tell you something, but

in the end I couldn't.

It was about Montaigne's

view on death.

For the first time, Montaigne

accepted death and

tried to strengthen his

spirit when faced with it.

Gradually, he began to admire

this arrogant death.

He went further and realised

that the truth is the

study of life rather than

the study of death.

Or he started to believe in future

generations of mankind.

That is what I wanted

to say back then,

but I couldn't

But I had to tell you that.

These are the words

that men facing death need to hear.

I was a coward.

Montaigne said something

really bitter.

''Les hommes se donnant a louage'',

or ''People make use of things''.

''They do not make use of their

abilities here for themselves,

but for the entity they serve

or for their masters''.

ll faut mesnages la liberte...

Mother!

Curse you all!

''We should appreciate the

freedom of our spirit,

we can only establish it

in this true moment''.

Help!

''If a man is used, he can't

find the desired peace,

even after ten long years...

Today, it is the same with us...

Help!

Help!

I also betrayed my life.

Yes, I'm a forever

falling rock.

That is so.

But we can do nothing

about it any-more, Maki.

We buried the freedom

of our souls.

ln this unjust, no less.

It's too late. This is the end.

We made a mistake.

Why, why did we give

our souls to this w*r,

this bad dream?

THE END