It Rained Fire

Orphan has already released an anime movie about the firebombing of Japanese cities, 2005's Ashita Genki ni Naare! Although that film began with the firebombing of Tokyo, it was really about the conditions that prevailed in postwar Japan, and the terrible plight of orphans and war victims. This release is an earlier film, 1998's Hi no Ame ga Furu (It Rained Fire, sometimes translated as Rain of Fire). It is a more unflinching look at the firebombing itself, focusing on Fukuoka, a mid-sized city on the northern shore of Kyushu.

This movie is exceedingly rare. Before this release, only tiny, undersized raws, derived from ancient VHS rips, had been available. This release uses a 16mm print of the movie. Kineko Video purchased the print and scanned it, in full HD. As a well-used print, it's full of scratches and defects, but it has far more detail than any previous raw. This is the first time the film can really be seen.

It Rained Fire starts with a look at everyday life in Fukuoa the early summer of 1945. Air raids have been happening for months, but Fukuoka seems too insignificant to justify the enemy's attention. Sixth graders Nozawa Yuji and Fujii Nobuo are friends. They and their coterie go to school, play at soldiers, and grumble about the cancellation of the traditional Hakata Gion Yamakasa festival. 

Yuji's father makes Hakata dolls, Fukuoka's traditional clay figures, but the authorities want him to work in a munitions factory. 

Yuji and his older brother Yuichiro, inspired by wartime propaganda and arms drills at school, want to join the military.

Into their everyday lives comes a cold splash of reality in the form of Shinagawa Yoriko, a sixth grader evacuated from Tokyo after the great firebombings of March, 1945.

She tells the boys that their bravado and the mindless propaganda about a "divine wind" are no match for the horror of the new American weapons.

Infuriated, they challenge her to an arm-wrestling duel, which she wins.

In spite of himself, Yuji is impressed and a bit smitten. 

When Nobuo's home is torn down to create a fire lane, and he must evacuate to the countryside, Yuji finds himself drawing closer to Yoriko.

He shares viewing spots of the city and the coast. But the fiery setting sun reminds Yoriko of the terrors of the firebombing.

And then, on June 19, 1945, the bombers arrive for real.

Unlike many movies about the war that skip quickly through destruction and focus on the aftermath, It Rained Fire shows the bombing for a full 20 minutes. It's terrifying.

There's no place of safety. Napalm is jellied gasoline, and it flows fire into shelters and basements that would work against high explosives. 

More than 20% of the city is destroyed and almost a thousand people killed. Yuji and Yoriko survive, by the skin of their teeth.

A few translation notes:

• "Come on! This is the temple of Kushida-sama!" Kushida is the guardian deity of Fukuoka.
• "It's been protected by the divine wind  since ancient times." Fukuoka was directly in the path of 13th century Mongol invasion, after Tsushima.
• "They've designated the Fifteenth Bank building as the evacuation site for our district." According to Wikpeida, the basement of the former Juugo Bank Fukuoka branch... which served as an evacuation shelter, was blocked by a power outage, trapping evacuees inside. Furthermore, the intense heat from the air raid caused water pipes to burst, causing boiling water to flow into the basement, resulting in the deaths of 62 people.
• "If all of you, fully prepared to die, become united in your will like a ball of fire..." The slogan and song of the National Spiritual Mobilization Movement of the Empire of Japan. 
• "And Dad's happi coat was just the right size for me." 
• Statue at 21:47 and later at 1:07:00 inscribed "Surrender of the enemy nation." This is the Hakozakigu Shrine.

Except for Mayumi Shou, playing Tokyo girl Yoriko, most of the seiyuu were from Fukuoka city or prefecture or surrounding prefectures. Some were recruited specially for this project and had no other anime credits.

• Shou Mayumi (Shinagawa Yoriko) played Kaizu Misao, Ryuuichi's little sister, in Aoki Honoo, Minako in Bride of Deimos, Ayako in Kimami ni Idol, Gannet in Hoshi Neko Full House, Peggy in A Penguin's Memories, Yuko Kurita in the Oishinbo movie-length specials, and Baby Boar in Katte ni Shirokuma, all Orphan releases.
• Shu Kawaguchi (Nozawa Yuji) had no other anime roles.
• Kaori Mineo (Fujii Nobuo) had no other anime roles.
• Ohara Ken (Nozawa Yuichiro, Yuji's older brother) had no other anime roles.
• Asou Miyoko (Nozawa Mitsuko, Yuji's mother) played Pinako Rockbell in Fullmetal Alchemist (both series), Machiko's aunt in Miss Machiko, Cologne in Ranma 1/2,  Fune Isono in Sazae-san through 2015, and the store owner in Yamatarou Comes Back, an Orphan release.
• Yara Yusaku (Matsuo Sensei) played the destroyer captain in Zipang. He had many featured roles, appearing in Tooyamazakura Uchuuchou: Yatsu no Na wa Gold, Kimu no Juujika, Kimama ni Idol, Hayou no Tsurugi, Eguchi Hisashi no Kotobuki Gorou Show, Eguchi Hisashi no Nantoko Narudesho, Next Senki Ehrgeiz, Eien no Filena, Hidamari no Ki, Nozomi Witches, both Sangokushi OVAs, Prime Rose, the second Sangokushi movie, Heavy, and both What's Michael? OVAs, all Orphan releases.
• Sawada Toshiko (Matsuo Yuki) has played teachers, mothers, or grandmothers in numerous shows, including Maison Ikkoku,The Big O, Usagi Drop, the Magi franchise, Hinako Note, Laughing Target, Hello WeGo!, and The Girl from Phantasia. The last three are Orphan releases. 
• Kanemoto Shingo (Ishii) appeared in the original Tetsuwan Atom and Tiger Mask. He played Ryuu the horned owl in the Gatchaman franchise, Franken in the Kaibutsu-kun franchise, Housaku in the Kyojin no Hoshi franchise, and Pang Tong (the fat strategist) in Sangokushi movie 2, an Orphan release.
• Ogata Kenichi (Yamada) played a paper merchant in The Izu Dancer, the put-upon father in Maroko, Suzuki in Kigyou Senshi Yamazaki: Long Distance call, the crooked casino boss in Okane ga Nai!, the Hong Kong chef in Yuukan Club, Chichi's father in Chiisana Koi no Monogatari, the business chief in Okama Hakusho, Tadinori Tachimi, the Terayama family lawyer, in Asatte Dance, and the Narrator/Lord of Kaga in Oedo wa Nemurenai!, all Orphan releases. He also played Smee in Peter Pan no Bouken and Gran Torino in Boku no Hero Academia. However, he's best known to me as the voice of Ranma 1/2's Sataome Gemna, whose alter ego - the grumpy panda - is my avatar on most anime forums.
• Imai Kazuko (Otatsu) played Calpurnia in Cleopatra, an Orphan release
• Masayuki Kato (Vice Principal) played Papa in  the Doraemon franchise through 1992 and appeared in Minky Momo and Princess Persia.
• Noriko Uemura (Tanaka, Yuji and Yoriko's homeroom teacher) played the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland, Takeshi in the Captain Tsubasa franchise, Hisae, Shin-chan's mother, in Crayon Shin-chan, and Noda's mother in Nodame Cantabile. She appeared in the first Sangokushi movie, an Orphan release.

The director, Arihara Seiji, directed several other World War II-themed projects, all of them vehemently anti-war, including Ushiro no Shoumen Daare? (Who's Left Behind?), Tsuru ni Notte, Raiyantsuuri no Uta, and Nagasaki 1945: Angelus no Kane. The last two are Orphan releases.

The project started with Kineko Video's purchase of a 16mm film print of the movie. They then scanned it. Without their initiative and financial generosity, this project would not have happened. Perevodildo translated and timed. Paul Geromini edited. I typeset and QCed. The typesetting was difficult, because flat typesetting looks wrong against the grainy film, but I'm not experienced enough to add realistic grain to sign lettering. Uchuu also QCed. Everyone liked the film. Perevodildo called it "the kino of kino," which I guess means topnotch.

It Rained Fire is engaging and wistful, enraging and horrifying. I enjoyed the glimpses of family life and childhood friendships at the start. I wanted to throw things at the screen when the children were being brainwashed with mindless propaganda about the superiority of the Japanese military, even though the war had been well and truly lost by then. And I wanted to run away during firebombing itself, as the prospects of escape and survival relentlessly dwindled. But I stayed to the end, and you should too. This is a really fine movie. You can get It Rained Fire from the usual torrent site.