The Harp of Burma

Seishun Anime Zenshuu (translated as Animated Classics of Japanese Literature for its English release) is a 1986 anthology series that retold well-known stories from modern Japanese literature. It's very much in the mold of its contemporaries, the World Masterpiece Theater series. Most of the 34 episodes were standalone, although there were a few two- and three-parters. The show was licensed by Central Park Media, but the English version was left incomplete when CPM went bankrupt. Only twelve episodes were released on DVD:

• Episode 1: The Izu Dancer by Kawabata Yasunari. 
• Episodes 2,3: The Sound of Waves by Mishima Yukio.
• Episodes 7,8: Botchan by Souseki Natsume.
• Episode 10: The Dancing Girl by Ougai Mori.
• Episode 14: Growing Up by Higuchi Ichiyou.
• Episode 16: A Ghost Story by Lafcadio Hearn.
• Episode 20: Season of the Sun by Ishihara Shintarou.
• Episodes 25,26: The Harp of Burma by Takeyama Michio.
• Episode S1 (33): Student Days by Kume Masao.

We're concluding this set of episodes with a two-part adaptation of The Harp of Burma. It's based on a 1948 children's story by Takeyama Michio. The novel was adapted for the movies by Ichikawa Kon, first in 1956 and then again in 1985. The title would be better translated as The Burmese Harp, but the listed form is traditional.

The story is set in the waning days of World War II. Captain Inoue and the survivors of his platoon of Japanese Army soldiers are retreating from the British advance across Burma. They try to keep up their spirits by singing sentimental songs, notably Home! Sweet Home!, a sententious 1823 ballad John Payne and Henry Bishop.

They are resting in a village when the war ends.

They surrender to the British and are interned.

The British ask for a volunteer to negotiate with a Japanese unit that is refusing to surrender. Private Mizushima volunteers and goes off with the British. 

He does not return.

Increasingly worried, Inoue and his men are perplexed when they encounter a man dressed as a Buddhist monk who looks just like Mizushima. The monk refuses to talk to them. 

As repatriation day approaches, the men are desperate to get Mizushima to come home with them. They even train a parrot to pass on a message. 

Eventually, Mizushima visits his unit but remains silent. 

Just as Inoue and his unit are boarding a ship for Japan, they receive a letter from Mizushima. He intends to stay in Burma to bury the numerous Japanese soldiers whose bodies are lying and rotting where they fell. 

His comrades must go home without him.

In the book, Mizushima embodies the traditional Buddhist ideal of altruism. He is also atoning for his actions, and the actions of the Japanese, in the war; he calls Japan's colonial ambitions "wasteful desires." This mild criticism of Japanese brutality is downplayed in the two movies and disappears entirely in this anime adaption. Inoue and his men are portrayed as harmless, singing wholesome songs and partying with the locals. The Japanese occupation regime that killed more than 100,000 people (90,000 civilians, 12,000 Allied POWs) building the Burma railroad is nowhere to be seen.

In addition to Home! Sweet Home, the show includes many other traditional songs:

• Ryoushu, a Japanese folk song
• Koujo no Tsuki, another Japanese folk song
• Mugi to Heitai, another Japanese folk song 
• Aa Gyokuhai, a Japanese dormitory song
• Comin' Thro' the Rye, a Robert Burns poem set to a traditional melody
• Kokyou no Sora, a Japanese folk song using the same melody as Comin' Thro' the Rye
• Hakone Mountains, a Japanese traditional song, also featured in Nijuushi no Hitomi  
• Tabidachi no Hi ni, also known as the "Japanese Graduation Chorus Song." It is a symbol of an immediate and irrevocable parting.

The use of Tabidachi no Hi ni, played wordlessly, to convey Mizushima's determination not to return to Japan is particularly poignant. 

The voice cast includes many notable seiyuu:

• Yamamoto Kei (Captain Inoue) played played Jutaro in Band of Ninja, Mr. Gogetz in Dog of Flanders, Kurosawa in the first Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo movie, and Father in Tistou Midori no Oyayubi. The last two are Orphan releases.
• Uchida Naoya (Private First Class Mizushima) played the title role in the Cobra franchise, Yagami's father in Death Note, Daigo in the recent version of Dororo, Oda Nobunaga in Drifters, Askeladd in Vinland Saga, and Aikawa Youji in To-Y, an Orphan release.
• Asou Miyoko (Old Lady) 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, Nozawa Mitsuko in It Rained Fire, and the store owner in Yamatarou Comes Back. The last two are Orphan releases.
• Ogata Kenichi (Sergeant Ito) played Yamada in It Rained Fire, 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, the Narrator/Lord of Kaga in Oedo wa Nemurenai!, and the antiques dealder in Botchan (1986), 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.
• Genda Tesshou (Sr. Private Suzuki) played Colonel Muto in Joker Game, Moloch in Yondemasu Azazel-san, Rei in the Urusei Yatsura franchise, Moguro Fukuzou in New Laughing Salesman,  and "Oyaji" in Mitsuboshi Colors. He also played Don Bailey in Heavy, Tyler in Michite Kuru Toki no Mukou ni, Tamura in Ore no Sora, Akauma in Fire Tripper, Jin Kiryu in Blue Sonnet, Zigong in Eiyuu Banka Koushi-den, Paul Rusch in Yume Kakeru Kougen, Jim Hyatt in AWOL Compression Remix, Galbreath in Next Senki Ehrgeiz, Baguda in Greed, the narrator in Akai Hayate and Meisou-ou Border, Dog McCoy in Dallos, Mayor Carlo in Inochi no Chikyuu: Natsu no Dioxin, Hebopi in Wild 7, Oosukune in Izumo, Miyoshi in Sanada 10, and Kuroki and Kirishima in Eguchi Hisashi no Kotobuki Gorou Show, all Orphan releases.
• Kitagawa Takurou (Sr. Private Baba) played Green Dragon in Dragon Knight. He played Hosoki in Meisou-Ou Border and Yasuke in A Ghost Story, and he appeared in The Dancing Girl and Utsu no Miko, both Orphan releases.
• Shimada Bin (Private First Class Kobayashi) played Ken Nakajima in the You're Under Arrest franchise and numerous other roles, as well as Konaki Jijii and Wally Wall in the most recent version of GeGeGe no Kitarou. He played Shinji in The Sound of Waves and appeared in Hoshizora no Violin, Bride of Deimos, Okama Report, Dokushin Apartment Dokudami-sou, Fukyukayama Gekijou, Tomoe's Run!, Satsujin Kippu wa Heart-iro, Princess Army, and Sangokushi, all Orphan releases.
• Shioya Yoku (Private First Class Abe) played the title roles in Kariage-kun and the Umi no Triton TV series and movies, Ryouta in Slam Dunk, Jinpei the Swallow in Gatchaman, and Cosmo Yuki in Space Runaway Ideon. He played the young priest in A Ghost Story, Shotaro in Growing Up, Ritt in Samurai Gold, Tsuri in Tenjou Hen: Utsu no Miko, Yuzuru in Laughing Target, Mickey in Milky Passion: Dougenzaka - Ai no Shiro, Mizuki in Nayuta, and Zhuge Jun in the first Sangokushi movie, all Orphan releases.
• Sawaki Ikuya (Private First Class Maruyama) played Gooley in the Dirty Pair franchise. He also played Captain Marco in Tottoi, Gonbei the cat in Satsujin Kippu wa Heart-iro, Samuel Hunter in Wolf Guy, Masayoshi Hotta in Hidamari no Ki, Barry in Joker: Marginal City, Alan in Mother Saigo no Shoujo Eve, Itakura Shirouemon in Sanada 10, and the Kaiser in Apfelland Monogatari, and he appeared in in Nessa no Wakusei, Growing Up, Dallos, Heart Cocktail, and Chameleon, all Orphan releases.
• Sawa Ritsuo (Private First Class Okada) played Martin in Anne of Green Gables, Hajime Taki in Hidamari no Ki, Magoroku in Kage/Shadow, and Tom in White Fang. The last three are Orphan releases.
• Tatsuta Naoki (Parrot) played Oolong in the Dragonball franchise, the Cat Bus in My Neighbor Totoro, and Beta in New Dream Hunter Rem. He appeared in every GeGeGe no Kitarou series since 1985 and in One Pound Gospel, Amon Saga, Growing Up, and Wolf Guy. The last four are Orphan releases. 
• Sakamoto Chika (Burmese boy) played Campanella in Night on the Galactic Railway, the title role in Tsuruhime, Nonoko in Tobira wo Akete, Tendonman in the Soreike! Anpanman franchise, and Agumon in the Digimon franchise. She appeared as Da in Galaxy Apartment Cosmo Hills, Oyoshi in Growing Up, Kijimuna in the Utsu no Miko movie, Miko in Ohoshi-sama no Rail, Yasuda Yumiki in Nine, Kometora in Charapno Land no Bouken, and Suzume's erstwhile love interest, Katagiri-kun, in Stop!! Hibari-kun!, all Orphan releases.
• Otaki Shinya (Indian Soldier 1) played Beat in Scoopers. He appeared in Shibuya Honky Tonk, Aoki Honoo, Wolf Guy, Elf ,17, Hoshizora no Violin, Gakkou no Yuurei volume 1, Nessa no Wakuesei, and Hi-Speed Jecy, all Orphan releases.
• Ishizuka Unshou (Indian Soldier 2) played King David and King Cyrus in Tezuka Osamu's Tales from the Old Testament, an Orphan release.

The director, Ishiguro Noboru, also directed Aoki Honoo, Koiko no Mainichi, The Dancing Girl, Season of the Sun, Heavy, Hoshi Neko Full House, and Meisou-ou Border, all Orphan releases, as well as many other shows.

The original subtitles are from CPM's R1 release. Perevodildo translation checked. ninjacloud fixed the original timing. I edited and typeset. Paul Geromini and Nemesis QCed. The encoder for the series wishes to remain anonymous. CPM's mastering includes hardsubbed translations for some of the Japanese credits. They are incorrectly timed and don't line up with the Japanese credits, but as hardsubs, they can't be fixed. 

The Harp of Burma is one of the better outings in the Animated Classics series, but I find the whitewashing of Japanese actions in Burma is annoying. Mizushima is a compelling protagonist, but the show would have been deeper and more meaningful if the Inoue platoon was presented in a more realistic way. In any case, you can get The Harp of Burma from the usual torrent site.

Batch torrent in a few days.