The director Kinji Fukasaku was about 70 years old when he made this movie, and he said that he was carrying the idea for a movie like that all through his life since his childhood, which was during WW2. He tried to get over his terrible memories with the film and give young people a kind of an imagination what that was all about - the tensions, the fear, ... So the whole thing really makes sense and is a great piece of film history, but often misunderstood.

So great, thx 4 this wonderful piece!!

Great idea!