[Edward]

Well, parts of the wikipedia biography involving combat are not very good.

Sakai being badly wounded on 7 August 1942 near Guadalcanal and sent to Japan for medical treatment saved him from the fate of many of his comrades from the Tainan Air Group who died over the ensuing weeks flying long range missions against the Marine and Navy Wildcat pilots

Like many veterans Sakai exaggerated his own accomplishments while taking credit for the victories of his deceased colleagues (Sakai was not credited in Tainan records for the shootdown of Colin Kelly's B-17).

The story of the three Tainan pilots flying acrobatics over Port Moresby is pure fantasy. There is not one iota of evidence for this aerial display having taken place in any Australian or U.S. records.

I could go on but safe to say people like to read these exaggerated stories and they sell books. Caidin made up a lot of stories about Sakai but the Japanese pilot had his own problems with the truth. Until there is an exact English language translation of Sakai's original memoir it will be impossible to separate the two.

Saburo Sakai led an amazing life as a Navy pilot. His flying ability and tenacity were amply demonstrated in the skies over Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima.

One day someone will write an accurate biography on Sakai based on Japanese and U.S. wartime records. That is not to say that plenty of authors haven't written accurate accounts (in English - I certainly don't read Japanese) of Sakai's combats free from hyperbole. See books by Bill Bartsch, Anthony Cooper, and Bruce Gamble.