Yamato Takeru

Yamato Takeru


ヤマトタケル
Yamato Takeru
The Strength of Yamato
Also known as Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon
Director Takao Okawara
Special Effects Director Koichi Kawakita
Producer Shogo Tomiyama
Screenplay Wataru Mimura
Photography Yoshinori Sekiguchi
Art Fumio Ogawa
Sound Nobuo Ikeda
Lighting Hideki Mochitsuki
Editor Nobuo Ogawa
Music Kiyoko Ogino
Special Effects Assistant Director Kenji Suzuki
Production Companies Toho
Release Date July 9, 1994
Runtime 103 minutes

ヤマトタケル
Yamato Takeru
The Strength of Yamato
Director Takao Okawara
Special Effects Director Koichi Kawakita
Producer Shogo Tomiyama
Screenplay Wataru Mimura
Photography Yoshinori Sekiguchi
Art Fumio Ogawa
Sound Nobuo Ikeda
Lighting Hideki Mochitsuki
Editor Nobuo Ogawa
Music Kiyoko Ogino
Special Effects Assistant Director Kenji Suzuki
Also known as Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon
Production Companies Toho
Release Date July 9, 1994
Runtime 103 minutes

When the emperor’s wife bears twins, Tsukinowa, the corrupt adviser, convinces the emperor that this is an evil omen and that the younger twin must be disposed of. Tsukinowa tries to kill the younger twin by throwing him from a cliff, but the child is rescued by a phoenix and delivered to Princess Yamato, to vows to raise him until the emperor no longer seeks his life. The boy, Ousu, grows to become a powerful warrior, and the emperor invites him back to court. Ousu’s mother, the emperor’s wife, falls ill and dies, and a misunderstanding leads to a duel between Ousu and his older twin, and his twin also dies. Outraged, the emperor banishes Ousu to the Kumaso region, and forbids his return unless he slays the leader of the Kumaso.

On his way to Kumaso, Ousu meets Tachibana, a warrior priestess, who joins him in order to recover a relic that was stolen by the Kumaso. Tachibana infiltrates the Kumaso’s castle, but is captured and offered as a sacrifice to their fire god. Ousu storms the castle and duels the Kumaso leader, who bestows on him the name “Yamato Takeru.” Ousu defeats the Kumaso leader and rescues Tachibana. Defeating the fire god reveals the stolen relic, a specially crafted mirror. Tachibana entrusts the mirror to Ousu. Ousu is able to return home, but Princess Yamato warns him that Tsukinowa is in the service of the god of the underworld, Tsukuyomi. Tsukuyomi had been banished many millennia ago, but Tsukinowa is making preparations for his return. Tsukinowa requires the Sword of the Dark Clouds to summon Tsukuyomi, so Ousu steals the sword and escapes from court.

In exile, Ousu and Tachibana are attacked by a sea monster. Tachibana sacrifices herself to the monster to save Ousu. Tsukinowa attacks Ousu and retrieves the Sword of the Dark Clouds, completing the ritual to summon Tsukuyomi, who creates his lair on the moon. Ousu and Tachibana are both awakened by Susano-o, Tsukuyomi’s brother, and sent to fight Tsukuyomi on the moon. Tsukuyomi transforms into a many-headed dragon, the Orochi, and Ousu uses the relics he’s collected to transform into a warrior of light. Ousu defeats Orochi, and traps Tsukuyomi in one of his relics. Ousu casts the relic back into space, and then he and Tachibana return to earth astride a phoenix.

Top Billed Cast

Masahiro Takashima
Ousu
Yasuko Sawaguchi
Oto Tachibana
Akaji Maru
Tsukinowa
Saburo Shinoda
Emperor Keiko
Keaki Mori
Princess Inahi
Bengal
Genbu
Masashi Ishibashi
Seiryu
Hiroshi Fujioka
Kumaso Takeru
Yuki Meguru
Susano-o
Hiroshi Abe
Tsukuyomi
Nobuko Miyamoto
Princess Yamato

Rest of Cast Listed Alphabetically

Miho Akishino
Eta Tachibana
Wataru Fukuda
Uchu Ikusagami
Hurricane Ryu
Kumasogami
Akira Koieyama
O-ousu
Yuji Saeki
Wadatsumi Muba
Kenpachiro Satsuma
Yamata No Orochi
Koichi Ueda
Kumaso Villager
Top Billed Cast

Ousu
Masahiro Takashima

Oto Tachibana
Yasuko Sawaguchi

Tsukinowa
Akaji Maru

Emperor Keiko
Saburo Shinoda

Princess Inahi
Keaki Mori

Genbu
Bengal

Seiryu
Masashi Ishibashi

Kumaso Takeru
Hiroshi Fujioka

Susano-o
Yuki Meguru

Tsukuyomi
Hiroshi Abe

Princess Yamato
Nobuko Miyamoto
Rest of Cast Listed Alphabetically

Eta Tachibana
Miho Akishino

Uchu Ikusagami
Wataru Fukuda

Kumasogami
Hurricane Ryu

O-ousu
Akira Koieyama

Wadatsumi Muba
Yuji Saeki

Yamata No Orochi
Kenpachiro Satsuma

Kumaso Villager
Koichi Ueda