Guide Note

Madadayo is director Akira Kurosawa's last film. He was 83 years old when it was made in 1993.¹

Fast Facts

1. Release date: April 17, 1993
2. Director: Akira Kurosawa
3. Screenwriters: Akira Kurosawa, Hyakken Uchida, Ishiro Honda
4. Producer: Yuzo Irie, Yo Yamamoto
5. Distributor: Toho
6. MPAA rating: Not rated
7. Run time: 134 min

Set during World War II, Madadayo chronicles the later years of retired professor Hyakken Uchida. Revered by his former students, he is often visited by them, and they even build a new cottage for him after his old house is bombed.

Uchida's students also gather every year for his birthday, always playfully asking him if he's ready to go to the next world. "Madadayo," he responds, meaning "no, not yet!"²

Released to generally favorable reviews, Madadayo has an 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.³ Critic Roger Ebert praised the film, calling it "the kind of film we would all like to make, if we were very old and very serene."¹

• Tatsuo Matsumura: Hyakken Uchida
• Kyoko Kagawa: Uchida's Wife
• Hisashi Igawa: Takayama
• Joji Tokoro: Amaki