Watch the opening of the film:
What a beginning. And, that Kon Ichikawa's film came out in the same year as the first part of Masaki Kobayashi's The Human Condition shows how filmmakers with similar material can diverge so greatly, even from the start.
Both films have alot going for them, but I lean toward Ichikawa's film- it is shorter, less preachy, and darkly comedic. It also is the sort of film not so consciously striving for 'greatness' and award ribbons at film festivals.
What say you?
