Eien no 0

A brother and sister initiate a personal project to find out more about their grandfather, a World War II kamikaze pilot. When they discover their grandfather was universally regarded as a coward, their enthusiasm begins to wane. But the brother persists, discovering there is more to the story.

This is a subtle film, foregrounding the personal consequences of war for rounded, authentic characters. In the process, the film astutely stays away from either justifying or apologising for Japan's war actions. Jun'ichi Okada is a revelation as the pilot instructor who attempts to save his young charges from the excesses of his superiors, often at great personal sacrifice. He makes a promise to his wife, but then seems to compromise it in order to be loyal to his men. The resolution of this conflict makes for a powerful and well-plotted storyline.

The flashbacks to the war are engaging and dramatic, but the film's weak point is the bland Haruma Miura guiding us through the story. In a scene conspicuous for its shallow clunkiness, he berates his friends for equating tokkutai with modern-day suicide bombers. No real camaraderie seems to exist between the friends, and the whole scene seems designed merely to relay the point that modern-day fanaticism and historical Japanese 'heroism' cannot be equated. It is a fop to present-day rightist revisionism that is unworthy of the rest of the film.

Eien no Zero shows ordinary people living extraordinary lives in extraordinary circumstances. A thoughtful, emotional film that, casting flaws aside, proves cathartic and thought-provoking in equal measure.

This movie was a big hit in Japan which is good because it is essentialy an anti war film. The military detail is outstanding, right down to camoflage changes to aircraft and ships throughout the war. The Impirial Japanese Navy did start the war th the best pilots and best plane (Mistubishi Zero) as quoted in the movie. A lot of Japanese pilots were already veterens of the war in Manchuria (China). In the long run as Admiral Yamamoto feared the US became unbeatable once their industrial and economic power ramped up. Without a doubt the fact the allies cracked the Japanese naval code contributed to the allied victory (at Midway especialy). The nuclear bombs and then the Soviet Union declaring war on Japan forced the Japanese surrender saving countless lives no doubt. As a side note, Japan and the Russians are technicaly still at war and have land claims against each other.

Outstanding. Epic. Straight to the upper echelons of my all time greatest war movies list. I had never heard of it until I recently read a list of films with the best flying sequences and the air battle scenes are riveting. Caveat: if you don't like CGI, you won't like this. It's 2013 CGI, not flawless, but the sequences are so ambitious and well planned that if it had been put together by the people who did "Dunkirk" it would be one of the greatest war movies made. (It's on my list, but that's my list.) And that includes the predominant very well written, emotionally satisfying drama plot that atones for any nit-picky production flaws. "The Eternal Zero has come under criticism for its nationalistic and sympathetic depiction of the Kamikaze pilots." Oh, STFU. There is nothing 'glorious' about it and if you can watch something like this without sympathy... No matter why or who you fight, the fighters are proud of their victories and devastated by their defeats. I've certainly never seen a better 'Japanese side of things' film.

I would put this in one of my top favorite films. It's as good as "Letters from Iwo Jima"

Was the lives worth it for the future of Japan?

It's kind of like "The Notebook" meets "Pearl Harbor". (well, better than those two films!) If you had to choose love between your own family and country/men; many had to face the same dilemma. People can have different perspective whether one is a coward or a real hero.

I'm not sure how I missed this film when it first came out, but I recently watched it and I was engaged throughout the whole film.

The director Takashi Yamazaki also makes really large scale Hollywood-like production quality.

There's many war films out there, but this one is actually refreshing and meaningful. It really hits hard on the impact and value of life - how precious it really is.

I really liked how it brought up the controversy/showed and compared how people/kids of modern Japan also judged the way they saw the kamikaze pilots who fought for them. Some people argue they were just crazy brainwashed terrorists, but not everything is just simply black and white.

The film stars Juichi Okada, a famous former Japenese boy band group member called V6, who plays the main pilot. I was surprised he could act so well, as he was amazing in the film.

I liked how the film had that small subtle connection/twist of the old man with the security cameras in his home/samurai sword; you'd only get it if you were paying attention.

I highly recommend this film. It's definitely one of the quality war films made.

Deeply touching story, amazing acting, excellent FX and war recreations. The most important is the human perspective, the individuals outside the wrong or right of the history books. You will cry seeing this movie, and its fine. I do not agree with other reviewer about being a movie to "justify" Japan. Is a movie about persons, their lives and struggles in the most horrible point of human history and human nature. I took this movie, as many other war movies, as a message to the people so they understand this is the horror of war and how it affects people like you, this would happen to you or your people, this is what happened, happens and will happen. Outside the big story of battles, strategy, the macro history, the little stories of the persons, no matters which side. I'll save this movie next to Letters from Iwo Jima and Ünsere Mutter, Ünsere Vätter.