Keiko Matsuzaka in Kanzo sensei (1998)

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Nominated for a staggering thirteen Academy Awards in its native Japan, Shohei Imamura’s Kanzo sensei (1998) is a WWII film of exceptional caliber. American cinephiles might recognize Imamura from his contribution to the omnibus film 11’09”01: September 11th (2002), and the same level of political sophistication is evident here. Akira Emoto stars as Fuu Akagi, a rural doctor who’s obsessed with eliminating the scourge of hepatitis in war-ravaged Japan. As the island-hopping campaign stumbles, however, Akagi finds himself the target of high-ranking military officials desperate for someone to blame. Fortunately for viewers, Imamura’s feature boasts much more than death and disease––in fact, the flesh of female stars Kumiko Aso, Ayumi Ito, and Keiko Matsuzaka couldn’t be more glowingly youthful.