Really good tale from Japan. Written and directed by Keisuke Kinoshita, about midway through his career. Very well done story, with several subplots. Story about students who re-unite a couple years later, and realize how much they have all changed since they last met. The recurring theme is "honor" (this is Japan, after all!) interesting dilemma near the end... is it more honorable to tell the police what one knows, or more honorable to let a friend escape before he can be caught? Another recurring theme is the story of the Fighting Tigers, who made a valiant last stand protecting their city. and they keep singing the song that tells that story. I wasn't able to find much about the actual Fighting Tigers legend, but it seems to have been an actual group of teenage warriors in the 1860s.