What is the
significance of the Kamakura samurai sword?
Tomasu Sawabe inherits
this sword and discovers that it once belonged to an enigmatic
ancestor, who is never mentioned by name. However the last thing
Sawabe wants is to follow a military career. He wants to devote his
life to art.
He is alarmed at the
growing militarism in Japan (1932) and anti-western propaganda, which is
summed up by an advert selling shampoo with the words:
Purging one’s head
of Anglo-Americanism.
The final straw is an
attempt on Charlie Chaplin's life while in Tokyo and the
assassination of the liberal prime minister, Sawabe has had enough.
He flees to Paris where he is able to paint in freedom. But this
freedom is suddenly curtailed by his father's death. He returns to
fulfil his filial duties and becomes caught up in the fervour of a
general mobilization and finds himself, together with Akihiro
Katsuzo, a poet, enlisting as an officer in the invasion force of
Shanghai (1937).
While not a
pacifist, Sawabe nevertheless hates violence and is appalled at the
brutality of his fellow country men. He is torn between his desire to
pursue art and his loyalty to the Emperor and his family traditions.
Unknown to Sawabe, Tien Loi, a street kid, will play a significant
role in Sawabe's destiny. Tien Loi together with his sister, Lanshin
are members of a street gang that spies for the Chinese Resistance.
Meeting a mysterious Taoist priest, Tien Loi seeks to find if the
ancient gods will help drive out the enemy. His ambition is to join
the Resistance as a fighter. His desire is fulfilled but it leaves
him exposed to danger from Japanese patrols, Chinese traffickers and
'mysterious' occult forces.
His sister, Lanshin abandons her
street life and takes shelter in the Russian mission where she comes
under the spiritual protection of an enigmatic bishop, who Katsuzo
jokingly refers to as the spiritual 'shogun' of Shanghai. Sawabe and
Katsuzo are deeply affected by the Russian 'shogun'. In the midst of
the carnage and destruction of the city, Sawabe and Katsuzo find
fulfilment in helping the street kids.
Despite the crushing defeat of
the Chinese army and the capture of Shanghai by the invading forces,
Tien Loi, Lanshin and friends find a glimpse of hope from an
unexpected source.
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