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Mifune says 'nah' to suicide missions, starts his own badass pilot club instead.
TMDB
70
IMDb
66
Google
80
Watch(JP)

Attack Squadron (1963)

anti-heroic patriotismmilitary bureaucracy smackdownfound family in cockpits

Overview

ActionDramaWar

Lt. Col. Senda resists the idea of sending Japanese fighter pilots on suicide missions. He believes that what is really necessary for Japan to regain momentum in the war is for the air force to gather its most brilliant pilots into an elite squadron and use the unit to pinpoint attacks on the Americans. Disrespected by the kamikaze pilots who think the "non-suicidal" pilots are afraid, the unit redeems itself by stunning victories. But success leads the military leaders to expect too much of the unit, and new orders portend disaster.

Flag of JPJPJapanese
Content warning
honor vs. blind obediencevalue of individual lifeinstitutional madness

Standout Aspects

Acting

Mifune's simmering dignity against institutional rot.

Direction

Matsubayashi's surprisingly subversive Toho war production.

Best for:Solo: Contemplate war's absurdity with zero interruptions.·Rewatch: Spot Mifune's subtle rebellion in every glance.
Heads up:Emotional: Inevitable doomed fate of nearly every character.
Shūe Matsubayashi

Director

Shūe Matsubayashi

ReleasedJan 3, 1963
Runtime1h 41m
StatusReleased

Vibe

Pacesteady
Intensitymedium
Tonedark
Feelheavy
TOHO

Top Cast

Toshirō Mifune

Toshirō Mifune

Lt. Colonel Senda

Yūzō Kayama

Yūzō Kayama

Captain Shiro Taki

Takashi Shimura

Takashi Shimura

Admiral

Yōsuke Natsuki

Yōsuke Natsuki

Captain Nobuo Ataka

Makoto Satō

Makoto Satō

Teppei Yano

Susumu Fujita

Susumu Fujita

Yamato Commander Ito

Jun Tazaki

Jun Tazaki

Commander

Akihiko Hirata

Akihiko Hirata

Senda's Aide

Yoshibumi Tajima

Yoshibumi Tajima

Sailor

Yoshio Kosugi

Yoshio Kosugi

Destroyer Captain

Senkichi Ōmura

Senkichi Ōmura

Transport Pilot

Seizaburō Kawazu

Seizaburō Kawazu

Kosaku Aruga

Kiyoshi Atsumi

Kiyoshi Atsumi

Yuriko Hoshi

Yuriko Hoshi

Ask about Attack Squadron

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Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Cultural

Made just 18 years after WWII's end, this was shockingly critical of kamikaze ideology for its era—Mifune's star power let Toho sneak in subversion.

Trivia

Takashi Shimura appears briefly as the Admiral; this was his 17th film with Mifune, their Kurosawa partnership bleeding into every Toho production.

Gallery

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