Hello guys!
I’m Ikuchan!

In late 2019, COVID-19 began to spread rapidly across the world.
Japan was no exception and in February 2020, a major cluster happened on the luxury cruise ship Diamond Princess docked at Yokohama Port.
Today I’d like to introduce a movie that documents what happened inside that ship — “Frontline”.

The movie is set aboard the cruise ship where the outbreak occurred and follows the tireless efforts of DMAT, the Disaster Medical Assistance Team.
DMAT is a specialized medical unit trained to respond to large-scale disasters and accidents involving multiple casualties.
However, while they are experts in disaster response they doesn’t have enough knowledge of viruses at the time.
With no clear answers and no established guidelines, they simply did everything they could to save life.
This movie portrays every person as a protagonist, each acting with the same strong determination to “save the person right in front of them”, even while facing an unknown virus.

A DMAT doctor who continues rescue efforts on board despite the risk of his own family being exposed to social prejudice.
Government officials from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare who prioritize human life over political consequences.
A news anchor who initially cared only about ratings but ultimately chose to report the truth for the sake of everyone fighting the crisis.
Although each individual has their own beliefs and motives, watching them unite and move forward together against an unfamiliar virus is deeply moving.

One of the most memorable scenes for me is when an American elderly husband suddenly becomes infected.
Just the day before, he had been healthy and talking normally but soon after a few coughs, he deteriorates rapidly and is rushed to the ICU.
Watching that scene was heartbreaking.
What makes it even more painful is that this was not merely a fictional moment — it was something that actually happened on the ship.💔

It has been six years since the outbreak began.
Thankfully, the number of infections has decreased and vaccines have been developed but I still remember how difficult those early days were.
We must not forget the people who worked tirelessly during that time, nor the families who lost loved ones to COVID-19.
This movie expresses deep gratitude to those who fought on the frontlines when the world was filled with uncertainty. If you’re interested, I strongly encourage you to watch it.

See you on next blog!