The Man of the Tokyo Olympics

After the end of the second world war, Fred Wada Isamu (Osawa), an American of Japanese descent who runs a fruit and vegetable shop in Los Angeles. One day, Wada sees a newspaper article on the search for someone of Japanese descent who can look after Japanese athletes coming to the United States to compete in the national swimming championship, and offers his family. Several months later, Kiyokawa (Mitsuishi), the Japanese swimming team’s coach, and the swimmers Hashizume (Katsuji), Furubashi (Nakao) and others arrive in the United States. The Japanese swimming team breaks one world record after another and sets nine world records. It is joyous news for Japan. Several years later, Wada and his wife receive a phone call from Tabata Masaji (Nishida Toshiyuki), the chairman of the Japanese Swimming Federation and general secretary of the Japanese Olympic Committee. Tabata says he would like some form of help from Wada in their bid for the Tokyo Olympics...

Directed by Masaki Nishiura, The Man of the Tokyo Olympics leans on a strong ensemble — Takao Osawa, Takako Tokiwa, Yuriko Ono — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about tv movie titles of 2014.