Mishima: The Last Debate

Against the backdrop of the 1969 student riots and strikes calling for changes in the government’s dealings with the Vietnam War, relationship with the US, and higher education, students invited perhaps the most prominent literary figure of the time, Yukio Mishima, for a debate. Mishima, gay, sharp, a supporter of values long forgotten, stood in front of 1000 enthusiastic students and explained his doctrine. But then a young student stood up and went blow for blow with the experienced Mishima. The two confronted on language and its influence in the world, about politics, and even though they did not reach equal grounds, it was a respectable and impressive debate. Fifty years later, the footage of Mishima’s last debate was found. With a wealth of archival footage, Keisuke Toyoshima revisits the heroes of the period and presents a thought-provoking and sage work that will surely capture your mind.