Though not well studied or defined in historical and social research, the contribution of the Japanese filmmaker Kon Ichikawa to the country’s post-war history remains significant. Born around 1915 in the Japanese region of Southern Mie Prefecture, Ichikawa was initially interested in painting and drawing but had a passion for films. After graduating from a technical school in Osaka around 1930, his first jobs was animation at JO studios in Osaka1.
In his later years, Ichikawa contributed significantly to the development of various films, with some like ‘The Burmese Harp’, ‘They Key’, ‘An Actor’s Revenge’ And ‘Fires on the Plain’ becoming some of the most widely viewed Japanese films2. Of the few film directors from Japan who have obtained international reputation, especially in the west, Ichikawa was the least known as well as the least studied3.
Nevertheless, most of his films featured Japanese soldiers and activities in the region, Japanese social system and the aspects of modernization in the country4. Arguably, his themes have contributed to the development of Japanese history, especially by depicting the Japanese culture, military activities, and social system in films and presenting them to the world.
According to some literature, it is worth noting that Ichikawa was in his early adults’ days when Japan was involved in the Second World War5. Perhaps his observation of the country actively taking part and later experiencing one of the most humiliating defeats contributed to his thematic approach in film work.
It has been argued that he worked under relatively different conditions from most of the renowned Japanese filmmakers. For instance, he faced strong financial pressures during his first years in film work. Also, it is believed that he was imposed on working on certain films such as “An actor’s revenge” by his employers that were out to make profits. His prowess in filmmaking has contributed to the world perception of the Japanese culture, thereby contributing to the history of postwar Japan.
Ichikawa’s main contribution to the history of Japan lies in his ability to emulate western ideas, which contributed to the revolution of the Japanese perceptions of their society. For instance, it is on record that he was influenced by western filmmakers, especially in the US and France6. For example, Ichikawa divided his films into categories like ‘dark’ and ‘light’ to instill a sense of justice in the minds of the viewers7.
Specifically, he focused on the Japanese ideas of sexes, the battle of sexes, and thematic obverse of action movies. It is believed that these ideas and styles were obtained from Howard Hawks and other western filmmakers. According to researchers, Japanese perceptions and view on sexuality and gender differences changed significantly after the Second World War8. After the war, Japanese society and government increasingly focused on industrial development and the reduction of military activities.
Filmmakers are among the most important sections of Japanese society that actively contributed to the development of new social perceptions and views on gender. Ichikawa, one of the few filmmakers who aligned to the western ideas of sexuality, contributed to this development. An example is observed in Ichikawa’s film “an actor’s revenge,” where the thematic approach is heavily aligned to sex and gender. Noteworthy, the Japanese perceptions on sex and gender was changing significantly between 1950 and 1980s9.
The number of women in social, corporate, and public leadership started increasing at this time. Also, the number of females in the workplace was increased tremendously, taking after the western style. The works of filmmakers like Ichikawa and others contribute to the increased western-like perception of gender and sex in Japan.
The antiwar films that Ichikawa developed provide evidence of his perceptions on military and Japanese involvement in military activities in Southeast Asia as well as the global level. Ichikawa was one of the most prominent individuals in the Japanese society who were against the country’s continued focus on military power and prowess10. It is worth noting that after Japan suffered heavily in towards the end of the Second World War, most people started changing their attitudes and perceptions towards the country’s military involvement11.
In particular, most people saw the need for change in political policies to ensure that the country did not suffer again. Ichikawa’s film “Fires on the Plain” provides evidence of his contribution to the changing of perceptions towards Japanese involvement in military activities in the region and the world12. The film is an anti-war campaign that depicts the destructions and sufferings inflicted on society by unnecessary involvement in regional and international military activities.
For instance, private Tamura’s role in the film was used to describe and present the kind of scenes brought by the country’s military activities in the Philippine Islands. Ichikawa uses this film to show how young Japanese men were exposed to unnecessary deaths, sufferings, and miseries at the war front. For instance, Private Tamura’s injuries are termed ‘not enough to treat” by Japanese medical team at the war ground.
The audience is introduced to a large number of other young men regarded as “rejectees” after suffering injuries in the war front. They have been denying the right to medical attention and are expected to save themselves from the advancing enemy13.
It appears that the most important aim of the regime and the military leadership is to fight the enemy at the expense of the troops, who are denied their rights as military personnel. Also, the film depicts a large number of innocent lives killed in a village raid by the military, which makes Private Tamura realize the need to end the war.
This is a reflection of the interest of the Japanese during the Second World War as well as the first few centuries after the war14. The society was increasingly developing negative attitudes towards the country’s continued involvement in regional politics using its military.
Ichikawa’s film provided was aiming at eliciting emotions in the viewers, making them reconsider their perceptions towards the war15. It is clear that he wanted to present the negative sides of Japanese military activities in the region, including the inhumane deaths of soldiers as well as innocent people in the villages16.
Similarly, Ichikawa’s contribution to the changing of perceptions and views on military activities and involvement can be seen in his anti-war film “The Burmese Harp,” a 1956 film based on Michio Takeyama’s novel of the same title17. Initially a children’s book, Ichikawa used the storyline to depict the decimating impacts of Japan’s military involvement from a military perspective. Similar to Private Tamura in “Fire on the Plains,” Private Mizushima is used to portray the evils associated with the military involvement in Burma.
Here, the film portrays the decisions made by the military and the deaths resulting from the destructive decisions. For instance, the refusal by some of the Japanese soldiers to surrender to the British and Australians portray evidence of miscommunication between the Japanese troops.
Private Mizushima is caught in the conflicts between the surrendering soldiers and those determined to fight to the end, unaware that Japan had already surrendered. Ichikawa also uses the film to portray the huge damages and a large number of deaths caused by the war, especially on the side of the Japanese troops18.
Thus, the two anti-war films attempt to portray the evils of wars that Japan was continuously involving its military19. Ichikawa was a critic of the wars. It is evident that the two films, which were widely viewed in Japan and other parts of the world, aimed at changing the people’s attitudes towards their regimes and focus on military prowess20.
Ichikawa’s work contributed to the increase in the number of voices calling for a reduction in military expenses, several troops and military interventions in the region as well and international level. It is clear that these films, which were mostly in black and white, were among the few movies that contributed to the eventual reconsideration of the military and increased focus on industrial and economic development21.
In conclusion, Ichikawa’s work in the Japanese film industry has contributed significantly to the development of new perceptions towards social issues such as sexes, gender differences, and involvement in socioeconomic systems, military, and war as well as family matters. It is also clear that his work is aligned with the western ideas of sex and gender, which contributed to the revolution of Japanese society in the post-war era.
References
Allyn, James. Kon Ichikawa – A Guide to References and Resources. Boston, MA: G.K. Hall, 2005
Quandt, James. Kon Ichikawa, Cinematheque. Ontario, Toronto: OUP, 2010
Richie, Donald. The Several Sides of Kon Ichikawa. New York: Kodansha, 2011.
Richie, Donald. A Hundred Years of Japanese Film: A Concise History, with a Selective Guide to DVDs and Videos. New York: Kodansha, 2012.
Solmi, Angelo. Kon Ichikawa. Florence, Italy: La Nuova, 2005.
Footnotes
1 Donald Richie, A Hundred Years of Japanese Film: A Concise History, with a Selective Guide to DVDs and Videos (New York: Kodansha, 2012), 173
2 James Allyn, Kon Ichikawa – A Guide to References and Resources (Boston, MA: G.K. Hall, 2005), 68
3 Donald, Richie, The Several Sides of Kon Ichikawa (New York: Kodansha, 2011), 217
4 James Quandt, Kon Ichikawa, Cinematheque (Ontario, Toronto: OUP, 2010), 238
5 Allyn, 77
6 Allyn, 82
7 Angelo Solmi, Kon Ichikawa (Florence, Italy: La Nuova, 2005), 64
8 Allyn, 81
9 Richie, 103
10 Quandt, 61
11 Allyn, 121
12 Richie, 137
13 Allyn, 94
14 Richie, 78
15 Quandt, 59
16 Richie, 83
17 Solmi, 24
18 Richie, 117
19 Solmi, 12
20 Quandt, 36
21 Solmi, 17