Red Beard or aka-hige, was the last film that Toshiro Mifune and Kurosawa made together. It was a testament to the inherent good of humankind. While it has its depressing moments, Red Beard is one of Kurosawa's most uplifting films. Mifune plays "Red Beard," the hospital's head doctor. When a young doctor arrives at the hospital from Nagasaki, he has to adhere to the strict rules of the hospital. He loathes the unglamorous difficult position he finds himself in. He feels that his knowledge of Dutch medicine is being wasted at this hospital that treats the poor and is hesitant to share techniques that he developed. The film follows the young doctor on his learning process. He eventually sees the purpose of the work he is doing and passes up an opportunity to take a more high-paying prestigious job. The range of human conditions that are shown in the film have a common theme of humanity that express Kurosawa's hope for humanity. In this selected clip, we see something more specific and historical than the humanity of all. We see the destruction of earthquakes in Japan. Japan is situated right on the edge of the ring of fire, because it rests right on the border of tectonic plates. This leads to a great number of earthquakes and has affected Japanese life, especially building designs throughout history. In this scene, we can see the utter devastation that earthquakes could have in Japan. Lighter one- story buildings were more common because they were safer, less likely to crush people. In order to be lighter, the houses were made of wood and paper. This meant that in the case of earthquakes, fire could spread easily. Even in modern day Japan, great care is taken in preparation for earthquakes. This danger has been prevalent throughout Japanese history and has shaped various parts of its culture.