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ORIGINAL: Vetamur

I thought the Yamato movie was awful, and a terrible wasted chance. Instead of a sappy movie with thought processes that match a 1940s Japan, the characters seemed taken from the Japan of today. There is so much in the real Yamato story that would have made a better movie that I couldnt understand the choices made.

The Yamato should have focused been more like this: Part I (where you introduce characters..): The Yamato is secretly built, its huge guns and the guns of its sister ship will ensure victory in the coming war with the West.. build up how its a secret weapon and even have a seen where they note that the West has caught on about the Yamato..but then show relief when its realized the West believe the Yamato has 16 inch guns and is only 45,000 tons. This part of the movie plays almost as spy thriller with the deception being accomplished marking the end of Part 1.

Part 2: The Yamato's plight is shown. You have a discussion about it being too valuable to risk in the Guadal Canal campaign, so it has nothing to do in the war. It slowly but surely starts to be maligned inside the IJN as "Hotel Yamato" as it spends the war parked at Truk, its crew getting top rate rations while the ship does nothing. Desperate to do something the idea of it being at least a carrier escort is floated but then shot down as it would slow down the two best carriers remaining. Finally when the Yamato is allowed out to stretch its legs..it gets torpedoed. The captain and admiralty have long since realized the Yamato was built for the last war.. the crew, once extremely proud of serving on the Fleets flag ship are visibly frustrated at the lack of anything for the secret weapon to do. The end of Part 2: The Yamato is given a chance.. the Leyte Gulf attack. The approach confirms everything people have thought, with the Musashi etc going down do to air attacks.. and just when the Yamato might come into its own..its forced to retired.

Part 3: Resolution. The Yamato moves back to Japan. Its crew visit family and friends. They notice that family and friends seem to be hanging their hat called "hope" on the fact the Yamato still exists. "Kamikaze" mania is hitting Japan.. early on the idea was that fast fighters with trained pilots would be difficult to stop. The idea is evolving into every mans duty is to throw away his life even with little chance of success. The Yamato's crew watches as 16 and 17 year old kids are sent out to be kamikaze pilots flying slow twin engine trainers, worn out Zeros with fuel tank leaks (ensuring they wont even get far enough to see the enemy), etc. Some react in horror.. some react with shame. Finally, even the Yamato and its 2,000+ crew are given a "Special" mission. By this point all are resigned to their fate, some taking it with pride, some with bitterness at being told to throw away their lives for what they know is an impossible task. None ever think to question the order itself however. Cadets are removed (often under protest) from the ship and it goes off on its final mission.

Thats the movie that should have been made. In my opinion.