the task of publication to Mari Mizutani, of Toyohashi, who has stated that she believes the letters are especially significant for their detailed descriptions of daily life during the war; while both husband and wife wrote of their deep affection for each other, both also wrote about innumerable daily activities, Mineko in Gamagori and Ōba in China or on occupation duty in Manchuria, prior to being shipped to the Pacific. The letters were reviewed by a panel of local volunteers, most of whom had a professional background in literature, publication, history, or were somehow tied to local affairs. A selection of the letters has been compiled and was published in January 2011 under the title Senka no rabu retah, or Love Letters from the Fires of War. On 11 February 2011, the film was released in theaters, portraying the struggles of Ōba and his group on Saipan, as well as the Marines' relentless manhunt. It was produced by Toho Pictures, under the direction of Hideyuki Hirayama; involved production units from Japan, the United States, and Thailand; and stars Yutaka Takenouchi as Cpt. Sakae Ōba. In preparation for the role, Takenouchi met with Hisamitsu Ōba and the two of them paid their respects at the grave of Sakae Ōba. The movie received favorable reviews from critics. See also 18th Infantry Regiment (Imperial Japanese Army) Japanese holdout Notes References Bibliography External links Official Page of the Movie Taiheyo no Kiseki Imperial Japanese Army officers 1914 births 1992 deaths Japanese holdouts Military personnel from Aichi Prefecture Imperial Japanese Army personnel of World War II People from Gamagōri