The movie is set in a Kendo club at university and has, as its primary conflicts , the struggles between Kawaza and Kokubun, Kokubun and the world there are two subplots involving a novice Kendo player and Kokubun and a woman and Kokubun Kokubun represents Japans innocence, its virtue, its purity, its purpose his name means a part of the country He is unknowingly engaged in a battle to be the leader of the kendo club with an equally talented rival, Kazawa, who lacks Kokubus focus and self possession Kendo is the epitome of the traditional Japanese spirit pay attention to how Western things are presented and juxtaposed to traditional values Im thinking of a gun, a cafe, and a dance scene and compare how the characters are different in the city versus at the temple Its a subtle story Kazawa is unable to discipline himself and Kokubun is unwilling to bend himself to the future or the ways of the world How will it play out Watch it and see its a fine film where kendo is a metaphor and the story is chance to think on something more