Under the Blood Red Sun, published in 1994, is the first book in Graham Salisbury’s acclaimed Prisoners of the Empire series. Drawing on his upbringing in Oahu and Hawaii, Salisbury leverages personal experiences and interviews to shape the narrative of Under the Blood Red Sun. The novel received the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, a California Young Reader Medal, and the Hawaii Nene Award. In 2014, it was adapted into a movie. The storyline unfolds through the narration of Tomi Nakaji, an American son of Japanese immigrants, as he grapples with family dynamics, friendship, loyalty, and prejudice before and after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

This guide references the 2014 Random House Children’s Books 20th Anniversary edition.

Content Warning: This section features depictions of racism and xenophobia, the imprisonment of Japanese Americans, wartime distress and anxiety, and family separation. Additionally, the source material uses racial slurs and derogatory comments toward various ethnic groups that are only replicated in this guide in direct quotations from the book.

Plot Summary

The narrative begins in September 1941 in Honolulu, Hawaii, and follows the Nakaji family before and after the Pearl Harbor attacks. Tomikazu (Tomi) Nakaji, a 13-year-old American son of Japanese immigrants, arrives home from school with his best friend, Billy Davis, a white mainlander or “haole.” Grampa Joji, Tomi’s grandfather, proudly displays a Japanese flag, sparking tensions with neighbors. Tomi fears the growing hostility and asks his mother, Mama, to persuade Grampa to put the flag away. The boys, discovering Billy’s brother Jake and Tomi’s neighbor Keet Wilson harassing pigeons, face derogatory remarks about Tomi’s Japanese heritage; Tomi struggles to control his temper. The Nakaji family resides in a small house on Keet Wilson’s parents’ property. Mama works as a maid for the Wilsons, and Papa, or Taro, is a fisherman. Grampa, a stroke survivor, keeps chickens for meat and eggs.

Tomi‘s friendship with Keet abruptly ended when Keet stole Tomi’s knife, causing the boys to fight on the Wilsons’ porch. Tomi was harshly reprimanded by Papa.

Tomi meets Portuguese American friends Mose and Rico Corteles at school. Tomi, Mose, Rico, Billy, and a few other boys form the Rats, a baseball team. Amid lunchtime discussions about World War II—with Germans attacking the USS Greer—Billy is the only one concerned. The other boys feel Hawaii’s military presence would deter any attacks.

After school, Tomi and Billy play baseball in the field between their houses. They wager on the World Series, with Tomi choosing the Brooklyn Dodgers and Billy the New York Yankees. Papa returns from fishing, and he and Tomi attend to the pigeons.

During the weekend, Billy joins Tomi, Papa, and Papa’s assistant, Sanji, on a fishing trip. Billy struggles with a 150 pound yellow-fin tuna for five hours. Sanji, initially wary of Billy as a “haole,” bonds with him over his struggle. Papa and Sanji sell every fish except Billy’s tuna. While cleaning the tuna, Papa offers some to Mr. Wilson and Keet.

The World Series kicks off, and the boys tune in to the games on Charlie’s radio. Charlie, the Davis family’s gardener residing on Billy’s family property, is close friends with Grampa. Tomi ventures to Charlie’s place to catch the fourth game, narrowly avoiding an accidental shot from Keet Wilson, who is practicing with his rifle. The Dodgers are defeated, leaving Tomi owing Billy 15 cents.

Following the Germans sinking of the USS Reuben James, Mr. Wilson confronts Tomi, expressing his disapproval of any Japanese paraphernalia on his property. Upon returning home, Tomi finds Grampa singing the Japanese national anthem and waving the Japanese flag. Tomi tells Grampa that this has upset Mr. Wilson, but Grampa, infuriated by this restriction, storms off in anger.

Lucky, Tomi’s dog, has puppies, and Billy picks one of the smallest, naming it Red. Despite Grampa’s initial complaints, he makes an enclosure to protect Lucky and the puppies.

Tomi and his friends head to Kaka’ako, one of Honolulu’s poorer districts, to see their rival team, the Kaka’ako Boys, unveil their new pitcher. The Coral Street gang, a group of Japanese teenagers, blocks their path and insults Tomi for bringing “haole” friends. An army officer scares the gang off, and the boys observe their rivals’ practice.

At Grampa’s urging, Tomi delivers eggs to the Wilson’s house and overhears a heated argument between Keet and his father over Keet shooting a hole in Mr. Wilson’s new Cadillac. Tomi and Billy play baseball the next day, and they hear explosions. A low-flying plane reveals that Japan is attacking Pearl Harbor. Tomi and Billy race home, finding Grampa waving the Japanese flag, believing it will deter Japanese pilots. Tomi explains everything to Mama, who makes the boys bury the Japanese emperor’s picture with Grampa’s flag.

The boys seek information at Charlie’s house and return to find Kimi traumatized, hiding in the closet. Army soldiers inquire about the flag, suspecting the family was signaling Japanese pilots. Mama, Grampa, Tomi, and Billy deny this, and the soldiers leave.

The following day, a soldier and the police arrive, responding to a tip that the Nakajis were sending messages with their pigeons. They demand that Grampa and Tomi kill all 35 pigeons. The Wilsons fire Mama. Tomi and Mama face hostility at the grocery store.

School is canceled, and Charlie warns the family of military arrests, especially fishermen. Mama buries anything remotely Japanese, and Grampa hides the katana and butsudan. Grampa reveals Sanji’s death, Papa’s arrest, and the destruction of the Taiyo Maru. Two pigeons return. Billy explains his worries over Grampa’s flag, and he and Tomi rekindle their friendship.

Tomi, Mose, and Rico inquire about Taro at the police station. They learn he is held at Sand Island—off-limits. Tomi finds Grampa in the jungle with the katana, and Grampa explains its significance.

Post-Christmas, Mama, Tomi, and Billy visit Sanji’s family. Billy gifts Mari binoculars, and Tomi encourages a gift exchange. Tomi attempts to see his father on Sand Island, swimming most of the way and narrowly escaping death. Military police take Tomi home after determining he is not a threat. Grampa and Mama express concerns about Tomi’s actions.

Billy and Tomi play their final game, facing challenges from the Coral Street gang. The Rats win, and the Kaka’ako Boys intervene when the Coral Street boys attack.

Playing baseball with Grampa and Kimi, the boys are interrupted by Lucky’s puppies unearthing the Japanese flag. Tomi and Billy rebury it. Grampa learns the military moved Papa to the mainland. The Wilsons rehire Mama.

The FBI takes Grampa, who entrusts Tomi with protecting the katana and the family name. A postcard from Taro reassures the family. Tomi discovers Papa is in Crystal City, Texas. School resumes, and Mr. Ramos gives an impassioned speech about freedom. After school, the boys examine the Taiyo Maru at the harbor.

On their way home, when Tomi is insulted for his Japanese heritage, Tomi asserts his American identity. Tomi plans to oil the katana, sharing its history with Kimi. He envisions a joyful reunion when Grampa and Papa return, proud of his care for the katana.