Originally written by Don Jones, Oba, The Last Samurai, Saipan 1944-45
a story of courage and tenacity, of the unsung heroes who never gave up hope...

Introduction :
In the WWII Pacific campaign, there was a Japanese soldier who outwitted the 45,000 Americans with a troop of 47. A US Marine Don Jones, one of the enemies, published an account of the standoff to honor the Japanese soldier's proud and heroic foes.
Yutaka Takenouchi, a star of hit TV dramas and movies such as "Between Calmness and Passion" and "The Hovering Blade" portrays the Japanese soldier. The director is the versatile Hideyuki Hirayama. His recent title Hisshiken Torisashi was selected to Montreal International Film Festival 2010 as a program for the World Competition.
Defying conventional Japanese cinema narratives, this film depicts the war from the viewpoints of both Japanese and Americans, with solid cast and staff of Americans, such as Sean McGowan ("Bones", "24") and Garry Waller (Academy Award Oscar nomination for his photographic work on "Poltergeist II").

Story :
In 1944, a year before the end of the War in the Pacific, on Saipan, remembered by the Japanese soldiers as the Suicide Island, there was a Japanese officer who was feared by the American troops.

His name is Captain Sakae Oba. The US soldiers called him the Fox with a sense of awe. With stealth and unpredictability he undermined the enemy forces with his guerilla campaign. Being on an island that was under enemy control, Oba was prepared to fight them even if he was alone. For 16 months Captain Oba fought against the US forces to protect the lives of civilians. His troop was reduced to only 47 in the end. His courage and determination moved not just his own people but his foes alike...