In April 1945, the "Yamato" is assigned to participate in Operation Ten-Go, a suicide mission to Okinawa. Shinji has also been reassigned to serve on the battleship. Masato, now a "kamikaze" pilot, is also due to participate, and asks Shinji to stay with Takeichi during the battle. As the "Yamato" and her accompanying fleet sails down to Okinawa, it is intercepted by American planes and sunk with a heavy loss of life. Shinji and Takeichi are both killed in battle. Masato observes the sinking, while contemplating on his own death. The film ends on a scene of Eiji's wife, child, and father playing on a beach as the credits roll.