"The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On" えいが レビュー

 

Kazuo Hara's documentary of Kenzo Okuzaki was certainly quite the experience. It was both an informative situation of Japan during the mid to late 20th and also quite an emotional rollercoaster with his aggressive actions and saddening and crude truths coming to light. Throughout the entirety of the movie, I was witnessing Kenzo fight against the established government of the Emperor and his retaliation for the horrors experienced during the battlefield in New Guinea. While I don't quite understand the historical context, I was able to pickup from his conversations that a war had pushed the Japanese soldiers to the brink of insanity leading to an unwarranted execution and cannibalism. This type of sickening behavior, from my knowledge and studies, is not uncommon during war but is an unsightly scene to even hear about through word of mouth. Many soldiers during that time like many today are faced with difficult challenges and decisions. Usually such choices are directed upon the commanding officer and this can show the disparity of the situation at hand. Kenzo's abrasive nature displays his passion and desire for the truth, but in my opinion his attempted assassination, murder, and other offenses aren't unjustified but are very extreme decisions. What's sad about this documentary is that for a person's voice to be heard especially a veteran, they must take action in drastic measures to make their stories heard and acknowledged. His interviews were a mix of consolation and aggressive interrogation which I can say were very surreal sights to see on film. I think the harsh reality of the shooting is a beautiful representation of how idealistic people are when it comes to solving issues as there is always a lot of corruption and red-tape no matter what country you are in. I'm genuinely intrigued by Japan's history not only for its successes like anime, manga, music, and more but also for its failures like the cannibalism in New Guinea or the infamous "Rape of Nanking" during World War II. Unlike America, Japan is a very old country with an extensive history which serves as a reminder of their past actions, a lesson for themselves and other countries, as well as a notable mention of their progress made thus far to this day. If you are interested in Japanese history or their governmental culture, then this movie is an excellent piece of filmmaking.