Do feel Shohei Ooka's light and heat
In 2014, the Shohei Ooka's novel "Nobi" (Fires on the Plain [en]) was filmed again. This time, it was directed by Shinya Tsukamoto after 20 years' gestation.
Many people dealt with "cannibalism" as a central issue on this book. And it is well known as a Shohei Ooka's factual war story. If you just hear this introduction, you may misinterpret this novel as a survival drama or horror. But when you try reading, it soon gives readers understand that it is by no means easy. Here, Shohei Ooka depicts soldiers in an extreme situation, which made readers keep distance.
In point of fact for one who have never experienced the war, it is impossible to say definitely that I grasp the core: what he wanted to pass on or what he felt while writing.
A director Shinya Tsukamoto was born in the same postwar period as me. He had long planned to make this novel into a film and around 10 years ago, he decided to have interviews at Leyte with returned soldiers who saved their skins.
Their stories were much more dreadful than novels and it cost him 10 years to realize his plan. He speaks his mind that he was not still sure the film covers the novel.
Imagine the fact much more dreadful than this novel....
I cannot express in words to think of his chest. This novel was so detailed and gory that I thought he must pour out his heart, but he still contained his feelings.
70 years have passed since the Second World War was over. In Japan, the present Prime Minister Shinzo Abe came up with a policy “a departure from the postwar regime" where he aims at a revision of the constitution including "war-renouncing Article 9" to allow Japan's military to mobilize overseas.
It is his principal object which passed down from his grandfather Nobusuke Kishi.
As he takes strong measures, people who have war memories began to raise their voices and younger generations who don't know war have joined. The support for the Abe cabinet has fallen short of majority though it kept at a high level since his assumption.
His “fire” once shows a bright light to a certain amount of Japanese.
Shohei Ooka's "fire" conducts heat and shows its light even now.
The time has come when we Japanese make sure on which course each fire throw its light….
Classics