No Regrets for Our Youth (Waga seishun ni kuinashi)

A TOHO PRODUCTION

NO REGRETS FOR OUR YOUTH

Executive Producer RYO TAKEI

Produced by KEIJI MATSUZAKI Screenplay by EIJIRO HISAITA

Director of Photography ASAKAZU NAKAI

Production Design by KEIJI KITAGAWA Music by TADASHI HATTORI

Lighting by CHOSHIRO ISHII

Starring

SETSUKO HARA

SUSUMU FUJITA DENJIRO OKOCHI

HARUKO SUGIMURA EIKO MIYOSHI

AKITAKE KONO, KOKUTEN KODO TAKASHI SHIMURA

Directed by AKIRA KUROSAWA

"Japanese militarists used the Manchurian Incident as a pretext

to press the public for support to invade the Asian mainland.

Any opposing ideology was denounced as 'Red'.

The Kyoto University Incident was one example of this tactic.

Although this film was inspired by that historical event,

the characters portrayed herein are entirely fictional."

KYOTO

Yukie.

Professor!

Father!

Flowers on the knoll Blazing crimson red

Plants along the river A bright, glowing green

I sigh in delight at the flowers of Kyoto

The moon rising high above Mount Yoshida

The earth smells so wonderful.

The sky's nice too.

So is the wind.

It's all wonderful.

I can see the university!

Freedom!

Kyoto Imperial University, cradle of freedom!

Resplendent ivory tower!

Mecca of learning!

"Cradle of freedom"?

We can sing about academic freedom all we want,

but fascism's on the rise since the Manchurian Incident.

Back on your favorite subject, I see.

Itokawa, are they on maneuvers?

I can see them. They look tiny from here.

I love that sound.

It's so clear and rhythmic. It makes my heart race!

- What's wrong? - A snake?

I'm exhausted.

We're getting old.

ACADEMIC FREEDOM UNDER ATTACK

PROFESSOR YAGIHARA EXPELLED FROM UNIVERSITY

EDUCATION MINISTER'S DECISION PROVOKES FACULTY IRE

STUDENTS RIOT IN DEFENSE OF FREEDOM

YAGIHARA RESIDENCE

The militarists,

backed by industry,

seized Manchuria from China.

Japan then pulled out of the League of Nations.

They hope to resolve Japan's internal contradictions

through foreign conquest.

All you talk about are Manchuria, militarists, and industrialists.

I hate leftists.

That's not true. And it's all relevant.

They want the public to support their expansionist agenda.

My father is a liberal, not a Red.

They brand anyone who opposes aggression a Red.

My father is in the right, and right will prevail.

He said the same thing.

He wants the faculty to resign en masse to make the minister reconsider.

But the minister's a party boss with connections to industry.

He's colluding with the militarists to suppress freedom of thought.

"Make him reconsider"? How naive.

Then what do you suggest?

As I said before, the Manchurian Incident

was a result of the militarists' expansionist policies.

We must fight to overthrow militarism - nothing less.

We tried to convince your father,

but he wouldn't listen.

Wait and see. The faculty will lose.

You almost sound happy!

I want them to win!

But as long as they're naive and blind to the truth,

they're bound to lose!

Let's not talk about this. It's boring.

Unlike you, I don't think the world runs solely on logic.

There must be more beautiful things, more pleasant things.

Itokawa, you want to hear some nice music?

Come on!

That's the trouble with you.

Why don't you listen to what people say?

All you know of life are the pretty scenes outside your window.

Surrounded by your father's fawning students.

Maybe you need a slap in the face to grow up.

You ridicule logic,

but beauty and pleasure not founded on reason are mere bubbles.

Itokawa, turn the page!

- Leaving so soon? - Yes. My regards to the professor.

Won't you stay for dinner?

- I'm in a hurry. - I see.

Look.

Leaving already?

Noge, it's outrageous what the minister just said.

"I'll shut down an entire department if that'll solve the problem."

That's where things stand.

The professors at Tohoku University rose up too.

Professor...

I know you don't approve,

but I've decided what I must do.

I like your spirit,

but don't neglect your duties as a student.

What's wrong?

You want to smoke?

Are you sure?

Itokawa...

get on your knees.

Kowtow and apologize to me.

For what?

Whatever you want! Just do it, okay?

Please.

Come on, hurry up!

Okay?

What are you doing?

Stop!

That's enough!

Don't let Noge get to you.

He's so brazen. He's blunt with everyone.

That's okay.

He was just telling the truth --

something you're incapable of doing.

Sorry to keep you so late.

Nonsense! I'm just a janitor, but for academic freedom,

I pull out all the stops!

You can't fight on an empty stomach.

You're all right, old man.

I'm very fond of Mr. Noge.

If I were a girl, I wouldn't leave you alone.

FEDERATION OF STUDENT SELF-GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATIONS

TRUTH LIES IN ACADEMIC FREEDOM

FIGHT FOR FREEDOM OF SPEECH HELP OUR COMRADES IN KYOTO

EDUCATION MINISTRY PERSUADES PROFESSORS TO RECONSIDER

PROFESSORS RETRACT RESIGNATIONS

KYOTO UNIVERSITY WILL NEVER SURRENDER!

STOP FASCISM!

EDUCATION MINISTER PLAYS GOLF WITH BUSINESS, MILITARY LEADERS

RIOT POLICE CALLED IN

RIOT LEADERS ARRESTED

ACADEMIC FREEDOM CRUSHED

KYOTO UNIVERSITY CAPITULATES

KYOTO UNIVERSITY INCIDENT ENDS

DEFEATED STUDENTS SENT HOME; PROFESSORS DISPERSE

Where's Noge?

What happened to him?

Pull yourselves together!

Stop moping. We lost the battle, not the war!

Gentlemen...

I ask you to consider the situation calmly.

Clearly we have lost.

But, gentlemen...

justice will certainly triumph.

This year's flowers have been scattered,

but when the time comes,

they will bloom again.

No matter...

what hardships may befall a man,

the important thing is that he try

to learn from them.

We did our best to resist the fury of the reactionaries.

As we try to survive the times ahead,

we must remember this incident

as a valuable learning experience.

Hundreds of miles from Tokyo

Kyoto University

Was caught in fascism's glare

Freedom and independence were crushed beyond repair

Of course, despair is a kind of escape,

but escape won't solve anything. We want --

Professor, we're determined to continue the struggle.

We'll drop out if need be.

Why stay here without freedom?

Thank you.

I appreciate your sentiments.

But I can't approve of your approach.

Why not, sir?

What would I say to your parents?

Think how sad they'll be if you drop out

right as you're about to graduate.

You said your sister is providing for you.

She's endured so much. Think how she'll take the news.

But Professor --

I understand how you feel, but --

The usual group of seven?

Only five tonight.

That's unusual.

The cock of the walk couldn't make it.

I wonder what happened to Noge and Itokawa.

You finally entered university.

Three years left to go, then two.

You don't understand.

All I've thought about is how many years you have left.

Now you want to quit with just a year to go.

If your father were still alive,

you'd be free to do as you please.