Having seen a good few of the tokusatsu films that Daiei Film churned out in subsequent years, let alone kindred works of Toho and other studios, it's safe to say that I had fairly high expectations of this before I sat to watch. Just as much to the point, filmmakers in Japan have long excelled at telling period stories, and though this is set in the Meiji era rather than the classic, heavily romanticized Edo period, it neatly fits the bill. With these foundations in mind, rest assured that the aesthetics of 'The whale god' are pretty fantastic, not least with the crisp, vivid cinematography of Kobayashi Setsuo, Matoba Toru, and Ishida Hiroshi. The black and white presentation lends stark gravity to the proceedings at all turns, including the severe, underhandedly fiery performances of the cast. The filming locations are gorgeous, the sets are flush with wonderful detail, and so too are the costume design, hair, and makeup, and props and weapons. The stunts and action sequences are fairly sharp, and as someone who kind of generally altogether loathes the rapidly aging artifice of modern post-production visuals, I'm very pleased with the practical effects and tangible creations here, most notably the titular creature. By all these measures there's a great deal to like in this feature as the minutes tick by.
Though I'm not familiar with Uno Koichiro's novel, there is also much to love in the story, and much potential for cinematic adaptation. A tale of hubristic vengeance against an elusive, deadly whale, consuming an entire village - certainly recalling Herman Melville's 'Moby Dick' - is further enriched by the human drama and bigger ideas that adjoin that central premise. Protagonist Shaki is conflicted as he struggles with his human needs and emotions versus his single-minded focus on destroying the cetacean; Kishu is nasty and brutish, but in moments of hesitation demonstrates that he may be more human than he pretends. Other characters are also written surprisingly well, including Toyo and Ei; a pure character drama this is not, but despite the communal obsession with a beast of the sea, most scenes in turn increasingly speak to the doubts, regrets, and complexities that make that obsession more difficult than it outwardly seems. And there are reflections herein on the regressive society of the time, not least the lowly status of women as represented through Toyo; even as the age of the samurai has effectively ended in this setting, there remains a stubborn sense of honor and pride, and masculine infallibility, which contributes to Shaki's belief that he Must slay the whale.
I'm not always so sold on Tanaka Tokuzo's direction, however. The picture is beautifully shot, Tanaka is technically capable, and many scenes are indeed very well done. But it seems to me that there is sometimes a brusqueness that raises its head here, a lack of nuance and subtlety which diminishes the impact that the saga should carry. All the right thoughts are there, but the execution is too blunt or forthright. It's gratifying, at least, that this subjective issue does not affect the central portion of the length that centers the human drama; on the other hand, we see it the scenes set on the ocean, which means that the harried opening sequence makes for a so-so first impression, and the climax also somewhat lacks the finessed touch that would have allowed it to achieve its full potency. Had just a smidgen more mindful care been applied at select points, a broadly solid, engaging title would surely have stood out more, enjoying higher visibility in subsequent years. Strictly speaking, one might additionally argue that we see the limitations of adaptation, for even not knowing the novel, it comes across that some beats and story ideas are shortchanged of their full weight and profundity.
Still, even being thusly imperfect, and bearing grim vibes about it, 'The whale god' is enjoyable and well made just as it is. I also very much admire the original music of esteemed composer Ifukube Akira, a soft but ponderously solemn score befitting the tenor of the material. Why, even Nakashizu Tatsuji's editing is quite keen. By and large the movie is simply swell, and it's worth watching on its own merits. Just don't necessarily go out of your way for it; save it for a quiet night, when you can sit with it and appreciate the drama to the fullest extent possible, and perhaps that's the best way to get the most out of your viewing experience.
