Original subtitles

Downloaded from YTS.MX

A SHOCHIKU FILM

Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX

A SHIN-EI PRODUCTION

FOUR YEARS AFTER THE END OF THE WAR

The war criminals were tried in the name of civilization and peace.

They serve out their terms here.

We visit this prison not out of mere curiosity.

Japan's past has been entombed within these thick walls.

Terrifying truths have been buried in here for the past eight years.

We wish to reach as many people as possible.

Think it through

I always come back to myself How sad

No space to release the sorrow In this thick-walled room

THE THICK-WALLED ROOM

Produced by TAKESHI OGURA

Based on the Writings of B- AND C-CLASS WAR CRIMINALS

Screenplay by KOBO ABE

Cinematography by HIROSHI KUSUDA

Production Design by KIMIHIKO NAKAMURA

Sound by HISAO OHNO

Lighting by RYOZO TOYOSHIMA

Music by CHUJI KINOSHITA

Starring

KO MISHIMA TORAHIKO HAMADA

KEIKO KISHI TOSHIKO KOBAYASHI

SAKAE OZAWA KINZO SHIN

YUNOSUKE ITO TSUTOMU SHIMOMOTO, KOJI MITSUI

Directed by MASAKI KOBAYASHI

Don't do it, Kawanishi.

At night, we all tend to lose our senses.

Come tomorrow, you'll regret it.

Shut your mouth, Pale Face.

I don't know.

I'm no good at this kind of work.

It shakes me to the bone, like the rocks are hurting me.

Beyond the village We found a mountain

Beyond the mountain We found a sea

It was a wide, wide sea

It was a blue, blue sea

Yamashita.

Your beard is a problem, after all.

They see it as a sign of defiance.

It's true.

That's why they only assign us to the quarries.

Shut up. That's enough.

Listen, Yamashita, the Americans don't like beards.

I'm growing it long to use as a rope to hang myself.

What's that?

It's a cage for this spider.

That's gross.

Does it have a beard like you do, Yamashita?

Been waiting for it.

Girlfriend?

Damn, it's not for me.

Yamashita, treat us to it.

Written with an ink brush. A woman's handwriting.

Let me read it, Yamashita.

Here we go.

"How are you doing, Brother?"

It's from your sister, huh?

"I have good news today.

Today, for the first time, Mother can work in the rice field.

The 'rice field' is 30 square feet of red soil under the dormitory window.

It's where a chunk of concrete was torn away in an air raid.

She planted a tree there, 'to welcome you,' she said.

It's a fig tree, and it's already shooting out buds.

Now I can tell you what Mother was like last year.

Upon hearing you were a war criminal, committing suicide...

crossed her mind."

The villagers used to be cruel.

But now they aren't, not anymore.

The factory manager said he'd hire you back when you return.

There still are some who understand.

We keep our hopes up and wait for your return every day.

I hear Mr. Hamada came home suddenly yesterday.

I hear you were both in Tokyo.

I haven't seen him yet.

I'm looking forward to hearing about you.

We live off whatever word we can get of you.

Please take care of yourself.

Mother says it's the time of the year when you can unexpectedly catch cold.

Hamada...

Here they come. It's time for inspection.

Yamashita, come on.

Damn it. They found it.

He's asking whose newspaper it is.

It's mine.

He says you'll work as punishment.

He's gone. Come on, let's go take a look.

- Let's go. - Come on. Hurry.

Be careful.

It gives me the creeps.

One, two, three, four, five, six.

Seven.

Rumor has it that they're gonna take them home.

One's gonna be donated to a museum.

Another will be sold off to some conglomerate.

The rest are gonna be chopped into pieces and auctioned off.

The most valuable one is the pole on which Tojo bled from his nose.

It must be this one.

Enough.

They all died with honor.

No one has the right to judge the dead.

Oh, yeah?

I heard Tojo forgot to say, "Long live the Emperor!"

It's history in the making.

Kimura, can you come up with a poem about this?

Premier Tojo...

What about Tojo?

What're you doing?

I wonder if it hurt.

I hear the moon is out tonight.

The moon, huh?

The moon reminds me of Ueda, a guy I once shared a cell with.

He went crazy.

He went berserk, screaming, "The moon's come into the room!"

Yeah?

The moon and the war criminal.

Yeah, the war criminal.

I hear a train.

Yamashita.

Yamashita?

Would you please shave off your beard?

You'll feel more like a human...

I'm a human being with a beard.

Indeed you are.

Then what's wrong?

I'm scared of chipping rocks and I can't take it.

The sound of rocks being struck makes me feel like vomiting.

It's like something sour running through my whole body.

I need to live like a human again.

Shut up.

Hey.

- Isn't that first-rate? - Not bad.

Well done. You scored 85 out of 100.

Is that your wife, Nishimura?

No way. She deserves better.

This woman is...

Kimura's wife.

Mine?

Look at the beauty mark. Right here.

Kimura, your wife has a beauty mark right here, doesn't she?

What're you saying? Stop joking around.

I'm still 38.

I'm still 28, if I remember right.

Come on. Come on.

Hamada.

Hamada is back. Damn Hamada.

Lt. Hamada!

Move our position. We're surrounded by the guerrillas.

Which way are we going, sir? Three squads have not returned yet.

Forget them.

We'll take three men for communication.

The rest will break into teams of five and each will move on its own.

Private Yamashita, come with the command team.

Yes, sir.

Put out that fire!

Stop.

Damn.

Go.

It's an enemy plane!

Come on!

Don't stay together. Spread out!

Too close! Spread out!

Yamashita.

Lieutenant, we're lost.

You lost the way?

We're in too deep.

Damn it.

Medic Aikawa, we've got rice for three meals?

- Two meals, sir. - Two meals?

Sergeant Hori, press on.

We must get out of here, or we'll die. We'll be eaten by maggots.

I see a fire.

- Are they our friends? - Who knows.

- The guerrillas wouldn't risk a fire. - Not if they were losing.

Who's losing?

Should we send out a scout?

- Yamashita. - Yes, sir.

- Don't fire, no matter what. - Yes, sir.

Please eat these.

Thank you.

It's awfully quiet, isn't it? It's creepy.

Isn't he a lookout for the guerrillas?

Why don't you eat, too? It's meat.

Don't waste it.

He seems kind and innocent.

All the savages are guerrillas.

What did he say?

He says all people are friends.

That's what a guerrilla would say.

Won't they inform the enemy once we leave here?

Let's kill him.

We don't need to kill him. It'd make no difference.

We'd end up making more enemies.

Yamashita?

I don't think we should kill him.

Don't talk like that. He'll get suspicious.

I think it's best we don't kill him.

How dare you! You think I'm a coward, you bastard!

Hamada, your tone will arouse suspicion.

My life has only been loaned to me for the Emperor's glory.

I won't waste it.

Yamashita, listen. Your attitude isn't acceptable.

I'm giving you an order. It's an order from your superior.

Just like an order from the Emperor.

Yes, sir.

Private Yamashita, once we depart, you must come right back here.

You must take care of the savage.

It's an order.

Mister!

Help!

Spare me!

What's wrong?

You guys are too noisy. I can't sleep.

NORTH KOREAN ARMY DECLARES WAR AGAINST SOUTH KOREA

Yokota? There you are, Yokota.

A visitor for you. Hurry up.

Yokota, it must be your brother.

Please get a newspaper.

Kyo, are you from North Korea or South Korea?

I'm...

I'm a Korean.

I hear North Korea is winning.

It's gonna be World War III.

It's only human, killing each other until there's only one left.

It's just stupidity.

No other people in the world deserve more pity than us Koreans.

It's human nature. This is what we are.

How are you doing?

I may be eating better food than you.

You must be sick of it.

You come to visit so often, they're jealous of me.

Newspapers?

No good. They say I can't bring them.

That's weird. It was okay last time, right?

They're fickle, aren't they?

They're okay with a book.

Thank you.

We're starving for the outside world.

- Is it about prison life? - Yeah, it's by Wilde.

It's funny.

You're starving for the outside world, but you want books about prison life.

How's everybody?

I don't know. I don't go home much these days.

Why not?

- You had a fight with Dad, didn't you? - Not at all.

Some guys got fired.

I spend every night with the union guys.

- What about you? - Me?

I somehow found my way in and I'm a trade journal reporter.

Tell me about the people in here.

Well, okay.

Everybody's turning to dust little by little.

At first I thought by staying in here, we'd become more pure and spiritual.

As it turns out, the opposite is true.

We've become more vulgar than the people on the outside.

One guy imagines he owns a store outside.

He tallies his sales every day in his imagination.

- What does he sell? - Who knows.

He's saved up 30,000 yen in his bank.

One guy pimps out his memories of his wife.

It's because he wants tobacco.

He tells others about his wife in intimate detail.

We've all become suspicious.

We've become cruel. We've become liars.

No, we've lost all distinction between lies and the truth.

Prison isn't a place to drive the sins out of humanity.

It drives the humanity out of the sins.

You've become quite philosophical.

No, no. Don't touch.

But you guys aren't guilty.

Well...

I've started to think differently recently.

War is evil, after all.

We didn't oppose the evil. Aren't we all guilty?

If not me, then someone else...

It could've been you locked up in here.

I can't accept such generalizations.

Those who started the war are the guilty ones.

The conglomerates, the military and their minions.

Maybe you're right.

I didn't start the war.

- But... - No buts.

Those who led us into war got lighter sentences.

The B- and C-classes got heavier ones. Haven't you wondered why?

Now in Korea -

What's going on there?

I hear the UN Force is losing.

There's no salvation for humanity, is there?

I wish I was blind and deaf.

No, you must open your eyes and ears and think for yourself.

I don't consider B- and C-class war criminals to be true criminals.

That's what everyone thinks.

War is, by nature, unreasonable.

In Korea, I hear it's dubious who attacked first.

That's communist propaganda.

I won't force it on you. You'll see.

The People's Army will be victorious, for sure.

In every nation, the people must be free.

- Let's go, Mom. - Wait a moment.

I tracked down the girl you told me about.

What?

Why didn't you tell me sooner?

How did it go?

I couldn't find anything at her local town hall.

I sought out every possible contact and finally found her.

She's in Tokyo, in Shinjuku.

Did you see her?

She's in a Special Entertainment District, which means...

I know what that is. Is that why you haven't seen her?

Don't worry about where she is.

You don't know her. That's why you think like that.

I know her.

She's like a crystal.

No, I don't mean she's fragile.

I mean nothing can spoil her.

I know her, all right?

Come to think of it, it's because of her that I haven't given in to despair.

"When I get out of here, a new life is waiting for me."

That's my only hope.

You can't imagine what she meant to me.

You know what?

I have a keepsake of her.

It's a piece of crystal I polished myself.

I've been carrying it around with me.

It shines brightly even in the darkness.

ARMY PROVISIONS DRY NOODLES

You bastard.

What're you doing?

Bastard. Come on.

Come on. Go.

Move.

Translator!

Yokota, open!

He was stealing food. What a bastard.

Not only that, Yokota, but isn't he supposed to be sick?

Otherwise, there's no way he could crawl out at night.

Come on, Yokota, tell him.

Listen, you're a shameless thief.

You stole food from your army buddies, from your countrymen.

All your friends are dogs, but you're less than a dog.

It isn't just that you refused to follow our military orders.

You sold out our friends. You're a pig.

Even so, I'll punish you as a soldier, so thank me for it.

What was that, Yokota?

I told him.

What did you say?

"Don't steal."

"Don't steal"?

Translator, do you think that's any way to do your job?

- Yes, sir. - No, bastard.

Listen, translator. You're angry at him, aren't you?

You're too upset to translate well, aren't you?

Murata! Round them up.

Yes, sir.

Translator, do it.

What's the matter?

Translator, make him get up.

Disobey orders, bastards, and this is what you'll get.

You bastards carpet bombed Japan and killed innocent civilians.

You burned down peaceful villages.

You even killed my children.

And still I'm not going to kill you.

Sergeant.

What's wrong?

- He's dead. - What?

I don't know when it started, but I enjoyed going to the crematorium.

I know it sounds strange.

It felt like the only place where sanity remained intact.

It was hard for me that day, though.

The prisoners used to like me.

Now I felt they regarded me with disdain.

Those bastards are too shriveled.

There's not enough fat in them.

They use up more firewood.

They need to increase my rations or I'll have to turn them away.

Where have you been?

I'd like to offer these.

Thank you.

It's so strange. He's a baker?

To think that he spent each day going about his own business.

Can he really bake bread?

As far as heat and fire go, it's easier than cremating people.

John used to be an accountant at a bakery.

That's quite something.

Can he use an abacus?

A Japanese abacus? Of course not.

He uses adding machines.

What's an adding machine?

It's the Western abacus.

Mr. Yokota, come on. Have some.

Sure.

This is really something.

Did you make it with rice?

They pay me for cremations in rice. I end up with a little extra.

You don't need to worry about it.

I didn't kill them.

I only cater to the dead.

Damn professional killers.

They get to be worshipped as Imperial Soldiers these days.

I'm a lot more honorable than them.

Have some more.

No thank you.

If I went back drunk, I might end up needing your services.

You think so?

Give a cup of sake to each one of them.

It's for their mothers.

Normally, a crematorium should smell of death.

But it smelled of life more than any other place.

I let it soak in, the humanity that humble people possess from birth.

Here, I learned to survive.

I became greedy.

I felt the presence of Yoshiko somewhere inside me all the time.

I loved the whole world.

I was in love.

Yoshiko, you've got a visitor.

What? Who is it, at this time of the day?

Damn bastards.

Who the hell is it?

As if you don't know. You're blushing.

You'll pay for it.

Show him mercy. Go.

Who are you?

Hi, I -

Did you read my letter?

Oh, you must be Mr. Yokota's brother.

Yes.

Just like in the movies.

Come on. Why don't you sit down?

Movies? That's harsh.

But he really means it.

He was a nice man, kind to everybody.

My brother's not a true war criminal. You understand that, don't you?

It's an outrage.

But the way things are, they'll soon sign the peace treaty.

I'm against the treaty, but...

Once it's signed, I'm sure my brother will be released.

Tell him to come have fun with me when he's released, okay?

Now it's like a novel.

Come on.

The war drove everybody insane.

We're still insane, you know?

I was only 16 back then.

It feels like a hundred years ago.

When the war ended, the whole nation was eager to go in a different direction.

So we jumped on this train without knowing its destination.

What a good way to put it.

Are you a writer? You must be, aren't you?

Do you read books?

Yeah, but I prefer movies.

Why do you work here?

Of course I understand.

Don't make it too complicated.

What should I tell him?

I don't know.

Can't you just be glad and think it over?

I don't know.

I'll be back.

A show and a movie are about to begin.

A show and a movie...

You really aren't coming?

I hear they've got girls coming today.

They're also showing an American sword fighting movie.

I've got a headache. I feel nauseated.

Oh dear, are you pregnant?

You need the infirmary?

No thank you. It's not that bad.

Kawanishi's been acting strange these days.

Exactly. He's acting like a fool.

Forward! Back! Back!

Forward! Back!

Forward! Forward! Forward!

Stab!

Why don't you try harder?

How can you call yourself an Imperial Soldier?

You aren't putting your spirit into it.

Stab!

Murderer! Murderer!

Life imprisonment with hard labor. Life imprisonment with hard labor!

Murderer! War criminal! Murderer! War criminal!

Isn't it nice just taking a stroll like this?

You said it.

The peace treaty is in force now.

Pretty soon, this very soil will connect us to the outside world.

I'm 38.

That's not so bad. Damn right, I'm happy.

The treaty has gone into effect? Disgusting.

What's that Clause 11?

They can't even release us. How can they celebrate "independence"?

Damn right.

That's what politics is all about.

It's our government's fault.

Those rotten scoundrels.

It's unbelievable.

The government wants to remilitarize Japan but it keeps us war criminals locked up.

Wait until next year.

I hear you, but the government must have a plan.

Damn it. The government sold us off.

How could they? There's no price for us.

You can't even get a cat's tail for free.

You can boil it in soy sauce and eat it.

- Shut your mouth, idiot! - What did you say?

You're a war criminal, too.

What're you doing?

Stop it.

So is there any hope of us getting out?

None whatsoever.

Not at all. There's no hope.

Public opinion won't tolerate it.

We've been ignored for seven years.

Various release campaigns are starting, I hear.

We'd better organize ourselves to reciprocate accordingly.

We need to form a committee to prepare ourselves.

We need to publish a newspaper, no matter what.

Yokota, are you busy?

No.

Excuse me.

What is it?

Do you think there's absolutely no hope of us being released?

Well, not for the time being.

They say Japan has attained independence, but it's not true independence.

The US wanted to remilitarize Japan so they granted us independence.

But the complex global dynamics prevented them from taking an active role.

So they inserted Clause 11 and now Japan manages Sugamo Prison.

Yet the US controls its practical operations.

I guess that's the way they're dealing with it.

So when do you think we can hope to get out of here?

When public opinion gets strong enough.

Or when we no longer have to act contrite to other nations.

When will that be?

What? Sounds as if you want Japan to rearm itself.

But they won't release us otherwise, will they?

Don't you get it?

Now I understand, Yamashita. You used to be a mechanic.

No wonder you're good with machines.

I used to be a driver.

I was a driver at a construction site where they used prisoners of war.

That's the only reason I'm a war criminal.

It doesn't make any sense.

I'm a Korean.

Someone wanted to pin the blame on me and tipped them off with a lie.

During the war, they said the Koreans were brothers to the Japanese "Yamato" people.

You see a wrench?

Right there.

Maybe we're brothers.

But my true brothers are the poor.

When I was a kid in Korea, I heard this:

"Workers of the world, unite."

Now I fully understand what they meant.

Workers are strong and beautiful. We're all comrades.

Stop talking like a commie.

I hate anyone who patronizes me with "Workers this, workers that."

I know what you mean, Yamashita.

I'm sick and tired of being patronized.

- But listen - - I don't like it.

Yamashita, you have a visitor.

What?

Must be your sister. That's nice.

You've done it.

It's been a while, hasn't it? I've always wanted to visit, but...

Mom's not coming, huh?

She's got her reasons. She's not feeling well.

They'd cut off welfare if we could afford the train tickets to come see you.

I had to sneak out, alone.

What? Weren't you happy to get welfare money?

Yes, we were.

When you're poor, nothing good ever happens.

Without a man at home, we get no respect.

Listen, that Hamada is a real bastard, isn't he?

Oh, dear.

Hear how I suddenly got quiet? Silly me.

I'm used to talking in whispers now. I hate it.

What happened?

I don't want to talk about it. I'm here to see you.

Here. It's from Mom.

- Tell me. - You sure?

It looks like we'll be evicted from our house.

Remember what I wrote in the letter?

They plan to widen the road to the US military base.

Then our house will be torn down.

When it was announced, Hamada suddenly turned vicious on us.

What a bastard.

Didn't he help you find that house?

He did. That's why I'm upset.

You know what I think now?

That bastard must've known this was going to happen.

He'd been waiting for this chance.

First he came to us offering employment at the Hamada Machinery dormitory.

That was the condition under which he bought our house.

Then he said he'd get us on welfare and kicked us out of the dormitory.

And now he threatens to cut us off if we complain.

He settled us in a house he knew would be demolished.

There are only women in our household, so he takes us for fools.

Isn't he campaigning for the release of the war criminals?

He is.

He's also campaigning for his dad's election to the prefectural assembly.

The bastard.

He's really the scum of the earth.

He's our enemy.

He's the enemy.

Kill the bastard.

What are you saying? Don't scare me.

I'll kill him.

Yeah? Hello? Yeah?

What? A prisoner escaped?

Yamashita is gone.

He's escaped!

Damn it!

This is bad, really bad.

Listen, Yokota, we have no other choice.

You're on the committee. You have to talk to them.

It's only right we take him in with us.

- That's true. - At least in theory.

It's not a theory. It's what we should do.

Is Yamashita at fault?

Yamashita only acted upon what we were all thinking.

Yamashita isn't a war criminal.

None of us B- and C-class are. The war criminals got rich in the war.

You talk a lot, don't you?

Of course I talk.

We Koreans suffered a lot, so we know better than you.

If we take him in with us, the truth will have won.

You're right. You're absolutely right.

I'm going. I'm going to wake up the committee members.

I'll help you. We must unite.

- I'll come with you. - I'll come with you, too.

But this is bad, really bad.

'Cause you're due to complete your sentence soon.

You don't have to be so nasty.

This is bad, isn't it?

You can come back to our cell if you want.

But you may want to spend a night here.

Everybody says hello.

Yamashita, can't you tell me why?

My shoulder hurts.

Here?

I was just having a nice, naughty dream.

Holy Mother Mary!

What?

Holy Mother Mary is Catholic.

What?

She is Catholic, you know?

We only wanted to eat and sleep. We were like pigs.

You know what? We were waiting for death.

Almost every day, several were charged as war criminals.

They were taken to the execution site and killed like pigs.

Each time, a few of us were brought along to witness it.

That day, I was one of the witnesses.

No! I don't want to die. No! No!

Help me.

I didn't want to die like that.

If I was to die, I'd want to face death like a human, with dignity.

I wasn't confident, though.

If it had been me right then, I'd have acted just like him.

I'd be shaking so bad, I wouldn't even be able to shed tears.

At last, it was my turn.

What was it called, the place they locked up felons?

"The Devil's Chessboard," they called it.

It housed the war criminals and the native independence fighters.

Every morning, they'd sing in chorus the anthem of their independence.

Their song would wake me up.

Never before had I wanted to live so badly.

Even if we'd wanted to, we didn't have a song to sing.

You killed innocent civilians in order to steal their bread.

You wanted to eat the bread by yourself and alone.

For that purpose, you abandoned your troop.

That's not true. It's a lie. It's all lies.

That's not true. You're wrong.

It's not true.

When the trial started, I was no more than an empty shell.

I was like the lifeless carcass of a sewer rat.

I didn't have the willpower to think.

All I wanted was to get it over with as soon as possible.

The indictment has been delivered to the accused.

The accused committed an act of atrocity.

The prosecution demands the death penalty.

I happened to look over and saw Hamada coming in as a witness.

He was hiding behind the MP so I wouldn't see him.

Damn it. I was stupid. I thought I was saved.

I was so happy I almost cried.

Damn it. I thought he had come to help me.

Please swear the oath.

I swear not to lie.

Everything is accurately described in the indictment.

The villager was friendly toward us.

We saw no need to murder him.

The assertions of the accused are absolutely no concern of mine.

Idiot! Damn you! And you call yourself my superior?

Bastard! Liar! I'm going to die, because of you.

Murderer!

That bastard is back in our hometown, enjoying a good life.

My mom and sister are already struggling to earn enough to eat.

Hamada is trying to drive them out of the village.

Even if I killed him, that wouldn't be enough.

He's campaigning for our release? Don't make me laugh.

I won't trust anything anymore.

I'll keep trying to escape until I succeed.

I'm going to escape and kill that bastard.

What happened to you? It's been a while.

Well, to tell you the truth... Don't be surprised.

I was in Kosuge Prison.

I exercised my right to remain silent. I couldn't contact you.

Don't be so surprised. I do it all the time.

I passed out leaflets and got arrested.

Are you a commie?

You make it sound like I'm some wild animal.

Say "communist."

All pacifists are called commies these days, so "commie" will do.

KAIZO - RECONSTRUCT

Isn't it funny? You're in prison 'cause you're a war criminal.

Your brother goes to prison for his peace activism.

So I'm a peace criminal.

They'd better turn all of Japan into one big prison.

Or maybe it already is.

- I hear you can't talk with commies. - Oh, please.

Do I look like a convert to the Dancing Religion?

That's horrible. Is it like that out there? Even you?

I'm not an exception.

Yeah.

Maybe you're right.

Did you see Yoshiko?

Give up on her. She's completely "colonized."

- Let's go walk outside. - Can you do that?

Wait for me in the hallway.

"The war drove us insane. We're still insane."

She's absolutely right.

An ideology can steer us.

In here, ideologies and disorders come on very slowly.

Everything tiptoes and sneaks up on us.

That means you don't have a life.

Listen, you'd better give up on her.

Don't talk about her anymore.

There was a big incident recently.

Someone tried to escape.

Tell me about it.

What a wonderful story.

I'm moved.

Why don't you write it down?

I'll try to get it published.

It'll be a punch in the face for the reactionaries.

Will public opinion condone murder?

Righteous public opinion can destroy a leech of an officer like Hamada.

He won't be worth killing.

I'd better go home now. I have preparations to make.

The day after tomorrow is May Day. I'll be back.

Are you going to be okay?

May Day, you mean?

You've got to be kidding, it's a celebration.

I'll sing for you, too.

See you.

A cash reward?

For whoever publicized the escape attempt.

Yamashita, this book talks about spiders. Do you want me to read it?

This new one won't eat either. He's looking dried out.

"It was the first afternoon of Easter week.

Airplanes flew across a cloudless sky.

They dominated the view from my window with their engines roaring for hours.

However, I was in my own cell.

A deep, deep silence reigned.

There was an industrious spider.

It dangled between the iron bars and was building a web.

At times like this, courage or mental strength

was like an immeasurably valuable device for shoring up my will and humanity."

It's not about how to care for spiders?

Strange.

It's strangely cheerful.

Who wrote those words?

Ernst Thälmann. He was the leader of the Communist Party of Germany.

He had a cause.

Being in prison helped him.

It helped him to be brave.

You mean it won't help us?

Guys, did you see the bulletin board?

I won 10,000 yen.

10,000 yen, what a laugh.

They take us for fools. Listen to this.

"There was an escape attempt from this prison.

Someone published a story about it in a certain left-wing magazine.

Such acts have a grave impact on our campaign for the release of war criminals.

We're the Release Promotion Alliance.

We'll cooperate with the authorities to crack down on such activities.

We'd like to ask for your active cooperation.

Please inform us of the names of those unscrupulous saboteurs.

We will present you with a cash reward of 10,000 yen."

That's outrageous.

Is it true?

Go take a look. A picture's worth a thousand words.

Yokota.

Yeah?

Yokota, why did you do such a stupid thing?

I'm sorry.

I trusted you. That's why I told you.

Don't meddle in my life.

Don't get me wrong. I did it because -

I don't want to hear why.

I won't hesitate if you get in my way.

From now on, I'm not talking to you.

I'm going into solitary. You're on the committee. Arrange it.

No, don't say a word. Don't talk to me again.

Yamashita, I'm sorry.

Don't.

We're about to begin the show.

We have many people to thank for the entertainment troupe's visit today.

First, the National Alliance for Promoting the Release of War Criminals.

I'd like to thank you.

The people have welcomed Japan's independence.

The American military condemns the crimes rather than the criminals.

Their compassionate Christian spirit has helped us.

We are now back on our feet after a nightmarish defeat in war.

The Japanese people are not accusing you.

They consider you the truest of all Japanese.

They regard you highly once again.

Of course there are exceptions.

A small number of saboteurs are stirring up the people.

Some voice anti-American and unpatriotic sentiments.

We must admit they exist.

You mustn't give them the slightest consideration.

We expect that much of you.

Make no mistake about it.

Their action will only hinder our campaign to promote the release of war criminals.

Peace comes from the heart.

Do not hate the enemy. Hate their weapons.

This brings us to the persons responsible for publicizing the escape attempt.

We still do not know who they are.

This truly is a sorry state of affairs.

I and other A-class war criminals can be called political prisoners.

You, B- and C-class war criminals, should be called criminal prisoners.

But the fact remains that we are all victims of the war.

In that sense, we're not at all different from you.

Bastard! Shut up!

You're not a victim. You were in charge.

You can't fool us anymore.

Because of your kind, I lost my homeland.

The Korean people were trampled by Japan's Imperialist invasion.

Listen, everyone, now it's your turn to get invaded and become slaves.

Do you know how horrible that is?

I know. The Koreans know.

Now Korea is at war again. It's horrible not to be independent.

Do you see?

Hear, hear!

What's the deal? Force them to release us.

I'll speak!

Why did the United States force us into such a unilateral treaty?

Yeah!

We don't think the Japanese government has the right to keep us locked up.

He's right!

What do you think?

Be quiet. Please settle down.

Listen, everybody.

I heard what Mr. Aramoto had to say.

I have a proposal to make as committee representative.

It's about the search for the men who publicized the escape attempt.

The cash reward and the request for information should be retracted.

Should we demand that of the authorities and the Release Alliance?

- Agreed! - Right on!

Just the other day, the committee was hounded by the Alliance to cooperate.

In return, we asked them to release the content of what was published.

- Way to go! - Good!

But they refused.

Allow me to voice my personal opinion.

I don't understand why a peace movement would hinder the campaign to release us.

So let me ask your opinion.

Should we demand that they retract their request?

Get them to retract.

May I consider this meeting as our general assembly and take a vote?

- Yes! - Take a vote.

Please take a seat for a moment.

Now.

All in favor of demanding a retraction, please stand up.

The committee resolves to demand that the Alliance retract its request.

Good!

Listen, everyone, I -

- We know. - It's all right.

We'd like to continue with the entertainment troupe's program.

For some reason, however, the emcee has fled.

I'm going to bring him back. Please wait.

Kimura, we got a telegram for Yamashita.

I feel sorry for him.

I hear the prison rules won't grant a temporary release to Yamashita.

I'm sorry. Those are the rules.

- Come on! - Start already!

Yokota. Yokota!

It's Yamashita's mother.

Does Yamashita know about this?

He's just left.

And there's another problem.

The authorities appear to be unwilling to grant a temporary release to Yamashita.

What?

Probably because of the escape attempt.

That's ridiculous.

Let's appeal to everyone.

What a stupid idea.

Isn't it about the death of a human being?

You meddle too much. You're a busybody.

You're using the campaign for our release to drag us into your ideological movement.

- That's not true. - That's what you're doing.

Why isn't Yamashita talking to you? It proves my point.

That's not it.

Maybe my approach had its problems, but...

Yokota, you've never thought about the human soul.

You just don't understand human pain and sorrow.

I know pain.

I just want everyone to unite and overcome human sorrow.

What's wrong with that? Otherwise, why should we be unhappy?

That's a problem for those souls.

Listen, Kimura.

What caused the war? Who caused it?

Who's making us suffer like this?

Outside, they're waging a war in Korea and remilitarizing Japan.

I'm repentant.

We're criminals.

Peace is born out of reflection on our own sins.

Only if all of us, all the people could love each other...

Kimura, you yourself said the Americans were inconsistent in their ways.

Yokota, I'm warning you.

You can use your leaflets to wipe your ass but you can't clean your soul with them.

I didn't mean to argue with you.

I know we share the same sentiment, yet...

Kimura, do I look like a man who'd take advantage of others?

It's not like I'm against you.

Kimura, I'm going to ask everyone.

We must let Yamashita go home.

Please go find Yamashita.

Yes?

Yamashita.

Somehow, it went well.

It comes with conditions, but you can go, for one day, until 12:00 tomorrow.

It gets on my nerves, but -

You promised not to talk to me.

You didn't have to come.

You're right. I should've asked someone else.

I apologize.

Here, I borrowed rain gear from the office.

Nishimura offers you his clothes.

Here's a razor.

Here. Everybody chipped in. It's not much, though.

Jackass! Watch it!

Oh, our majestic troopship

DISABLED VETERAN

Farewell, my homeland Be prosperous

From a great distance I worship the Imperial Palace

I swore an oath to the sky above it I am resolute

Oh, I remember the faces

Yamashita must be on the train by now.

I'm sure he wanted to go home while his mother was alive.

She's dead now. He can't come home to her.

How stupid it all is.

So stupid!

Will he really come back?

Don't worry.

Yamashita must have seen the town.

The town.

A town at night, in a drizzle

I just came up with a good epigram.

"War criminals are the masks of peace worn by the merchants of death."

Yeah. That's a good aphorism.

I have no idea what you're talking about.

How can you fail to understand it?

What's the point of understanding it?

I want to get out of here.

I want to break through this.

They're using us as a smoke screen and making deals behind the scenes.

They're the real war criminals. I want to bite them to death.

The suffering we've endured.

I want to tell everyone in the world.

Isn't Yamashita going to attack what's-his-name?

I hear they're sending someone to follow him.

A lone wolf can't do anything.

He'll only get killed like a dog.

He'll come back.

Who's there?

Brother.

I'm so glad you're back.

Come on.

He's back.

Come on. Come on up.

Brother.

It's sad we can't stay and bid farewell to Okane.

But Kiyoshi is back home for her.

Let's leave the family members alone together.

That would please Okane more. Right?

Thank you for staying so late.

- We'll be back tomorrow. - Good night.

- Good night. - Good night.

Who killed my son?

I'm here to find the bastard that killed my son. Let me in.

Please. I beseech you.

Who killed my dear child? Come forward.

Damn Japanese bastard! I hate you! Die!

Where are you going?

- I'm going to see Hamada. - No!

Brother, you mustn't.

I know, Brother. I read about Hamada.

I knew it was about you right away.

I'm just going to see him. I want to talk to him.

Don't be an idiot!

Are you still thinking about that?

What have we endured all this suffering for?

You're selfish.

I'm going to talk to him.

That bastard...

It's already past 4:00 in the morning.

I'm only going to see him.

For seven years, day or night didn't matter to me.

Brother.

Will Yamashita come back?

Don't worry.

What? You're still awake?

Yeah, I couldn't sleep.

We're growing old.

That's stupid.

Do you think Yamashita will come back safely?

What if I ran into my old commanding officer?

Killing him wouldn't be enough to settle the score.

Oh, dear. Aren't you Mrs. Yamashita's son?

I'm so sorry about her.

But it's good you came home early.

Are you going to stay here?

No.

You've suffered a lot, haven't you?

Where are you headed?

I see. You're going to see Hamada's brat.

He'd be too ashamed to see you.

I know it's too late to talk about what's in the past.

What scum he is.

My old lady heard about you and she wept.

You're up early, aren't you?

I don't know if I'm up early or staying up late.

I know you think I did horrible things.

What horrible things?

We're farmers and mechanics. What great horrible things can we do?

It can't be that bad.

Who is it?

It isn't a telegram?

Yamashita is my name.

Dear.

Dear, Yamashita is here. It's Yamashita.

Someone's out there.

Damn it.

Dear, what are we gonna do?

Invite him in.

Invite him in.

Please come in.

What did you do?

Hello, Yamashita.

Shut up!

Shut up. Don't cry. Be quiet.

Damn you!

You lowlife.

I came here to kill you, but death is too good for you.

You don't deserve to die. You deserve to rot away.

That fool.

Brother.

Brother.

You'd better go back.

What're you going to do now?

I'm going to survive.

Any reports?

No, nothing. Are you worried?

Maybe you don't understand.

Of course I do.

If you really did, you wouldn't be a very good prison official.

He wouldn't dare.

Hello, sir.

- Caramel, please. - Sure.

Thank you very much.

He should be back soon.

Maybe I shouldn't be here.

You'd better stay.

I'm back.

THE END