A powerful and inspiring documentary follows the “Japanese journey” of Olympic champion Lukáš Krpálek and the untold story of his greatest rival, world champion Takamasa Anai. In a country where judo is a national pride, the Czech judoka, through his humility and respect, managed to change the mindset of Japan’s top masters. The film captures Krpálek’s exceptional triumph as well as Anai’s profound personal confession—after his Olympic defeat in London, he faced despair and later found redemption. His act of humility years later, right after Krpálek’s victory in Tokyo, became a symbol of a new era in judo—a story of respect, spiritual strength, and the transformation of rivalry into mutual honor.

Writer / Adolf Zika    DoP / Adolf Zika , Jan Pivoňka    Editor / Adolf Zika , Matěj Beran    Sound / Pavel Dvořák , Robert Slezák

Release date / 23 September 2025

Photogallery