How War times affected Japanese Cinema

War time had a significant impact on movie making in Japan. During WWII, the Japanese government heavily censored films and controlled the content to promote nationalistic propaganda and support the war effort. They were required to produce films that promoted nationalism and loyalty. The themes of Japanese films during this period were focused on the glorification of the military, the sacrifices made by Japanese soldiers and also used films as means of propaganda, with messages promoting the idea of Japanese superiority. These movies were designed to promote a sense of unity and patriotism among the Japanese people, and to portray the enemy (primarily the United States) as brutal and inhumane.

Even after the war, the Japanese government imposed subtle censorship on films that explored into the bombings. The most prominent distribution companies were pressurized on either not releasing the film or to relegate them to poor suburban theatres that would weaken the marketing campaign thus making the films less appealing to the audience. Therefore, all the films that were made at that time period were produced independently. For example, Children of Hiroshima, directed by Shindo Kaneto was shot on location of bombing, and released it on August 6, 1952 to commemorate Hiroshima Memorial Day. A number of films explicitly avoided addressing any issues of Japanese responsibilities for its own wartime behaviour. This is predominantly observed in the films such as Black Rain (1989), Dreams  (1990), Rhapsody in August (1991). All these movies were focused on the trauma which was caused by the war and the bombing, but left out the role Japan played in the war to face such consequences.  

 

                                      

                                                 

The government also placed restrictions on the use of resources, including film stock, which made it difficult for filmmakers to produce high-quality films. As a result, many Japanese films from this period were low-budget productions and used recycled footage. They also faced practical challenges during the war. Film stock was in short supply, and many studios were damaged or destroyed by bombing. In addition, many actors and other industry professionals were drafted into the military, making it difficult to produce movies. 

                

After the war, the Allied occupation authorities imposed strict censorship on Japanese films to ensure that they did not contain any elements that could be considered as promoting militarism or nationalism. However, Japanese filmmakers found ways to subtly express their thoughts and feelings about the war and its aftermath through their films. For example, films like Barefoot Gen (1983) and Black Rain endeavoured to explore the horrors of war head on, focusing specifically on the Hiroshima bombing, in an attempt to convey the toll that war takes on humanity. One the other hand, films such as Tokyo Story (1953) tried to reconcile and make peace with the trauma faced by the country. There was no exception for anime either. The explosive imagery continued to make appearances in anime for years afterward. One of the most prominent examples is Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira (1988), which presented a post nuclear, postmodern fantasy of liberation and empowerment for Japanese youth. 

Overall, war time had a significant impact on movie making in Japan, with government censorship and control restricting artistic expression and creativity. However, the legacy of wartime censorship and propaganda continued to shape the industry for many years to come.