The Emperor in August

Set in July and August 1945, this historical drama follows the Japanese government's struggle to respond to the Potsdam Declaration as World War II nears its end. While the cabinet remains deadlocked and the United States drops atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Emperor worries for his people and General Korechika Anami struggles with the right course of action. Amidst these tensions, a group of young officers led by Major Kenji Hatanaka attempts to seize the palace and a radio station to prevent the broadcast of the Emperor's announcement ending the war.

The film was written and directed by Masato Harada, appearing in his filmography after Gunhed and before Baragaki: Unbroken Samurai. The cast features Koji Yakusho as General Anami and Masahiro Motoki as Emperor Showa, alongside Tori Matsuzaka, Shinichi Tsutsumi, Tsutomu Yamazaki, and Ken'ichi Yajima. Produced by Asmik Ace and Shochiku, the movie has a runtime of 136 minutes. Audience reception is similar across platforms, with a rating of 6.6 on IMDb based on 807 votes and a 6.7 on TMDB from 18 votes.