Marks

Obtained

ART401: APPRECIATING FAREASTERN

CINEMA
Instructor: Dr. Ritwij Bhowmik
SUMMER COURSE 2016

st

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT

FILM NAME : NINJO KAMIFUSEN

(HUMANITY AND PAPER BALLOONS)

STUDENT INFORMATION
Name : Mukul Parashar
Roll No. : 14403 , Department : CHE
E-mail : mukulp@iitk.ac.in

INTRODUCTION
Movie Name : Ninjo Kamifusen (Japanese)
Humanity and Paper Balloons (English)
Director : Sadao Yamanaka
Date of Release : August 25, 1937
Language : Japanese
Country :
Japan
Genre :
Jidai

geki
(Period
Drama)

Humanity and Paper Balloons is unlike the other Japanese

movies which mainly focuses on the lower classes and
describes the influence of caste system in the societies of
Japan. At that time Samurai people belong to the upper
caste and are treated as superior ones, but this film shows
their poor status and how a ronin (samurai without a
master) is compared to and treated like other lower caste
people by other Samurais when they dont have a job all
because of the caste system. The film also shows how the
merchants or other lower class people only care about the
money and enjoyment not humanity. The movie basically
shows the decline of real values and culture, implying that
earlier times were better. Interestingly, the movie do not
show any
solution for
this or
the hope but
picture
only the
future of
constant
degradation.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

This movie describe the caste system which exist in the era
of medieval Japan back in 1930 where people were divided
in various classes of the society by their people. The four
main classes in which the peoples were divided was
Samurai, Farmers, Artisans and Merchants.
1.Samurais were placed on top in the society because the
set morals for other peoples in the society by following the
Bushido which means way of warrior which are set of
Japanese values followed by samurais stressing honour
and loyalty to country and family above all else.
2.The second most praised class are the Peasants as they
grow food which is the most important thing for peoples.
They lived in villages and are large in number than any
other class of society.
3. Third were Artisans who produce the non essential goods.
4. Fourth the Merchants who were the lowest class in the
society as they earn wealth without producing any actual
goods.
In the medieval Japan, the caste division is based
on their birth, work and responsibilities in society but not
by the wealth for example the son of a samurai will also
known as a samurai.

DIRECTORS
PROFILE

Name : Sadao Yamanaka

Born : November 7, 1909 (Kyoto City, Japan)
Died : September 17, 1938 (Henan, China)
Genre Style : Jaidaigeki
Other movies : Machi no Irezumi-mono
Kochiyama Soshun
Sadao Yamanaka was a great Japanese film director and
screen writer, who directed 26 films between 1932 and
1938. He was a one of the primary figures in the
development of the Jidaigeki genre of historical films. He
began his career in the Japanese film industry at the age of
20 as a writer and assistant director for the Makino
company. In most of the films he criticise about Japanese
army due to which he get arrested. Sadao Yamanaka died of
dysentery after being drafted into the Imperial Japanese
Army.

JAIDAIGEKI FILM GENRE

Jaidaigeki which is also known as Period Drama is a genre

of film and theatre in Japan which basically portraits the
history and the tradition in Japan during the Edo Period of
Japanese history, from 1603 to 1868 and also to make
propaganda for making their government and army well
functioned and strong. Jaidaigeki genre shows the lives of

Samurai, Warriors, Craftsman, Merchants and Government

officials.
There are several conventions
of Jidaigeki like the heroes often wear eye makeup, where
the villains
have disarranged hair and a contrived form of old fashioned
Japanese speech, using modern pronunciation and grammar
with a high degree of formality and frequent archaisms.
This genre is adopted and influenced
many directors and screen play writers of both Japan and
outside Japan. For example Star Wars creator George Lucas
has admitted to being inspired significantly by the Jaidaigeki
genre and the period works of Akira Kurosawa, and many
thematic elements found in Star Wars bear the influence of

Chanbara filmmaking which means sword fight.

STORY SUMMARY

Humanity and Paper Balloons, unlike most other Japanese

films of this period, is a historical film with a critical edge.
Refusing to glorify samurai, the film instead deflates the
myth around them with a gentle humanity. This film
basically shows the division of people in various
classes/caste by Japanese social structure, but unlike other
movies shows similarity in poor status of Samurai and
Merchants.
The movie start in an Edo slum community
with the death of a poor old Samurai who suicide by hanging
himself. The film also introduce us to Matajuro Unno, an
another ronin samurai who was also suffering from the
money crisis as he dont have any job. Having pawned his
sword for food, Unno searches for work but to no avail. His
wife was engaged in making the paper balloons and do all
efforts she can do to cater their basic daily needs and to run
their family.
The another character in
the movie is Shinza, the hair dresser who opposite to
Matajuro Unno, want to gain respect for himself in the
society. Shinza loves Okoma, daughter of a merchant . More
over he wanted his daughter to get married with a Samurai,
so that his status can increased and he also get the respect
like a Samurai. But Okoma loves Chushichi, who was the
clerk of Merchant. She wanted to marry him and ask him to
run away from home.
Shinza once was
gambling without the permission of local gangster, Yagatoro
and he involve in some trouble with them. For teaching
Yagatoro a lesson, he kidnapped Okoma. Merchant gave
Yagatoro some money to save his daughter because if the
groom family found that, he will not marry Okoma and Mori
cant get respect like a Samurai.
When Yagatoro man ask about Okoma,
Shinza first refuse but then tell her address in exchange of
money. After some time dons mens took Shinza to the
bridge and kill him. Matajuro Unno was also involved in the

kidnapping and when his wife found the she kills him in his
sleep and then takes her own life, closing the films
narrative circle.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
1 Humanity and bravery of Shinza : Shinza was both
brave and kind hearted person. He shows humanity
towards every person in the society either the belong to
the lower caste or the upper caste in various ways like
offering help to Okoma when she was alone and stucked
the rain and also share the money with his neighbours
which he got from Yagatora.
Also, he helps the Matajuro Unno when
Yagatoro man beats Unno in the pawn shop. This shows that
Shinza was the real hero of the movie.

2. Gender Inequality : In the movie the women were

treated like a material or a inferior goods who can never
become equal to men. They were forced to live in the home
and do their household works.
3. Values of a Samurai : The Samurai were treated like
the superior ones as they set morals for the society but their
values and
courage in
Japanese
culture but in
the movie it
is shown the the
Matajuro
Unno tells lies to
her wife
when he came
after
fighting.

4. Caste Gap : Lower caste people only care about about

money and can cheat others for their own greed like
Merchant, Landlord,
Yagatoro. Whereas the upper caste people lead a ideal life.
But sometimes upper caste people too behave bad with the
member of their same caste like Mr. Mori who was the
student of Matajuro Unnos father.

5. Self Respect : In the movie Shinza wants to gain self

respect by his own for himself in the society. When clerk
offers money to Shinza for giving the Merchant daughter
back he said hes not a beggar and dont want their money.
He also said Okoma came to him because they have a love
affair.

6. Social Problems : Unno was unable to find a job

because Mori ignores him as he thinks that helping a ronin is
not good and he dont find Unno of his status. Also working
with a merchant is also not a pride work. So he ends up with
involving in Shinzas plan of kidnapping Okoma. He spent
time with low class people and due to this he loses all his
respect and became a disgrace for himself. He was no
longer a respectful Samurai. When her wife came to know
that Unno was involved in kidnapping, she ends his and her
life when Unno was sleeping. On the other hand, Shinza gain
respect and end up like a local hero.

CONCLUSION

This film shows the dark side of the samurai that means
they dont have humanity like Mr. Mori. Unno went to Mr.
Mori for a job but inspite of helping him he ask merchant to
get rid of him by sending Yagatoros man. He became selfish
and dont remember the day when hiss dad used to teach
Mr. Mori and because of only him he gain that respect in the
society. This film dont show glorify samurai, in most of
Japanese films samurai are shown as brave and warriors but
in this they are not even fighting against social barriers and
discrimination. Therefore the movie title can be concluded
as the paper balloon are fragile and gets destroyed when
comes in contact with water signifies the fragility of human
existence and the humanity because humanity ends when
then human comes in contact with greediness and
selfishness as it would be like water to it. When the
humanity ends there is no purpose for humans to exists.
People should think about others before thinking about
themselves. Humanity can lead you and others to a better
path.

REFERENCES
1 Bhowmick, Ritwij. Japan Segment: Humanity and Paper
Balloons (1937).
Appreciating Far-Eastern Cinema. IIT Kanpur. Kanpur.
June 2016. Lecture.
2. Humanity and Paper Balloons. Wikipedia.
Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 7 June 2015.