Original subtitles

Please, turn on the radio.

Turn on the radio!

Find another station.

Turn it off!

Your Highness, here is the schedule for the day.

At 10:00, His Imperial Highness meets with the Cabinet and the Chiefs of Staff.

At 12:00, conduct marine biology research.

At 14:00, lunch. From 15:00 to 16:00, a nap.

After 16:00, time for private thought, as well as for writing.

His Highness has to urgently answer his son's letter.

And if the Americans should show up here, what will happen to the day's schedule?

Will you make some changes, or leave it as it is?

As long as one Japanese is left alive, the Americans will never set foot here.

Especially after the humiliation our people suffered in 1924.

Ah, yes. . .

Your Highness, now you have a meeting with the military.

It's just the same.

There is electricity!

It seems that everything is leading to a situation

where the very last Japanese may be myself.

Your Highness, please allow me to comment that such a thing is outlandish.

It is outlandish to assert that the Emperor could possibly be human,

even if Japanese.

Every child knows

that the Emperor is the descendant of the sun goddess,

and that he is God in the flesh.

But my body is the same as yours.

I don't know that.

But there is nothing that a God should have.

I don't even have any distinguishing marks on my skin.

Oh, well, don't be upset. I am just. . . joking.

It is just my heartburn.

The tea, it's not the same as it used to be.

And what happened in 1924?

Please, be more careful. . .

Please, excuse me.

Yes, that's what it is.

Please, excuse me.

Just a little bit more. . .

The buttonhole is too narrow.

Please, excuse me.

You have lost a lot of weight.

We are all very upset and exhausted.

The Emperor doesn't want to eat.

Your Majesty, rice pancakes as a late-night snack.

Some barley brew for a good night's sleep.

Arise, old man.

Spectacles.

I have a strange taste and smell in my mouth.

A bad smell, and a bad taste.

No one loves me,

except for my wife and my older son.

And the other members of the dynasty.

And the other members of the dynasty.

And as well as the common people.

And except for the common people.

And because of this love I couldn't stop the war.

Do you know why the Pope doesn't answer my letters?

The Cardinals most likely intercept the letters.

Well, I don't care.

Your Majesty, the situation on the front is getting worse,

but the military has every intention of continuing the war

now that it has reached our native land.

Let Defence Minister Anami explain it to you.

Your Majesty, I have the pleasure to report

that the remaining part of our regular army

is furiously resisting the superior power of the enemy.

This is in contrast to the navy,

which surrendered its defensive line in record time.

With the technical level that our ships have,

it would be easier to fight on wooden boats.

Please, don't interrupt me.

The patriotic fervour of our troops is unprecedented.

The front lines have been breeched by the enemy at all points.

But hunger among our troops

doesn't have any decisive influence on the fighting spirit of our soldiers.

Canine sappers have rendered significant help in battle,

which bears witness to the high intellect of the German Shepherd.

A great many officers and soldiers

have been awarded the highest military honours.

The deceased Meiji Emperor,

just before he left us in inconsolable sorrow and despair, he wrote:

Sea to the north and to the south, to the west and to the east.

Waves whirl up.

Our nation is waiting, when the storm will subside. . .

What did the deceased Meiji Emperor wish to say with his magnificent poem?

And did he even want to say anything at all?

Does anyone have a suggestion about this?

In this magnificent poem,

the deceased Meiji Emperor speaks of the long-awaited peace,

which the common people want, and for which they die in horrible agony.

The deceased Meiji Emperor has bequeathed to us peace

with America and with England.

But the deceased Meiji Emperor has not bequeathed us peace at any price.

And the price of this peace might prove too great.

It also happens that the same wind brings a prolonged precipitation.

The fish Namazu sinks to the depths.

The butterflies fold their wings.

Capitulation contradicts the traditions of the Empire and of the Japanese people.

Even though it is known to all that

the Emperor has always stood for evolutionary development

the way it is accepted in the natural world:

natural selection in conditions of non-interference and peace.

But only a peace that is on favourable terms for my people.

Let the sea continue to rage to the north and to the south,

to the west and to the east.

Your Majesty, excuse me, please.

Come here, please.

Gentlemen, follow me.

What a miracle.

What heavenly beauty.

Before us is the Dorippe granulata.

This crab's forward two pairs of legs are long and thick,

and the hind two pairs of legs are short, thin and bent onto his back.

With the pincers of these legs,

he can hold on to the fold of mollusk shells,

preferably whelks and periwinkles.

This way, the crab can cover himself,

and for this he got the nickname hermit crab.

The fishermen of the Japanese Sea also call him the Samurai's head.

In the vividness and furrow of the shell,

you can see the similarity with the classical mask of an angry Samurai,

the way he is depicted by our actors in the Kabuki theatre.

What a miracle!

Just look at this miracle. . .

Dorippe granulata is found in the south all the way to Hong Kong,

and in the north all the way to Hokkaido.

Along Japanese shores, it lives at shallow depths and doesn't migrate very far.

Migration. . .

Migration. . .

Yes, it never leaves its shores.

Migration. . .

Settled.

Settled.

Distant migration. . .

Migration of species. . .

Migration. . .

Emigration!

Discrimination!

Unfair immigration law!

I remember. . .

Write!

Write!

About the causes that brought about the Great Asian War.

The other countries that participated in international conferences did not share

the idea of racial equality, which Japan put forth after the First World War.

The race discrimination that occurred in the American state of California in 1 924,

when the government forbade Japanese immigration,

became a serious source of indignation and anger for our people.

The military rode this wave of protest,

and it became impossible to extinguish the desire to take up arms.

Your Majesty...

We have been informed that an American column is moving towards Tokyo.

It will be better for you to go to the bunker.

Ah, yes.

Write... I advised Prime Minister Tojo to get Germany

to turn its attention not to war in the USSR, but to Africa.

Your Majesty, in Africa there is too much sand.

The sound of the guns was silenced by the sand storms.

The sound of the guns was silenced by the sand storms,

and they cracked when firing amour-piercing shells.

Continue writing.

It is my opinion that the state can be likened to a human body,

and its Emperor can and must be likened to the brain.

In answer to the assertion of Uesugi Sinkiti

that the Emperor is a deity,

I said that my body in no way differs from a human one.

And this comment alarmed and offended all the members of the cabinet of ministers.

The Sakura blossoms...

...at the very height of spring.

The spring Sakura and the January snow, neither lasts long.

The Sakura blossoms at the culmination of spring.

Frosty whirlwind. Past thoughts.

Death swallows both.

The Sakura blossoms.

The culmination of spring. Frosty whirlwind. Past thoughts.

Dear Son...

Please allow me...

...to say a few words about our terrible defeat.

Our people had too much faith in the power of our Empire, and despised America.

Our military put too much emphasis on the psychological enthusiasm of our soldiers

and forgot about properly equipping our army.

What?

The Americans?

I must get changed.

Goodbye.

Your Highness.

Do you agree to submit to the will of the Allied Command?

I will accept whatever your decision may be.

Your Highness, I beg you, please speak in Japanese.

If you speak English with them, you will lower yourself.

A deity in this imperfect world can only speak in Japanese.

Minister Matsuoka proposed the Emperor move the troops all the way to Irkutsk.

But I was against this idea, even though perhaps it is a good one.

The prime minister didn't understand finances at all,

and as a result I was forced to listen only to the opinions of the military.

When he delivered a report, I always wanted to remind him of the aphorism:

If you don't return debts little by little,

you will risk losing everything later.

Your Highness.

What is that?

It is a gift from the commander of the occupying forces.

What is it?

Made from soy?

No, of course not. Made from cocoa.

Your Majesty,

the chocolate may be poisoned.

Perhaps it is poisoned, Your Majesty.

Then I will try it.

I like rice sweets much better.

Enough about chocolate. Get things in order.

Welcome.

Make yourself at ease.

Please, sit down.

Please.

Please.

Your Highness, on the Imperial seat.

Oh, well, then. Here. Welcome.

Well, fine, as long as you feel comfortable.

You were probably very surprised to learn of my invitation?

I felt a sense of pride for my Emperor

who, even in the devastating conditions of war,

could still think about scientific issues.

And here today with us is your friend, Darwin.

How is your institute doing?

The main building burned to the ground after the enemy bombing.

I would like to speak to you about the northern lights.

- Excuse me, about what? - About the northern lights.

I have never seen them.

But my grandfather, the deceased Meiji Emperor,

witnessed a strange flare of light late one night above his palace.

And he spoke about this to my father, the deceased Taisho Emperor.

Excuse me, please, but nothing of the sort is possible.

You doubt the fact that the Meiji Emperor told this story to the Taisho Emperor?

No, Your Majesty!

There is no doubt that the Meiji Emperor told the story to the Taisho Emperor.

The only thing that is doubtful is the northern lights.

Especially because it's unheard of on Tokyo's latitude.

Then how do you explain the fact of such a story?

The Meiji Emperor was a leading poet.

He was one of the greatest poets.

Precisely. And as a great poet it is possible that he imagined

the inspiration flying around himself to be the northern lights.

Perhaps you are correct.

But, for some reason, this family story has preoccupied me since childhood.

Your Majesty, it is well known that there are only two areas on the Earth

where one can see the illumination of the upper layers of the atmosphere.

Both of these areas fall within the north and south geomagnetic poles.

Their angle of radius is about 23 degrees.

Then from where did this light originate?

It's difficult to explain it right away.

You probably didn't have anything to eat today?

I recall there is a gift. Bring what they sent us.

Bring it.

Please, it's chocolate. Please.

Thank you very much. Please come here.

Tell the Supreme Commander that I accept.

The Emperor will appear and pose before the photographers.

Why?

Because the sun will go before the people, entirely covered with gloom.

Your Highness, it appears that they are already waiting for you.

We need to agree on the place of the photo shot.

I think it will be best to do it here, near the roses.

And come no closer than three meters to His Majesty.

As you wish.

Your Highness, please excuse their stupidity.

Nothing. People are allowed to...

They are Americans.

Please excuse them.

I was requested to ask you...

Would it please His Majesty to dine with the Supreme Commander today?

Yes, it would.

So, do I really look like that film actor?

I don't know. I don't go to the cinema.

Me too. Goodbye.

Your Highness, please come here.

Your Highness, you must get changed.

Leave me alone. That's it now, enough. Leave.

That's it. Enough.

I want to address my people regarding the end of the great war

and the beginning of the long-awaited peace.

Have you thought about it carefully?

And perhaps they want war, revenge, and victory?

I have taken a very important decision.

In the interests of the dynasty, the country and my people,

I have renounced my divine nature and origins.

In the name of tranquility, prosperity and peace,

I give up my divine status.

Your Highness.

Her Majesty the Empress has just requested an audience.

Turn on the light.

- So, it seems everything is fine with you. - Yes, it seems that everything is fine.

It has been so long since we've seen each other.

Take the coat.

The coat.

I have done it. Now we are free.

What have you done?

I am no longer a god. I have renounced such a fate.

I thought so.

What, I shouldn't have done it?

What was the problem?

Basically, I felt uneasy. Not good at all.

Help me take off the hat.

Perhaps, you should sit here?

It's more comfortable here.

What, it's not working?

Ah, yes, very good, that's it, that's it.

So, what will be next, now that the Emperor is merely a common person?

So then.

But I have written some new poetry. I just don't know what it is about.

Would you like to read it?

Well, go ahead, read.

Snow in winter looks like the Sakura in March.

Time is indifferent and erases both of them.

- Is that all? - So far that's all.

Where are the children? I want to see the children.

They are waiting for you in the main hall.

They are waiting for you in the main hall.

Let's go quickly.

And what happened with this young man,

the sound engineer who taped my speech to the people?

He committed hara-kiri.

Did you try to stop him?

No.