Outstanding. Epic. Straight to the upper echelons of my all time greatest war movies list. I had never heard of it until I recently read a list of films with the best flying sequences and the air battle scenes are riveting. Caveat: if you don't like CGI, you won't like this. It's 2013 CGI, not flawless, but the sequences are so ambitious and well planned that if it had been put together by the people who did "Dunkirk" it would be one of the greatest war movies made. (It's on my list, but that's my list.) And that includes the predominant very well written, emotionally satisfying drama plot that atones for any nit-picky production flaws. "The Eternal Zero has come under criticism for its nationalistic and sympathetic depiction of the Kamikaze pilots." Oh, STFU. There is nothing 'glorious' about it and if you can watch something like this without sympathy... No matter why or who you fight, the fighters are proud of their victories and devastated by their defeats. I've certainly never seen a better 'Japanese side of things' film.

The perspective of this movie can change by different people. For a Japan it is a story of hero, but for an American it is a propaganda movie. I think it is a nice Japan propaganda movie. This movie is showing us even today's Japan Kamikaze pilots and soldiers which fight in WW2 are excluded, because for some young Japans Kamikaze pilots are ultra-nationalist psychopaths and there is no difference between suicide bombers and Kamikaze pilots. But this movie is arguing every Kamikaze pilot is not ultra-nationalist psychopaths, there are some dramatic stories of Kamikaze pilots. Miyabe sacrificed himself, because he became very sad on death of young Kamikaze pilots and he wanted to cover a young soldier, in this way he died as a hero, but no one knows it. So it is a nice movie for showed us this story, because there are some real untold stories like in this movie. Also I liked structure of movie that deeply examine of characters and present different kind of perspective. So I think this movie is a successful movie. But I have some unanswered questions and I found some deficiencies about movie. For example, why soldiers called Miyabe as coward? I think scriptwriter wanted to show he decided to die, because death is an escape hatch, and he could not face with sadness of war and he decided to suicide, so they could called him as a coward. Also Why Miyabe saddened too much about death of kamikaze pilots? I think he knows kamikaze pilots be kamikaze pilots for death. Also movie stayed on only character level, I think it should have more entered into war and also should have showed real face of Imperial Japan. For example why they attacked Pearl Harbour, if I did not know about what happened in pearl harbour and why Japan attacked the US, I could not understand why they are fighting each other. So if they were entered more into war, movie would be better. I was expecting to see more war scenes. Although they dramatic story and atmosphere of movie have covered these deficiencies. Also movie continued too long, if it has been ended after Kentero's and his sister's learned the truth, it could be more effective.

A brother and sister initiate a personal project to find out more about their grandfather, a World War II kamikaze pilot. When they discover their grandfather was universally regarded as a coward, their enthusiasm begins to wane. But the brother persists, discovering there is more to the story.This is a subtle film, foregrounding the personal consequences of war for rounded, authentic characters. In the process, the film astutely stays away from either justifying or apologising for Japan's war actions. Jun'ichi Okada is a revelation as the pilot instructor who attempts to save his young charges from the excesses of his superiors, often at great personal sacrifice. He makes a promise to his wife, but then seems to compromise it in order to be loyal to his men. The resolution of this conflict makes for a powerful and well-plotted storyline.The flashbacks to the war are engaging and dramatic, but the film's weak point is the bland Haruma Miura guiding us through the story. In a scene conspicuous for its shallow clunkiness, he berates his friends for equating tokkutai with modern-day suicide bombers. No real camaraderie seems to exist between the friends, and the whole scene seems designed merely to relay the point that modern-day fanaticism and historical Japanese 'heroism' cannot be equated. It is a fop to present-day rightist revisionism that is unworthy of the rest of the film.Eien no Zero shows ordinary people living extraordinary lives in extraordinary circumstances. A thoughtful, emotional film that, casting flaws aside, proves cathartic and thought-provoking in equal measure.

The Eternal Zero, just had it all, it is masterfully executed. The visual effects during the combat scenes are pretty spectacular. It's deeply touching story and amazing acting.It's about time we see things from the Japanese perspective when it comes to the WW2. I'm tired of all the americanfied WW2 movies. Nothing beat the Japanese film making when it comes to dramas they make, they are simply the best at it. This movie is no exceptions and will leave you the viewer with heavy emotions and a lasting impression. It is simply Japanese film making at it's best.I can highly recommend this movie, to anyone that is interested in Japanese drama. Specific to war movies buffs that want to see how it was on the other side.