A young woman and her brother explore the history of their grandfather, who died in the WW2. They start contacting the m'en who flew with him, asking them about who he was. 26 year old Kentaro discovers his biological grandfather died as a kamikaze pilot during WW2. He and his sister begin an investigation into what kind of person he was, interviewing men who fought with him. There follows the story of Japanese Navy Air Service Platoon Sergeant Miyabe, as told by four of the men who knew him best. Intricately woven the film follows him through Pearl Harbor, the Midway Battle and the Battle for Okinawa. When he finally loses his will and respect for life he enrolls in the Special Attack Force and passes his responsibility to return to his wife and infant daughter on to a younger pilot. An engaging tale of a man brave enough to challenge accepted ways of thinking. I would put this in one of my top favorite films. It's as good as "Letters from Iwo Jima"<br/><br/>Was the lives worth it for the future of Japan? <br/><br/>It's kind of like "The Notebook" meets "Pearl Harbor". (well, better than those two films!) If you had to choose love between your own family and country/men; many had to face the same dilemma. People can have different perspective whether one is a coward or a real hero. <br/><br/>I'm not sure how I missed this film when it first came out, but I recently watched it and I was engaged throughout the whole film.<br/><br/>The director Takashi Yamazaki also makes really large scale Hollywood-like production quality. <br/><br/>There's many war films out there, but this one is actually refreshing and meaningful. It really hits hard on the impact and value of life - how precious it really is.<br/><br/>I really liked how it brought up the controversy/showed and compared how people/kids of modern Japan also judged the way they saw the kamikaze pilots who fought for them. Some people argue they were just crazy brainwashed terrorists, but not everything is just simply black and white. <br/><br/>The film stars Juichi Okada, a famous former Japenese boy band group member called V6, who plays the main pilot. I was surprised he could act so well, as he was amazing in the film. <br/><br/>I liked how the film had that small subtle connection/twist of the old man with the security cameras in his home/samurai sword; you'd only get it if you were paying attention. <br/><br/>I highly recommend this film. It's definitely one of the quality war films made. I have no movies which I shed tears so much with an impression ever. This movie is one of my best movies. I was overwhelmed the large-scale. In the movie, I felt like riding the Zero.<br/><br/>The story begins that Kentaro and her sister know the fast they have another grandfather with a blood relationship, Kyuzo Miyabe, who died in the WW2. They visit veterans of Miyabe to know who he was. A screen flash back from the present day to those days during WW2. Miyabe has a tenacious clinging to life. He is considered as a coward because everyone at that time thinks it is an honor that they die for their country. Miyabe always has consideration for his wife, daughter, comrade and following. I think he acts like that at the last scene because of the consideration.<br/><br/>This movie must be watched forever, especially for young age. We have to remember the tragedy of the war. Even during the war, I see there is a beautiful love.
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