Based on a novel by Mishima Yukio, The School of Flesh (1965) tells the story of a beautiful designer descended from nobility (Kishida Kyōko), who breaks away from an unhappy marriage after the war to greedily pursue a wild and pure love. Kinoshita Ryō directs this sophisticated tale of romantic intrigue in high style.Read More »
Tokyo Fujimi Zoo (based on the real-life Ueno Zoo) is home to two beloved Indian elephants. Sakura, the zoo’s female elephant, gives birth to a daughter. Elephant caretaker Shota Tanabe (Tetsuya Takeda) names her Hanako. Shortly afterwards, Shota’s wife Setsuko (Midori Hagio) gives birth to a son. As Hanako grows, she quickly becomes a favorite of the local schoolchildren, including Shota’s son. But their happiness does not last, as the arrival of the Pacific War brings hardship and rationing in its wake. The situation reaches a breaking point when the military orders the euthanasia of animals in zoos across Japan, including Fujimi’s prized elephants. Shota is devastated by this news. Determined to save what he can, Shota convinces Major Keiji Okamoto (Toshiyuki Nagashima), a former classmate, to commence an operation to secretly evacuate Hanako by train.Read More »