Watch the clip titled "The Bird" for the film Unbroken (2014). Shortform has the world's best summaries of books you should be reading. Louie (Jack O'Connell) meets The Bird (Miyavi) at the prison camp Known to his family as "Mu-cchan" (4.23.15), to everyone else as the Bird (and a lot of things we can't print here, we're sure), and even sometimes mistranslated as Matsuhiro, Watanabe is the worst of the worst when it comes to abusive prison guards. Television producers are able to interview him in 1997. T he Sydney set of Unbroken had a super-famous icon showing up to work every day. Whatever Louie and the other men had experienced at Ofuna would soon pale in comparison to life at their new POW camp: Omori. The Bird in Unbroken was known to be ruthless and violent, and he especially targeted Louis. He studied French literature at university and moved to Tokyo to work in a newsroom after graduating in 1942. When the war ends, the Bird goes into hiding. Men would later recall a small sag in his right eye immediately before a violent tirade occurred. Watanabe, or “the Bird” in Unbroken was from an affluent, privileged family. A Japanese corporal named Mutsuhiro Watanabe was in charge of disciplinary measures, and none of them, especially Louie, would be spared his wrath. During this time, he makes two undetected trips to Tokyo to see his mother briefly before he disappears again. He was born into a wealthy family but experienced humiliation when he was not made a military officer. The Bird in Unbroken, whose real name was Mutsuhiro Watanabe, was a corporal in charge of discipline at the POW camp where Louis Zamperini was interned. Then, he was suddenly in their faces, screaming and demanding their names. In Chapter Thirty-Six, Hillenbrand moves into reporting mode and focuses sharp attention on gathering factual information about where the Bird went after disappearing from the Naoetsu POW camp. Prisoners of War called him "The Bird." Unbroken, however, portrays the Japanese government's inhumane treatment of Zamperini and his fellow POWs in unrelenting fashion. Tom Henling Wade - a Brit whom Zamp first met at the Omori prison camp - provides some background about Mutsuhiro Watanabe. Watanabe had arrived in winter 1943 and soon became one of the most feared guards in the country. After Japan's defeat, the US Occupation authorities classified Watanabe as a war criminal for his mistreatment of prisoners of war(POWs), but he managed to evade arrest and was never tried in cou… That same childhood insolence made Louie defiant, and he refused to show weakness during beatings. A post at a POW camp was considered the lowest rung on the military’s ladder. Yes, and like in the Unbroken movie, the true story confirms that this infuriated guard Mutsuhiro Watanabe (aka "The Bird"), who gave Louie daily beatings. That was the moment the men realized they were dealing with a psychopath and when the Bird started his greatest hobby—terrorizing Louie. The Bird turns his torture up to eleven, beating Louie, ordering him to clean a pigsty with his hands, and forcing him to do unsafe manual labor jobs. There are some powerful visual moments in Unbroken that I am sure will move the viewer as they moved me. What was The Bird’s role in the story? As author Laura Hillenbrand tells it in her book, "Unbroken," Louis Zamperini came home, poured his alcohol down the drain, threw out his cigarettes, was reconciled to his wife and became a … Unbroken: Path to Redemption (2018) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. When interviewed, he often blames his actions on the war and shows limited willingness to take personal responsibility for his actions. Unbroken is every bit the Oscar-bait movie one would expect, but is elevated by offering viewers several different types of great drama in one tightly woven narrative.. This CBS Sports documentary on Louis Zamperini features the rare Mutsuhiro Watanabe interview (aka "The Bird"). Watanabe studied French literature in college and, being a fervent patriot, immediately signed up to join the army after his graduation. Mutsuhiro Watanabe a.k.a. Like this article? For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one: ). Bitter and resentful of high-ranking men, Watanabe’s angst grew after he was transferred to Omori. Angelina Jolie was there, too. But he was passed over for promotions and told he would never move beyond corporal. It was produced by CBS Sports as part of their coverage of the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. On different occasions, appears to take sexual pleasure in causing pain. Sign up for a free trial here. The chapter ends with the Bird’s mother spotting her son in Tokyo one evening in late 1948. But these reprieves never lasted long, and within an hour of apologizing, he’d flare into another rage and another round of abuse. The Bird of Unbroken Now David Sakurai has just been cast as Mutsuhiro ‘The Bird’ Wantabe in the Harold Cronk-directed Unbroken: Path to Redemption, the sequel to the three-time Academy Award nominated 2014 film. He snuck them extra blankets on winter nights, looked the other way when they stole food, and helped sick men visit a POW doctor instead of the merciless camp physician. When Louie did, the Bird punched him again and said not to look him in the eye. Louie tried to blend in with other prisoners and hide, but the Bird hunted him like prey and always found him. As I researched Louie’s life, interviewing his fellow POWs and studying their memoirs and diaries, I discovered that this loss of dignity was nearly ubiquitous, leaving the men feeling defenseless and frightened in a world that had become menacing. His tactics were so ferocious, Omori became known as “punishment camp.” The prisoners had many names for Watanabe, but the one used the most was “the Bird.”. When Louie looked in his eyes, he saw madness and looked away. Analysis. 4 Steps for Negotiation in the Challenger Selling Method, Cultural Racism: Judged Based on Your Way of Life, Five Examples of Medical Racism Throughout the 20th Century, Edward Snowden: CIA TISO Training & Working Abroad, Where the Crawdads Sing’s Jodie: A Brother’s Return, Articles of Confederation: Power for the States, Dr. Gregory Boyd on What the Gospels Get Right, How Louie Zamperini was on track to become an Olympic athlete until the war started, The unbelievable story of his capture as a prisoner of war, The ultimate fate of Louie and his captors. The Bird in Unbroken was known to be ruthless and violent, and he especially targeted Louis. The Bird Character Analysis in Unbroken | SparkNotes. The Unbroken quotes below all refer to the symbol of The Bird. Miyavi plays Mutsuhiro 'the Bird' Watanabe, in Angelina Jolie's Unbroken. The Bird Quotes in Unbroken. Mutsuhiro Watanabe, known as the Bird to POWs, was a sadistic Japanese leader at two different POW camps, Omori and Naoetsu. Omori was on an artificial island in Tokyo Bay connected to the main city by a bamboo-slat bridge. His sense of dismissal unleashed a monster inside, and he took his anger out on the prisoners. Louis Zamperini, subject of the bestselling book and hit movie, Unbroken, survived years of torture in a Japanese prison camp during World War II, but faced an even greater threat when he got home.Zamperini credited a Billy Graham crusade with eliminating the hate that threatened to destroy him. He had a particular taste for abusing officers and men who’d been successful as civilians, and as an officer and former Olympian, Louie was the perfect target. He forced men to violate camp rules, then beat them for it. Mutsuhiro Watanabe (Japanese: 渡邊睦裕, 18 January 1918 – April 2003) – nicknamed "the Bird" by his prisoners – was an Imperial Japanese Army soldier in World War II who served at POW camps in Omori, Naoetsu (present day Jōetsu), Niigata, Mitsushima (present day Hiraoka) and at the Civilian POW Camp at Yamakita. Could it be that in his college days, running gave him a high, but after the war, he can't ever feel an adrenaline rush like In seeking the Bird's death to free himself, Louie had chained himself, once again, to his tyrant. After the war, he disappears and never receives formal punishment for his abuses. What the Bird took from Louie was his dignity; what he left behind was a pervasive sense of helplessness and worthlessness. Mutsuhiro “The Bird” Watanabe Quotes in Unbroken. The Bird in Unbroken, whose real name was Mutsuhiro Watanabe, was a corporal in charge of discipline at the POW camp where Louis Zamperini was interned. The Bird lounged against the gates, for several minutes, casually eyeing the prisoners without speaking. Laura Hillenbrand’s biography Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption tells the extraordinary story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner-turned-war-hero. These same producers try to arrange a meeting between him and Louie. The Bird subjects prisoners to extreme physical and emotional abuse. The Unbroken quotes below are all either spoken by Mutsuhiro “The Bird” Watanabe or refer to Mutsuhiro “The Bird” Watanabe. His behavior is erratic and unusually cruel. Unbroken (2014) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. He works as a farm laborer, waiter, cowherd, and fishmonger while Japanese officials spend years searching for him. While Jolie certainly doesn't employ the World War II–era stereotypes of Japan promoted by American propaganda, "The Bird" and his fellow torturers are clearly the villains of … Often, Watanabe would show remorse following a beating, crying and apologizing and offering the men cigarettes and candy to win their affections. Thu 18 Dec 2014 18.00 EST. To Watanabe, whose mission in life was to command subservience, Louie’s boldness only made things worse. He destroyed prisoner’s family photos and burned letters from home in front of them. Despite Kano’s benevolence, there was nothing he could do for Louie. However, underneath the brutality was a desperate need to be liked and accepted. At Mitsushima, the POW officers conspire to poison The Bird but only manage to make him ill. At Naoetsu, as collective punishment for the theft of a fish, The Bird forces Louie, Tinker, and three other officers to receive 220 punches to the face from other prisoners. He eventually chose to forgive The Bird. 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