Did Akira Kurosawa create the first modern film sequel with his 1945 martial arts drama?

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Before the era of numbered blockbusters, Akira Kurosawa directed Sanshiro Sugata Part II. Released in 1945, this martial arts drama is often cited as the earliest film to use a simple numerical sequel title. Yet, beneath its historical milestone lies a complex layer of wartime propaganda and cinematic evolution.

Written and directed by Akira Kurosawa, Sanshiro Sugata Part II was filmed in Japan during the final stages of World War II. Based on a novel by Tsuneo Tomita—the son of judo’s earliest disciple—the film follows a martial arts student navigating the rivalry between judo and karate. The protagonist eventually abandons his dojo’s rigid rules to defeat both karate masters and an American boxer, a victory intended to symbolize Japanese physical and spiritual superiority.

Critics and historians have long debated the film’s tone. While the original Sanshiro Sugata focused on a spiritual quest, the sequel is widely viewed as a piece of propaganda. Historian David Conrad describes the work as a crude form of wish-fulfillment, created when Japan’s leadership shifted the war’s frontlines into the realm of fantasy. Despite this, the film is noted for its artistic merit, particularly a climactic battle on a snow-covered hillside that mirrors the natural beauty found in the director's later masterpieces.

Kurosawa’s visual language in this film reflects the influence of John Ford, whose work he studied before the 1941 foreign-film embargo. Like Ford, Kurosawa used the landscape to externalize his characters' internal turmoil, a technique that would define his later career. Whether through rain, wind, or snow, the environment acts as a cinematic synecdoche for the emotional state of the characters and society at large. Today, the film remains a significant artifact, released in 2010 as part of The Criterion Collection’s Eclipse Series 23, documenting the early development of one of cinema's most influential directors.

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