I Want to Be a Shellfish's primary photo
  • I Want to Be a Shellfish (1959)
  • 89 min | Drama, War
I Want to Be a Shellfish (1959)
89 min | Drama, War

On a post-war peaceful day in Japan, Toyomatsu Shimizu, a barber as well as a good father and husband, is suddenly arrested by the Prefectural Police as a war criminal and sued for murder. According to the accusation by GHQ, Toyomatsu "...See moreOn a post-war peaceful day in Japan, Toyomatsu Shimizu, a barber as well as a good father and husband, is suddenly arrested by the Prefectural Police as a war criminal and sued for murder. According to the accusation by GHQ, Toyomatsu "attemped to kill a US prisoner", which was nothing but an order by his superior and failed after all with hurting the prisoner by weak Toyomatsu. Also, Toyomatsu was driven to corner at the trial by the fact that he fed the US prisoner some burdock roots to nourish him. Toyomatsu believes nothing but being not guilty, but he is sentenced to death by hanging. Prior to the execution, Toyomatsu writes a long farewell letter to his family, the wife and the only son: "If I ever incarnate, I hate to be a human being any more.... Oh yes, I would like to be...a shellfish living on the rock-bottom of the sea." Written by Harpo99 See less
Read more: Plot summary
Composer
Cinematographer
Production Designer
Trending & News

Become a member to see MOVIEmeter and news information about Watashi wa kai ni naritai.

Status
Edit Released
Updated Apr 12, 1959

Release date
Mar 17, 1971 (United States)
Awards

Contacts

Become a member to see contact information for Watashi wa kai ni naritai.

Cast

Add Cast
29 cast members
Name Known for
Furankî Sakai
Tomimatsu Shimizu Tomimatsu Shimizu   See fewer
Michiyo Aratama
Fusae Shimizu Fusae Shimizu   See fewer
Kumi Mizuno
Toshiko Toshiko   See fewer
Daisuke Katô
Takeuchi Takeuchi   See fewer
Susumu Fujita
General Yano General Yano   See fewer
Chishû Ryû
Komiya Komiya   See fewer
Tadao Nakamaru
Saburô Ônishi Saburô Ônishi   See fewer
Heinz Bodmer
Injured airman Injured airman   See fewer
Donn Draeger
Airman / soldier (as Don Droeger) Airman / soldier (as Don Droeger)   See fewer
Yû Fujiki
Masashi Sakata Masashi Sakata   See fewer
Kamatari Fujiwara
Lieutenant Adachi Lieutenant Adachi   See fewer
George Furness
International Military Tribunal for the Far East member International Military Tribunal for the Far East member   See fewer
Akihiko Hirata
Staff Officer Staff Officer   See fewer
Yoshio Inaba
Sergeant Kimura Sergeant Kimura   See fewer
Kazuo Katô
Tashiro Tashiro   See fewer
Asao Koike
Private Tateishi Private Tateishi   See fewer
Shinji Nanbara
Lieutenant Ogami Lieutenant Ogami   See fewer
Masao Oda
Miyake Miyake   See fewer
Takeo Oikawa
General Ogami General Ogami   See fewer
Yutaka Sada
Private Takita Private Takita   See fewer
Sachio Sakai
Driver Driver   See fewer
Keiji Sakakida
Matsuda Matsuda   See fewer
Kyorô Sakurai
Yamaguchi Yamaguchi   See fewer
Ikio Sawamura
Barbar Client Barbar Client   See fewer
Ichirô Shimizu
Takuji Nishizawa Takuji Nishizawa   See fewer
Akio Sugano
Ken'ichi Shimizu Ken'ichi Shimizu   See fewer
Jun Tatara
Nemoto Nemoto   See fewer
Kamayuki Tsubono
Kawahara Kawahara   See fewer
There was an issue loading this tab.
There was an issue loading this tab.
There was an issue loading this tab.
There was an issue loading this tab.
There was an issue loading this tab.
There was an issue loading this tab.
There was an issue loading this tab.
There was an issue loading this tab.

MOVIEmeter

Members only

Become a member to access additional data

Ratings Breakdown