--- product_id: 291544170 title: "The Human Condition (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]" price: "£49.03" currency: GBP in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/291544170-the-human-condition-the-criterion-collection-blu-ray store_origin: GB region: United Kingdom --- # The Human Condition (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray] **Price:** £49.03 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Human Condition (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray] - **How much does it cost?** £49.03 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.uk](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/291544170-the-human-condition-the-criterion-collection-blu-ray) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description This mammoth humanist drama by Masaki Kobayashi is one of the most staggering achievements of Japanese cinema. Originally filmed and released in three installments of two parts each, the nine-and-a-half-hour The Human Condition, adapted from Junpei Gomikawa’s six-volume novel, tells of the journey of the well-intentioned yet naive Kaji—played by the Japanese superstar Tatsuya Nakadai—from labor camp supervisor to Imperial Army soldier to Soviet prisoner of war. Constantly trying to rise above a corrupt system, Kaji time and again finds his morals to be an impediment rather than an advantage. A raw indictment of Japan’s wartime mentality as well as a personal existential tragedy, Kobayashi’s riveting, gorgeously filmed epic is novelistic cinema at its best. THREE-BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES • High-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural (Parts 1–4) and 4.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio (Parts 5 and 6) soundtracks • Excerpt from a 1993 Directors Guild of Japan interview with director Masaki Kobayashi, conducted by filmmaker Masahiro Shinoda • Interview from 2009 with actor Tatsuya Nakadai • Appreciation of Kobayashi and The Human Condition from 2009 featuring Shinoda • Trailers • PLUS: An essay by critic Philip Kemp Review: Flawless - Honestly one of the most breathtaking films I have ever watched in my life. Nothing to come out recently is anywhere near the level of this films story. Beautiful message, amazing acting, must watch for any war film enthusiast. Rest in piece Tatsuya Nakadai. Review: Masterpiece - Had this on my radar for the last few years and finally watched it this year. This three part Japanese WWII epic is a masterpiece. Honestly, everyone one into film should watch it before they die. The Human Condition tells the story of a man named Kaji working and serving in Japanese occupied Manchuria. Part 1 covers his role working as a supervisor at a mine using POW labor, part 2 is about his training as a cadet in the army, and part 3 covers his epic journey of survival with Japan’s collapse & defeat at the end of WWII. Very rarely do we see or at least I have seen, movies covering the Japanese perspective of the war and this one is excellent. The entire epic is around 9-10 hours long so it is indeed a long one, but worth it. IMO I think Part 1 and 2 are definitely a slow burn, but the switch up at the end of part 2 and part 3 as a whole makes it worth it. So good. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | ASIN | B08Z1ZPQDW | | Actors | Jun Tatara, Kokinji Katsura, Michiyo Aratama, So Yamamura, Tatsuya Nakadai | | Best Sellers Rank | #3,929 in Movies & TV ( See Top 100 in Movies & TV ) #509 in Drama Blu-ray Discs | | Customer Reviews | 4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars (442) | | Director | Masaki Kobayashi | | Item model number | BR3259 | | MPAA rating | NR (Not Rated) | | Media Format | Blu-ray, Subtitled | | Number of discs | 3 | | Package Dimensions | 6.73 x 5.31 x 0.67 inches; 4.64 ounces | | Producers | Chris Gibbin, Will Hobbs | | Release date | June 8, 2021 | | Studio | The Criterion Collection | ## Product Details - **Color:** Unknown - **Format:** Blu-ray, Subtitled - **Genre:** Drama - **Language:** Japanese ## Images ![The Human Condition (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray] - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/612pGJzEmSL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Flawless *by E***U on November 27, 2025* Honestly one of the most breathtaking films I have ever watched in my life. Nothing to come out recently is anywhere near the level of this films story. Beautiful message, amazing acting, must watch for any war film enthusiast. Rest in piece Tatsuya Nakadai. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Masterpiece *by M***R on March 25, 2025* Had this on my radar for the last few years and finally watched it this year. This three part Japanese WWII epic is a masterpiece. Honestly, everyone one into film should watch it before they die. The Human Condition tells the story of a man named Kaji working and serving in Japanese occupied Manchuria. Part 1 covers his role working as a supervisor at a mine using POW labor, part 2 is about his training as a cadet in the army, and part 3 covers his epic journey of survival with Japan’s collapse & defeat at the end of WWII. Very rarely do we see or at least I have seen, movies covering the Japanese perspective of the war and this one is excellent. The entire epic is around 9-10 hours long so it is indeed a long one, but worth it. IMO I think Part 1 and 2 are definitely a slow burn, but the switch up at the end of part 2 and part 3 as a whole makes it worth it. So good. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A staggerring masterpiece of Japanese Cinema. Buy it and enjoy. *by C***S on February 21, 2018* Fantastic four disc edition of one of the greatest pieces of Japanese and world cinema films ever made. It is about the Japanese occupation of Manchuria during world war 2.It is a masterpiece. I first saw this on British television in the 1980's and considered it one of the greatest films I had ever seen on TV. I have been looking for it for over 25 years so really glad to have find it in such a well presented and packaged collection. I am really looking forward to watching it. It was originally released in Japan as 3 separate films in the 1960's and is spread over 4 discs in the Criterion collection. It is by the great Japanese Film Director Masaki Kobayshi and is considered a mammoth and moving humanist drama and tells the story of a naïve young Japanese man who journeys from labour camp supervisor to Imperial Army soldier to Soviet POW in World War 2 Japanese occupied Manchuria. It is an anti war and humanist tale of a corrupt and brutal system and an indictment of Japans wartime cruelty, mentality and atrocities and his struggle to survive and retain his morality amidst the tragedy of war. In my view it is one of the most staggering achievements in world cinema and a masterpiece of cinema at its greatest. If you have not seen it and are interested in Japanese cinema the and the War in th Far East then buy it and enjoy. It is worth the cost and the effort ## Frequently Bought Together - The Human Condition (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray] - Harakiri (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray] - Come and See (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray] --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/291544170-the-human-condition-the-criterion-collection-blu-ray](https://www.desertcart.co.uk/products/291544170-the-human-condition-the-criterion-collection-blu-ray) --- *Product available on Desertcart United Kingdom* *Store origin: GB* *Last updated: 2026-05-30*