Pre-reading questions:
- What kind of movies do you like to watch? Why?
- Do you think Japanese history is interesting? Why or why not?
Vocabulary:
- production /proh-DUHK-shuhn/
- aim /eym/
- currently /KUR-uhnt-lee/
- hostage /HOS-tij/
- well-known /wel-NOHN/
[noun] a movie, television program, play, or other entertainment
Samuel wants to be part of the new movie production team.
[verb] to plan
Our team aims to finish the report by Friday.
[adverb] at the present time
My sister is currently in the hospital so she can’t come to the party.
[noun] someone who is taken as a prisoner by an enemy
Some of the hostages in our city are now free.
[adjective] popular or known by many people
Hiroshi Kamiya is one of the well-known voice actors in Japan.
The production team of the animated film “Hiroshima – The Last Rose of Summer” aim to complete it by 2020 in summer. The 75th anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki’s bombings is also on this season. The movie title is from the Irish folk song “The Last Rose of Summer”, which the popular Japanese tune “Niwa no Chigusa” is based on. The film is about the relationship between an American war prisoner and a Japanese nursing student during the war.
This movie will be made to finish the dreams of Jimmy Murakami, a late Japanese-American director, with the help of Shigeaki Mori, a Hiroshima history professor. He is currently researching on U.S. war hostages that were killed in the bombings. Famous manga artist, Kaiji Kawaguchi, has drawn and designed the characters in the film. He is well-known for making the manga series “The Silent Service”.
This movie will be made to finish the dreams of Jimmy Murakami, a late Japanese-American director, with the help of Shigeaki Mori, a Hiroshima history professor. He is currently researching on U.S. war hostages that were killed in the bombings. Famous manga artist, Kaiji Kawaguchi, has drawn and designed the characters in the film. He is well-known for making the manga series “The Silent Service”.
Comprehension Questions:
- Who drew the characters of “Hiroshima – The Last Rose of Summer”?
- Where did the movie’s title get its name from?
- When is the 75th anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki’s bombings?
- What is the movie about?
- Who is Shigeaki Mori?
Discussion Questions:
- Why is it important to research about people that were part of the war?
- Do you think making an animated movie about history will help students with their studies?
- Are you going to watch the movie? Why or why not?
- Are movies about history popular in your country? Why or why not?
- What is your opinion about historical films?