Live Today, Die Tomorrow!

Based on a series of murders that took place between October and November of 1968, 19-year-old Nagayama Norio (changed to Yamada Michio in the film) used a stolen gun from theUStroops atYokosukaand shot four people at different locations.  Nagayama was arrested in April 1969 and was not executed until August 1997.

Shindo Kaneto made this film two years after the incident, after extensive interviews with the murderer’s mother, family, teacher and friends and compiled a picture about the growing up and the road to crime of this young man.  Nagayama belonged to the baby boom generation that grew up in the decade after the war. His low qualifications made it hard to compete and resulted in the anti-social tragedy. He once said, “The gun is my only friend.” According to Shindo, this is also the story of thousands of Nagayama Norio.