This collection features six early films from master Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa
the 1943 Sanshiro Sugata, Kurosawa's debut film, follows a judo student's difficult but compelling spiritual journey. Its sequel, Sanshiro Sugata: Part Two (1945), continues the tale of Sanshiro and his quest to become a martial arts master. 1944's Ichiban Utsukushiku (The Most Beautiful) is a propagandistic wartime drama about female volunteers employed at an optics factory. 1945's Tora No O Wo Fumu Otokotachi (They Who Step On The Tiger's Tail) is a kabuki-inspired tale about a lord who disguises himself as a monk to get past a seemingly impenetrable roadblock. 1946's Waga Seishun Ni Kuinashi (No Regrets For Our Youth) is a touching tale about a young girl from a privileged background who is exposed to Japan's peasant farmers. And finally, 1947's Subarashiki Nichiyobi (One Wonderful Sunday) follows the activities of a couple who are struggling with the poor postwar economic climate of the country.