Reflecting on World War II: 3 Japanese films’ distinct perspectives

World War II had a profound and lasting impact on Japan and the rest of the world. It has been the subject of countless movies depicting various aspects of the conflict. While many of these movies focus on battles and the military side, others show the tragic and terrifying effects of war on ordinary people. Several of Japan’s best World War II films are animated, but there are also live-action movies that depict the battles and soldiers as well as the struggles of regular people. Here are three Japanese films about the war from various angles.

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983)

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is a Japanese- and British-made war film directed by Nagisa Ohshima. Based on the real-life experiences of a Japan war prisoner, the movie depicts a Japanese prison camp and the cultural conflicts between the primarily British prisoners and Japanese soldiers.

A Japanese fluent prisoner, John Lawrence, tries acting as a bridge between the two groups, though a rebellious new prisoner, Jack Celliers, stirs up problems for the Japanese side. Captain Yonoi, the commander of the camp, finds himself with fascination and conflicted feelings regarding Celliers.

The characters are by far the movie’s biggest strength, with many famous names, including David Bowie and Takeshi Kitano in major roles. However, the character focus does not mean the film lacks brutality or moral ambiguity. In fact, the biggest conflicts in the camp are sparked by harsh punishments and executions carried out by Japanese soldiers. Yet the film does its best to portray both the Japanese and British sides sympathetically.

Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence is available on streaming services in Japan and overseas.

Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970)

Tora! Tora! Tora! is another joint Japanese and overseas production. It looks at both the Japanese and American military perspectives in the lead up to the attack on Pearl Harbor. While not a documentary per se, it does take a documentary style approach to portraying its events.

The movie focuses less on character drama and more on a detailed depiction of the attack. For that reason, it will likely not appeal to those looking for an emotional or dramatic story on the impacts of war. Yet taken on its own terms, it does a thorough job looking at what both the American and Japanese militaries were going through in the time before the attack occurred.

The story includes the mistakes and worries of the American side with as much clarity and sympathy as the hesitancy that some in the Japanese military felt about the attack. It takes over an hour and a half for the actual attack on Pearl Harbor to start, but when it does it is described with as much detail as the rest of the film.

Tora! Tora! Tora! can be seen online on both Japanese and international streaming sites.

The Little House (Chiisai ouchi, 2014)

Unlike the other films on this list, The Little House is a character-driven story showing the impact of World War II on a family. The main character, Taki, works for a well-off family as a housemaid in the years up to and during the war. Through her perspective, we see her becoming involved in the family’s life and the toll that the war takes on the husband and wife’s relationship. An affair starts between the wife and an employee of the husband’s company. While the film is somewhat melodramatic at times, it portrays Taki’s struggle and feelings about the affair well.

The Little House is also mostly told in flashbacks from Taki’s diaries in the present. This leads to some of the film’s stronger moments towards the end, as Taki’s family tracks down people from her time as a maid. The story then reflects on how the war affected people and tore them apart.

The Little House is available on Japanese streaming services.