That said, I think not knowing what happened in the manga actually made watching the middle part of the movie more enjoyable. Initially, I did have my complaints. The scene involving Innen during Benio’s time in Manchuria was removed, even though it was important in showing how corrupt he was. They also didn’t include the moment when Benio tried to drown herself in an alcohol jug, only to be saved by Sergeant Onijima, who put her to bed and watched over her. This scene showed how he came to admire her. Before they parted, he almost asked her to return to him if she ever forgotShinobu, later realizing to himself that he had developed a crush on her.

Benio was also meant to return home dejected, having confirmed Shinobu’s death. This time, she comes back with a renewed determination to watch over his family, and to cope with her grief, she throws herself into her work.

Nevertheless, despite these omissions, I was still able to enjoy the movie. Whenever the relationship felt rushed, I found myself thinking that, in the manga, a lot must have happened in between to make it feel more natural—though I suppose I’ll never know.

Overall, I think the movie turned out really well.