Movies That Enrich My Life at 56 (2): 'The Glorious Back Home'

I cried. I sobbed.

The story of Shintaro Yokota of the Hanshin Tigers, who passed away at the young age of 28 after a fierce battle with a brain tumor, is a true story that became widely known during the team's league championship and Japan Series victory in 2023. This film carefully depicts the short life of a talented young man.

It is not a shallow story about how sad it is that he died when he had so much he wanted to do. Instead, I was moved and shaken by the passion of someone fighting with all their might, and by the feelings of those around him who supported him desperately and stayed by his side until the very last moment when his flame was extinguished. I couldn't stop my tears halfway through.

It was clear that Yokota's strength was inherited from his mother. My heart ached to see her sobbing alone in her son's room at their home in Kagoshima.

I felt that the sincerity with which the actors approached this work perfectly matched the warmth that spread in my heart as the story progressed. I suspect many in the audience felt the same way. (I believe Kyoka Suzuki's performance reached the pinnacle of this.)

The subject matter of 'dying without fulfilling one's dreams after a battle with illness' can sometimes become overly dramatic depending on how it is performed, which can actually make the audience feel detached. However, in 'The Glorious Back Home,' the careful and sincere acting further elevated the quality of the work.

After watching it,

I felt as if Shintaro Yokota was pleading with me, saying, 'Please live, please become stronger and stronger; you can do it, I'm sure of it.' It made me feel like I could do more, that I, who have no hardships, am just wasting time, and that I need to try harder.

#HanshinTigers

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