No Regrets for Our Youth

The film opens with students protesting Japan's invasion of Manchuria. Prominent professor Yagihara is relieved of his post because of his views against fascism. The scene establishes the tense political climate that shapes the characters' futures.

Following the anti-militarist protest, Noge disappears and spends four years in prison. The harsh crackdown foreshadows the personal sacrifices he and Yukie will endure. This period marks the first major interruption in their lives.

By the time Itokawa, now a government prosecutor, tells Yukie where Noge is, Noge has been out of jail for a year. Itokawa asserts that Noge has ‘converted’ from his radical days, a claim tied to government influence. Yukie begins to grapple with the transformed man she once knew.

Itokawa brings Noge to the Yagihara home for a family dinner. Professor Yagihara reiterates that Noge’s release was conditioned on his conversion, a point Noge confirms. Yukie observes the changed man and feels unsettled by the differences between then and now.

After the dinner, Noge leaves for China, creating distance between him and Yukie. She resolves to chart her own path rather than cling to the past. His departure acts as a catalyst for her later choices.

With Noge gone, Yukie packs for Tokyo and takes menial jobs for three years to survive. The period tests her resilience and independence. She encounters Itokawa intermittently, keeping a thread to Noge through the changing times.

Yukie eventually discovers that Noge is in Tokyo and they renew their relationship. They spend several years together and eventually marry. The marriage takes place amid the uncertainties and pressures of wartime Japan.

Noge becomes involved in dangerous and illegal schemes, though Yukie agrees not to know the specifics. He is arrested the night before his plan is to take effect, casting a shadow over their life together. The arrest underscores the peril surrounding dissent in wartime Japan.

Yukie is interrogated but refuses to disclose information about Noge or their activities. Itokawa intervenes and frees her, restoring a fragile sense of safety. The episode magnifies the personal stakes of political repression.

Yukie's parents travel to Tokyo to meet Itokawa, who informs them that Noge died the night before. Yukie is crushed by the loss and must reassess her future. The revelation pivots her toward the countryside where Noge's family lives.

Yukie brings Noge's ashes to his parents in the countryside, where she is initially rejected as a possible wife due to suspicion and grief. She stays and works to prove her sincerity, establishing a bond with the family. The moment marks a turning point in her acceptance within the household.

Yukie works in the rice fields alongside Noge's mother and father, enduring a severe fever and strenuous labor. The grueling days symbolize her commitment to the family and to a life of communal effort. She persists despite hardship to honor Noge’s memory.

Neighbors vandalize the couple's hard-won harvest, amplifying the community's hostility. Over time, Noge's father comes to accept Yukie, recognizing the sincerity of her devotion. The episode cements her place within the family and the village’s memory of Noge.

With the war's end, Professor Yagihara is reinstated and Noge is honored for anti-war efforts. The country begins rebuilding, and Yukie contemplates a future rooted in social reform rather than personal romance. The events highlight a shift toward communal responsibility.

Yukie returns to Kyoto to visit her parents but is invited to stay by her mother, recognizing the changes she has undergone. She ultimately chooses to remain with Noge's rural family, dedicating herself to rice farming and ongoing social work. The film closes on her commitment to a life of community service.