Tôkaidô obake dôchû

If I had to rank this odd little Yokai Monsters trilogy, I'd say the second instalment, Spook Warfare, was the best, followed by this one, followed by the still decent 100 Monsters.

This third one makes me wonder if it's even a trilogy, because the monsters here are definitely different than the ones from the first two, but oh well. While they're cool, they're also not in it a lot- maybe even less than the first one.

Thankfully, the rest of the movie - all the non-supernatural stuff - is pretty decent. Nothing great, but a moderately interesting storyline that feels like a historical/samurai drama with a few brief ghost appearances as icing.

It's pretty serviceable, mostly enjoyable stuff, but it's definitely not great. That being said, and to avoid being too negative, it is more than worth watching if you enjoyed the first two in any capacity.

'100 monsters' was an enjoyable, well made horror film that struggled somewhat with a lumbering pace. 'Spook warfare,' or 'The great yokai war,' was a surprisingly entertaining blend of dark fantasy and horror with a more playful levity. With the same folks behind these returning for the third entry in the series we are assured of the same level of quality, and the only question is what tone the tale will strike. As the title begins I think it becomes evident fairly quickly that it leans more toward the plainly serious side of things, like the first film, albeit while bearing remnants of the lighter edge seen in the second. 'Along with ghosts' sees the somber side borne out through a more substantial plot that carries harsh undertones, while the gentler side is seen in the sense of adventure characterizing the narrative as Miyo and Hyakasuro travel the countryside, and in the role of the titular spirits in serving as protectors of the land after a fashion. There's definitely a broad mix of flavors here, but I don't think there's much arguing that the picture's worth speaks for itself. Like its predecessors this may not demand viewership, but it's well deserving on its own merits.

It's very noteworthy that in this case the focus on plot and adventure translates to a little more of a straightforward period piece, with more action centering human characters and less emphasis on the yokai. The supernatural element doesn't even meaningfully crop up until a little less than halfway through, and still only arises only in fragments. Be that as it may the overall thrust of the proceedings remains, and the result is highly enjoyable. The sets are gorgeous and filled with outstanding detail; the filming locations are beautiful as we get select eyefuls. The stunts, effects, and action-oriented moments all look terrific - and once the fantasy rolls around, the imaginative puppetry and costume design are a delight. Meanwhile, Tetsuro Yoshida penned a compelling story of criminals roaming the countryside and a young girl seeking her father, and there's some especial small brilliance in the scene writing to consistently provide bursts of invigoration, including delicious tinges of horror. The direction and cinematography both reflect keen intelligence in capitalizing on all the minutiae in a given moment and making each as meaningful as they could be, and the cast likewise give admirable performances to bring the saga to vibrant life.

I do think there's an argument to be made that 'Along with ghosts' is marginally more scattered than its antecedents simply owing to the variety of aspects there are to the narrative. Effectively produced alongside the previous two films in Daiei's 'Yokai monsters' trilogy, there's no mistaking that the entities are reduced to supporting characters this time around, and mostly quite minor ones for that matter until the climax. Even setting that aside, there's a marked variability in tone here, with major facets of drama, action, horror, adventure, and humor cropping up in turn. Still, a complete narrative is imparted, and it's absorbing and satisfying when all is said and done. To whatever extent there are imperfections here, they are outweighed much more than not by the earnest skill, care, and intelligence that was poured into every corner. The end result may have benefited from more focus, but even as it stands this 1969 movie is really fun, and its strengths - including even the less prominent horror - outshine its weaknesses. It's not a feature one needs to go out of their way to see, but if you do have the chance to watch Along with ghosts' is a good time all on its own and earns a solid recommendation.

Yokai Monsters: Along with Ghosts (1969) is a Japanese Samurai Horror picture that I recently watched on Shudder. The storyline follows an old man who protects ancient lands filled with spirits. When a group of hoodlums kill the old man the spirits return to reality for revenge.

This movie is codirected by Yoshiyuki Kuroda (Lone Wolf and Cub: White Heaven in Hell) and Kimiyoshi Yasuda (Zatoichi and the One Armed Swordsman) and stars Kôjirô Hongô (Satan's Swords), Bokuzen Hidari (Seven Samurai), Saburô Date (Bullet Train) and Ryûtarô Gomi (Harakiri).

This movie is outstanding and easily the best of the trilogy. The attire, settings, props and depiction of the era were all perfect. The haunting scenes are very well done with good use of smoke machines and eerie background music. The masks and makeup used are very well done. The fight scene are excellent and entertaining - both the monsters vs humans and the samurai sword fights. The faceless children were a nice touch and I loved the twist at the end.

Overall, this is an underrated addition to the horror genre and a trilogy absolutely worth your time. I would score this picture an 8.5/10 and strongly recommend it.

The closing instalment of the YOKAI MONSTERS trilogy is a very different beast, much more understated and subtle than the previous movies and more horror than fantasy. The monsters themselves are little seen here apart from in a couple of scare scenes but the rest is an engaging little story of criminal behaviour, treachery, and heroism. Appealing child actors, lots of action and movement and attention to detail make this a fair watch.

This is a movie about his an old caretaker of a shrine that gets killed during a gang ambush. His granddaughter that is 7 years old is the witness and may possess something the gang wants. So a hunt for the little girl starts while she travels to another town to try to find her father....

I found this to be an eerie combination of moody hauntings and dark forests, some quite okay fighting scenes, and a quite cute small girl. I found this movie closer to scary than the first two movies, even though you did not see the monsters so much. Camera work and story I found clearly upgraded from the two first movies. Acting was also quite good.

If you wants to see lots of monsters/spirits I would say the 2 first movies are more for you.

Who would I recommend it to? People that like supernatural things combined with some fighting. Though if you do not like 7 years old girls that is sweeter than sugar then it is possible you will hate it. The monsters are for me more scary and better than in the two first, but for our time expecting it to be true horror is maybe expecting too much. But I am happy I saw this movie as I found it much better than expected.