In "Pawns of the King," a former World War II Japanese Imperial Navy Pilot
(Sab Shimono),

The pilot finds himself in enemy territory when his wife dies and his daughter (Emily Kuroda) asks him to live with her in the U.S. To ease his pain, she takes him to a local park, where he meets the soldier and his friends (Jim Ishida, Rodney Kageyama, Ken Takemoto). They challenge him to a game of chess. Soon, he's forced to battle the demons of his past. The outcome changes his life forever.

Japanese Imperial Navy pilots are legendary for their battles in the Pacific War. The U.S. Army 442nd Regimental Combat Team is the most decorated unit in U.S. military history and composed almost entirely of Japanese Americans.

(Super 16mm, Color, Running Time: 17 Minutes)

Statement by the Filmmakers

"A number of people on our project had relatives in the U.S. Army 442nd RCT as well as the Japanese Imperial Army. In our depiction of the pilot and soldier, we want to honor both sides and their sacrifices during the war. In light of current events, we feel that this story is timely. People seem doomed to repeat history. It's as though we haven't learned anything from previous wars. We believe our film conveys an important message about communication, understanding, and peace."—Ming Lai, Producer/Writer/Director, "Pawns of the King"