乱
"In a mad world, only the mad are sane."
Ran - Movie Quotes
Memorable Quotes
In a mad world, only the mad are sane.
— Kyoami
Context:
Kyoami says this to Tango, Hidetora's loyal retainer, as they watch over the increasingly unhinged Lord. Hidetora has lost his kingdom, his family, and his mind, and is wandering the desolate plains. The quote reflects the idea that his madness is a form of escape or perhaps the only logical reaction to an insane world.
Meaning:
This iconic line encapsulates a central theme of the film. It suggests that when the world itself has descended into chaos and irrational violence, the conventional standards of sanity no longer apply. Hidetora's madness becomes a strangely appropriate response to the treachery and horror surrounding him.
Are there no gods... no Buddha? If you exist, hear me. You are mischievous and cruel! Are you so bored up there you must crush us like ants? Is it such fun to see men weep?
— Kyoami
Context:
Kyoami screams this line towards the sky in utter despair after witnessing the tragic deaths of both Saburo and Hidetora. His loyal master and the one good son are dead, and Kyoami's grief turns to rage against a silent, seemingly indifferent universe.
Meaning:
This quote is a powerful expression of the film's nihilism. It is a direct challenge to the heavens, accusing any divine beings of being malicious spectators to human suffering, rather than benevolent guardians. It questions the existence of divine justice in a world filled with senseless tragedy.
It is the gods who weep. They see us killing each other over and over since time began. They can't save us from ourselves.
— Tango
Context:
After Kyoami accuses the gods of being cruel, Tango rebukes him for his blasphemy. Tango suggests that the divine realm is one of sorrow, not malice, forced to watch the tragic, repeating cycle of human conflict without being able to intervene.
Meaning:
This is a direct response to Kyoami's angry outburst. It offers an alternative, though equally bleak, theological perspective. The gods are not cruel, but powerless and sorrowful observers of humanity's unending, self-inflicted violence. It reinforces the theme that humanity is responsible for its own damnation.
We are your sons, but you count on our fidelity. In my eyes, that makes you a fool. A senile old fool.
— Saburo Ichimonji
Context:
Saburo says this to Hidetora during the initial scene where the lord divides his kingdom. While his brothers offer false flattery, Saburo confronts his father with the brutal reality of their nature, which he sees as a direct inheritance of Hidetora's own bloody legacy. This honest assessment gets him banished.
Meaning:
This blunt statement establishes Saburo's character as the sole truth-teller and foreshadows the entire tragedy. He understands that he and his brothers are products of a violent and merciless world created by their father, and that to expect loyalty from them is the height of foolishness.
Man is born crying. When he has cried enough, he dies.
— Kyoami
Context:
Kyoami says this to Hidetora as the old lord is lost in his madness. It is a moment of bleak philosophical reflection amidst the chaos, reflecting the fool's role as a commentator on the tragic nature of human existence.
Meaning:
This quote is a simple yet profound summation of the film's deeply pessimistic view of the human condition. It reduces life to a brief journey of suffering, beginning and ending in sorrow, with little room for joy or peace.