The Daimajin Trilogy
Blu ray – All Region
Arrow Films
1966
Starring Miwa Takada, Kojiro Hongo, Hideki Ninomiya
Cinematography by Fujio Morita, Shozo Tanaka, Hiroshi Imai
Directed by Kimiyoshi Yasuda, Kenji Misumi, Kazuo Mori
Japanese monsters seem to bring out the best in home video companies—Arrow Films’ The Daimajin Trilogy is the most beautifully wrought Blu ray release since Criterion’s momentous Godzilla set. Though the films themselves don’t match the kaleidoscopic allure of Matt Frank’s cover illustrations, the Daimajin movies remain rousing entertainment for both monster-crazy kids and seasoned movie fans who should appreciate the sky-scraping samurai’s exciting if utterly predictable adventures.
Predictable, because each film in the trilogy is essentially the same movie—same beginning, same middle, same end. Utterly predictable but then so are the Bond films—the lack of any real surprises is fundamental to their comfort food aesthetic. Produced one after another in...
Blu ray – All Region
Arrow Films
1966
Starring Miwa Takada, Kojiro Hongo, Hideki Ninomiya
Cinematography by Fujio Morita, Shozo Tanaka, Hiroshi Imai
Directed by Kimiyoshi Yasuda, Kenji Misumi, Kazuo Mori
Japanese monsters seem to bring out the best in home video companies—Arrow Films’ The Daimajin Trilogy is the most beautifully wrought Blu ray release since Criterion’s momentous Godzilla set. Though the films themselves don’t match the kaleidoscopic allure of Matt Frank’s cover illustrations, the Daimajin movies remain rousing entertainment for both monster-crazy kids and seasoned movie fans who should appreciate the sky-scraping samurai’s exciting if utterly predictable adventures.
Predictable, because each film in the trilogy is essentially the same movie—same beginning, same middle, same end. Utterly predictable but then so are the Bond films—the lack of any real surprises is fundamental to their comfort food aesthetic. Produced one after another in...
- 8/14/2021
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
One year after the last entry to the series, “Zatoichi Challenged”, once again Kimiyoshi Yasuda took over directing duties for the overall eighteenth film in the franchise, “Zatoichi and the Fugitives”. Having helmed three quite interesting films surrounding the blind masseur/ swordmaster played by Shintaro Katsu, Yasuda would once again focus on the foundations of the character, questioning the ways of the hero and whether bloodshed always finds its way towards him or if he actually seeks it. While “Zatoichi’s Cane Sword”, Yasuda’s last feature within the franchise, saw Zatoichi losing his most priced possession, thus showing if he was able to live without this side of his character, “Zatoichi and the Fugitives” gives the blind swordsman yet another opportunity to change his ways.
Once again, Zatoichi (Katsu) is on the road and makes his way into a village, where a yakuza boss by the...
Once again, Zatoichi (Katsu) is on the road and makes his way into a village, where a yakuza boss by the...
- 8/7/2021
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
Hello, everyone! To kick off this month’s horror and sci-fi home media releases, we have an eclectic array of titles coming out this week. In terms of recent genre films, Rlje Films is releasing both Lucky by Natasha Kermani and Simon Barrett’s Seance on Tuesday, and if you’re a fan of the original Transformers movie (like this writer is), Shout! Factory has put together an incredible-looking Steelbook to celebrate the film’s 35th anniversary as well.
Arrow Video is keeping busy with two different sets of genre classics with their Sergio Martino Collection and The Daimajin Trilogy, and Code Red is showing some love to Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker this Tuesday with a special edition Blu-ray release.
Other titles headed home on August 3rd include Night Feeder, Dead Again, It Wants Blood, and Tailgate.
Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker Aka Night Warning: Special Edition
Terror begins when a...
Arrow Video is keeping busy with two different sets of genre classics with their Sergio Martino Collection and The Daimajin Trilogy, and Code Red is showing some love to Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker this Tuesday with a special edition Blu-ray release.
Other titles headed home on August 3rd include Night Feeder, Dead Again, It Wants Blood, and Tailgate.
Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker Aka Night Warning: Special Edition
Terror begins when a...
- 8/2/2021
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
By the mid-1960s, Toho Studios had fully showcased the broad, international appeal of the kaiju film with numerous Godzilla and other stand-alone genre entries like Rodan, Varan the Unbelievable, and Mothra among numerous others that were scoring global success. Spurred on by this success, rival Daiei studios attempted their own kaiju cash-cow in Gamera: The Giant Monster which would soon become its own franchise after the studio attempted this new effort headed by veteran director Kimiyoshi Yasuda. Mixing together the kaiju scale of destruction with a jidaigeki story framework and setup, the first of the Daimajin trilogy is available in a spectacular boxset from Arrow Video
A samurai lord of a once peaceful village was murdered by one of his own men. The traitor Samonosuke (Ryutaro Gomi) then claims the throne, forcing servant Kogenta (Jun Fujimaki) to take the lord’s two small children Tadafumi (Yoshihiko Aoyama...
A samurai lord of a once peaceful village was murdered by one of his own men. The traitor Samonosuke (Ryutaro Gomi) then claims the throne, forcing servant Kogenta (Jun Fujimaki) to take the lord’s two small children Tadafumi (Yoshihiko Aoyama...
- 7/27/2021
- by Don Anelli
- AsianMoviePulse
The Daimajin Trilogy will be available on Blu-ray July 27th from Arrow Video
The Daimajin Trilogy saw Daieis Kyoto studios bringing its own iconic movie monster to life in a unique but short-lived series that transplants the Golem legend to Japans Warring States period of the late-16th century.
In Daimajin, directed by Kimiyoshi Yasuda, the young son and daughter of the benevolent feudal lord Hanabusa flee to the mountains when their parents are slain by the treacherous usurper Odate. Ten years later, when the elderly priestess who has harbored them is also murdered, the rage of the slumbering ancient god that lies beneath the crumbling giant stone idol hidden deep in the forests in the mountains is invoked. In Return of Daimajin, Kenji Misumi brings his usual stylistic flourish, as the wrathful deity is roused from his new home on an island in the middle of a lake by...
The Daimajin Trilogy saw Daieis Kyoto studios bringing its own iconic movie monster to life in a unique but short-lived series that transplants the Golem legend to Japans Warring States period of the late-16th century.
In Daimajin, directed by Kimiyoshi Yasuda, the young son and daughter of the benevolent feudal lord Hanabusa flee to the mountains when their parents are slain by the treacherous usurper Odate. Ten years later, when the elderly priestess who has harbored them is also murdered, the rage of the slumbering ancient god that lies beneath the crumbling giant stone idol hidden deep in the forests in the mountains is invoked. In Return of Daimajin, Kenji Misumi brings his usual stylistic flourish, as the wrathful deity is roused from his new home on an island in the middle of a lake by...
- 6/14/2021
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
After 1966’s “Zatoichi’s Pilgrimage”, the altogether fifteenth installment of the popular series revolving round the blind masseur with the incredible sword skills sees the return of seasoned director Kimiyoshi Yasuda, who previously helmed “Zatoichi on the Road” as well as “Adventures of Zatoichi”. Along with many other creative minds who have shaped the series, giving each episode a unique style and also at times another piece in the overall image the audience has received of the character played by Shintaro Katsu, Yasuda has given his features an interesting blend of following the formula but also questioning the roots of the protagonist, which is also due to the script written by Ryozo Kasahara with regard to “Zatoichi’s Cane Sword”. In many ways, this installment might even be regarded a companion piece to the previous entry by Kazuo Ikehiro considering it revolves around the question of how much of Zatoichi...
- 1/11/2021
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
As the immensely successful Zatoichi-franchise enters its ninth installment, there is always the question of what can be done further with a character that was so beloved and popular with a wide audience. Whereas the information about the blind masseur and master swordsman has been sparse for many films in the series, Kenji Misumi’s “Fight, Zatoichi, Fight!”, which was released in the same year as Kimiyoshi Yasuda second film within the overall series, gives more hints as to the story behind the character, played by Shintaro Katsu. Although fans of Katsu’s role might certainly applaud the idea, there is always the danger of giving away too much and making the character banal and rather boring. However, similar to Misumi’s previous film in the franchise, Yasuda’s movie manages tell an entertaining story containing the famous trademarks of the series while also adding a few strokes to...
- 4/8/2020
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
“Daimajin” by Kimiyoshi Yasuda stretches the genre borders and creates a well-aged drama about a big boy.
Being the first installment of a trilogy of which all movies have been shot at the same time, but were released a year apart, “Daimajin” resembles the trend of telling a Kaiju story in an Edo setting. The Japanese production company Diaei combines classic elements of the chanbara genre with the equally popular monster category.
Getting into the first 60 minutes of the plot, the movie goes into a totally different direction and does not feel like a monster movie at all. We are introduced to a political drama about a royal family that is torn apart by a coup. The heirs and their guardian have to flee to the mountains, where they hide for 10 years before they return to their home to free the people from a barbaric tyrant. That’s it for the sword fighting aspect.
Being the first installment of a trilogy of which all movies have been shot at the same time, but were released a year apart, “Daimajin” resembles the trend of telling a Kaiju story in an Edo setting. The Japanese production company Diaei combines classic elements of the chanbara genre with the equally popular monster category.
Getting into the first 60 minutes of the plot, the movie goes into a totally different direction and does not feel like a monster movie at all. We are introduced to a political drama about a royal family that is torn apart by a coup. The heirs and their guardian have to flee to the mountains, where they hide for 10 years before they return to their home to free the people from a barbaric tyrant. That’s it for the sword fighting aspect.
- 1/17/2020
- by Alexander Knoth
- AsianMoviePulse
Even though traveling on the road without being allowed permanent peace anywhere is what has defined the character of Zatoichi it was not until the fifth part of the franchise this condition was put as the core theme of one of the films. Played by Shintaro Katsu, the blind masseur had become a fugitive as well as the target of many revenge schemes of individual people as well as yakuza bosses, branding him a man without a home and destined to always be on the move. While there is no direct connection to the fourth film of the series “Zatoichi the Fugitive”, you might consider these two films a closer look at this life-defining condition of the character.
At the beginning of the film, we have an almost typical moment for Zatoichi (Katsu) as he promises a dying man to escort a girl named Omitsu (Shiho Fujimura) to Edo.
At the beginning of the film, we have an almost typical moment for Zatoichi (Katsu) as he promises a dying man to escort a girl named Omitsu (Shiho Fujimura) to Edo.
- 12/30/2019
- by Rouven Linnarz
- AsianMoviePulse
I’ve been looking for an excuse to feature this poster for some time but since I still haven’t found one, here it is anyway. The poster is for the 1968 Japanese horror film Yôkai hyaku monogatari, a.k.a. 100 Monsters, which was directed by Kimiyoshi Yasuda (1911-1983) as part of a trilogy that includes Spook Warfare (1968) and Along with Ghosts (1969) (equally outlandish posters for which can be seen below). I’ve never seen the film, but I’ve long been fascinated by Japanese ghost stories and especially by the rich invention and variety of the demons and spirits of Japanese folklore known as Yôkai.
Like the shape-shifting demons themselves, the representation of yôkai in popular Japanese culture has morphed constantly over the years. In the 18th century the ukiyo-e artist Toriyama Sekien catalogued the myriad species of yôkai from oral legend and even invented some of his own. In...
Like the shape-shifting demons themselves, the representation of yôkai in popular Japanese culture has morphed constantly over the years. In the 18th century the ukiyo-e artist Toriyama Sekien catalogued the myriad species of yôkai from oral legend and even invented some of his own. In...
- 6/17/2011
- MUBI
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