Hiroshi Shimizu Works Vol. 2 - Shochiku

The second DVD box set from legendary Japanese director Hiroshi Shimizu includes remastered versions of the three films “Children in the Wind”, “Nobuko”, and “Mikaheri no Tou”. Region 2, NTSC, DVD-5, 4 discs. Japanese audio with optional English subtitles. Bonus disc includes followup feature, “Four Seasons of Children”. For Vol. 1, see this link.

Children in the Wind (Kaze no Naka no Kodomo, 1937) is one of Shimizu’s best known films. Brothers Zenta and Sanpei spend their summer bullying a neighbor boy and arguing about which one of them should bring their father’s daily lunchbox to work. Things change, however, when their father is convicted of forgery and is thrown in jail. Because their mother must now work, Sanpei is sent to stay with his father’s former schoolmaster, but he keeps getting himself into trouble.

In Nobuko (1940), a young female teacher challenges the conservative ideas about education at her school with her progressive teaching methods.

Mikaheri no Tou (1941) explores teaching of children and dealing with problem students at a remote mountain boarding school.

Four Seasons of Children (Kodomo no Shiki, 1939) follows up on “Children in the Wind” and continues the adventures of the two main characters through all four seasons of the year.

Available at the following retailer(s) on June 27, 2008:

• CDJapan
• YesAsia