Screenplay: Natto Wada
Soundtrack: Akira Ifukube
"Soil of Burma is red and so are it's rocks"
August 1945, last days of the Pacific war, place is the tropical jungles of Burma, a small group of Japanese soldiers are in retreat, they are exhausted, and hungry. During their short rest, the platoon captain Inoyue, a choirmaster in civilian life, trying keep his unit spirit up ask his soldiers to sing, together all sings a nostalgic "going home " song. One of the soldiers named Mizuskima, is a self thought Harp player also joins the group. The sound of his Harp releases universalities of hope and despair side by side. Shortly after they arrive a local village there they find out the war is over, Japan is surrendered Inoyue sees no point of continue to fighting and senseless blood shedding, they surrender their guns and they have been putting in to prison camp. British commander of the camp informs Captain Inoyue that another renegade Japanese platoon continue to fight in a mountain hideout, unaware of the end of war and the surrender of their Governments. Captain Inoyue asks Mizuskima to reach out the platoon and ask them to surrender, Mizuskima accepts the task and head off the mountains. He has been only giving half an hour to convince the captain and his platoon, they reject the offer and time is quickly run out. British forces attacks the hideout, entire platoon has been decimated, Mizuskima has injured, with a help of a Buddhist monk he survives, he shaves his head and steals the Monk's rope, disguise himself as a monk. On the way back to prisoners camp, Mizuskima sees piles of dead bodies of Japanese soldiers left un- buried scattered around. Mizuskima, decides to stay in Burma so he can bury the dead soldiers.
"Mizushima is merely human "explain, Director Kon Ichikawa, during the 2005 interview with Criterion
" human beings are actually capable of such goodness" he adds. Ichikawa sees his movie is about Hope; Hope for Mankind.
"Can't you see that whatever you do is futile.
Armies of Britain and Japan can come and fight all they wish,
Burma is still Burma,
Burma is the Budha's country "
Budhist Monk
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