Do you love Japanese film classics, anime or contemporary cinema stories? Do you miss Japan and want to see it at least on screen? Would you like to learn and discuss about Japanese culture and society? The Japan Society Film Club is an online space to chat about films and Japan in an informal atmosphere.

Join us for our October Film Club to discuss Masaki Kobayashi's epic masterpiece The Human Condition.

The Human Condition (人間の條件 Ningen no Joken, 1959-1961) is a war trilogy based on the novel of the same name written by Junpei Gomikawa. In part one, No Greater Love, Kaji (played by Tatsuya Nakadai) is relocated to a mine-supervising job in Manchuria, where he is horrified by the use of forced labour. Part two, Road to Eternity, sees him conscripted into the Japanese army and forced to fight in the name of an aggressively imperialist cause. Part three, A Soldier s Prayer, deals with the consequences of Japan’s defeat, not least for Kaji himself. Throughout, Kobayashi unflinchingly examines the psychological toll of appallingly complex decisions, where being morally 'right' risks outcomes ranging from ostracism to savage beating to death. Kaji is in virtually every scene, providing a rock-solid emotional anchor - and a necessary one in Japan, where the film was hugely controversial for being openly critical of the nation's conduct during WWII. But it's this willingness to confront national taboos head-on that makes it such a lastingly powerful experience.

Masaki Kobayashi (1916-1996) is a celebrated film director in postwar Japanese cinema. He started his career at the Shochiku studios as assistant to director  Keisuke Kinoshita and made his debut behind the camera in 1952 with My Son's Youth. He is mostly known for anti-war melodramas, such as Thick-walled Rooms (a film adaptaion of a story by Kobo Abe) and The Human Condition trilogy (1959–1961), as well as for his samurai film Harakiri (1962).

Japan Society Film Clubs take place on the first Wednesday of the month. We recommend a film to watch in advance and meet online to discuss. Films are often available online for free, to rent or with subscription, on DVD/Blu Ray or on BFI player. The event is open to all and we encourage participants to freely express their opinions and feelings about the films.

If you have any questions, please call the Japan Society office on 020 3075 1996 or email events@japansociety.org.uk

Booking Info

Please remember to watch the film in advance. The Human Condition Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3 are available to watch on: 
Part 1: No Greater Love: Amazon UK, Apple TV, Google, Arrow Film 
Part 2: Road to Eternity:  Amazon UK, Apple TV, Google, Arrow Film 
Part 3: A Soldier’s Player:  Amazon UK, Apple TV, Google, Arrow Film

If you would like to watch the films on a cinema screen, the Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square is screening Part 2 & 3 on the following nights:
The Human Condition Part 2: Road to Eternity, on Monday 5 September 2022 at 8.10pm at Prince Charles Cinema
The Human Condition Part 3: A Soldier’s Player, on Monday 3 October 2022 at at 8.00pm at Prince Charles Cinema