With this blog I will be talking about Japanese movies, new and old, of any genre (just whatever I feel like talking about at any given time). Also, I will talk about the Japanese that is spoken in them. and give background information on the bits of Japanese culture / history that show up.
Currently I am excited for a historical fiction called Sekigaara which is coming out this month. With it's setting in the Sengoku period, there is a lot to talk about. I hope if you have an interest in Japanese movies and or Japanese culture or the Japanese language you will enjoy and maybe learn something from this blog.
So, for this first post I will attempt to translate best I can, a description of the plot of the movie and in later posts talk more in depth about some things it specifically talks about.
Sekigahara (関ケ原)
In theaters: August 26.
English:
The battle of Sekigahara:
It brought an end to the constant warring of the time,
and decided the fate of Japan’s future.
Mitsunari Ishida, with his talents recognized from an
early age, becomes an assistant to Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Once older, he is
scouted by a Daimyo and proceeds to use half of his earnings to hire the famed
Ronin, Sakon Shima, as his servant. Sakon accepts this position stating, “it is
interesting when a man goes in the opposite direction trying to chase his
ambitions.” He says this as Mitsunari, still vowing loyalty to Hideyoshi,
struggles with his desire to rule and change the nation through justice. Then a
shinobi from Iga named Hatsune, also begins serving Mitsunari as his “dog”.
As, Hideyoshi’s physical condition starts to diminish,
Ieyasu Tokugawa harbors his own ambitions to rule the nation, and skillfully uses
his words in order to take into his own army Hideyaki Kobayakawa (Masahiro
Higashide) and other soldiers who had fallen into disgrace with Hideyoshi. This
does not sit well with Mitsunari.
In August 1598, Hideyoshi passes away. March of the
following year, when the chief minister Toshiie Maeda (Tokuuma Nishioka) also
dies, Masanori Fukushima (who harbors a grudge against Mitsunari from his time
dispatched in Korea), Kiyomasa Kato and his men (the 7 proteges of Hideyoshi)
raid Mitsunari’s estate. Mitsunari escapes Ieyasu’s compound, and proceeds to
live at Sawayama Castle, but Ieyasu’s dominance continues to strengthen.
In June 1600, Ieyasu turns his attention to Uesugi. A
servant of Uesugi, Kanetsugu Naoe (Kenichi Matsuyama) and Mitsunari who devised
a pincer attack for Ieyasu, bring in good friend General Otani, and raise
Terumoto Mori to commander-in-chief of their army. Now Mitsunari’s army in the
west, and Ieyasu’s in the east battle for supremacy. On September 15, 1600, the
battle begins at Sekigahara. Mitsunari must face off against Ieyasu in the
battle of the century. And what will become of Hatsune’s secret “love” as she
risks her life to protect him.
Mitsunari struggles to uphold “love” and “justice”
while not being “too soft” as a general while he battles against Ieyasu’s fiery
ambition. It all kicks off now!
Japanese:
それは、戦乱の世に終止符を打ち、後の日本の在りようを決定づけた。
幼くして豊臣秀吉（滝藤賢一）に才を認められ、秀吉の小姓となった石田三成（岡田准一）。成長し大名にとりたてられた三成は自分の石高の半分をもって、猛将として名を馳せた牢人・島左近（平岳大）を家来に乞う。秀吉に忠誠を誓いながらも、利害によって天下を治めることに疑問を感じ正義で世の中を変えようとする三成の姿に、左近は「天下悉く利に走るとき、ひとり逆しまに走るのは男として面白い」と配下に入る。伊賀の忍び・初芽（有村架純）も、“犬”として三成に仕えることになる。
秀吉の体調が思わしくない。天下取りの野望を抱く徳川家康（役所広司）は、秀吉の不興を買う小早川秀秋（東出昌大）や他の秀吉恩顧の武将たちに、言葉巧みに取り入っていく。三成は、そんな家康が気にくわない。
1598年8月、秀吉逝去。翌1599年閏3月、大老・前田利家（西岡德馬）も亡くなると、先の朝鮮出兵時から三成に恨みを持つ福島正則、加藤清正ら秀吉子飼いの七人党が、三成の屋敷を襲撃する。三成は家康の屋敷に逃げ込み難を逃れるが、このことで佐和山城に蟄居。家康の影響力が増していく。
1600年6月、家康が上杉討伐に向かう。上杉家家臣・直江兼続（松山ケンイチ）と家康の挟み撃ちを図っていた三成は、盟友・大谷刑部らを引き込み、毛利輝元を総大将に立て挙兵。三成の西軍、家康の東軍が、覇権をかけて動き出す。1600年9月15日。決戦の地は関ヶ原。三成は、いかにして家康と世紀の合戦を戦うのか？ そして、命を懸けて三成を守る初芽との、密やかな“愛”の行方は……。
権謀渦巻く中、「愛」と「正義」を貫き通す“純粋すぎる武将”三成と野望に燃える家康の戦いが今、幕を開ける！！
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