I did not review the first film but think it is necessary to review the second because of the way the two compliment one another.
Two years have passed since the events of the first movie and we get Sugata immediately getting into a scuffle with an American sailor who is abusive towards a young rickshaw driver. This leads to one of the main plots of the story: eastern martial arts (judo, jujitsu, karate) against western prizefighting.
The other main plot in the story is Sugata coming to terms with his judo, skills, wins and the effects it has on other people. Including an overwhelming sense of guilt for winning matches against Murai and Higaki. We find out Murai has died, although it is not clear if their match in the first film was connected to his death. Higaki's character, much like the first film, is one of the most interesting. He has gone from being the arrogant antagonist of Sugata to a mere shell of his former self, willing to help Sugata defeat his own misguided brothers.
One of the more disappointing aspects of this film is the marginalization of Sugata and Sayo's romance. While they do touch on it, they barely develop it as I (and surely others) would have liked to see. Especially considering how pure and vital it is in the first film.
The best aspect of the film is Sugata's realization of self and merging his path of who he wants to be with who he is. The last moments of the film really reflect that and you feel as content as Sugata does in the end.
The Kurosawa Sanshiro Sugata films watched together as a whole make both films better as they really add depth and expand on the characters (outside of Sayo). And while each individual movie I gave 7 stars, if they were one complete movie I would give it 9 stars because of how some aspects, plots and characters are better known between the two films.
Two years have passed since the events of the first movie and we get Sugata immediately getting into a scuffle with an American sailor who is abusive towards a young rickshaw driver. This leads to one of the main plots of the story: eastern martial arts (judo, jujitsu, karate) against western prizefighting.
The other main plot in the story is Sugata coming to terms with his judo, skills, wins and the effects it has on other people. Including an overwhelming sense of guilt for winning matches against Murai and Higaki. We find out Murai has died, although it is not clear if their match in the first film was connected to his death. Higaki's character, much like the first film, is one of the most interesting. He has gone from being the arrogant antagonist of Sugata to a mere shell of his former self, willing to help Sugata defeat his own misguided brothers.
One of the more disappointing aspects of this film is the marginalization of Sugata and Sayo's romance. While they do touch on it, they barely develop it as I (and surely others) would have liked to see. Especially considering how pure and vital it is in the first film.
The best aspect of the film is Sugata's realization of self and merging his path of who he wants to be with who he is. The last moments of the film really reflect that and you feel as content as Sugata does in the end.
The Kurosawa Sanshiro Sugata films watched together as a whole make both films better as they really add depth and expand on the characters (outside of Sayo). And while each individual movie I gave 7 stars, if they were one complete movie I would give it 9 stars because of how some aspects, plots and characters are better known between the two films.