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Himawari -Okinawa wa Wasurenai, Ano Nichi no Sora o-
Movie

Himawari -Okinawa wa Wasurenai, Ano Nichi no Sora o-

2013 • Unknown

Woke Score
4
out of 10

Plot

After an American helicopter crashes into a classroom in Okinawa International University, student Ryuichi is compelled to write a report on a similar accident 52 years ago, in 1959, when an American jet fighter crashed into his grandfather's elementary school. He also plans to hold a peace concert.

Overall Series Review

The film’s narrative is a highly charged political commentary on the historical and ongoing conflict stemming from the American military presence in Okinawa. The plot is structured around systemic oppression, contrasting the local, peaceful Okinawan community with the external, destructive foreign power. This framing positions the American military establishment as the antagonist, responsible for generations of trauma and fatal accidents. The film's strength lies entirely in using identity (Okinawan vs. American military) as the lens through which to deliver a lecture on privilege and systemic injustice, a core component of woke ideology. Given its focus on political/historical tragedy involving a male student and his grandfather, there is no evidence that the film incorporates contemporary identity politics related to gender or sexual ideology, resulting in very low scores for the Feminism, LGBTQ+, and Anti-Theism categories. The overall 'wokeness' is driven by the intensely negative portrayal of the Western-aligned military system and the elevation of the victimized local identity.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics8/10

The narrative is driven by the intersectional hierarchy of power and identity, framing the local Okinawan population as victims of systemic oppression by the foreign American military presence. The entire plot functions as a lecture on this power dynamic, focusing on identity (nationality/geography) over individual character merit.

Oikophobia9/10

The central conflict presents the US military as a destructive, chaotic, and oppressive external force, responsible for fatal accidents and the violation of the local community’s peace. This demonizes the external Western-aligned military/political civilization and its role in the region.

Feminism1/10

The main plot focuses on a male student, Ryuichi, and his grandfather, who are investigating a political/historical tragedy. No plot elements or themes suggest the presence of 'Girl Boss' tropes, the emasculation of male characters, or anti-natalist messaging.

LGBTQ+1/10

The film is a political and historical drama centered on military accidents and social activism. There is no evidence of centering alternative sexualities, deconstructing the nuclear family, or incorporating gender ideology.

Anti-Theism1/10

The plot focuses on political and social themes (historical memory, peace, justice). Ancestral memory and respect for victims of the tragedy are likely thematic elements. There is no hostility toward religion or suggestion of moral relativism replacing an objective moral law.