is a Japanese

anime is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japanese, (a term derived from a shortening of ...

biographical film directed by

Noboru Ishiguro was a Japanese animator best known for directing the anime series ''Space Battleship Yamato II'', '' Super Dimension Fortress Macross'', '' Super Dimension Century Orguss'', ''Humanoid Monster Bem is a 26-episode Japanese anime tel ...

. The film premiered on November 15, 2008. Within Japan it was released via Joueikai and Oyako Eiga. Its

tagline In entertainment, a tagline (alternatively spelled tag line) is a short text which serves to clarify a thought for, or is designed with a form of, dramatic effect. Many tagline slogans are reiterated phrases associated with an individual, s ...

was "Don't Give Up on Your Dreams." The film portrays the career of

Yoichi Hatta was a Japanese engineer, known for his contributions in hydraulic engineering in the Japanese-ruled Taiwan. Hatta was born in Kanazawa, Ishikawa. After graduating from Tokyo Imperial University in 1910, he joined the Seat of Governor-Genera ...

, a civil engineer active in

Japanese Taiwan The island of Taiwan, together with the Penghu Islands, became a dependency of Japan in 1895, when the Qing dynasty ceded Fujian-Taiwan Province in the Treaty of Shimonoseki after the Japanese victory in the First Sino-Japanese War. The shor ...

, and his interactions with the native Taiwanese. It was financed as a commemoration of the 115th anniversary of the ''Hokkoku Shimbun'', a newspaper in Hatta's hometown of

Kanazawa is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 466,029 in 203,271 households, and a population density of 990 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . Overview Cityscape ...

, and produced by

Mushi Productions or Mushi Pro for short, is a Japanese animation studio headquartered in Fujimidai, Nerima, Tokyo, Japan. It previously had a headquarters elsewhere in Nerima. The studio was headed by manga artist Osamu Tezuka. Tezuka started it as a rivalry wi ...

. Preview screenings were held on November 11, 2008 at Hokkoku Shimbun's Akabane Hall and on November 20 at Meiji Yasuda Life Hall (MY Shinjuku Building), while the first public screening was held on November 15 at the opening of Kanazawa's Corona Cinema World. Afterwards, it was primarily screened in schools and public institutions in Ishikawa Prefecture and from May 8, 2009 in Cinemate Mini-Theater in Shinjuku. It was also released in

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

. The film's title is derived from ''Patten lai-a'', the

Taiwanese Taiwanese may refer to: * Taiwanese language, another name for Taiwanese Hokkien * Something from or related to Taiwan ( Formosa) * Taiwanese aborigines, the indigenous people of Taiwan * Han Taiwanese, the Han people of Taiwan * Taiwanese people, ...

term for "Hatta has come," ().

Plot

In the early stages of Japanese colonization in Taiwan, the Chianan Plain in southwestern Taiwan was considered a barren land due to its low rainfall and lack of irrigation. Yoichi Hatta is sent to this area by the colonial government to develop plans for massive irrigation projects. At first the local farmers question Hatta's intentions and harbor feelings of hostility. But among them, a boy named Yingzhe is moved by Hatta's conviction in his project and comes to understand the necessity of a dam and wishes to become a civil engineer as well. Susumu, a boy who lives in a nearby community of Japanese laborers, has a dream of riding in an airplane. Yingzhe and Susumu are kindred spirits and discuss their dreams. But one day, over 50 people die due to a construction explosion, among them Susumu's father. There is talk of halting construction, and Hatta is distressed.

Cast

Kazuhiko Inoue is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator. His notable works include Kakashi Hatake in ''Naruto'' , Kars in ''JoJo's Bizarre Adventure'', Toichirou Suzuki in '' Mob Psycho 100'' and Gildarts Clive in '' Fairy Tail''. Biography Since his de ...

*Xu Yingzhe:

Junko Minagawa is a Japanese voice actress affiliated with Haikyo. Her best-known role is Ryoma Echizen, the title character in ''The Prince of Tennis'' anime series. She sang some of the show's theme songs, insert songs, and character singles, some of which ...

*Susumu Tsuji:

Fujiko Takimoto is a Japanese voice actress from Osaka Prefecture, Japan. On February 2, 2014, she married fellow voice actor and her '' Mahoromatic'' co-star Hideki Ogihara. Filmography Anime *'' Mahoujin Guru Guru'' (1994) (Nike) *''Captain Tsubasa J'' (19 ...

*Miyo Aragaki:

Yuko Gibu Yuko may refer to: * Yuko (judo) (''yūkō''), a score in judo competition * Yuko (Ukrainian band), a Ukrainian band * Yūko, a Japanese female given name (including a list of persons with the name) * Yuko, a Belgian band * Yuko people, an Amerind ...

*Kenkichi Tsuji: Atsushi Gotou *Toyoki Hatta: Tae Hitoto

Release

''Pattenrai!!'' was released on November 13, 2009 in Taiwan with a mixed

Mandarin Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to: Language * Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country ** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China ** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...

-Taiwanese dub (with some theaters opting for the original

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

voices with Chinese subtitles). Preview screenings were held on November 4 in

Xinying District Xinying District () or Sinying District is a district and the location of the second administrative center of the Tainan City Government in Taiwan. Sugar production was the most important industry in Xinying. History On 7 January 1946, Taina ...

Tainan Tainan (), officially Tainan City, is a special municipality in southern Taiwan facing the Taiwan Strait on its western coast. Tainan is the oldest city on the island and also commonly known as the "Capital City" for its over 200 years of his ...

with President

Ma Ying-jeou Ma Ying-jeou ( zh, 馬英九, born 13 July 1950) is a Hong Kong-born Taiwanese politician who served as president of the Republic of China from 2008 to 2016. Previously, he served as justice minister from 1993 to 1996 and mayor of Taipei fro ...

attending and on November 9 in

Taipei Taipei (), officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about southwest of the ...

with former President Lee Teng-hui and former President of the Executive Yuan

Frank Hsieh Frank Hsieh Chang-ting (; born May 18, 1946) is a Taiwanese politician and former defense attorney. A cofounder of the Democratic Progressive Party, he has served on the Taipei City Council, the Legislative Yuan, as the mayor of Kaohsiung Cit ...

in attendance. In 2010 it was shown in Tainan schools.

Reception

''Pattenrai!'' won the 23rd Japan Society of Civil Engineers' Cinema Committee's Most Excellent award.

References

External links

* (Mushi Productions) * (''Hokkoku Shimbun'')
Information on Yoichi Hatta
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pattenrai Minami no Shima no Mizu Monogatari 2008 films 2000s biographical films 2000s historical films 2008 anime films Films set in 1917 Films set in Taiwan Japanese biographical films Japanese historical films Mushi Production