I'll start off by saying this is probably one of the best anti-war films ever made and I'm thankful it got a very solid blu-ray transfer. The picture looks great, there are some expected signs of age but nothing that ever bothered me. Arrow lets you choose to watch the film in 6 parts as it was released in Japan which lets you break the epic runtime into normal 90ish minute chunks. I loved Harakiri and Kwaidan by Kobayashi so I decided to blind buy this and I'm extremely happy that I did. Kobayashi's films often critique the status quo and put decent people in direct conflict with a unjust system. The Human Condition takes this to the extreme as we follow an idealistic socialist trying to live his values in a fascist system that makes it impossible. The film is set towards the end of WWII but it's more of a sprawling drama than a war film. The conflict and drama come from watching the protagonist constantly struggle with moral choices that will lead to punishment or immoral choices that follow the path of least resistance. It's a harrowing look an not only the horrors of war but the psychological toll of trying to live a life of virtue in a corrupt system. This film isn't going to be for everyone but it's a must see if you're a cinephile with a passion for Japanese movies, epics, or war dramas.

Great presentations by Arrow of the films.