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On a gloomy day in September 2015, Setsuko Hara quietly passed away, away from the bustling world that had been passionately obsessed with her, and then quickly abandoned her.
She completed her life journey peacefully and gracefully at the age of 95. This bright star, once known as the "First Goddess of Showa", has experienced an extraordinary and suspenseful life course, but in the end he has not been respected and cherished as he deserves.
When the news broke, the reaction from the outside world was extremely cold. Months passed, and there was no media coverage of her passing, let alone the mourning of her fandom. It wasn't until months later that one of her nephews had to open up in front of the media about the sad truth.
Setsuko Hara's funeral was particularly bleak, and almost no one came to mourn, as if the whole world had completely forgotten her former glory and glory.
At one time, she was revered by the Japanese people as a "virgin" superstar, and her huge portraits can be found all over the country. In the end, however, there were not even many people to see her off. This huge contrast makes people feel emotional, and everything about her is like a deep mystery, leading to endless conjectures.
Did she choose this low-key way of leaving, or did fate deprive everyone of it to such an extent? Are the glorious times she had really real, or are they exaggerated and illusory? All these questions make her life like a foggy picture, which makes people unable to perceive, and can only rely on speculation and speculation to unravel the layers of fog.
Setsuko Hara was born in 1920 to Masae Aida, and she was born into an ordinary and poor family in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture. With a large family of 8 people and a poor family financial situation, Hara Setsuko's childhood life can be described as extremely difficult.
After entering the school-age stage, her parents sent her to an ordinary high school in Hodogaya Ward to study. Subsequently, she transferred to the private Yokohama High School for Girls (now Yokohama Gakuen High School) to continue her studies.
Soon after, however, her family's financial situation deteriorated and she could no longer afford her school fees. Faced with the fate of being about to drop out of school, Setsuko Hara burst into tears, staring affectionately at the familiar campus, her heart full of endless sadness.
At this critical moment, Setsuko's relatives and her brother-in-law, Kumagai Hisatora, appear at the right time, revealing a new path full of infinite hope for her.
Kumagai is not only a talented director, producer, and screenwriter, but more importantly, he is the soul of Setsuko Hara's introduction to the film industry.
He unreservedly told Hara that he has extensive and deep connections in the film industry and many valuable resources at hand, and he can do his best to help her successfully enter the film industry, get out of poverty, and start a new chapter in her life.
After careful consideration, Setsuko Hara resolutely decided to give up her studies and devote herself to her acting career.
In 1935, under the strong recommendation of her brother-in-law Kumagai Hisatora, Hara Setsuko successfully joined the Nikko Film Company, and took the unique stage name "Hara Setsuko" as the inspiration for the character name, thus opening the prelude to her brilliant acting career.
However, on August 15, 1945, the smoke of World War II finally subsided, and Japan was forced to surrender unconditionally under strong pressure from the Allies.
U.S. President Harry S. Truman immediately appointed MacArthur, a well-known general, as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Japan, responsible for the military occupation and comprehensive reconstruction of Japan.
Faced with this situation, the Japanese cabinet members were facing a great enemy, fearing that the Allies would completely abolish the emperor system, which would lead to chaos in the country's social order. In order to ensure the continuation of the emperor's rule, the cabinet began to rack its brains and try to win over MacArthur, the "foreign emperor", through bribery and other means.
In this process, the hot female star Setsuko Hara quickly became a "sweet spot" in the eyes of Japanese politicians and was "dedicated" to MacArthur.
She is beautiful and moving, her appearance is in stark contrast to the traditional Japanese female image, and her high nose bridge, deep eyes, and slender figure all exude an exotic and unique charm, which instantly attracts MacArthur's attention.
What's even more intoxicating is that Hara Setsuko shows extremely high wisdom and a temperament that is neither humble nor arrogant. In the course of the relationship between the two, she always maintained a subtle sense of distance, and never took the initiative to flatter, but made MacArthur have endless yearning and obsession with her.
After several meetings, MacArthur had already fallen deeply in love and fell in love with this unusual woman. Although he was already wearing a wedding dress, he did not hesitate to include Setsuko Hara in his private life, pushed by the Japanese political elite.
According to other rumors, it was because of Hara Setsuko's firmness and persuasion in the boudoir that MacArthur's control policy on Japan was gradually relaxed, and the continuation of the emperor system was finally preserved.
In return, Setsuko Hara won the enthusiastic support of 256,000 voters in Japan's first postwar Diet election, just one step behind the actual winner.
Despite her close relationship with MacArthur, Hara never gave up on her beloved acting career. In 1946, she starred in the famous director Akira Kurosawa's debut film "I Have No Regrets About Youth", which once again shined on the big screen. The following year, she made her debut in the family drama film "The Dance Party of the Anjo Family" launched by Shochiku Pictures, which won full applause.
In 1949, Setsuko Hara was fortunate to participate in the filming of director Yasujiro Ozu's masterpiece "Late Spring". Since then, she has become Yasujiro Ozu's most relied on assistant and "savior". The acclaimed maestro, who held Hara in high esteem, praised her as "Japan's most outstanding film actress".
"In my long film career of more than 20 years, there are very few actresses who can have such a deep insight into the role and excellent acting skills as Setsuko Hara. Yasujiro Ozu said affectionately.
His praise for Setsuko Hara was not unfounded, as in the years that followed, they worked together as close companions to create many immortal classics.
Whether it is the quiet and gentle peasant woman played in "Qingqing Mountain Range", or the charming and touching upper-class girl played in "Cheers to Miss", Setsuko Hara has shown her otherworldly acting skills again and again under the careful guidance of Yasujiro Ozu, leaving an unforgettable classic picture for the history of Japanese cinema.
In 1949, it was with her wonderful performance in "Late Spring" that Hara Setsuko won the highest honor in the Japanese film industry that year - the "Mainichi Film Competition Actress Acting Award".
Undoubtedly, this award is undoubtedly the highest praise for her outstanding artistic achievements, and it is also a great recognition of her extraordinary talent and talent!
Since then, Setsuko Hara has become a cult idol among the Japanese people, and is known as a "virgin" and a "saint". Her screen image is noble and pure, like a white wedding dress, and her tenderness and sweetness are like a trickling stream, and it is based on these excellent performances that she has won endless praise.
However, it is often difficult to associate such praise with rumors that she had been someone else's mistress, which is perhaps the greatest irony and mystery of her life.
In 1962, after successfully starring in the famous movie "Loyal Ministers", Setsuko Hara officially waved goodbye to her screen career and began a new chapter in her life.
The superstar, who was once known as the "First Goddess of Showa", resolutely chose to stay away from the hustle and bustle of the spotlight and the public eye, and lived a low-key and peaceful life. It is rumored that since then, Setsuko Hara has lived a life of seclusion like seclusion. She indulges in the pleasure of reading all day long, turning a deaf ear to the distractions of the outside world, as if she has entered a period of hibernation.
In the spacious house, she was left alone, no longer participating in any social activities.
This sudden retreat from the world has undoubtedly caused many speculations and controversies about her emotional condition. Some people speculate whether she has a special affection for director Yasujiro Ozu, with whom she once tacitly cooperated? It was only because of her close relationship with MacArthur that she had no choice but to bury this affection deep in her heart.
In 1963, Yasujiro Ozu passed away, and Setsuko Hara went to see him off and participate in the wake on behalf of the general public, and then completely retired from the entertainment industry, completely shifting the focus of her life to the simple and quiet hobby of reading.
Whatever the truth may be, however, it will all remain an unsolvable mystery for endless imagination.
Since then, this dazzling film legend has gradually faded from the public eye, living a very different life at home from her former glory, until her death at the age of 95. Hara Setsuko's life is like a brief shining star in the vast starry sky, radiant but rapidly dimming, and finally turning into insignificant dust in the universe.
Through her own experience, she shows the wisdom, strength and perseverance of women, while also revealing the impermanence and absurdity of fate on life.
In that era full of gunpowder and war, Hara Setsuko jumped to the top with her excellent acting skills and unique appearance and became a bright star in the Japanese entertainment industry, enjoying the reputation of "Showa First Goddess". What a domineering position!
However, just as she was climbing to the top, the Japanese political circles actually dedicated her to MacArthur, the commander-in-chief of the United States, who was stationed in the Japanese army, in an extremely shameless way, as a bargaining chip to maintain the imperial system. What a heart-wrenching experience!
Despite this, Setsuko Hara continued her illustrious acting career after the war. She worked closely with the famous director Yasujiro Ozu to create countless iconic screen images, winning the highest honor of "Japan's Best Female Film Star" and winning the highest acting award in the film industry in 1949. What a glory!
However, just when her career was in full swing, Setsuko Hara resolutely chose to live a secluded life away from the hustle and bustle, and lived a completely different life at home from the past, until she died at the age of 95. Her death did not attract much attention, and the funeral was cold, just as her life was always shrouded in mystery and unknown.
People have their own opinions about her evaluation. Some see her as a "virgin" being, while others believe that she has been greatly insulted. In any case, Setsuko Hara is undoubtedly an extraordinary woman, a legend to remember.
The intricacies of her life trajectories, her emotional entanglements with MacArthur and her deep friendship with Yasujiro Ozu will forever remain mysteries and lead to endless reverie.
We can only remember this unique legend through the timeless screen image she created.