Hana (Hana yori mo naho, 2006) by Kore-eda Hirokazu

Post By: Parker Hansen

            Hana: The Tale of a Reluctant Samurai is not your typical samurai movie. Directed by Koreeda Hiroaki, Hana questions the way of bushido. Through Koreeda’s use of characterization and settings, he allows viewers to question whether the ancient bushido values of duty and honor can be detrimental to an individual, or if individuals will gain more satisfaction and happiness by following a more intellectually-oriented lifestyle.

            Hana follows the story of an inexperienced samurai named Aoki Souzaemon, or ‘Soza’, in the year 1702 as he is on a mission in the distant city of Edo to restore honor to his family name by avenging his father’s murderer. Soza is funded by samurai and upon gaining revenge, is to be rewarded a large sum of money. However, unlike many samurai, Soza has a soft side. He prefers to teach reading and writing to children in the row houses over sword fighting, due partially to the fact that Soza is lacking in swordsmanship skill. When Soza realizes that his father’s murderer has a wife and child of his own, he must decide whether or not to continue the endless cycle of revenge, or find a more peaceful solution. When the land owner decides to demolish the row houses and kick out all of the tenants in the row houses, Soza decides to gather his friends and use the neighbors and their acting talent they have developed from their traditional yearly play to fake the successful avengement of Soza’s father. The movie ends happily when Soza splits the reward money between all of the actors in order for them to pay their backrent. Though not a traditional samurai movie, it will intrigue the viewer with humor, romance and impressive cinematography.

            Koreeda’s use of characterization of Soza’s love interest emphasizes the happiness, satisfaction, and love that can be felt through living an intellectual, community oriented lifestyle. Soza finds love in a widowed mother and her young child and through his interaction with them, finds fulfillment and personal value. He begins to become someone that the young child can confide in, be taught and supported by; much like a father figure. Soza is bent on avenging his father’s death, however he begins to experience, in a round-about way, a healthy family relationship. He must choose between his new found lifestyle of satisfaction and his family honor. Through an exciting plot twist, Soza is able to choose his new lifestyle, while also seemingly fulfilling his duty towards his family. Koreeda uses these two pulling forces to point out the cons of living up to Soza’s family’s expectations while also depicting pros of a family oriented life. The fact that Soza ends up deliberately deciding to pick his new lifestyle over his family duty points out Koreeda’s ideology that in the modern world, anti-intellectualism can be replaced with personal decision making.

In contrast to the characterization displayed at the row houses, Soza’s own family relationships have brought him nothing but negative personal consequences. He does not feel as if he can live up to his father’s expectations. After three years when he returns home to visit his family, his uncle is infuriated that Soza has not fulfilled more of his objective to avenge his father’s death. Both of Soza’s father figures have been critical of his value as a son and samurai, therefore inhibiting Soza’s growth as an individual. This is portrayed well in one scene where the hatred towards Soza’s father’s killer is shown on Soza’s face. Koreeda uses a close shot with dark colors and a partially covered face to point out the anger and frustration within Soza because of his family duty. 

 
By his family expecting Soza to give his whole life to the family name, Soza as an individual is brought down. His inner turmoil is shown well when he hides his face while his father’s murderer walks by during a carnival. The medium distance shot captures the struggle which Soza is feeling, as well as the happiness of the row house culture for the individual. Through these points, Hana shows how sacrificing the individual for the benefit of the society ends up actually destroying the individual, and over time, society.

Koreeda portrays the setting of the story to represent the emotions and ideologies of the samurai society. The samurai buildings complex is shown with cool dark colors to depict the values of the ancient bushido way. This particular dolly shot pictured shows rows of samurai sitting in seiza listening to a leader teach about bushido values. All of their physical needs are cared for with nice buildings and clothing, however, the samurai live without knowing many of the true joys and freedom of life. Without knowing what bushido values are, the viewer is able to tell through the use of the dark colors and the back prison-like wall that the ideology is restricting and unemotional.  There is a sense of obligation and duty to the greater cause while sacrificing the individual pleasures and comfort; as shown by the uncomfortable position in which the men are kneeling on the wooden floor. Koreeda uses this scene to show that bushido values may be able to create a temporarily strong society, but not one where the individual can prosper, grow and experience the true happiness of life.

On the other hand, despite the poor conditions of the buildings, the row house community is shown as a setting of happiness and a quiet sense of satisfaction. When Soza is with the community, Koreeda makes sure to use brighter and happier colors to portray the warmth of friendship and love that Soza feels from the community. In the scene pictured, Soza is centered between the community, depicting the acceptance they have of him. The colors are bright and the sakura flowers bring a sense of warmth and love.

            Through the use of characterization and setting, Koreeda makes an ideological statement that by allowing the individual to make personal decisions instead of following a sense of duty and honor, society will benefit as a whole. And, as an old saying states, “living a good life is the best revenge.”