Macarthur's Children

An attempt to bring about an understanding of how the Japanese reacted to their humiliating defeat in WW II, MACARTHUR'S CHILDREN deals with the problem on a microcosmic level, concentrating on a small, remote island called Awaji Shima rather than on the whole country. Set in the days just following the defeat, the film portrays events through the eyes of children, particularly Ryuta Ashigara (Takaya Yamauchi), a young boy whose father was killed in battle and who is being raised by his grandfather, the local police chief. Ryuta's best friend, the rebellious Saburo (Yoshiyuki Omori), refuses to accept national dishonor and instead threatens to run away to become a ...