The Japanese conduct in the Pacific during World War II was fueled in part by their fanaticism and a never-say-die attitude. This attitude, combined with anger and a desire for revenge, led to atrocities committed in the heat of the moment during the war.
The Pacific War had a unique style of combat due to the jungle and overgrowth. One-on-one fights with edged weapons was common in the small perimeter of clearings due to the blockage caused by the surrounding vegetation, making it sound more like movie combat than reality.