Best Film Representation of Japan's Experience During the 1943-1945 Sub War

[scotisle]

Hi,

I'm teaching a High School 11/12 elective on Japan, and we're looking at representations of Japanese history through film from the Sengoku Wars to modern times. I'm hoping to find a drama or documentary that exemplifies the submarine war of 1943-1945, when so many Japanese ships were sunk, but from the Japanese point of view. I know there are many American WWII sub films, and I can show one of those, but I'm looking for something that demonstrates the hopelessness of leaving port when your convoy is going to be wiped out. I'm not familiar enough with Japanese TV, but even an episode of a show would be acceptable. Ideally it would be somewhat realistic.

Basically the Japanese version of GREYHOUND.

The caveat is that none of the students speak Japanese so it would need subtitles.

Thanks so much for your ideas!

[ShindenKai]

Hi,

I'm teaching a High School 11/12 elective on Japan, and we're looking at representations of Japanese history through film from the Sengoku Wars to modern times. I'm hoping to find a drama or documentary that exemplifies the submarine war of 1943-1945, when so many Japanese ships were sunk, but from the Japanese point of view. I know there are many American WWII sub films, and I can show one of those, but I'm looking for something that demonstrates the hopelessness of leaving port when your convoy is going to be wiped out. I'm not familiar enough with Japanese TV, but even an episode of a show would be acceptable. Ideally it would be somewhat realistic.

Basically the Japanese version of GREYHOUND.

The caveat is that none of the students speak Japanese so it would need subtitles.

Thanks so much for your ideas!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bANBOl7qiz0

Good luck, not much out there.

[Franklin]

There is a movie that portrays Japanese submariners in 1945: Manatsu no Orion (Last Operations Under the Orion), which I thought was excellent: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1382642/

[scotisle]

There is a movie that portrays Japanese submariners in 1945: Manatsu no Orion (Last Operations Under the Orion), which I thought was excellent: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1382642/

Cool I'll check it out! I was hoping for the reverse - American sub vs. Japanese destroyer - but that doesn't seem to exist.

[OpanaPointer]

I don't have any film for you but if you want to fact check you might look at the Japanese Monographs at Hyperwar.

[ijnfleetadmiral]

I'm teaching a High School 11/12 elective on Japan

That's awesome! I would've LOVED a class like that in high school!

Basically the Japanese version of GREYHOUND.

Oh HECK yeah...a film like that would be EPIC!

[ShindenKai]

There is a movie that portrays Japanese submariners in 1945: Manatsu no Orion (Last Operations Under the Orion), which I thought was excellent: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1382642/

Thanks for this! Added to must watch list

[ShindenKai]

There is a movie that portrays Japanese submariners in 1945: Manatsu no Orion (Last Operations Under the Orion), which I thought was excellent: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1382642/

Cool I'll check it out! I was hoping for the reverse - American sub vs. Japanese destroyer - but that doesn't seem to exist.

Might want to check out "Zipang", it's a 26 episode anime based upon the idea of a modern JMSDF destroyer going back in time to WW2 (clearly inspired by "Final Countdown"), not realistic, obviously but it's something and I'd bet most of the students in your class are into anime as well. -I haven't seen it yet, but it's fairly well rated from what I've found.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zipang_(manga)

Wish I had the option for a class like yours in H.S. as well!

Some other anime choices-

"Grave of the Fireflies" -It's about a young boy and his baby sister trying to survive in Japan at the end of WW2... Have a bunch of Kleenex handy!

"The Cockpit" -Several episodes are more of a 'what if/alternative' history while some aren't, like episode "Sonic Boom Squadron" about an Ohka pilot and his final mission.. and
"Knight of the Iron Dragon"...

"The Wind Rises" -It's about Zero fighter designer Jiro Horikoshi and his wife.

"In this Corner of the World" -haven't watched, yet.

[scotisle]

That's awesome! I would've LOVED a class like that in high school!

Wish I had the option for a class like yours in H.S. as well!

Thanks. I'm extremely lucky to teach World Wars (WWI, WWII, the Holocaust, and I just added the Russia Ukraine War); American Civil War; and the Pacific War. I used to teach the Vietnam War as well. All are semester-long 11/12 electives. I tend to build experiential History courses, so for the Japan class I got my school to purchase physical practice Morse Code keys, and they will be practicing Google Morse-Learn https://morse.withgoogle.com/learn/ each class. Then they will transmit messages to each other, then encode, then intercept and codebreak. Math teacher is coming to help teach codebreaking when we reach Midway.

They will watch the films for homework and write about them in class. Read about the actual battles next class.

I haven't plugged in the readings but here are the films. We're in NYC so we'll visit Intrepid, I have a relationship with their Education Department.

[ijnfleetadmiral]

*Insert schedule for Epic Awesomeness 101 here*

...I'm speechless. That class sounds EPIC! Your students are so lucky!

[Eugen Pinak]

Basically the Japanese version of GREYHOUND.

I can't remember anything like this, besides some pieces from WW II weekly documentaries about anti-submarine work and live on transport ships. Which are very one-sided, of course.

[ShindenKai]

That's awesome! I would've LOVED a class like that in high school!

Wish I had the option for a class like yours in H.S. as well!

Thanks. I'm extremely lucky to teach World Wars (WWI, WWII, the Holocaust, and I just added the Russia Ukraine War); American Civil War; and the Pacific War. I used to teach the Vietnam War as well. All are semester-long 11/12 electives. I tend to build experiential History courses, so for the Japan class I got my school to purchase physical practice Morse Code keys, and they will be practicing Google Morse-Learn https://morse.withgoogle.com/learn/ each class. Then they will transmit messages to each other, then encode, then intercept and codebreak. Math teacher is coming to help teach codebreaking when we reach Midway.

They will watch the films for homework and write about them in class. Read about the actual battles next class.

I haven't plugged in the readings but here are the films. We're in NYC so we'll visit Intrepid, I have a relationship with their Education Department.

Screenshot 2023-06-07 at 11.27.41 PM.png

Absolutely Fantastic!

I see you have 'Kagemusha' - by Akira Kurosawa, excellent film!

and

'Fires in the Plain' - by Kon Ichikawa, a fantastic anti-war film

But no 'Seven Samurai'?! HOW IS THIS?! -It's the direct inspiration for 'The Magnificent Seven'
-both are great films, though I prefer the original.

Finishing it all off with the seminal 'Akira' - by Katsuhiro Otomo is an excellent choice!

[OpanaPointer]

Has anyone watched "The Archimedes War". (Title approximate, a friend in Yokosuka called me about it.)

[ShindenKai]

Has anyone watched "The Archimedes War". (Title approximate, a friend in Yokosuka called me about it.)

"The Great War of Archimedes" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huEKvvgycUA
-It's not bad, a fictionalized behind the scenes of the politics behind the building of the Yamato. I was pleasantly surprised honestly.

IIRC, I caught it on Amazon Prime, for free.

[OpanaPointer]

Has anyone watched "The Archimedes War". (Title approximate, a friend in Yokosuka called me about it.)

"The Great War of Archimedes" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huEKvvgycUA
-It's not bad, a fictionalized behind the scenes of the politics behind the building of the Yamato. I was pleasantly surprised honestly.

Thanks. Got some bed rest coming up, I'll queue it.