nntsuzu/KFTT huggingface dataset:
English: There is a story that a few days later, Hijikata and Okita were playing a game of Go when Miura attacked the officer who had made fun of him from behind and Okita, infuriated by the cowardly attack, grabbed Miura by the collar and, calling him a 'bloody idiot', pushed his face into the floor until his nose was raw.
Japanese: 後日、土方と沖田が碁を打っている側で三浦をからかった隊士を三浦が背後から斬りつけると、沖田は三浦が後ろから斬りつけた卑怯さに激怒し「この馬鹿野郎」と叫び三浦の襟首を引っつかんで頭を畳に押し付け引きずり回し、三浦は鼻の皮を真っ赤にすりむいたという話が伝わっている。
English: Belying his appearance as an able leader of the Ichiban-gumi, he was apparently a cheerful person who was always telling jokes and laughing.
Japanese: 凄腕の一番組長としての顔とは裏腹に、当の本人はいつも冗談を言っては笑っていた陽気な人物であったようだ。
English: When novelist Ryotaro SHIBA was writing a book featuring the Shinsengumi, he interviewed an old woman who used to play with Okita when she was small.
Japanese: 作家の司馬遼太郎は新選組を題材とした作品を執筆する際、幼い頃に沖田に遊んでもらったという老婆を取材している。
English: (Taking into account that the interview took place around 1960 and that the Meiji Restoration was in 1868, the woman must have been quite old, but it means that people who actually met Soji OKITA were still alive.)
Japanese: （取材が1960年前後とすると、明治維新が1868年なので、かなり高齢ではあるものの実際の沖田総司を目にした人々が生きていたことになる。）
English: Although Kanefumi NISHIMURA was known for severely criticizing Kondo, Hijikata and other members of the Shinsengumi, he left no comments on Okita or Keisuke YAMANAMI.
Japanese: 近藤・土方など新選組についての酷評で知られる西村兼文ですら、山南敬助と並び沖田についても批判を残していない。
English: This seems to show that Nishimura had no bad feelings towards Yamanami and Okita, and Okita is believed to have been easy-going towards people who were not hostile to the Shinsengumi.
Japanese: これは西村が山南と沖田には悪意を持っていなかったことの表われと見られ、従って沖田は新選組に表立って敵対した者以外には人当たりの良い好人物であったと考えられている。
English: It is believed that just before his death, he tried several times to kill a black cat which often sneaked into the plant shop's yard but always missed and, realizing his own weakness, he said as follows.
Japanese: 死の際には、植木屋の庭に現れる黒猫を斬ろうとして幾度となく失敗し、己の衰えを痛感した沖田は以下のようにと嘆いていたという。
English: See! (he said to the old woman who was attending him), I cannot kill it' (this story is said to have been created by Kan SHIMOZAWA.)
Japanese: 「婆さん（付添いの老婆）、俺は斬れないよ」（ただし、この話は子母沢寛による創作であると言われる）。
English: There is also a story that he was worried about Kondo and, up until his death, he repeatedly asked, 'I am wondering how the master (Kondo) has been. Didn't we receive a letter from him?'
Japanese: 死の間際まで「（近藤）先生はどうされたのでしょうね、お便りは来ませんか？」と、師を気遣う言葉を幾度となく口にしたとも伝えられている。
English: Because people close to him were prohibited from telling him about Kondo's death, he passed away without learning of it.
Japanese: 近藤の死に関して周囲の者は固く口止めされていたため、沖田は近藤の死を知らずにこの世を去ったのである。
English: There is another anecdote that when Kondo was still alive and visiting Okita in bed before setting out with the Koyo Chinbutai, the usually cheerful Okita on this occasion sobbed loudly.
Japanese: これに先立って、甲陽鎮撫隊が出陣する際に近藤が沖田を見舞うと、普段は明るい沖田がこのときだけは声を上げて泣いたという。
English: It is generally thought that Kondo, Hijikata and Okita were very close to each other, with Hijikata and Okita in particular being like brothers, but this is largely the result of novels by Ryotaro SHIBA and Kan SHIMOZAWA.
Japanese: 一般に近藤、土方、沖田の3人が非常に親しく、特に土方と沖田は兄弟のような関係であったと思われているが、これも司馬遼太郎、子母澤寛の創作によるところが多い。
English: There are no materials to show that Hijikata and Okita were extremely close, although there is a record of Okita writing a letter on behalf of Hijikata.
Japanese: 土方と沖田が特別親しかったことを示す資料自体は存在しないが、沖田が土方の手紙の執筆代理をした記録が残っている。
English: Juro ABE, who was opposed to the Shinsengumi, said, 'Kondo's high-caliber disciples, Soji OKITA and Kuwajiro OISHI, are very cruelhearted men and, from the beginning, appear not to have realized even the existence of the state or the Imperial Court' ("Shidankaisokkiroku") and attacked them and Izo OKADA for having no ideological background and for being used as "tools to kill people".
Japanese: 新撰組と敵対していた阿部十郎のからは「近藤の高弟の沖田総司、大石鍬次郎という者はまことに残酷な人間でございまして、もとより国家朝廷のあるを知らぬようなもので」（『史談会速記録』）と、岡田以蔵などと同様に思想的背景を持たない“人殺しの道具”として非難されている
English: In addition, according to Okita's students, he was 'extremely harsh and quick-tempered' and they feared him more than the master, Kondo.
Japanese: また、沖田に剣技を教えられてた人には「荒っぽくて、すぐ怒る」というような性格で、師範の近藤より恐れられていた。
English: The image of Okita gained from anecdotes such as his telling his trainees, 'Don't kill people with your sword! Kill them with your body!' and other records differs greatly from the gentle and calm image that is widely known in public.
Japanese: 他に「刀で斬るな！体で斬れ！」と教えていた等の言い伝えもあり、その他の記録などを見ても記録にある素顔の沖田は巷に広がる優しく大人しいといったイメージとはずいぶん異なる。
English: Starting from the Tennenrishin-ryu stance of 'hiraseigan', he delivered three thrusts in the time he was heard to take one step forward.
Japanese: 天然理心流の平正眼(天然理心流は「平晴眼」と書く)の構えから踏み込みの足音が一度しか鳴らないのに、その間に3発の突きを繰り出したという。
English: It is often presented in novels as his opponent thinking he has been stabbed once when actually, in the blink of an eye, he has been stabbed three times.
Japanese: 即ち目にも止まらぬ速さで、相手は一突きもらったと思った瞬間、既に三度突かれていたとする描写が小説などに多数見られる。
English: According to Sen SATO in "Shinsengumi Ibun", Okita's sword style was identical to his master, Kondo's and even his thin, high-pitched yells were very alike.
Japanese: 『新選組遺聞』における佐藤宣の談話によれば、沖田の剣術の形は師匠の近藤そっくりで、掛け声までがよく似た細い甲高い声であったという。
English: However, it is thought that he had a habit of leaning his body forward and holding his sword with the point slightly lowered, a slightly different posture to Kondo, who pushed his abdomen a little forward in the hiraseigan stance.)
Japanese: ただ、太刀先がやや下がり気味で前のめりの、近藤（腹を少し突き出し気味の平正眼）とやや異なる構えを取る癖があったとされる。
English: Shinpachi NAGAKURA's statement that Okita's technique 'left Toshizo HIJIKATA, Genzaburo INOUE, Heisuke TODO, Keisuke YAMANAMI and the others looking like children playing with bamboo swords.
Japanese: 沖田の剣については、永倉新八が「土方歳三、井上源三郎、藤堂平助、山南敬助などが竹刀を持っては子供扱いされた。
English: Everyone said that if Okita seriously fought his master, Kondo would lose,' ("Nagakura Shinpachi Idan,") is well-known but there are also comments to the same effect from outside the Shinsengumi's inner circle.
Japanese: 恐らく本気で立ち合ったら師匠の近藤もやられるだろうと皆が言っていた」（『永倉新八遺談』）と語ったことが知られているが、新選組内部以外からの声もある。
English: Shikanosuke KOJIMA mentioned before the formation of Shinsengumi (in July 1862) that Okita 'is someone who will definitely reach the level of a master of the sword later in his life' ("Kojima Nikki") and Kanefumi NISHIMURA, although critical of the Shinsengumi, called him 'Kondo's most cherished follower and the best swordsman in his unit' and 'a genius with the sword' ("Mibu Roshi Shimatsuki").
Japanese: 小島鹿之助は新選組結成前（文久2年（1862年）7月）に「この人剣術は、晩年必ず名人に至るべき人なり」（『小島日記』）と述べているし、新選組に批判的な西村兼文は「近藤秘蔵の部下にして、隊中第一等の剣客なり」「天才的剣法者」（『壬生浪士始末記』）と述べている。
English: Juro ABE, who fought against the Shinsengumi, stated in "Shidankaisokkiroku" that 'As one of Kondo's students, Soji OKITA is an excellent swordsman', ' Soji OKITA and Kamajiro OISHI are young but have shown great skill with the sword on many occasions' and 'Kamajiro OISHI, Soji OKITA and Genzaburo INOUE have killed people without reason', all of which shows it would have been extremely dangerous to make enemies of them.
Japanese: さらに新選組と敵対した阿部十郎は「沖田総司、是がマァ、近藤の一弟子でなかなか能くつかいました」「沖田総司、大石鍬次郎という若者は、ただ腕が利くだけで、剣術などはよくつかいました」「大石鍬次郎、沖田総司、井上、是らは無闇に人を斬殺致しますので」（『史談会速記録』）など、殊に敵に回した場合に筆頭の脅威となる剣客であったことが伺える。
English: The only negative opinion was from Yaichiro CHIBA, a member of the Shinchogumi (the Shinsengumi's Edo counterpart) and a colleague of Okita's brother-in-law, who said, 'from our viewpoint, their skills are suitable for mokuroku (a low level)'
Japanese: ちなみに千葉弥一郎（新徴組隊士で、沖田の義兄と同僚）の言葉に「われわれからみたらやっと目録（低い段位）くらいの腕前」と、唯一の否定的見解が見られる。
English: Of course, Nagakura's statement that Yamanami, who had attained 'menkyo-kaiden' in the Hokushin Itto-ryu, and Todo, who was almost at the mokuroku level, were like children seems extreme, but may imply how superb and outstanding Okita's skill with the sword was.
Japanese: 勿論、北辰一刀流免許皆伝の山南や目録の藤堂を子供扱いというのはさすがに永倉の言い過ぎであろうが、それだけ彼の剣技が凄まじかったということなのだろう。
English: In novels, the sword owned by Soji OKITA is depicted as being a 'Kikuichimonji Norimune' (swords made at the beginning of the thirteenth century).
Japanese: 小説などにおいて、沖田総司の所有する刀として「菊一文字則宗」の名が挙げられる。
English: The story gained popularity following its appearance in the novel "Shinsengumi Keppuroku" by Ryotaro SHIBA, who based it on descriptions in biograraphies such as that by Kan SHIMOZAWA, where the sword is described as being 'a thin Kikuichimonji one'.
Japanese: これは子母澤寛などの伝記により「沖田の刀は“菊一文字細身のつくり”」とされていたことから司馬遼太郎が著作『新撰組血風録』の中で創作した物語が広まったものである。
English: However, despite being a period when Japanese swords were everyday items, Norimune swords were extremely valuable old swords, and it is believed that, from an economical point of view and from the necessity of having to use it often in actual battles, Okita would hardly have been likely to own one, although the matter has hardly been discussed among researchers.
Japanese: しかし則宗作の刀は、日本刀が常用されていた当時でさえ非常に貴重な古刀であり、経済的にも実戦で多用する必要性からも沖田が所有した可能性はほとんど無いと推察され、研究者の間で取り上げられることはまず無い。
English: Okita is known to have owned swords made by Kiyomitsu KASHU and Yasusada YAMATO NO KAMI.
Japanese: 現在では沖田が所有した実際の刀で確認されているのは「加州清光」「大和守安定」とされている。
English: In addition to the Norimune swords, there were several other thin types of swords with a "Kikuniichi" crest, and it is possible that Okita's sword may have been one of these.
Japanese: あるいは、則宗以外にも幾つか存在した“菊に一”の紋を打った細身の刀の1つではないかとする説もある。
English: In any event, like the other members of the Shinsengumi, he is likely to have exchanged his swords often during his stay in Kyoto.
Japanese: いずれにせよ他の隊士と同様、在京中に何度か刀を交換した可能性も高い。
English: Since his appearance in Ryotaro SHIBA's novels, he has often been depicted in fiction, including novels and TV series, as a handsome young man.
Japanese: 作家司馬遼太郎の作品以降、沖田は小説・ドラマなど創作世界においては頻繁に美少年として描かれてきた。
English: Okita's likeness can be seen in a portrait that was painted in 1929 based on a claim by his older sister, Mitsu, that her grandson, Kaname, 'somehow resembles Soji'.
Japanese: 沖田の容貌に関して、現在残っている沖田の肖像画は、沖田の姉のミツが孫、要氏を「総司にどこか似ている」と称したことから、昭和4年（1929年）に書かれたものである。
English: There are no descriptions of him being 'a handsome youth' from members of the Yagi family or from people connected to the Shinsengumi; instead, he is described as having a 'face like a flatfish, though tanned and not unnattractive when laughing', 'square shoulders', 'a rounded back' and being 'very tall.'
Japanese: 八木家の者や新選組に関わった人物の証言では、「美少年であった」とは書き残してはおらず、容姿に関する記述としては、「ヒラメ顔で笑うと愛嬌があり色黒」、「肩の張り上がった」、「猫背」「長身」と書かれたものが残っている。
English: (In "Ryoma ni omakase!" (Leave things to Ryoma) and "Getsumeiseiki - Sayonara Shinsengumi", the depiction of Okita was closer to the above.)
Japanese: （『竜馬におまかせ!』『月明星稀-さよなら新選組』ではこの説に近い設定となっている。）
English: The image that emerges from these descriptions casts doubt on the 'handsome youth' theory.
Japanese: この記述から浮かび上がる人物像として、美少年説に疑義を唱える指摘もある。
English: Ryotaro SHIBA, wanting to enhance the drama (a young man killed by tuberculosis just as his skill with the sword is becoming legendary) in Okita's life and so made him a handsome young man in his novel "Moeyo Ken", which was followed by many other works, including the movie "Bakumatsu Junjoden" in which Okita was depicted as beatiful girl.
Japanese: 剣技の強さが伝承されながら労咳により夭逝してしまうというドラマ性に富むその生涯から、そのドラマ性をさらに演出する要素として司馬遼太郎は小説『燃えよ剣』をはじめ、その流れを汲んだ『幕末純情伝(映画)』（美少女として描かれている）など多数の作品において沖田を美少年として描いた。
English: The image of Okita as a handsome young man seems to come from the mistaken notion that the dramatized image of him as "a powerful swordsman and cheerful but, at the same time, sickly and pale" is the generally accepted image.
Japanese: 沖田が美少年であるというイメージは、“剣にめっぽう強い上に明るい性格、その反面、病弱で色白の美少年”として演出されたイメージが一般的に定着した結果の誤解とも思われる。
English: The fact that Okita is always played on the screen by young, good-looking actors is also thought to have had a significant influence on his image.
Japanese: また、多数の映画など映像メディアにおいても常に若手二枚目俳優の役どころであった影響も大きいと考えられる。
English: However, the origin of the 'Soji's face is like a flatfish' belief seemed to be a light jokey answer made by a great grand son of Hikogoro SATO when Haruo TANI said a lighthearted joke to him in a TV program, and according to Tani, 'Soji's face is like a flatfish' does not mean his face is flat but the two eyes of other family members including his sisters in photos are closely-spaced.
Japanese: しかし「総司＝ヒラメ顔」説は、佐藤彦五郎のひ孫が、テレビで谷春雄の話に軽くノってつい口走ってしまったのが始まりらしいのだが、谷は「総司がヒラメ顔」というのは“のっぺらぼうという意味ではなくて、一族や兄弟の写真がみな目の間隔が寄っているから”と話している。
English: According to him, Soji was described within the Okita family as 'a light-skinned and small man'.
Japanese: 彼によれば、沖田家では総司の容姿について「色の白い、小さい男だった」という風に伝わっているという。
English: Following his appearance in Ryotaro SHIBA's books, Okita is generally often depicted in fiction as a pure and innocent young man.
Japanese: 創作の世界で沖田は、司馬遼太郎の小説以降、一般に純情な青年として描かれることが多かった。
English: Most works describe him as having a platonic relationship with the daughter of a local doctor, and in actual fact, he seems to have steered clear of women from Karyukai (the geisha district), unlike Kondo and Hijikata.
Japanese: 町医者の娘とプラトニックな恋愛をするなどの描き方がほとんどで、実際に沖田の周囲では近藤や土方などのように花柳界の女性の影は見えない。
English: However, according to the April 22, 1863 entry of his Matsugoro INOUE's diary, Hijikata, Matsugoro, Genzaburo INOUE and Okita paid for prostitutes at the Yoshidaya in the Kuken-cho area of the Shinmachi courtesan's district, so it cannot be said that he never played around with women, although when talk turned to a woman he was fond of, he became very serious.
Japanese: ただ、井上松五郎の文久3年（1863年）4月22日付の日記によると、土方、松五郎、井上源三郎と共に沖田が新町の廓九軒町吉田屋にて天神（遊女）を買うという記述が見られる為、必ずしも女遊びをしなかったというわけではないようだが自分が好意を持っている女性の話になるととても真面目だったという。
English: The register of deaths at Koen-ji Temple lists as 'Okita's relative' a woman who is thought to have been Okita's lover.
Japanese: また壬生光縁寺には過去帳に「沖田氏縁者」と書かれた女性の記録があり、これが沖田の恋人ではないかとも言われている。
English: According to the researchers, the woman's name was Tsune ISHII and she had a daughter.
Japanese: 研究者によるとこの女性は石井秩という未亡人で、連れ子（娘）が1人居たという。
English: It is believed, but unproven, that the woman gave birth to Okita's daughter, who was named Kyo.
Japanese: 沖田はこの女性との間に1女をもうけ、キョウという名を付けたという話もあるが、決め手に欠けるとも言われる。
English: There was another Okita in the Shinsengumi, a man called Jonoshin OKITA, who had been recruited by Hijikata in Edo in 1865, and there is a theory that the 'Okita' in the register of deaths may be Jonoshin.
Japanese: なお、新選組にはもう1人「沖田承之進」（慶応元年4月、土方らが江戸で募集した隊士の1人）という沖田姓の隊士が居り、過去帳の「沖田氏」は承之進の方では無いか、との説もある。
English: There is an old anecdote that a woman (who was apparently a strong-willed and spirited person) working in the Shieikan dojo asked Okita to marry her but he turned down her proposal, saying 'I am still an apprentice' (the woman attempted suicide, possibly because of his rejection, and later married another man after being introduced by Kondo).
Japanese: さらに、試衛館で手伝いをしていた女性（気が強い男勝りな性格だったようだ）に「結婚してくれ」と告白され、「修行中の身ですので」と断ったという逸話も残っている（その女性は断られたショックでか自殺未遂を起こし、その後近藤の口利きにより他家に嫁いだようだ）。
English: He is also thought to have been close to a girl called Kin, the daughter of the Satomo Inn on Aburakoji Street.
Japanese: また、油小路にあった旅館里茂の娘・キンとは馴染であったと言われている。
English: Works of fiction always have Soji OKITA coughing up blood and collapsing during the fighting in the Ikedaya Incident.
Japanese: 沖田総司といえば、創作作品において必ずといって良いほど池田屋での戦闘中に激しく喀血し、倒れ込む。
English: Reasons include the fact that the description of Okita's coughing up blood only appears in Kan SHIMOZAWA's "Shinsen-gumi Shimatsuki"; Okita participated in the hunt for the remnants of the Choshu forces (see "Akebonotei Jiken", the Akebonotei Incident); and there is a record ("Koshi sensoki" Kanefumi NISHIMURA) of him joining Isami KONDO, Saizo HIJIKATA, Kanryusai TAKEDA and Shinpachi NAGAKURA in the Kinmon Incident the following month, and if his tuberculosis was advanced enough to cause him to cough up blood, they would not have dared to let him go.
Japanese: 同事件で沖田が喀血したと明記するのは『新選組始末記』（子母澤寛）のみで、沖田は事後の長州残党狩り（明保野亭事件参照）にも参加しているし、翌月の禁門の変にも近藤勇・土方歳三・武田観柳斎・永倉新八と共に出動していた記録（『甲子戦争記』西村兼文）があり、喀血するほど結核が進行していたら、無理を強いて出動させるとは思えないのがその理由である。
English: There is another anecdote that after the Shinsengumi's group medical examination in around 1866, the shogunate's doctor, Ryojun MATSUMOTO, left a note that 'one of the members had pulmonary tuberculosis', and it is thought that the man may have been Soji OKITA.
Japanese: 一方、慶応2年（1866年）頃、幕府典医松本良順が新選組を集団検診した際に「肺結核の者が1名居た」と記しており、これが沖田総司ではないかとする説もある。
English: In 1867, the disease seems to have progressed enough that people around him noticed it; Shikanosuke KOJIMA in "Ryoyu jitsuroku" said he contracted it in March; according to Kanefumi NISHIMURA's "Mibu Roshi Shimatsuki", he was seriously ill around September when the quarters were moved to Fudodo Village; and in a letter to Kondo dated October 13, Kojima wrote that he was worried about Okita's worsening condition.
Japanese: 慶応3年（1867年）には周囲が認識し得るほど発病していた模様で、2月頃罹病したとする『両雄実録』（小島鹿之助）、不動堂村へ屯所を移転した9月頃に大病を患ったとする『壬生浪士始末記』（西村兼文）、さらに10月13日付で小島鹿之助が近藤へ送った書簡にも沖田の異常を気遣う文面が見られる。
English: Given the above, when Okita's health condition worsened so critical that he could not bear fighting was from autumn to winter in 1867.
Japanese: 以上から、沖田が戦闘に耐えがたいほど重篤な状態に陥ったのは、慶応3年秋～冬頃であったと思われる。
English: It is also thought that his intense exercise might have been an added burden on his lungs and aggravated his illness.
Japanese: また病状の進行を速めたのは稽古の激しい運動の為、肺に負担をかけたせいもあるとの仮説もある。
English: The scenes of Okita spitting blood and falling unconscious at the Ikedaya in works such as "Shinsengumi Shimatsuki" seem to have originated in Shinpachi NAGAKURA's "Shinsengumi Tenmatsuki", which, while not mentioning spitting blood, does describe Okita falling unconscious.
Japanese: なお、『新選組始末記』をはじめとする池田屋喀血・昏倒シーンの元となったのは永倉新八の『新選組顛末記』と考えられるが、こちらには吐血・喀血の文字こそ見られないものの沖田が昏倒したことが記されている。
English: He may have suffered a light and temporary heat stroke following the intense battle, which took place on a humid and extremely hot day in early summer, and it is thought that his condition did not raise any questions about his lungs for those close to him, including Kondo and Nagakura.
Japanese: 初夏の蒸し暑い異常な高温下での激しい戦闘によって一時的に軽度の熱中症を起こした等、少なくとも近藤や永倉など周囲の者には肺の方の異常は感じさせない状態であったと考えられている。
English: Yoji YAMADA (September 13, 1931 -) is a film director, playwright, and member of the Japan Art Academy, from Toyonaka City, Osaka Prefecture.
Japanese: 山田洋次（やまだようじ、1931年9月13日-）は、大阪府豊中市出身の映画監督、脚本家、日本芸術院会員。
English: He made his debut with "Nikai no tanin" (The Strangers Upstairs) in 1961, after working as an assistant director for Yuzo KAWASHIMA and Yoshitaro NOMURA.
Japanese: 川島雄三、野村芳太郎の助監督を経て、1961年に『二階の他人』でデビューする。
English: Since then, he has brought out numerous human-interest dramas, such as the "Otoko Wa Tsurai Yo" (It's Tough Being a Man) series, and remains popular with the public.
Japanese: 以降、『男はつらいよ』シリーズをはじめとする数多くの人情劇を発表し、大衆的な人気がある。
English: He is also highly-rated by critics and intellectuals and, among active directors, he has the most appearances in Kinema Junpo's top ten.
Japanese: 同時に評論家や文化人の支持も高く、現役でもっとも多くキネマ旬報ベストテンに入賞した監督である。
English: His wife was Yoshie YAMADA (May 23, 1932 - November 8, 2008), who was a vice-president of 'Raicho HIRATSUKA Documentary Films Association.'
Japanese: 妻は「平塚らいてうの記録映画を上映する会」副会長を務めた山田よし恵（1932年5月23日-2008年11月8日）。
English: His second daughter is Aki YAMADA (September 14, 1963 -), a producer at satellite broadcaster BS-TBS.
Japanese: 次女はBS-TBSプロデューサーの山田亜樹（1963年9月14日-）。
English: His works, influenced by rakugo (traditional comic storytelling), mainly focus on human drama and are full of humor and pathos.
Japanese: 落語等の影響を受けており、主に人間ドラマに焦点を当て、ユーモアとペーソスに溢れたものである。
English: They carefully depict the joy and sorrow hidden in the everyday life of ordinary people and outcasts, with beautiful scenery and simple visual imagery.
Japanese: 風景を美しくとらえながらも凝った映像表現は控え、一般人や社会の逸れ者のささやかな日常生活に潜む喜びと哀しみを丹念に描く。
English: It is said that, when directing, he expects 'both leading and supporting actors to work together as one, with understated, natural acting.'
Japanese: 演出においては、「主役、脇役含めて全体として一体となった、わざとくささのない自然な演技」を要求するという。
English: Since he places importance on inspiration and momentum on the set, he doesn't decide on the details of the script beforehand.
Japanese: 現場でのひらめきや勢いを大切にするため、事前にコンテをきっちり詰めるやり方も採らない。
English: He is also an avid reader of foreign mystery novels and in his early days showed an interest in suspense and black humor, but he seems to have soon abandoned this direction.
Japanese: また、海外推理小説の熱心な読者でもあり、初期にはサスペンスやブラックユーモアの方面にも意欲を示していたが、その方面への資質には早々に見切りをつけたようである。
English: Although he flirted with musicals in 'Kinema no Tenchi' (The Golden Age of Movies), it was not his sphere, and Yamada's true worth is definitely seen when depicting down-to-earth everyday life.
Japanese: 「キネマの天地」などでミュージカル的なタッチも見せたが、やはり山田の領分ではなく、あくまで地に足をつけた日常の描写に真骨頂を発揮する。
English: Because of the work of his father, an engineer for South Manchuria Railways, he moved to Manchuria at the age of two, and spent his childhood there.
Japanese: 南満州鉄道のエンジニアだった父親の勤務のため、2歳で満州に渡り少年期を過ごした。
English: In 1947, after the war, his family moved from Dalian City back to Japan, where he lived between the ages of 15 and 18 in his aunt's house in Ube City, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Japanese: 終戦後の1947年、大連市から一家で日本に引き揚げ、15歳から18歳までを山口県宇部市の伯母の持ち家で過ごした。
English: Yamada's repatriation experience is one reason why he often depicts drifters and outcasts.
Japanese: 流れ者や社会の逸脱者を多く描くのは、山田自身の引き揚げ体験が強く影響している。
English: He graduated from Ube Junior High School (present-day Yamaguchi Prefectural Ube High School), and while at Yamaguchi High School (present Yamaguchi University), the education system reforms, which basically saw junior high schools become high schools, and high schools became universities, were introduced.
Japanese: 旧制宇部中（現在の山口県立宇部高等学校）を経て山口高等学校(旧制)（現在の山口大学）在学中に学制改革を経験。
English: Although he almost dropped out of school due to skipping classes and failing to attend sufficient days, he graduated in 1954 and was accepted by Shochiku after being put on their waiting list
Japanese: 怠学による出席日数不足で中退するところだったが、1954年に卒業して松竹に補欠入社する。
English: At a time when up-and-coming directors such as Nagisa OSHIMA, Masahiro SHINODA and Yoshishige YOSHIDA were making a name as part of the Shochiku New Wave, Yamada remained low-key.
Japanese: 大島渚、篠田正浩、吉田喜重といった気鋭の新人が松竹ヌーヴェルヴァーグとして活躍していた時代にあって、山田は地味な存在であった。
English: While Nouvelle Vague directors broke away from Shochiku, he pursued a career as a company director, continuing the 'Shochiku Ofuna style' (named after the company's studios), with works focusing on comedies including "Shitamachi no Taiyo" (The Sunshine Girl) and "Baka Marudashi" (Honest Fool).
Japanese: ヌーヴェルヴァーグ派が松竹から独立して行く中、松竹大船調路線の後継者として『下町の太陽』、『馬鹿まるだし』等のコメディを中心とした作品で企業内監督の道を歩む。
English: He gradually won a reputation as a writer of comedies and several of his films were included in Kinema Junpo's top ten, but he remained without any hit films.
Japanese: 次第に喜劇作家としての評価が高まり、何本かの作品がキネマ旬報ベストテン入りするが、ヒットには恵まれない状態が続いた。
English: When, under the rotation system, Yamada became the sole director, attendance increased and over the next 27 years the series became a huge hit with 48 films.
Japanese: 輪番であった監督が山田単独となる頃から尻上がりに観客も増え、その後27年間に全48作が製作される大ヒットシリーズとなった。
English: However, after Kiyoshi ATSUMI, who played Torajiro KURUMA, became unwell, the "Otoko Wa Tsurai Yo" series, which had been made twice a year, was reduced to one movie a year and, later, Yamada decided to have more scenes with Mitsuo, Torajiro's nephew, and fewer with Torajiro.
Japanese: しかし、車寅次郎役である渥美清の体調が優れなくなってからは、年2回作られていた『男はつらいよ』シリーズを年1回に減らし、後に甥の満男の出番を増やして寅次郎の出番を減らす決断をした。
English: For the forty-seventh and forty-eighth films, he had Atsumi force himself to play despite the doctor's order that he should stop.
Japanese: 最終の第47作と第48作は、ドクターストップがあったものの無理に出演してもらったものである。
English: It is said that Yamada didn't know Atsumi's personal contact information or his family since Atsumi didn't like to mix private and public matters.
Japanese: 渥美は公私混同を嫌っていたため、渥美の家族や個人的な連絡先は知らなかったと言う。
English: Four years after the death of Atsumi ended the "Otoko Wa Tsurai Yo" series, the Ofuna studios were closed, and Yamada had fewer chances to direct.
Japanese: 渥美の死去によって『男はつらいよ』シリーズを失った4年後には大船撮影所が閉鎖され、監督としてメガホンを執る機会も減ってしまった。
English: He also released serious films, usually with an original script, including "Kazoku" (Where Spring Comes Late) and "Harakara" (The Village), every two or three years between episodes of the series.
Japanese: シリーズの合間をぬって２，３年おきに『家族』『同胞』など、ややシリアスな作品も、おおむねオリジナル脚本で発表。