Saka no ue no kumo / Clouds Over the Hill

The 19th century was a turbulent one for Japan. Enduring the throes of change brought about by the Meiji era, it still struggled to join the world and be considered a "civilized, modern nation." After 300 years, samurai turned to labor, farmers sought other industries, and technology became king. This television series covers the later years of the Meiji, when Japan--still wrestling with its identity--fought the Russo-Japanese War. The series focuses on brothers Akiyama Yoshifuru and Akiyama Saneyuki, and their friend, the poet Masaoka Shiki, as they face these travails with decided Japanese spirit.