Summary
A dramatic yet heart-warming story of cross-cultural friendship among children in the aftermath of WWII, presented by Tokyo-based award-winning animation studio Production I.G. Based on true events.
A dramatic yet heart-warming story of cross-cultural friendship among children in the aftermath of WWII, presented by Tokyo-based award-winning animation studio Production I.G. Based on true events.
Despite the Italian-sounding title, this is in fact a classic example of Japanese anime. It tells the tale of two young Japanese brothers who, when the Russians occupy their tiny island at the end of the Second World War, strike up a relationship with the daughter of the Soviet commander. But this is threatened by the black-marketeering of their dodgy uncle, and by the illicit rice distribution of their defence-force dad. Deftly mixing the innocence and imagination of childhood with the harsh realities of occupation, deportation and internment, this traditionally animated, endearingly "low-tech" film is bittersweet, often sad and occasionally very moving. It's ostensibly aimed at family audiences, though its subject matter and subtitling may better suit adults and older children.
role | name |
---|---|
Junpei | Kota Yokoyama |
Tanya | Polina Ilyushenko |
Kanta | Junya Taniai |
Tatsuo | Masachika Ichimura |
Sawako | Yukie Nakama |
Hideo | Yusuke Santamaria |
Genzo | Saburo Kitajima |
Mitchan | Kanako Yanagihara |
role | name |
---|---|
Director | Mizuho Nishikubo |