Owen Tsuchiya

An excellent film handled with tenderness and empathy. A unique coming of age film of a child’s fantasy heroes and characters reflected in the Nazi Superman myth giving way to compassion tenderness and empathy through the loss of his loving mother and a burgeoning love of an improbable Jewish girl . Touching without being maudlin and using humor and the child’s window of observation as he discovers sadism, cruelty and the folly of war.

A candid view of the other Japan. Not the idealized culture of self discipline high structure and excellence but a paradoxical look a a “family” of survivors on the rarely seen edge of Japanese society who manage to create a sense of love , caring and family despite having no familial bounds, legacy, or legal connection all too important in a society that requires documentation, certification and provenance to be “authentic”. What is a family is the question you’re left with .....and the heart wrenching denouement that resonates and clarifies the perspective.

A thought provoking glimpse of the gifted and consummate artist who struggles with his wounded self. Fortunately enough moments of great ballet and the inner workings of dance to give satisfaction to a lovely but incomplete film wanting completion and greater direction. An English metaphor perhaps too subtle for the larger than life Nureyev.