Yôkai daisensô

A zucchini-headed vampire from Europe comes to Japan, kills and then possesses the body of a good and noble lord. The local demons aren't too pleased by the idea of a foreigner moving in on their territory and decide to battle the monster. Thus, a horde of boogeymen assemble - a water demon who looks like a flatheaded Woody Woodpecker, a woman with two faces; one lovely and one hideous, a demonic umbrella with a tongue that Gene Simmons would envy, a tiny little dude with a round head who bears a freaky resemblance to Aunt Jemima and a woman with a deadly python-like neck. As the vampire claims more victims and literally begins to reproduce himself, the villagers and the demons band together and go to war.

This is a hilariously funny and visually beautiful film. The special effects are outstanding, considering the year was 1968. Simple camera tricks turn the battle at films end (and the ensuing victory "parade' of the Japanese ghosts and demons) into something resembling a weird ballet as transparent ghouls and projected monsters jump, spin, fly and fight in slow motion. Despite some unexpected (and hysterical) light expletives and a few splashes of ketchup-y blood, this is a great film for kids as well as adults. It's really very funny, oddly sweet and a lot of fun. HIGHLY recommended!

Yôkai daisensô aka The Great Yokai War is a very funny and wild mix - an oddity mostly unknown to a Western audience I dare to say. Myself was well entertained - it's creepy, it good some fun and odd ideas and a nice cinematography. If a story about an old Babylonian vampire demon fighting against Japanese demons and samurais sounds interesting to you - this one may just be made for you.

The Great Yokai War (1968) is the second film in the Japanese Yokai trilogy that I recently watched on Shudder. The storyline follows a Babylonian demon vampire that arrives on sacred lands of various ghouls and ghosts. As he targets humans for food and looks the rule the lands the only hope to stop him may be the local ghouls and ghosts.

This movie is directed by Yoshiyuki Kuroda (Mirror Man) and stars Yoshihiko Aoyama (Zatoichi in Desperation), Takashi Kanda (Kamen Rider), Ikuko Môri (The Tale of Zatoichi) and Tokio Oki (Shogun Assassin).

This is such a fun movie. The costumes, masks and makeup to create the monsters are very well done, especially for the era. The one that looked like a duck was my absolute favorite. The arrival of the Babylonian demon vampire with the fire staff was very dramatic. His first fight with the duck was hilarious and well done. Every fight sequence with the monsters is entertaining. I always laugh at the way they do the long necks in these pictures. The ending battle is a perfect monster fight conclusion.

Overall, this is a must see for monster movie fans from this era. I even liked this better than the first picture. I would score this an 8/10 and strongly recommend it.

It's worth noting right away that this carries itself with a somewhat different tone than its predecessor. Where '100 monsters' bore a dark edge in telling a story of greed, corruption, and cruelty receiving their comeuppance, 'Yokai monsters: Spook warfare,' also known simply as 'The great yokai war,' in some measure bears tinges of a film that could be enjoyed by a younger audience. The darker edge remains in the personage of the antagonist, and the destruction that surrounds them; on the other hand, the titular yokai otherwise are represented as beings that protect Japan and its people. With that in mind, one is perhaps reminded of some of the fare that The Jim Henson Company has produced: features that are marked with varying degrees of violence and more disturbing elements, but which can be enjoyed by youths with their swirl of dark fantasy and light humor - not to mention features that includes imaginative puppets, costume design, and effects, sometimes a little cartoonish, in bringing to life a variety of non-human creatures. And so it is here, a mix of facets that are sillier and softer, and those that are distinctly more intense or disquieting in fulfillment of the underlying horror. All told this might not be a total must-see, but it's a really good time, and well worth checking out on its own merits.

It's surely those viewers who are huge fans of Japanese monster movies, or perhaps Japanese culture generally, who will appreciate this picture the most. Yet the blend of horror with comedic aspects really is fun, and to be honest even more than I expected. 'Spook warfare' also has the benefit of not struggling with a lumbering pace as was true of its antecedent, and has been true of other works produced by Daiei. And with all this having said, this second movie is certainly well made, and possibly even boasts stronger production values than the first. In addition to those parts that parts that realize the various entities, the costume design, stunts, and effects are excellent generally, as are the sets. The cinematography and editing are equally sharp, lending flavor at different points, and this flick is one that's very easy on the eyes for how terrific everything looks. The cast also unreservedly embrace the tenor of the production; like director Yoshiyuki Kuroda, those actors playing the human characters and those portraying the yokai find all find a balance between the light and the dark - treating both sides of the title with equal care and seriousness, and letting the earnestness of the whole affair shine through. Truthfully, I'm pleasantly surprised by just how well done this is!

Measurable skill and intelligence went into this from all corners; even the climax, and the more action-oriented scenes generally, are more exciting and satisfying than I assumed, especially based on '100 monsters' as a point of comparison. Maybe the more plainly somber tone of the latter film was actually its weak spot, for as this one is characterized by a bit more playful sensibility, it quite comes across that all involved were able to just let their creativity run wild to make the most entertaining romp that they could. Entertaining - but no less sincere, as illustrated in repeated lines in the dialogue about Japanese pride. I'm really just so happy with how good this installment in the series turned out to be; while some audiences will appreciate it more than others, I'm delighted that when all is said and done I think 'Spook warfare' is something that just about anyone could enjoy. It's still nothing so special as to demand viewership, but for those who are receptive to the less outwardly grim and brutal side of horror, there's a great deal to like here and I'm glad to give it my hearty recommendation!

The Yokai characters are the main inspirational source for Pokémon. This is an early film from 1968 based on Yokai and also an ongoing period of Japanese ghost character cinema which has been pivotal in SEA cinema for a very long time!

I am a fan of Yoshiyuki Kuroda's style and direction. The screenplay is solid and it encorporates the old be nice and play nice and don't be evil!

The Yokai are good-spirited folk who combat the evil spirit. There is plenty of laughter and playful humour.

It's using great techniques for special effects for 1968 however it now looks very dated with modern CGI.

It's remarkable that the technicalities were so high for 1968 and in the 1960's there was a big transition period for colour TV so it's nice to see this on an upscale release from Arrow Video!

I really enjoyed watching this movie and whilst it is not yet for kids it is very much for the young adults and older generations. It's inspirational and for me it is very-much a cult-classic and really underrated. It's a strong 8/10 from me.