Zeno: Kagirinaki Ai ni

Zenon Żebrowski - the man who essentially introduced the concept of volunteering in Japan and built as many as 30 orphanages after the end of the war. He created settlements for the homeless, and even the Emperor of Japan himself, Hirohito, bowed before him and awarded him the Order of the Sacred Treasure. Even the People's Republic of Poland - the Polish Communist government, notorious for its hostility to religion, which closed church premises and schools and turned seminaries into hospitals, recreation homes and workers' hotels - honoured his services with the Order of Merit of the Polish People's Republic. Two exhibitions in Tokyo have ... been created based on the story of this missionary, and a museum, bearing the mementos of a monk from Japan, has been set up in Czarnia (a village in Poland situated in Mazowieckie Province).

There is much to be said about this character, so it is all the more gratifying that a movie has been made. It's just a pity that the only thing people are now able to find is the entire film on YouTube in 480p quality, which is clearly a recording from the old tape. And I'll vouch to you that watching such quality right after watching Baki in 720p quality was definitely an experience for my eyes.

As you might guess, the plot centres on a Polish missionary, Zenon Żebrowski, who, upon seeing the explosion in Nagasaki, immediately starts helping the local people. The plot, however, is not the film's strongest point, if I'm honest, but it's good enough, especially with moments portray the human tragedies that have been brought upon ordinary people. Particularly because, despite the portrayal of Zeno as a living Saint, he is not someone who is able to save everyone, but who will still give his all despite all the difficulties.

If there's one thing I like about older anime, it's the atmosphere they are able to convey, which is often not found today. And it serve this anime really well, capturing the atmosphere of post-war Japan, of showing the poverty that prevailed at the time. It's just a shame that the aforementioned quality doesn't allow you to enjoy it to the full. If I had to put it in a nutshell: this film doesn't have an extraordinary story, but you can feel a sincerity while watching it. These types of films always have a powerful effect because the viewer is aware that what they are watching, although often heavily fictionalized, could or did really happen.

I was expecting a somewhat dull but informative portrayal of a historical figure and his activities. What I got instead was the story of a man who was idealistic and sometimes a little naïve, but determined and dedicated to his mission to the end of his life. Above all, the film is a portrayal of pure human kindness, untainted by cynicism, which is not always rewarded, but it was never about the reward in the first place. This is probably the best mindset to have when watching this movie. Especially as it doesn't even last an hour and a half, so it's worth giving a chance. It won't change your life, but it will potentially get you interested in history and boost your faith in humanity. Unfortunately, you have to suffer through the lack of good quality video and enjoy what YouTube has to offer. Besides, I respect any work that makes a person want to take an interest in a subject, and this film does that well enough.