Original subtitles

Major...

I leave in the morning.

When I return I expect significant progress

to have been made.

Colonel,

I worry there is not enough man power.

Each man can only do so much.

You will be surprised what a man can do...

...if motivated correctly.

I understand, Colonel

but I have helped design this railway from the beginning.

It is the very reason why I am here.

I know what is exactly required at this point...

Colonel, we need more men.

There are no more men.

You will make it possible, Major.

Us Japanese are here to teach the Europeans...

...that they are not the superior race.

Listen...

this is not a railway line it is a battle field.

People die on a battle field.

You must show discipline! Punish them!

Colonel...

The other day I drank with the Australian doctor...

then he asked me why Japan had started the war.

What did you say?

That we are liberating Asia from European colonisation...

and making Japan leader

of a new order of Asian coexistence and prosperity.

But I don't think he sees it yet.

You waste your time trying to explain our ideas to prisoners.

You know...

what we do here, Major,

will be remembered forever...

Yes.

You and I...

...will be remembered forever.

Have you ever cut off a man’s head?

It feels both euphoric and horrible.

It is as though...

it is you that is dying, only to be reborn.

I noticed yours when we were first introduced.

I can see precisely where a sword should fall.

Come along.

There's something I want to show you.

Listen.

In order to kill quickly...

you must concentrate on your stroke and placement.

A good stroke will see the head fly a metre.

A bad one...

will mean butchering it.

It is necessary to be swift and precise.

Major...

come over here and take position with the sword.

First you take the sword out.

Yes just like that.

Next you purify it.

Then balance.

Fix your centre of gravity.

Even from a scrawny man like him...

...you'll find a lot of fat on your sword...

surprising isn't it?

Watch what I do.

Like this.

Only the moon and I...

on our meeting bridge, alone...

...growing cold.

Colonel... let's go back.

Colonel.