Young people are caught up in the political revolt that culminates in student riots against the 1960 Japanese-American mutual security treaty. Nihilist Takuya, politically engaged but also confused––he decorates his walls with pictures of political figures ranging from FDR to Hitler to Castro––becomes involved with Yoko, whose politician father has recently committed suicide, brought on by threats to expose his corruption. Her family is left penniless by his death and, with the consent of their mother, her older sister has agreed to sleep with a conservative pundit for monetary favors.