April 1954. 12 year old schoolgirl Sadako thinks her main problem is being unable to pass the baton in relay races. But just as her team starts winning, she starts getting tired more easily. She is sent back to the American Base Victory Hospital, where the diagnosis is lymphatic leukemia. And she has no more than a year left to live. Her parents agree with the doctor that Sadako should not be told, but will she find out anyway ?
The period of late World War II, Toshiko was living in downtown Tokyo with her family. Japan was more towards losing the War at the time and people were suffering with lack of materials. On March 10th 1945, she lost her mother and two younger sisters by the bombing in Tokyo. She picked up "Glass Rabbit", which shape was changed by the fire, out of the wreck one day and she experienced the terror of the War. Moreover when she had to evacuate to the suburbs, her father was killed by US army on the way at the station. Now that she became all alone, she felt so lonely and despaired that she almost found no meaning to be alive. But despite of her loneliness and sorrow, she aroused herself, thinking about all her family who were gone. "I must survive for my family.... Otherwise, who will be visiting their grave." This is the story of one girl, which should not be forgotten.
1980 Japanese film distributed by Shochiku.
Based on an autobiographical novel by Toshiko Takagi, set close to the end of World War II
Hoshino Bunzo raises up his orphan grandson, Keiji whose right leg gets paralyzed when he was an infant. Bunzo loves Keiji so much that he does every thing to protect his grandson. Sonoda Keiko, a new young teacher comes to the school when a new term starts. She wants Keiji to go back to school. After two years absence from school, Keiji tries to attend the class but he cannot continue. All pupils hold an exhibition of Keiji’s paintings in the village shrine to make him happy. He is very pleased and gives his paintings to them and to Keiko, he gives a painting entitled "Spring Pony". When this picture is awarded a prize in the National Friendship Painting Compettition, it is like a new beginning for Keiji’s family.
1962 Japanese movie
