This overly optimistic Japanese musical was made during WW2. It takes place in a happy village and features a couple engaged to be married. The movie seems to made for 8-year old's though it's probably indicative of what people were allowed to watch back then. Despite it's lightheartedness, there is a non-graphic bombing scene though the village is not targeted. In addition, a man is drafted into the Japanese military which knowing the war's outcome, comes off as rather grim. Hanako-San can be seen on YouTube. The video quality is not good, but I sort of liked this silly propaganda film. Thanks to the lady who voluntarily added English subtitles and uploaded the film.
2 Reviews
Uneasy Mix Of Cartoon And Wartime Propaganda
boblipton6 August 2021
Yukiko Todoroki plays the title role in this musical film version of the popular manga written by Yukio Sugiura. Miss Todoroki's husband, the prolific Masahiro Makino, directed.
Some brief reading on the subject indicates that in the comics, Hanako is a tomboy. In the movie version, she gets married to Katsuhiko Haida and there are lots of kijinks involving her rather silly extended family, which includes Hideko Takamine. To my modern eye, this is awash with Japanese propaganda, as everyone shouts Banzai! When anyone is drafted and celebrates noisily, as if everyone is so happy that Harold Teen must march off to war as soon as Hal Le Roy is finished doing his tap routine. This was, of course, the line as pushed by the government: war is a joyous duty and while the wounded will be provided brides, nothing worse will happen on the battlefield.
Some brief reading on the subject indicates that in the comics, Hanako is a tomboy. In the movie version, she gets married to Katsuhiko Haida and there are lots of kijinks involving her rather silly extended family, which includes Hideko Takamine. To my modern eye, this is awash with Japanese propaganda, as everyone shouts Banzai! When anyone is drafted and celebrates noisily, as if everyone is so happy that Harold Teen must march off to war as soon as Hal Le Roy is finished doing his tap routine. This was, of course, the line as pushed by the government: war is a joyous duty and while the wounded will be provided brides, nothing worse will happen on the battlefield.
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