ONE-LINE SYNOPSIS

A World War II Zero fighter pilot (Sab Shimono), haunted by the past, is forced to confront his fears when he meets an old enemy, a U.S. Army 442nd soldier (Michael Yama), and plays a fateful game of chess. (Super 16mm, Color, Running Time: 17 Minutes)


ONE-PARAGRAPH SYNOPSIS

A World War II Zero fighter pilot (Sab Shimono), haunted by the past, is forced to confront his fears when he meets an old enemy, a U.S. Army 442nd soldier (Michael Yama), and plays a fateful game of chess. Imperial Japanese Navy Zero fighter pilots are legendary for their battles in the Pacific War. The U.S. Army 442nd Regimental Combat Team is the most decorated unit in U.S. military history and composed almost entirely of Japanese Americans. (Super 16mm, Color, Running Time: 17 Minutes)


ONE-PAGE SYNOPSIS

A World War II Zero fighter pilot (Sab Shimono), haunted by the past, is forced to confront his fears when he meets an old enemy, a U.S. Army 442nd soldier (Michael Yama), and plays a fateful game of chess.

The Zero pilot finds himself in enemy territory when his wife dies and his daughter (Emily Kuroda) asks him to live with her in the U.S. To ease his pain, she takes him to a local park. There, he meets the 442nd soldier and his friends (Jim Ishida, Rodney Kageyama, Ken Takemoto), who challenge him to a game of chess. He’s also forced to battle the demons of his past. The outcome changes his life forever.

Imperial Japanese Navy Zero fighter pilots are legendary for their battles in the Pacific War. The U.S. Army 442nd Regimental Combat Team is the most decorated unit in U.S. military history and composed almost entirely of Japanese Americans.

(Super 16mm, Color, Running Time: 17 Minutes)


STATEMENT BY THE FILMMAKERS

“A number of people on our project had relatives in the U.S. Army 442nd RCT as well as the Japanese Imperial Army. In our depiction of the 442nd RCT soldier and the Zero fighter pilot, we want to honor both sides and their sacrifices during the war. In light of current events, we feel that this story is timely. People seem doomed to repeat history. It’s as though we haven’t learned anything from previous wars. We believe our film conveys an important message about communication, understanding, and peace.”—Ming Lai, Producer/Writer/Director, “Pawns of the King”