Some Reviews for Iwo Jima

"Eastwood deliberately casts only a few actors and extras so as to emphasize the smallness of the Japanese forces. Saigo (Kazunari Ninomiya, who is just terrific) is a baker whose only desire is to return to Japan to see a daughter born since his departure. Baron Nishi (Tsuyoshi Ihara) is a well-known equestrian champion who competed in the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles. His presence leads to a surreal scene in which the baron chats with a dying American soldier about his experiences in Los Angeles and friendships with Hollywood personalities."

- By Kirk Honeycutt (The Hollywood Reporter)

"At the opposite end of the hierarchy are Saigo (Kazunari Ninomiya), a simple baker and mildly impudent everyman who longs only to see his infant daughter, and the sensitive Shimizu (Ryo Kase), whose shortcomings as an MP have earned him this lamentable posting. With rabid exceptions, the Japanese here are dedicated, ready to kill the enemy and resigned to whatever their fates may be, even as they may have mixed minds about fighting and mostly wish they were somewhere else."