in this electrifying aerial chase sequence, the pratagonist, miabi, desperately tries to outmanoeuvree on his tail. but when miabi is saved by one of his pupils deliberately crashing into the american‘s plane, he chides the badly injured young man for risking his life in direct contradiction of japan's wartime insistance of self—sacrifice. some appreciated the film's take on the pilot's noble sacrifice, others, not least the director of the film, mr takashi, saw it as more critical. the director of the film sat down with me. we have known each other for years. people have this perception that this film is pro—war. right—wingers are coming out and saying this is our film. he said, how can they think that? the people in that film, the kamikaze pilots, they are to be pitied, the way they died. so wasteful. how can they even think that? he was mad, offended. finally, miyabe sets out on a kamikaze mission and the film ends with a moment of emotional connection between kamikaze pilots and today's generation, as he comes face to face with his grandson in today's japan. but in today's japan,