Zero Pilot (1976) - full transcript
Will you take off now?
You'll be going head-on into the storm.
There're 50 mph gusts at sea-level,
it's blowing with gale force!
Can we go now? The patient
on that island needs this serum.
- But the weather's getting worse!
- And what do you think the Red Cross is for
if not to cope with emergencies?
Hey, I'll go with you!
That was Saburo Sakai, the Zero pilot...
As flight sergeant in the Second World
War, he downed 64 planes.
He'll never forgive himself for
causing so many deaths...
That's why
he's now dedicated to saving lives.
What do we do?
Hold on. It's going to be rough.
We're keeping going?!
Well... they're expecting us,
aren't they?
I spent my youth fighting
and killing for the sake of my country.
But the memories of my
dead comrades are as fresh in my mind,
as if they happened only yesterday.
ZERO PILOT
When war broke out
I was a flight sergeant.
in a fighter squad.
Our battle ground was the sky
over the Southwest Pacific.
We continually shifted our base
as the frontline advanced.
After four months of heavy fighting we made
our headquarters in Rabaul, New Britain.
It was April, 1942.
We didn't have a moment's rest.
Our orders were to stop the American
supply convoys from getting to Australia.
We flew out almost every day the weather
permitted to bomb allied bases in New Guinea.
The supremacy the Japanese Navy had
early on was already on the decline.
American men and material were flooding
into the Pacific,
turning the tide of the war.
Our only hope was to find the enemy
before they found us.
When I joined up,
my eyesight was 20/20.
With training,
it reached 25/25.
Sergeant!
Sergeant!
Sergeant!
- I did it, didn't I?!
- I saw.
- What do you think? Am I getting better?
- Never do that again!
What?!
- Never!
- What did I do wrong?!
Please... Please, you must tell me!
I...
I shot down a plane, didn't I?!
Go get a shower!
Hey! Come on! Buck up!
Honda! Don't let it get you!
You did alright!
Yeah, that's right!
Beats me why he says you're wrong!
Man of steel...
Have you looked at his eyes?
They're so cold!
They just stare right through you!
That's right!
Shut up, you fools!
Remember, I'm the second in command!
I forbid you to speak ill of him!
- What's gotten into you?
- Come on, we weren't making fun of you!
Just trying to cheer you up
a little bit...
I know what I did wrong!
I fouled up badly today!
I shouldn't have!
I hesitated. I didn't know which plane to
shoot and, in that split second,
I could've been shot from behind.
Hey!
Did any of you guys say he had cold eyes?
- No, I didn't.
- Well, that's settled then.
No, it's not. I was lucky today
and I feel foolish!
It's my fault,
and I'm glad we have a strong leader
who can tell me when I'm wrong!
Hey, he's fast asleep.
He didn't hear a word you said...
Damn it!
Where's your flight sergeant?
Here, sir.
Call your men together.
The name's Sasai. Wing commander Sasai.
I have orders to take over your squadron.
Starting from today we'll fly in
a nine-plane formation,
and I trust we'll be effective.
- Flight sergeant!
- Sir.
We have things to discuss -
tomorrow's flight plan.
- Come after you've had supper.
- Sir.
Alright, trust me and follow me.
We'll win!
Dismissed!
- Here it goes.
- God, another crazy commander!
Not him!
Where are you, little fishes?
I'm going to give you trouble today!
Yes, indeed!
It's going to be a hot time really...
Got you!
- Cut me some of that!
- Come on, there's enough for all!
- Where did you catch this?
- Did you catch it?
Come on, eat some!
No!
I'd rather just catch the fish!
Have some of this.
It will cure malaria!
No...
But this is better than quinine!
In that case,
I want to get well.
But you must eat first, right?
- Flight sergeant Sakai.
- Come in.
Would you like a drink?
- Please, sit down.
- No.
Well, wing commander,
how do you think it went today?
It was my first time, you know...
Did I do it well?
I shot one down...
Not bad for a beginner.
- But you'll see. Next time I'll get more.
- No.
There'll be no next time.
What's that?!
Next time you'll get shot yourself.
You're like a sitting duck up there!
Damn you!
We're no longer training.
We're fighting!
I know that!
The enemy is
always trying to shoot us down!
- Beginners are an easy prey!
- Shut up!
Next time you'll die!
- I'm ready to die!
- But what can your death achieve?
Japan loses a pilot!
We lose our commander!
You must have the will to fight
and to live!
We can't follow a dead man!
Sergeant Sakai!
Sergeant Sakai!
I have to admit,
no one's talked to me like that before.
You get straight to the point.
I was bluffing,
but bluffing won't help me.
You'll have to teach me.
- Did you hear me?
- Yes.
Well, say something!
As long as I'm with you,
I'll never allow them to shoot you down.
I'll protect you.
So, do what you want
when you're up there.
But I don't know how.
I lack combat experience.
Of course you do!
- That's not in books.
- But there're no excuses on the battlefield.
I'll teach you every fighting
skill I know, alright?
Sergeant Sakai...
Thank you.
They are teacher and pupil!
- What do you mean?
- The wing commander!
He's taking lessons
from the flight sergeant!
What's there to laugh about?!
You're right...
Play with me!
- Do you think it's a win or a tie?
- Well... - We have time for a quick game.
That's a funny looking queen...
I made it myself.
- What material did you use?
- A propeller blade.
from a B-26.
You did a good job...
If a tiger can become a rug,
why can't a plane turn into a chess piece?
Come on!
Let's play!
The bullseye was zeroed in
on the enemy.
I fired repeatedly...
But still I missed. Why?
If you keep pulling on the joy-stick...
...you set up a +G effect.
- How do you counter it?
It's hard...
it took me a long time to get the knack...
of what I had to do.
Well, tell me how!
It's difficult.
You mean I'll have to learn by myself...
Trial and error...
It's a very dangerous maneuver
unless you're skilled.
So I'm not skilled enough...
If G+ disturbs your aim,
you need to counteract with G-.
But how do you do it?
It's not as easy as it seems
at first.
For a second,
pull down on the stick!
That's right.
When you release the water from a hose
it makes a parabola.
But if you jerk it down,
the water flows upwards!
It's exactly the same principle.
Yes, I see now.
First of all,
fly a tight circle.
Get inside the enemy's
immediate range.
Set your sight on where he's going be!
Take care. If you're too close,
you might collide.
And then you're dead!
Here's another thing.
Never lose your cool.
Even if they're all around you.
A plane is a machine. A Zero can
only work as well as it's designed to.
You won't help it by
getting all excited!
Any mistake could be your last.
Remember that.
I understand.
I will not forget your advice.
Hey!
Do you know what time it is?
One o'clock!
Go to sleep!
I can't go to sleep.
It's too hot!
I'm trying to dream of cold drinks
but I can't go to sleep to taste them.
It's unbelievably hot!
Hot!
Enough complaints!
You should think about those
working on your planes!
Good evening.
What...
What are you doing here?!
My pilots were all born
with soft heads and hearts.
They're having difficulties sleeping
while you're out here working.
Come off it!
Pilots need all the sleep they can get.
They must be alert.
We don't want tired pilots!
What do you think we're doing out here?!
Many of your planes are going up tomorrow!
- Can you sleep at the controls?
- I'm tired.
Well, I'm off to bed...
I need some sleep too.
Thank you.
Your advice is most welcome.
Our job is to look after the planes,
and is your job to look after the pilots.
Let's get about our business then.
Keep them both in shape.
- You've caught a cold.
- It's nothing.
Go to bed then.
I can fly.
- No, you can't. You're still ill.
- I'm not.
Orono,
you'd better stay back today.
No, damn it. Why should I?
It's only my nose after all.
No harm there. How can it
prevent me from flying my plane?!
- I've got a handkerchief!
- Why not let me take his place?
Now listen!
Small physical ailments can still lead
to major problems.
So don't be obstinate
and don't bluff.
When you're ill, you know it.
You must speak out honestly!
That's where a pilot
needs real courage.
- You alright?
- Yes, I'm feeling splendid.
- Sure?
- Yes!
Please,
let me go up with you today!
Only one wheel!
Emergency! Hurry!
Take it easy!
Take your time and
work the controls!
Listen!
I don't wish to speak ill of the dead...
but I'm afraid I have to!
He forgot to switch off his
fuel on emergency landing.
That was an unforgivable mistake.
He had been away from flying because of
malaria. He was too anxious to get back!
When you fly, you must be fit!
Both physically and mentally!
To train my eyes to be really sharp I try
to see stars in the midday sky.
Get away from me!
Damn you! I just saw a star!
Sakai, it's me!
Well, if it isn't Hanada!
- It's been a long time!
- When did you get here?
I've only arrived a short while ago...
on a bomber from Saipan.
Bomber crews can make
noisy companions...
this bomber crew was different.
They were shot down in the Philippines.
They were captured but managed to escape.
They surrendered,
but they can still fight...
No, no... Unless you'd like to call
suicide missions fighting...
- Check these chutes out.
- Hey, you! Over here!
I want you to meet Flight
Lieutenant Hanada.
- Hello.
- Sir...
He was my flying instructor.
- I'm still a school kid by comparison.
- Come on.
We're all glad you're here.
We hope you'll enjoy your stay.
It's not much
but it's home.
I loathed being at the flying school, knowing
you were here, doing all the fighting.
Air raid! It's an air raid!
Take cover!
There!
Goddamn it, your plane's over there!
Someone's already in it!
- But this is my plane!
- It's first come, first served!
Get down from there!
But, sir, don't you have
a guest to take care off?!
Fire!
They're coming!
P-39s!
Why this strange formation?
They always come in groups of four.
Now they've broken into pairs!
They always attack in pairs.
In the end,
it will be one to one.
Trust me!
Watch out!
- They're sticking to that formation.
- If you fight alone, you'll soon get hit.
In China, we always fought so.
Cooperation is important.
We have to learn to fight as a team.
They're tough!
Come on!
Sir!
- How is it?
- It's alright.
- It's under control, sir.
- Are you alright?
Yes, sir.
I'm easily replaced.
But you're indispensable!
Yes, sir.
It's only been three days since we
launched the raid on Port Moresby!
Enough time for them to recover.
Stubborn bastards! They don't give in!
Just keep coming back for more!
They've attacked us during the day!
We're on the defensive!
They must have
received more reinforcements.
Captain, let me fly over there!
It's more a job for a veteran.
Will you fly over, Hanada?
Yes, sir!
You see?
It worked right away!
Reconnaissance flight
to Port Moresby.
Obviously,
if the group captain trusts you.
I'll need someone else
who knows the terrain.
All my men are qualified.
Choose the most
reliable pilot that you've got.
Right.
After being away from the front for some
time, even a veteran can make mistakes.
You've been learning quickly,
you know how it's like.
I can trust you to look after him,
can't I?
Yes, sir!
It would be a privilege to accept, sir!
How is that girl of yours?
What?!
You know, the girl you met in Taiwan
in that hotel.
Oh!... No, sir!
How come you know about her?!
Do you love her?
How should I know?!
Did I hurt you?
It's getting sore.
They're late getting back.
They're coming!
One plane is missing!
I was sure that the sky was clear.
When we got near
the Port Moresby airbase...
...we reformed and we flew in a tight
vertical stack formation.
Before we knew it,
six enemy fighters...
...seemed to come out of nowhere at us!
Honda went straight into them,
shooting two down.
But a burst of fire must have
caught his fuselage
because his motor soon started
to give out.
He couldn't make it over the Owen Stanley
range. He disappeared into the jungle.
We circled the area
but it was in vain.
Captain,
let me go and look for him!
You'll never spot him from the sky.
I must convince myself there's no hope!
Take some food and medicine with you.
I searched everywhere possible.
But I knew it was hopeless.
No one could have survived there,
even if I had found the crash site.
So I was forced to admit
that Honda was dead.
Still, I searched...
It was only
the approach of darkness that stopped me.
Eventually,
I had to head back to base.
Look at this, sir.
It's good, isn't it?
Honda made it.
I see.
If he had been with you,
you wouldn't have let this happen.
- He wouldn't have died, sergeant!
- Quit your moaning!
Sarge!
I failed you.
I led my team to safety
while Honda protected me.
I failed to insure
his safety as well.
I failed you. I'm no longer qualified
to be your leader.
I'm old and obsolete.
Old fighter pilots
are a liability.
Hands up,
all of you who'll fly with Hanada!
Speak up!
I'll fly with him.
I'll fly with him too!
- You can count me in!
- And me!
Me as well!
You see how it is?
To the east of Rabaul,
past New Ireland, lies Buka.
South of Buka, Bougainville,
Vella Lavella,
New Georgia, the Russells
and Guadalcanal.
We're building a staging base.
We plan to have it
finished by August.
We must be patient.
In the meantime...
we're going to defend Rabaul
at all costs.
Until the base on Guadalcanal
is fully operational.
Alright, men.
Don't choke it!
You must wait.
Wait until you're sure!
Look over there! How far?
It's 15 meters.
About right.
Now, that's how close you need to be.
Sir!
Now, how do you
make a tight circle?
Reduce your speed to almost stalling,
kick the rudder hard over.
When you loop,
come back with your left foot which is
then replaced by your right foot.
This move must take only a split second.
You can't afford to hesitate!
Thrust the feet!
And your loop is complete.
And you'll then be behind the enemy!
This maneuver is the "twist".
I'll never be able to do that!
Don't give me that!
You're be on my wing tomorrow!
You'll do the twist
or you'll die!
It's a case of kill or be killed!
Attention, men.
Did everyone take the quinine?
The bitter taste
is not going to kill you.
But, sure as hell. malaria will!
Come on now, everyone,
take the quinine!
Come on!
Smile about it!
Commander.
Shall I bring some water?
Yeah.
Quick, go on!
- Did you see that?!
- Who is she?
I haven't seen her around.
- I'm pilot Honda's sister.
- Oh...
- Where's he?
- Well, he...
Hey.
Sorry...
Did you see the way I came down on that
guy? Out of the dive and on his tail...
Honda. Could you tell me
where my brother is?
Hello. I'm Sakai, his sergeant.
Oh, yes, thank you for
being so good to him!
Yes...
Where is he?
He's dead?
He took part in a
mission to Port Moresby.
It was a quick
reconnaissance flight.
On April 26...
...his plane got hit and crashed
somewhere in the jungle.
But he... wrote to me in every later
how you looked after him.
For that, I suppose,
I have to thank you.
I know there's war going on.
I suppose I expected it.
But he...
But he said in his letters...
that I had no need to worry.
He said that he'd come to no harm...
as long as he flew with Sakai.
I believed him.
But you let him die!
Nomura,
give her Honda's effects.
Yes, sir!
Hello...
These are your brother's things.
Thank you very much.
But I was told to take
them to the hospital.
I'll take them now.
I liked him. Honda kind of
treated me like his kid brother.
Please allow me!
I'll carry the bag for you.
What's your name, airman?
- Nomura.
- Oh...
If he were to meet you,
he'd have said to you:
"Sister, I've shot down
six of their planes!"
No...
He wouldn't have boasted to me.
He'd say:
"What surprise do you have?"
That's right.
He was a good man.
Here, eat this.
It was his favorite food.
Thank you.
Well, now...
There's nothing we can say to that girl.
We can sit around, feeling sad...
That's no help.
I can just see Honda walking in here now.
And say: "What's all this gloom?"
"Come on, everyone, cheer up!"
Well, boys, there's a modern town
waiting for us just down the road.
They even have bars and
restaurants, the same as in Japan.
Sergeant.
Why don't we go?!
You know I don't drink liquor.
Well, if you really want to.
All right, let's go!
Damn you!
I'll get you, you son of a bi...
Stop it!
Are you ready to die,
you swine?
What the hell do you mean?
You little bastard!
Turn him over to me!
Tomorrow I'll find out
if are you ready to die!
- Of course I am!
- Liar!
You don't need courage to talk! You're
scared to death. That's why you're drunk!
Coward!
What's your outfit?
He's a stranger
on our part of the field.
He's from the other end.
He's an Army bomber crewman.
I'll take him back.
Sergeant!
You don't have to bother with him.
Come on!
- Come on.
- Hey! There you are!
Where have you been?
We've been worried about you!
- I'm Taki, Army pilot.
- I know. I'm Flight Sergeant Sakai.
Thanks for looking after him.
Here, come in.
He's unwanted at the bar in town.
Damn you!
How dare you act like a drunken coward?!
Stupid fool!
Skipper!
You must forgive him!
Apologize!
I'm sorry!
Don't cry!
I'm sorry!
I apologize for his behavior.
Now I remember you.
April the 25th, when we raided...
That's it! An Army bomber
in flight from Saipan to Rabaul.
- Am I right in thinking it was you?
- Yeah.
- Right.
- I heard about it.
- Tough luck.
- That's how it goes!
Sometimes you lose! It's not that we were
afraid of dying. We crashed in the jungle.
- Unfortunately, they surrounded us...
- Carry on!
He's right. Shortly afterwards
we happened to be rescued.
On return to our base, we
found we were listed as dead.
We should have been...
- We should never have come back alive.
- Stop that!
As soldiers,
how can you say that?!
A lot of time and money were
spent on you!
Army pilots shouldn't die easy!
It was made clear to all of us
before the war began.
Even if captured, one's duty
was to live to fight another day!
Isn't that precisely
what you've done?
I've heard on the grapevine
that you're doing suicide missions.
Are those orders from GHQ?
We were
denounced for surrendering.
They didn't even allow us to forget
about it for a moment!
At last, they've decided
to give us a choice.
Die in battle
or face a court martial.
How have they treated you since
you got here?
The group captain has been sympathetic
to us, but he can't...
...go against the orders issued
from GHQ.
No, we have to die!
We fly in the center rear
of the formation,
always the most vulnerable spot and we're
lucky not have been shot down already!
We've been out five times and every time
we've braced ourselves for certain death.
Each time we come back, each time it feels
like we've stepped back from the grave...
We live in death's shadow.
We're as good as dead.
We've got no more hope.
At times,
the strain becomes quite intolerable.
All the men are feeling it,
they can't carry on for long.
We must all break soon.
Tomorrow we fly again,
but this time we're alone.
No fighter cover.
We realize this is our last night.
We won't come back
and GHQ doesn't want us to come back!
You haven't committed any crime!
They're deliberately murdering you!
Damn it!
- It's the custom.
- Nonsense!
A war custom. A ritual.
And you are the sacrifices.
Though there's enough time for me to
have finally resigned ourselves to it,
the only thing about what's happened that
makes me bitter...
...it's the way we were greeted
on our return.
They said that,
because we had surrendered,
...we were to be treated
as a bunch of cowards.
What's that?!
Tomorrow we'll die in action,
proud to be bombardiers!
Timura!
Are you proud to be a bombardier?
Yes, sir!
Thank the Zero pilot
for bringing you back.
Thank you, sergeant.
Think nothing of it.
Maybe you'd have done the same.
Captain,
let us escort the bomber.
As your commander,
I can't give my consent.
- But, Captain...
- Captain...
Please understand.
I'm not in a position to let you go.
You both know my orders.
Now, what is your
flight schedule today?
Well... There are all the repaired Zeros
they have to be tested.
That's fine.
Take them all up.
While we're at it,
we might as well test-fire the guns.
Certainly. And if you're to properly test
the planes, you must fly some distance.
Yes, sir!
Skipper!
Look outside!
- Mind your course.
- Sir.
- Read it.
- Sir.
"Do"...
not... die...
"in... vain... "
..."We... "
..."will... "
..."co... "
"ver... "
"...for.."
"you."
"Good... hunt...ing. "
Skipper!
All right.
Get them all on target.
Don't waste any this time!
Yes, sir!
We managed to ward off the repeated
enemy fighter attacks on the bomber.
They got through to Port Moresby and
dropped all their bombs on target.
They safely returned home.
When will we be at peace again?
When will we be at peace again?
When all the soldiers have passed away.
When all theirs guns and bones decay.
We fight this war and when we die
Who will there be to breathe and cry?
Silence! Planes!
The bomber!
This time with no escort!
It's too bad!
Wait!
Come back here!
- Where are you going?
- We're going up with them!
You can't go!
- That's not what we think!
- Stop!
- No!
- Come back!
If you go, I'll be forced to shoot!
Stay here and that's an order!
Listen, everyone.
They're going because
they wanted to.
It was their choice.
Yesterday,
when they came back here...
...they all volunteered...
...to fly
another mission by themselves.
This time they faced
death without fear!
It's them!
They've been attacked by fighters.
Skipper!
What shall we report?
"PLANE EXPLODES SOON. A FINE DAY."
Keep going! Keep on flying!
On May the 8th, in the Coral
Sea, east of New Guinea,
a battle was fought between the
two aircraft carrier task forces.
It was to be a decisive one, and the first
aircraft carrier duel in history.
At the height of the battle the
Rabaul wind was blowing, but to no avail.
Both sides suffered heavy damage...
but the Japanese had to cancel
their Port Moresby invasion.
Right, gentlemen,
we've got problems at Guadalcanal.
The base isn't complete yet. This means Rabaul
becomes more important to us strategically
But the Zero's performances recently
have been most disappointing.
They must be more effective,
they're good machines.
Your morale is high
but we have poor results.
Perhaps you will be good enough
to explain why to me.
Well, it seems to me,
the Americans have found our weakness.
Damn!
Well, it's when we're
in close combat...
And don't they know it...
That's why they escape in a steep dive.
Isn't there some way
we can go after them?
If we would have followed them,
we'd have never pulled out of it.
We can't let them get away with it.
Hamada, have you got any ideas?
How about this?
We know that they dive
when they see us.
So, why not have most of
us lying way below?
You've got something!
Usually we all climb.
Next time, we'll follow them from above.
Force them down, while the main
group below is waiting to attack.
Yes, I see what you're suggesting, Hamada.
Sort of an ambush.
It's a good idea.
We spread a net below...
ls anything the matter?
Your attention, please.
I'm afraid Hamada
has contracted tuberculosis.
He's going home.
He'll be flying out tomorrow.
I'm sorry.
Relax, get well soon,
Don't worry about us!
We'll clear the skies for you.
Nakagawa!
Will you take over
leading the wing?
It's all right.
The group captain has approved.
Sir!
It's the least I could do.
After all, you're the first one that said
he'd fly with me that night.
Wing commander... Why don't we
try Hamada's strategy tomorrow?
Maybe we'll catch a lot of fish.
- Yes, Hamada, you'll see.
We'll make your plan work. - Good.
Don't leave before we come back.
Hey, Hamada!
We have some good news.
Your plan worked perfectly!
We shot down
every single one of their planes!
Forgive me
I've since heard
how my brother died.
You went after him.
Spending a whole day searching alone.
I'm sorry...
...about what I said to you before.
I shouldn't have blamed you.
I heard his death left you very depressed.
I'm glad you thought so highly of him.
I'm sorry .
- I had forgotten there's a war on...
- I have no excuse for myself!
It was my fault.
You can blame me as
much as you want!
Wait a moment!
Now that my brother is dead,
I have a favor to ask...
Would you look after Nomura for me
in the same way?
He and Honda were very close.
Nomura said Honda treated
him like a kid brother.
So I feel close to him, too.
Honda trusted you and so do I.
At that stage of the war,
the Japanese and the Americans were locked
in a bitter struggle for air supremacy.
The American B-17s,
with their turrets and heavy fire power,
were our most frequent and
feared adversary in the skies.
Look at it!
These B-17s really are Flying Fortresses!
Here! Tail, above the
wing, on both sides,
and in the belly.
It's tough...
Isn't there any dead angle?!
- How's this?
- It's of no use!
- How do you know that?!
- A frontal attack is suicide!
You get the B-17, sure,
but you destroy yourself too!
What? That would only
apply in close combat.
I see...
If we were to attack head-on,
only their front guns could take aim.
If we'd all attack from different angles,
they'd have no time to
concentrate their fire.
I can see how we could work it.
The risks seem to be great. But it's a bold
idea and effective if we can make it work.
Well, what's the answer?
Just half a second.
Now, this is no time to boast
your fly-catching skills.
We do attack from the front,
we'll be closing very fast indeed.
400 mph combined.
Fire, pull the stick,
kick the rudder!
The actions are almost simultaneous.
You must be quick!
It requires absolute split-second timing!
Practice catching flies!
Do you know why Nakagawa was killed
out there today?
Because of me...
I crossed in front of his flight path.
How can you be so calm about it?!
He was a veteran and he died for a kid!
That just doesn't add up in my book!
- I'm sorry!
- What's that? That's not going to help!
Say this:
I murdered Nakagawa.
Come on, say it!
I murdered Zero pilot Nakagawa!
Again!
I murdered Zero pilot Nakagawa!
Say it 100 times to atone for your sins.
And don't do that again!
I murdered Zero pilot Nakagawa!
I murdered Zero pilot Nakagawa!
I murdered Zero pilot Nakagawa!
I murdered Zero pilot Nakagawa!
I murdered Zero pilot Nakagawa!
I... Nakagawa... I...
I admit
I've got a very quick temper.
Even if you didn't beat him up,
you've got
that kid in a terrible state.
All right, I'm sorry!
Go and apologize!
I won't do no such thing!
You put him in it, didn't you?
I meant every word.
I can't go and say I'm sorry.
I'd just be a hypocrite!
Shut up!
Why don't you do it, then?
If I go to him, I'd hope,
at least, he'll listen.
I killed Zero pilot Nakagawa!
I killed Zero pilot Nakagawa!
- I killed Zero pilot...
- That's enough!
Will you go to the hospital for me?
What?!
Will you
give this letter to nurse Honda?
Nurse Honda!
Hello!
For you.
It's a letter from the flight sergeant.
"Nomura is suffering from depression and
guilt because of the death of his friend."
"Such a loss of confidence is dangerous
not only to him but to all his comrades."
"Please, give him some hope.
Be gentle with the lad. "
- Let's go for a walk.
- What?!
I'll just go and tell
them I'm going out.
Wait for me!
My brother always kept
this picture with him
wherever he went. It's his girlfriend.
I know he used to think about her often.
He'd talk about her often, too.
He once said he wished
she'd never grow old.
Really?...
Now, of course,
she's getting much older.
Honda
will always stay young for her.
Forever,
he has no worries of growing old.
You poor boy!
No! That's how it is!
You would like to die?
Here... Please, will you take it?
Keep this photograph of her.
When it's all over
and you return to Japan,
look her up and tell her
all you know about my brother.
No!
I couldn't.
Of course you can!
Do you think you won't go back?
That you'll never see Japan again?
You have convinced yourself
that you're going to die.
You're quite wrong!
No one in the Navy will tell you.
Life is wonderful!
You understand, don't you?
Life is too good to waste it.
Since I've been a nurse, I've had to see
so many soldiers die in the hospital.
I remember
one badly wounded soldier.
He asked me to hold
him in my arms.
I held him as he had asked me to...
...like a baby...
...and, while I was cradling his head,
he died.
I was terribly upset.
It was the first time I
had held a man so close.
But it helped him to die in
peace and it eased his pain.
So, please,
I'm glad to hold you close if you'll live.
I'm a Zero pilot;
I'd better go!
- Nomura.
- Sir?
Come over here.
- Did you give it to her?
- Sir.
- Thanks a lot. Sit here.
- Yes.
Look at me.
Now, listen.
Who do you think I'm most scared of?
What?!
Who do you think scares me most?
- No one scares you!
- You think nobody can?
But somebody does.
It's my mother.
She scolds me when I'm lazy.
It could be bad.
And she used to spank me...
right up until the time
I was 12 years old.
Why did she do that?!
Well...
My father died when
I was very young.
She wanted me to grow up to be strong.
But it's hard
for a boy without a father.
She had to work in order to feed us all.
She worked hard.
My mother had to work, too!
Well, then.
You tell me all about your mother!
I'd like to!
What kind of woman is she like?
She's very gentle.
Even gentle mothers
can lose their temper.
Yes, she did, sometimes.
She got really mad once.
What had you done?
I was at school,
I had just started to fly.
I was piloting a trainer,
close by my house.
I thought I'd show off to the folks,
so I flew right underneath the power lines.
That's some flying!
Next day,
she came to the school to see me.
Was she mad with you?
Yes! The first thing she
did was to slap my face.
I've never been hit so hard.
By comparison, Ono's scolding
was just kid stuff!
I see!
Very good!
What have you done?
You can't do that!
I've beaten you!
I didn't know then...
but while we're laughing together that
night, he had made up his mind to die.
Did he have to act so desperately?
If only I'd known
what he was thinking.
Perhaps he'd still be alive.
That's what I like to hear,
a grand slam!
Two B-26s downed by one plane!
That's good!
That's good!
All we lost was one Zero
and that's very good!
- Staff officer.
- Yes?
Flight sergeant.
The staff officer is on a visit.
He wants to make a report on how the
pilots feel things are going at the front.
All right.
What have you got to say?
You can speak openly.
Talk to him frankly.
The pilot who was in that Zero
was still a young man!
I heard he was a young man.
He had his life ahead of him!
You find the results
of our raid impressive?
What's that?
Why did he do it?
Why did he want to die?
How could you possibly understand?
God damn!
That's no way...
...to speak to me!
Hold on!
Don't shut him.
Listen to what he has to say!
Why the insolent stare?!
Sakai!
Sakai!
Calm down!
Sakai!
Come on!
Hold it!
Sakai,
I forbid you to fly!
You're grounded!
Nomura had the right idea.
I think I could follow suit.
Yeah, yeah, why not?
Say that again!
Say it!
I'm sorry.
Stand to attention!
In this war, we're fighting two enemies.
- I want you to tell me who they are.
- Sir!
- The U.S. and the U.K.
- That's not what I meant!
Our enemy is right here.
The flying officer enemy.
The enemy of greed and envy.
Those naval academy graduates.
They look down on us.
They have high ranks in the staff,
while we climbed up through the ranks!
They've humiliated us because the Navy
has its system of officers and slaves.
But not us!
We're no slaves of
the Almighty Staff!
We're fighter pilots!
We're men!
It's time to behave exactly like
that and show them we are men!
Hold your heads up high!
You are Zero pilots!
In the sky,
rank and breeding mean nothing!
Improve your skills! Be resolute!
And take courage!
You must not let
adversity get you down!
And above all,
don't wish you were dead!
As long as your plane flies,
your duty is to live!
Live, to fight another day!
Even if you can only crawl,
you can still fight!
That is what it means to be
a Zero pilot!
Sakai!
The group captain wants you.
Immediately!
I'm afraid Asai almost hit
the staff officer after you left.
What?! The wing commander?
He was mad, too.
I suppose I'm guilty
of egging him on.
The staff officer said we reminded
him of a pack of hungry wolves!
I replied "Only ability counts here."
That quickly shut him up.
The Japanese Air Force has held sway
over the entire Southwest Pacific.
Of course, we are like wolves.
We are proud of it.
I see.
I'll talk to Sashai.
Now I understand why you
stopped me from flying.
I was over-excited.
My state of mind would have
clouded my judgment.
You were perfectly right to take
the course of action that you did.
Above all,
keep calm when you fly.
I just wish they'd have taught me that.
You taught it to me!
Commander, that was months ago.
You're learning.
Thanks to you.
Do you know what
they're calling us?
The Sasai-Sakai combination.
If anything should happen to you...
...you know...
I'd no longer be much good.
Half my power would vanish.
Well, sir,
I feel much the same way about you.
Take this will you.
It was my father's.
It was a farewell gift.
They say a tiger travels
a thousand miles a night.
You can keep it.
I'm honored, sir.
Hurry!
Quickly! Come here!
The situation has changed.
We've been sent to a different target.
I've told you before. We have to fight
hard until our new base is completed...
...on Guadalcanal.
I'm afraid the Americans
have landed on the beaches.
It's 600 miles from Rabaul.
That's the same distance from
Tokyo to Riyaku on Kyushu.
The round trip takes seven hours.
No planes have ever
fought so far from base.
So you must be very
careful not to waste fuel.
It won't be easy.
You have some hard fighting ahead,
I have no doubt of your success.
I wish you all good hunting.
I'll be waiting here
to greet you when you come back.
It should be an hour before sundown.
I was thirsty,
careless, in the high altitude.
I forgot about the low air
pressure at that height.
I made a mistake.
It took me forty minutes
to clear the windshield.
I was on edge and nervous
about my own stupidity.
Guadalcanal was getting near.
For some reason, I feared the worst.
I threw the cloth out of the cockpit.
As if I could somehow,
throw away my fears.
I saw I had plenty of
fuel so I cheered up.
I dismissed my fears as groundless
and settled down to the job ahead.
I was over the Russells,
only 15 miles...
before I arrived over the
battle area of Guadalcanal.
I grew calm, relaxed,
and ate some lunch.
My first thought on seeing the massive
invasion forces of the enemy...
...was that we had lost the world.
But that soon passed.
I refused to give in!
I steeled myself to join in the fight.
For the first time I saw a man I shot.
I thought of sparing his life.
For a moment, I nearly did
but decided against it.
If I did let him live, later he
might easily kill one of my comrades.
Such is the nature of war.
If I had waited for the others
I'd have lost my chance.
So I went off in lone
pursuit of the enemy.
Saburo! Saburo! Saburo,
pull yourself together!
Come on, son!
You can make it!
I gradually came to.
There was a wound over my eye.
I couldn't move my left hand.
Can't move my left hand!
I'll never make it back!
Shoot me down!
Please,
Americans, shoot me down
Come back alive,
even if you have to crawl!
Stop the bleeding...
Stop the bleeding or I'll die.
Where did I put that glove?
Where is it?
It's not in my pocket!
I threw it away!
After! cleared the windshield...
What did I do?
God! God it's hot!
The scarf! That's it!
The last piece. It would have to do...
God, I'm tired.
I need sleep.
If I fall asleep, I'm bound to die.
I must stay awake!
Strange... traces...
I want to live though! I will live!
I must be 60 miles northwest of the Isabels.
A tiger travels 1,000 miles.
Sasai, I'm still alive!
All right, occupy your mind!
Think or you'll sleep!
I was too proud of my skills.
I was careless!
Even if I shot down four planes today, I'll
report to the group captain when I return!
80 liters of fuel left.
I must save fuel!
I have 90 minutes flying time.
After that, I'll have to ditch.
If I reduce the propeller pitch,
I can adjust the fuel usage to a minimum.
That should give me
at least another ten minutes.
Correct my course.
240 degrees...
No... hope for the best.
Captain, a report has just
come through from Buka.
- Well, then?
- Nothing.
Nobody saw a Zero. There're no reports
of a Zero landing on the island at all.
It's seven hours.
He's had it.
He must have run out of fuel.
So that's it. No hope of him coming back.
Let's call it a day.
I found it!
Only 16 miles now.
50 liters left.
I'll make it!
Rabaul lies beyond New Ireland.
What's that black cloud?!
Can I make it through a squall?
It's touch and go.
I don't have enough fuel
left to go around it!
Just sit tight.
You don't have any other choice!
It's Rabaul!
- It's a Zero! Sakai's back!
- What?!
Airfield lights on!
If I don't cut the engine
when I land, I'll burn...
Sakai!
Come on!
Where's the group captain?
I must speak to him!
Sakai!
Sakai reporting, sir!
I... got lost...
in the skies over Guadalcanal.
I understand.
That's enough for now. Help him!
Give him aid, quickly! Hurry up!
Quickly!
The war lasted three
more long years.
We all thought about killing.
Mr. Sakai,
we got through the rain squall.
The islanders will be glad to see us.
I'll take it.
I'll take the plane in.
This story
reflects the bitter realities of war.
It's a solemn reminder that we must
never forget it's terrible toll.
Too many young men died believing in their
country's divine right to victory!
The prosperous post-war years grew out
of the soil of their countless graves.
What can they tell us?
They remain silent.
Their vast humble silence
speaks an infinite grief.
You'll be going head-on into the storm.
There're 50 mph gusts at sea-level,
it's blowing with gale force!
Can we go now? The patient
on that island needs this serum.
- But the weather's getting worse!
- And what do you think the Red Cross is for
if not to cope with emergencies?
Hey, I'll go with you!
That was Saburo Sakai, the Zero pilot...
As flight sergeant in the Second World
War, he downed 64 planes.
He'll never forgive himself for
causing so many deaths...
That's why
he's now dedicated to saving lives.
What do we do?
Hold on. It's going to be rough.
We're keeping going?!
Well... they're expecting us,
aren't they?
I spent my youth fighting
and killing for the sake of my country.
But the memories of my
dead comrades are as fresh in my mind,
as if they happened only yesterday.
ZERO PILOT
When war broke out
I was a flight sergeant.
in a fighter squad.
Our battle ground was the sky
over the Southwest Pacific.
We continually shifted our base
as the frontline advanced.
After four months of heavy fighting we made
our headquarters in Rabaul, New Britain.
It was April, 1942.
We didn't have a moment's rest.
Our orders were to stop the American
supply convoys from getting to Australia.
We flew out almost every day the weather
permitted to bomb allied bases in New Guinea.
The supremacy the Japanese Navy had
early on was already on the decline.
American men and material were flooding
into the Pacific,
turning the tide of the war.
Our only hope was to find the enemy
before they found us.
When I joined up,
my eyesight was 20/20.
With training,
it reached 25/25.
Sergeant!
Sergeant!
Sergeant!
- I did it, didn't I?!
- I saw.
- What do you think? Am I getting better?
- Never do that again!
What?!
- Never!
- What did I do wrong?!
Please... Please, you must tell me!
I...
I shot down a plane, didn't I?!
Go get a shower!
Hey! Come on! Buck up!
Honda! Don't let it get you!
You did alright!
Yeah, that's right!
Beats me why he says you're wrong!
Man of steel...
Have you looked at his eyes?
They're so cold!
They just stare right through you!
That's right!
Shut up, you fools!
Remember, I'm the second in command!
I forbid you to speak ill of him!
- What's gotten into you?
- Come on, we weren't making fun of you!
Just trying to cheer you up
a little bit...
I know what I did wrong!
I fouled up badly today!
I shouldn't have!
I hesitated. I didn't know which plane to
shoot and, in that split second,
I could've been shot from behind.
Hey!
Did any of you guys say he had cold eyes?
- No, I didn't.
- Well, that's settled then.
No, it's not. I was lucky today
and I feel foolish!
It's my fault,
and I'm glad we have a strong leader
who can tell me when I'm wrong!
Hey, he's fast asleep.
He didn't hear a word you said...
Damn it!
Where's your flight sergeant?
Here, sir.
Call your men together.
The name's Sasai. Wing commander Sasai.
I have orders to take over your squadron.
Starting from today we'll fly in
a nine-plane formation,
and I trust we'll be effective.
- Flight sergeant!
- Sir.
We have things to discuss -
tomorrow's flight plan.
- Come after you've had supper.
- Sir.
Alright, trust me and follow me.
We'll win!
Dismissed!
- Here it goes.
- God, another crazy commander!
Not him!
Where are you, little fishes?
I'm going to give you trouble today!
Yes, indeed!
It's going to be a hot time really...
Got you!
- Cut me some of that!
- Come on, there's enough for all!
- Where did you catch this?
- Did you catch it?
Come on, eat some!
No!
I'd rather just catch the fish!
Have some of this.
It will cure malaria!
No...
But this is better than quinine!
In that case,
I want to get well.
But you must eat first, right?
- Flight sergeant Sakai.
- Come in.
Would you like a drink?
- Please, sit down.
- No.
Well, wing commander,
how do you think it went today?
It was my first time, you know...
Did I do it well?
I shot one down...
Not bad for a beginner.
- But you'll see. Next time I'll get more.
- No.
There'll be no next time.
What's that?!
Next time you'll get shot yourself.
You're like a sitting duck up there!
Damn you!
We're no longer training.
We're fighting!
I know that!
The enemy is
always trying to shoot us down!
- Beginners are an easy prey!
- Shut up!
Next time you'll die!
- I'm ready to die!
- But what can your death achieve?
Japan loses a pilot!
We lose our commander!
You must have the will to fight
and to live!
We can't follow a dead man!
Sergeant Sakai!
Sergeant Sakai!
I have to admit,
no one's talked to me like that before.
You get straight to the point.
I was bluffing,
but bluffing won't help me.
You'll have to teach me.
- Did you hear me?
- Yes.
Well, say something!
As long as I'm with you,
I'll never allow them to shoot you down.
I'll protect you.
So, do what you want
when you're up there.
But I don't know how.
I lack combat experience.
Of course you do!
- That's not in books.
- But there're no excuses on the battlefield.
I'll teach you every fighting
skill I know, alright?
Sergeant Sakai...
Thank you.
They are teacher and pupil!
- What do you mean?
- The wing commander!
He's taking lessons
from the flight sergeant!
What's there to laugh about?!
You're right...
Play with me!
- Do you think it's a win or a tie?
- Well... - We have time for a quick game.
That's a funny looking queen...
I made it myself.
- What material did you use?
- A propeller blade.
from a B-26.
You did a good job...
If a tiger can become a rug,
why can't a plane turn into a chess piece?
Come on!
Let's play!
The bullseye was zeroed in
on the enemy.
I fired repeatedly...
But still I missed. Why?
If you keep pulling on the joy-stick...
...you set up a +G effect.
- How do you counter it?
It's hard...
it took me a long time to get the knack...
of what I had to do.
Well, tell me how!
It's difficult.
You mean I'll have to learn by myself...
Trial and error...
It's a very dangerous maneuver
unless you're skilled.
So I'm not skilled enough...
If G+ disturbs your aim,
you need to counteract with G-.
But how do you do it?
It's not as easy as it seems
at first.
For a second,
pull down on the stick!
That's right.
When you release the water from a hose
it makes a parabola.
But if you jerk it down,
the water flows upwards!
It's exactly the same principle.
Yes, I see now.
First of all,
fly a tight circle.
Get inside the enemy's
immediate range.
Set your sight on where he's going be!
Take care. If you're too close,
you might collide.
And then you're dead!
Here's another thing.
Never lose your cool.
Even if they're all around you.
A plane is a machine. A Zero can
only work as well as it's designed to.
You won't help it by
getting all excited!
Any mistake could be your last.
Remember that.
I understand.
I will not forget your advice.
Hey!
Do you know what time it is?
One o'clock!
Go to sleep!
I can't go to sleep.
It's too hot!
I'm trying to dream of cold drinks
but I can't go to sleep to taste them.
It's unbelievably hot!
Hot!
Enough complaints!
You should think about those
working on your planes!
Good evening.
What...
What are you doing here?!
My pilots were all born
with soft heads and hearts.
They're having difficulties sleeping
while you're out here working.
Come off it!
Pilots need all the sleep they can get.
They must be alert.
We don't want tired pilots!
What do you think we're doing out here?!
Many of your planes are going up tomorrow!
- Can you sleep at the controls?
- I'm tired.
Well, I'm off to bed...
I need some sleep too.
Thank you.
Your advice is most welcome.
Our job is to look after the planes,
and is your job to look after the pilots.
Let's get about our business then.
Keep them both in shape.
- You've caught a cold.
- It's nothing.
Go to bed then.
I can fly.
- No, you can't. You're still ill.
- I'm not.
Orono,
you'd better stay back today.
No, damn it. Why should I?
It's only my nose after all.
No harm there. How can it
prevent me from flying my plane?!
- I've got a handkerchief!
- Why not let me take his place?
Now listen!
Small physical ailments can still lead
to major problems.
So don't be obstinate
and don't bluff.
When you're ill, you know it.
You must speak out honestly!
That's where a pilot
needs real courage.
- You alright?
- Yes, I'm feeling splendid.
- Sure?
- Yes!
Please,
let me go up with you today!
Only one wheel!
Emergency! Hurry!
Take it easy!
Take your time and
work the controls!
Listen!
I don't wish to speak ill of the dead...
but I'm afraid I have to!
He forgot to switch off his
fuel on emergency landing.
That was an unforgivable mistake.
He had been away from flying because of
malaria. He was too anxious to get back!
When you fly, you must be fit!
Both physically and mentally!
To train my eyes to be really sharp I try
to see stars in the midday sky.
Get away from me!
Damn you! I just saw a star!
Sakai, it's me!
Well, if it isn't Hanada!
- It's been a long time!
- When did you get here?
I've only arrived a short while ago...
on a bomber from Saipan.
Bomber crews can make
noisy companions...
this bomber crew was different.
They were shot down in the Philippines.
They were captured but managed to escape.
They surrendered,
but they can still fight...
No, no... Unless you'd like to call
suicide missions fighting...
- Check these chutes out.
- Hey, you! Over here!
I want you to meet Flight
Lieutenant Hanada.
- Hello.
- Sir...
He was my flying instructor.
- I'm still a school kid by comparison.
- Come on.
We're all glad you're here.
We hope you'll enjoy your stay.
It's not much
but it's home.
I loathed being at the flying school, knowing
you were here, doing all the fighting.
Air raid! It's an air raid!
Take cover!
There!
Goddamn it, your plane's over there!
Someone's already in it!
- But this is my plane!
- It's first come, first served!
Get down from there!
But, sir, don't you have
a guest to take care off?!
Fire!
They're coming!
P-39s!
Why this strange formation?
They always come in groups of four.
Now they've broken into pairs!
They always attack in pairs.
In the end,
it will be one to one.
Trust me!
Watch out!
- They're sticking to that formation.
- If you fight alone, you'll soon get hit.
In China, we always fought so.
Cooperation is important.
We have to learn to fight as a team.
They're tough!
Come on!
Sir!
- How is it?
- It's alright.
- It's under control, sir.
- Are you alright?
Yes, sir.
I'm easily replaced.
But you're indispensable!
Yes, sir.
It's only been three days since we
launched the raid on Port Moresby!
Enough time for them to recover.
Stubborn bastards! They don't give in!
Just keep coming back for more!
They've attacked us during the day!
We're on the defensive!
They must have
received more reinforcements.
Captain, let me fly over there!
It's more a job for a veteran.
Will you fly over, Hanada?
Yes, sir!
You see?
It worked right away!
Reconnaissance flight
to Port Moresby.
Obviously,
if the group captain trusts you.
I'll need someone else
who knows the terrain.
All my men are qualified.
Choose the most
reliable pilot that you've got.
Right.
After being away from the front for some
time, even a veteran can make mistakes.
You've been learning quickly,
you know how it's like.
I can trust you to look after him,
can't I?
Yes, sir!
It would be a privilege to accept, sir!
How is that girl of yours?
What?!
You know, the girl you met in Taiwan
in that hotel.
Oh!... No, sir!
How come you know about her?!
Do you love her?
How should I know?!
Did I hurt you?
It's getting sore.
They're late getting back.
They're coming!
One plane is missing!
I was sure that the sky was clear.
When we got near
the Port Moresby airbase...
...we reformed and we flew in a tight
vertical stack formation.
Before we knew it,
six enemy fighters...
...seemed to come out of nowhere at us!
Honda went straight into them,
shooting two down.
But a burst of fire must have
caught his fuselage
because his motor soon started
to give out.
He couldn't make it over the Owen Stanley
range. He disappeared into the jungle.
We circled the area
but it was in vain.
Captain,
let me go and look for him!
You'll never spot him from the sky.
I must convince myself there's no hope!
Take some food and medicine with you.
I searched everywhere possible.
But I knew it was hopeless.
No one could have survived there,
even if I had found the crash site.
So I was forced to admit
that Honda was dead.
Still, I searched...
It was only
the approach of darkness that stopped me.
Eventually,
I had to head back to base.
Look at this, sir.
It's good, isn't it?
Honda made it.
I see.
If he had been with you,
you wouldn't have let this happen.
- He wouldn't have died, sergeant!
- Quit your moaning!
Sarge!
I failed you.
I led my team to safety
while Honda protected me.
I failed to insure
his safety as well.
I failed you. I'm no longer qualified
to be your leader.
I'm old and obsolete.
Old fighter pilots
are a liability.
Hands up,
all of you who'll fly with Hanada!
Speak up!
I'll fly with him.
I'll fly with him too!
- You can count me in!
- And me!
Me as well!
You see how it is?
To the east of Rabaul,
past New Ireland, lies Buka.
South of Buka, Bougainville,
Vella Lavella,
New Georgia, the Russells
and Guadalcanal.
We're building a staging base.
We plan to have it
finished by August.
We must be patient.
In the meantime...
we're going to defend Rabaul
at all costs.
Until the base on Guadalcanal
is fully operational.
Alright, men.
Don't choke it!
You must wait.
Wait until you're sure!
Look over there! How far?
It's 15 meters.
About right.
Now, that's how close you need to be.
Sir!
Now, how do you
make a tight circle?
Reduce your speed to almost stalling,
kick the rudder hard over.
When you loop,
come back with your left foot which is
then replaced by your right foot.
This move must take only a split second.
You can't afford to hesitate!
Thrust the feet!
And your loop is complete.
And you'll then be behind the enemy!
This maneuver is the "twist".
I'll never be able to do that!
Don't give me that!
You're be on my wing tomorrow!
You'll do the twist
or you'll die!
It's a case of kill or be killed!
Attention, men.
Did everyone take the quinine?
The bitter taste
is not going to kill you.
But, sure as hell. malaria will!
Come on now, everyone,
take the quinine!
Come on!
Smile about it!
Commander.
Shall I bring some water?
Yeah.
Quick, go on!
- Did you see that?!
- Who is she?
I haven't seen her around.
- I'm pilot Honda's sister.
- Oh...
- Where's he?
- Well, he...
Hey.
Sorry...
Did you see the way I came down on that
guy? Out of the dive and on his tail...
Honda. Could you tell me
where my brother is?
Hello. I'm Sakai, his sergeant.
Oh, yes, thank you for
being so good to him!
Yes...
Where is he?
He's dead?
He took part in a
mission to Port Moresby.
It was a quick
reconnaissance flight.
On April 26...
...his plane got hit and crashed
somewhere in the jungle.
But he... wrote to me in every later
how you looked after him.
For that, I suppose,
I have to thank you.
I know there's war going on.
I suppose I expected it.
But he...
But he said in his letters...
that I had no need to worry.
He said that he'd come to no harm...
as long as he flew with Sakai.
I believed him.
But you let him die!
Nomura,
give her Honda's effects.
Yes, sir!
Hello...
These are your brother's things.
Thank you very much.
But I was told to take
them to the hospital.
I'll take them now.
I liked him. Honda kind of
treated me like his kid brother.
Please allow me!
I'll carry the bag for you.
What's your name, airman?
- Nomura.
- Oh...
If he were to meet you,
he'd have said to you:
"Sister, I've shot down
six of their planes!"
No...
He wouldn't have boasted to me.
He'd say:
"What surprise do you have?"
That's right.
He was a good man.
Here, eat this.
It was his favorite food.
Thank you.
Well, now...
There's nothing we can say to that girl.
We can sit around, feeling sad...
That's no help.
I can just see Honda walking in here now.
And say: "What's all this gloom?"
"Come on, everyone, cheer up!"
Well, boys, there's a modern town
waiting for us just down the road.
They even have bars and
restaurants, the same as in Japan.
Sergeant.
Why don't we go?!
You know I don't drink liquor.
Well, if you really want to.
All right, let's go!
Damn you!
I'll get you, you son of a bi...
Stop it!
Are you ready to die,
you swine?
What the hell do you mean?
You little bastard!
Turn him over to me!
Tomorrow I'll find out
if are you ready to die!
- Of course I am!
- Liar!
You don't need courage to talk! You're
scared to death. That's why you're drunk!
Coward!
What's your outfit?
He's a stranger
on our part of the field.
He's from the other end.
He's an Army bomber crewman.
I'll take him back.
Sergeant!
You don't have to bother with him.
Come on!
- Come on.
- Hey! There you are!
Where have you been?
We've been worried about you!
- I'm Taki, Army pilot.
- I know. I'm Flight Sergeant Sakai.
Thanks for looking after him.
Here, come in.
He's unwanted at the bar in town.
Damn you!
How dare you act like a drunken coward?!
Stupid fool!
Skipper!
You must forgive him!
Apologize!
I'm sorry!
Don't cry!
I'm sorry!
I apologize for his behavior.
Now I remember you.
April the 25th, when we raided...
That's it! An Army bomber
in flight from Saipan to Rabaul.
- Am I right in thinking it was you?
- Yeah.
- Right.
- I heard about it.
- Tough luck.
- That's how it goes!
Sometimes you lose! It's not that we were
afraid of dying. We crashed in the jungle.
- Unfortunately, they surrounded us...
- Carry on!
He's right. Shortly afterwards
we happened to be rescued.
On return to our base, we
found we were listed as dead.
We should have been...
- We should never have come back alive.
- Stop that!
As soldiers,
how can you say that?!
A lot of time and money were
spent on you!
Army pilots shouldn't die easy!
It was made clear to all of us
before the war began.
Even if captured, one's duty
was to live to fight another day!
Isn't that precisely
what you've done?
I've heard on the grapevine
that you're doing suicide missions.
Are those orders from GHQ?
We were
denounced for surrendering.
They didn't even allow us to forget
about it for a moment!
At last, they've decided
to give us a choice.
Die in battle
or face a court martial.
How have they treated you since
you got here?
The group captain has been sympathetic
to us, but he can't...
...go against the orders issued
from GHQ.
No, we have to die!
We fly in the center rear
of the formation,
always the most vulnerable spot and we're
lucky not have been shot down already!
We've been out five times and every time
we've braced ourselves for certain death.
Each time we come back, each time it feels
like we've stepped back from the grave...
We live in death's shadow.
We're as good as dead.
We've got no more hope.
At times,
the strain becomes quite intolerable.
All the men are feeling it,
they can't carry on for long.
We must all break soon.
Tomorrow we fly again,
but this time we're alone.
No fighter cover.
We realize this is our last night.
We won't come back
and GHQ doesn't want us to come back!
You haven't committed any crime!
They're deliberately murdering you!
Damn it!
- It's the custom.
- Nonsense!
A war custom. A ritual.
And you are the sacrifices.
Though there's enough time for me to
have finally resigned ourselves to it,
the only thing about what's happened that
makes me bitter...
...it's the way we were greeted
on our return.
They said that,
because we had surrendered,
...we were to be treated
as a bunch of cowards.
What's that?!
Tomorrow we'll die in action,
proud to be bombardiers!
Timura!
Are you proud to be a bombardier?
Yes, sir!
Thank the Zero pilot
for bringing you back.
Thank you, sergeant.
Think nothing of it.
Maybe you'd have done the same.
Captain,
let us escort the bomber.
As your commander,
I can't give my consent.
- But, Captain...
- Captain...
Please understand.
I'm not in a position to let you go.
You both know my orders.
Now, what is your
flight schedule today?
Well... There are all the repaired Zeros
they have to be tested.
That's fine.
Take them all up.
While we're at it,
we might as well test-fire the guns.
Certainly. And if you're to properly test
the planes, you must fly some distance.
Yes, sir!
Skipper!
Look outside!
- Mind your course.
- Sir.
- Read it.
- Sir.
"Do"...
not... die...
"in... vain... "
..."We... "
..."will... "
..."co... "
"ver... "
"...for.."
"you."
"Good... hunt...ing. "
Skipper!
All right.
Get them all on target.
Don't waste any this time!
Yes, sir!
We managed to ward off the repeated
enemy fighter attacks on the bomber.
They got through to Port Moresby and
dropped all their bombs on target.
They safely returned home.
When will we be at peace again?
When will we be at peace again?
When all the soldiers have passed away.
When all theirs guns and bones decay.
We fight this war and when we die
Who will there be to breathe and cry?
Silence! Planes!
The bomber!
This time with no escort!
It's too bad!
Wait!
Come back here!
- Where are you going?
- We're going up with them!
You can't go!
- That's not what we think!
- Stop!
- No!
- Come back!
If you go, I'll be forced to shoot!
Stay here and that's an order!
Listen, everyone.
They're going because
they wanted to.
It was their choice.
Yesterday,
when they came back here...
...they all volunteered...
...to fly
another mission by themselves.
This time they faced
death without fear!
It's them!
They've been attacked by fighters.
Skipper!
What shall we report?
"PLANE EXPLODES SOON. A FINE DAY."
Keep going! Keep on flying!
On May the 8th, in the Coral
Sea, east of New Guinea,
a battle was fought between the
two aircraft carrier task forces.
It was to be a decisive one, and the first
aircraft carrier duel in history.
At the height of the battle the
Rabaul wind was blowing, but to no avail.
Both sides suffered heavy damage...
but the Japanese had to cancel
their Port Moresby invasion.
Right, gentlemen,
we've got problems at Guadalcanal.
The base isn't complete yet. This means Rabaul
becomes more important to us strategically
But the Zero's performances recently
have been most disappointing.
They must be more effective,
they're good machines.
Your morale is high
but we have poor results.
Perhaps you will be good enough
to explain why to me.
Well, it seems to me,
the Americans have found our weakness.
Damn!
Well, it's when we're
in close combat...
And don't they know it...
That's why they escape in a steep dive.
Isn't there some way
we can go after them?
If we would have followed them,
we'd have never pulled out of it.
We can't let them get away with it.
Hamada, have you got any ideas?
How about this?
We know that they dive
when they see us.
So, why not have most of
us lying way below?
You've got something!
Usually we all climb.
Next time, we'll follow them from above.
Force them down, while the main
group below is waiting to attack.
Yes, I see what you're suggesting, Hamada.
Sort of an ambush.
It's a good idea.
We spread a net below...
ls anything the matter?
Your attention, please.
I'm afraid Hamada
has contracted tuberculosis.
He's going home.
He'll be flying out tomorrow.
I'm sorry.
Relax, get well soon,
Don't worry about us!
We'll clear the skies for you.
Nakagawa!
Will you take over
leading the wing?
It's all right.
The group captain has approved.
Sir!
It's the least I could do.
After all, you're the first one that said
he'd fly with me that night.
Wing commander... Why don't we
try Hamada's strategy tomorrow?
Maybe we'll catch a lot of fish.
- Yes, Hamada, you'll see.
We'll make your plan work. - Good.
Don't leave before we come back.
Hey, Hamada!
We have some good news.
Your plan worked perfectly!
We shot down
every single one of their planes!
Forgive me
I've since heard
how my brother died.
You went after him.
Spending a whole day searching alone.
I'm sorry...
...about what I said to you before.
I shouldn't have blamed you.
I heard his death left you very depressed.
I'm glad you thought so highly of him.
I'm sorry .
- I had forgotten there's a war on...
- I have no excuse for myself!
It was my fault.
You can blame me as
much as you want!
Wait a moment!
Now that my brother is dead,
I have a favor to ask...
Would you look after Nomura for me
in the same way?
He and Honda were very close.
Nomura said Honda treated
him like a kid brother.
So I feel close to him, too.
Honda trusted you and so do I.
At that stage of the war,
the Japanese and the Americans were locked
in a bitter struggle for air supremacy.
The American B-17s,
with their turrets and heavy fire power,
were our most frequent and
feared adversary in the skies.
Look at it!
These B-17s really are Flying Fortresses!
Here! Tail, above the
wing, on both sides,
and in the belly.
It's tough...
Isn't there any dead angle?!
- How's this?
- It's of no use!
- How do you know that?!
- A frontal attack is suicide!
You get the B-17, sure,
but you destroy yourself too!
What? That would only
apply in close combat.
I see...
If we were to attack head-on,
only their front guns could take aim.
If we'd all attack from different angles,
they'd have no time to
concentrate their fire.
I can see how we could work it.
The risks seem to be great. But it's a bold
idea and effective if we can make it work.
Well, what's the answer?
Just half a second.
Now, this is no time to boast
your fly-catching skills.
We do attack from the front,
we'll be closing very fast indeed.
400 mph combined.
Fire, pull the stick,
kick the rudder!
The actions are almost simultaneous.
You must be quick!
It requires absolute split-second timing!
Practice catching flies!
Do you know why Nakagawa was killed
out there today?
Because of me...
I crossed in front of his flight path.
How can you be so calm about it?!
He was a veteran and he died for a kid!
That just doesn't add up in my book!
- I'm sorry!
- What's that? That's not going to help!
Say this:
I murdered Nakagawa.
Come on, say it!
I murdered Zero pilot Nakagawa!
Again!
I murdered Zero pilot Nakagawa!
Say it 100 times to atone for your sins.
And don't do that again!
I murdered Zero pilot Nakagawa!
I murdered Zero pilot Nakagawa!
I murdered Zero pilot Nakagawa!
I murdered Zero pilot Nakagawa!
I murdered Zero pilot Nakagawa!
I... Nakagawa... I...
I admit
I've got a very quick temper.
Even if you didn't beat him up,
you've got
that kid in a terrible state.
All right, I'm sorry!
Go and apologize!
I won't do no such thing!
You put him in it, didn't you?
I meant every word.
I can't go and say I'm sorry.
I'd just be a hypocrite!
Shut up!
Why don't you do it, then?
If I go to him, I'd hope,
at least, he'll listen.
I killed Zero pilot Nakagawa!
I killed Zero pilot Nakagawa!
- I killed Zero pilot...
- That's enough!
Will you go to the hospital for me?
What?!
Will you
give this letter to nurse Honda?
Nurse Honda!
Hello!
For you.
It's a letter from the flight sergeant.
"Nomura is suffering from depression and
guilt because of the death of his friend."
"Such a loss of confidence is dangerous
not only to him but to all his comrades."
"Please, give him some hope.
Be gentle with the lad. "
- Let's go for a walk.
- What?!
I'll just go and tell
them I'm going out.
Wait for me!
My brother always kept
this picture with him
wherever he went. It's his girlfriend.
I know he used to think about her often.
He'd talk about her often, too.
He once said he wished
she'd never grow old.
Really?...
Now, of course,
she's getting much older.
Honda
will always stay young for her.
Forever,
he has no worries of growing old.
You poor boy!
No! That's how it is!
You would like to die?
Here... Please, will you take it?
Keep this photograph of her.
When it's all over
and you return to Japan,
look her up and tell her
all you know about my brother.
No!
I couldn't.
Of course you can!
Do you think you won't go back?
That you'll never see Japan again?
You have convinced yourself
that you're going to die.
You're quite wrong!
No one in the Navy will tell you.
Life is wonderful!
You understand, don't you?
Life is too good to waste it.
Since I've been a nurse, I've had to see
so many soldiers die in the hospital.
I remember
one badly wounded soldier.
He asked me to hold
him in my arms.
I held him as he had asked me to...
...like a baby...
...and, while I was cradling his head,
he died.
I was terribly upset.
It was the first time I
had held a man so close.
But it helped him to die in
peace and it eased his pain.
So, please,
I'm glad to hold you close if you'll live.
I'm a Zero pilot;
I'd better go!
- Nomura.
- Sir?
Come over here.
- Did you give it to her?
- Sir.
- Thanks a lot. Sit here.
- Yes.
Look at me.
Now, listen.
Who do you think I'm most scared of?
What?!
Who do you think scares me most?
- No one scares you!
- You think nobody can?
But somebody does.
It's my mother.
She scolds me when I'm lazy.
It could be bad.
And she used to spank me...
right up until the time
I was 12 years old.
Why did she do that?!
Well...
My father died when
I was very young.
She wanted me to grow up to be strong.
But it's hard
for a boy without a father.
She had to work in order to feed us all.
She worked hard.
My mother had to work, too!
Well, then.
You tell me all about your mother!
I'd like to!
What kind of woman is she like?
She's very gentle.
Even gentle mothers
can lose their temper.
Yes, she did, sometimes.
She got really mad once.
What had you done?
I was at school,
I had just started to fly.
I was piloting a trainer,
close by my house.
I thought I'd show off to the folks,
so I flew right underneath the power lines.
That's some flying!
Next day,
she came to the school to see me.
Was she mad with you?
Yes! The first thing she
did was to slap my face.
I've never been hit so hard.
By comparison, Ono's scolding
was just kid stuff!
I see!
Very good!
What have you done?
You can't do that!
I've beaten you!
I didn't know then...
but while we're laughing together that
night, he had made up his mind to die.
Did he have to act so desperately?
If only I'd known
what he was thinking.
Perhaps he'd still be alive.
That's what I like to hear,
a grand slam!
Two B-26s downed by one plane!
That's good!
That's good!
All we lost was one Zero
and that's very good!
- Staff officer.
- Yes?
Flight sergeant.
The staff officer is on a visit.
He wants to make a report on how the
pilots feel things are going at the front.
All right.
What have you got to say?
You can speak openly.
Talk to him frankly.
The pilot who was in that Zero
was still a young man!
I heard he was a young man.
He had his life ahead of him!
You find the results
of our raid impressive?
What's that?
Why did he do it?
Why did he want to die?
How could you possibly understand?
God damn!
That's no way...
...to speak to me!
Hold on!
Don't shut him.
Listen to what he has to say!
Why the insolent stare?!
Sakai!
Sakai!
Calm down!
Sakai!
Come on!
Hold it!
Sakai,
I forbid you to fly!
You're grounded!
Nomura had the right idea.
I think I could follow suit.
Yeah, yeah, why not?
Say that again!
Say it!
I'm sorry.
Stand to attention!
In this war, we're fighting two enemies.
- I want you to tell me who they are.
- Sir!
- The U.S. and the U.K.
- That's not what I meant!
Our enemy is right here.
The flying officer enemy.
The enemy of greed and envy.
Those naval academy graduates.
They look down on us.
They have high ranks in the staff,
while we climbed up through the ranks!
They've humiliated us because the Navy
has its system of officers and slaves.
But not us!
We're no slaves of
the Almighty Staff!
We're fighter pilots!
We're men!
It's time to behave exactly like
that and show them we are men!
Hold your heads up high!
You are Zero pilots!
In the sky,
rank and breeding mean nothing!
Improve your skills! Be resolute!
And take courage!
You must not let
adversity get you down!
And above all,
don't wish you were dead!
As long as your plane flies,
your duty is to live!
Live, to fight another day!
Even if you can only crawl,
you can still fight!
That is what it means to be
a Zero pilot!
Sakai!
The group captain wants you.
Immediately!
I'm afraid Asai almost hit
the staff officer after you left.
What?! The wing commander?
He was mad, too.
I suppose I'm guilty
of egging him on.
The staff officer said we reminded
him of a pack of hungry wolves!
I replied "Only ability counts here."
That quickly shut him up.
The Japanese Air Force has held sway
over the entire Southwest Pacific.
Of course, we are like wolves.
We are proud of it.
I see.
I'll talk to Sashai.
Now I understand why you
stopped me from flying.
I was over-excited.
My state of mind would have
clouded my judgment.
You were perfectly right to take
the course of action that you did.
Above all,
keep calm when you fly.
I just wish they'd have taught me that.
You taught it to me!
Commander, that was months ago.
You're learning.
Thanks to you.
Do you know what
they're calling us?
The Sasai-Sakai combination.
If anything should happen to you...
...you know...
I'd no longer be much good.
Half my power would vanish.
Well, sir,
I feel much the same way about you.
Take this will you.
It was my father's.
It was a farewell gift.
They say a tiger travels
a thousand miles a night.
You can keep it.
I'm honored, sir.
Hurry!
Quickly! Come here!
The situation has changed.
We've been sent to a different target.
I've told you before. We have to fight
hard until our new base is completed...
...on Guadalcanal.
I'm afraid the Americans
have landed on the beaches.
It's 600 miles from Rabaul.
That's the same distance from
Tokyo to Riyaku on Kyushu.
The round trip takes seven hours.
No planes have ever
fought so far from base.
So you must be very
careful not to waste fuel.
It won't be easy.
You have some hard fighting ahead,
I have no doubt of your success.
I wish you all good hunting.
I'll be waiting here
to greet you when you come back.
It should be an hour before sundown.
I was thirsty,
careless, in the high altitude.
I forgot about the low air
pressure at that height.
I made a mistake.
It took me forty minutes
to clear the windshield.
I was on edge and nervous
about my own stupidity.
Guadalcanal was getting near.
For some reason, I feared the worst.
I threw the cloth out of the cockpit.
As if I could somehow,
throw away my fears.
I saw I had plenty of
fuel so I cheered up.
I dismissed my fears as groundless
and settled down to the job ahead.
I was over the Russells,
only 15 miles...
before I arrived over the
battle area of Guadalcanal.
I grew calm, relaxed,
and ate some lunch.
My first thought on seeing the massive
invasion forces of the enemy...
...was that we had lost the world.
But that soon passed.
I refused to give in!
I steeled myself to join in the fight.
For the first time I saw a man I shot.
I thought of sparing his life.
For a moment, I nearly did
but decided against it.
If I did let him live, later he
might easily kill one of my comrades.
Such is the nature of war.
If I had waited for the others
I'd have lost my chance.
So I went off in lone
pursuit of the enemy.
Saburo! Saburo! Saburo,
pull yourself together!
Come on, son!
You can make it!
I gradually came to.
There was a wound over my eye.
I couldn't move my left hand.
Can't move my left hand!
I'll never make it back!
Shoot me down!
Please,
Americans, shoot me down
Come back alive,
even if you have to crawl!
Stop the bleeding...
Stop the bleeding or I'll die.
Where did I put that glove?
Where is it?
It's not in my pocket!
I threw it away!
After! cleared the windshield...
What did I do?
God! God it's hot!
The scarf! That's it!
The last piece. It would have to do...
God, I'm tired.
I need sleep.
If I fall asleep, I'm bound to die.
I must stay awake!
Strange... traces...
I want to live though! I will live!
I must be 60 miles northwest of the Isabels.
A tiger travels 1,000 miles.
Sasai, I'm still alive!
All right, occupy your mind!
Think or you'll sleep!
I was too proud of my skills.
I was careless!
Even if I shot down four planes today, I'll
report to the group captain when I return!
80 liters of fuel left.
I must save fuel!
I have 90 minutes flying time.
After that, I'll have to ditch.
If I reduce the propeller pitch,
I can adjust the fuel usage to a minimum.
That should give me
at least another ten minutes.
Correct my course.
240 degrees...
No... hope for the best.
Captain, a report has just
come through from Buka.
- Well, then?
- Nothing.
Nobody saw a Zero. There're no reports
of a Zero landing on the island at all.
It's seven hours.
He's had it.
He must have run out of fuel.
So that's it. No hope of him coming back.
Let's call it a day.
I found it!
Only 16 miles now.
50 liters left.
I'll make it!
Rabaul lies beyond New Ireland.
What's that black cloud?!
Can I make it through a squall?
It's touch and go.
I don't have enough fuel
left to go around it!
Just sit tight.
You don't have any other choice!
It's Rabaul!
- It's a Zero! Sakai's back!
- What?!
Airfield lights on!
If I don't cut the engine
when I land, I'll burn...
Sakai!
Come on!
Where's the group captain?
I must speak to him!
Sakai!
Sakai reporting, sir!
I... got lost...
in the skies over Guadalcanal.
I understand.
That's enough for now. Help him!
Give him aid, quickly! Hurry up!
Quickly!
The war lasted three
more long years.
We all thought about killing.
Mr. Sakai,
we got through the rain squall.
The islanders will be glad to see us.
I'll take it.
I'll take the plane in.
This story
reflects the bitter realities of war.
It's a solemn reminder that we must
never forget it's terrible toll.
Too many young men died believing in their
country's divine right to victory!
The prosperous post-war years grew out
of the soil of their countless graves.
What can they tell us?
They remain silent.
Their vast humble silence
speaks an infinite grief.