Yamata no Orochi no Gyakushu
Encyclopedia
is a tokusatsu
kaiju
fan film
shot on 16mm
by Daicon Films (now Gainax)
. It was released on December 1985 and runs at 72 minutes. This was the most heavily promoted of Daicon's fan films. It was so successful that it was released on video by Bandai/Emotion
. This film was also a turning point for the career of special effects director Shinji Higuchi
.
This film was Daicon's epic parody
of the many classic daikaiju
(giant monster) films, and featured a more biomechanical
-looking version of the mythical eight-headed serpent, the Orochi
. This one was created by aliens, which had invaded Earth in ancient times. 2000 years later, they dispatch the Orochi again to destroy Japan
and the rest of the world. Only a team of the Japan Self-Defense Forces
and a scientist (two other staples in the daikaiju genre), can destroy it.
Tokusatsu
is a Japanese term that applies to any live-action film or television drama that usually features superheroes and makes considerable use of special effects ....
kaiju
Kaiju
is a Japanese word that means "strange beast," but often translated in English as "monster". Specifically, it is used to refer to a genre of tokusatsu entertainment....
fan film
Fan film
A fan film is a film or video inspired by a film, television program, comic book or a similar source, created by fans rather than by the source's copyright holders or creators. Fan filmmakers have traditionally been amateurs, but some of the more notable films have actually been produced by...
shot on 16mm
16 mm film
16 mm film refers to a popular, economical gauge of film used for motion pictures and non-theatrical film making. 16 mm refers to the width of the film...
by Daicon Films (now Gainax)
Gainax
is a Japanese anime studio famous for productions such as Gunbuster, The Wings of Honneamise, Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, Neon Genesis Evangelion, FLCL and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann which have gone on to critical acclaim and commercial success, as well as for their association with...
. It was released on December 1985 and runs at 72 minutes. This was the most heavily promoted of Daicon's fan films. It was so successful that it was released on video by Bandai/Emotion
Bandai
is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...
. This film was also a turning point for the career of special effects director Shinji Higuchi
Shinji Higuchi
is a storyboard artist and is one of the top special effects wizards in Japan, best known for his work on the Heisei Gamera Trilogy. He works on both anime and tokusatsu projects.-Biography:...
.
This film was Daicon's epic parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of the many classic daikaiju
Kaiju
is a Japanese word that means "strange beast," but often translated in English as "monster". Specifically, it is used to refer to a genre of tokusatsu entertainment....
(giant monster) films, and featured a more biomechanical
Biomechanics
Biomechanics is the application of mechanical principles to biological systems, such as humans, animals, plants, organs, and cells. Perhaps one of the best definitions was provided by Herbert Hatze in 1974: "Biomechanics is the study of the structure and function of biological systems by means of...
-looking version of the mythical eight-headed serpent, the Orochi
Orochi
or Orochi, translated as the Eight-Forked Serpent in English, is a legendary 8-headed and 8-tailed Japanese dragon that was slain by the Shinto storm-god Susanoo.-Mythology:...
. This one was created by aliens, which had invaded Earth in ancient times. 2000 years later, they dispatch the Orochi again to destroy Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and the rest of the world. Only a team of the Japan Self-Defense Forces
Japan Self-Defense Forces
The , or JSDF, occasionally referred to as JSF or SDF, are the unified military forces of Japan that were established after the end of the post–World War II Allied occupation of Japan. For most of the post-war period the JSDF was confined to the islands of Japan and not permitted to be deployed...
and a scientist (two other staples in the daikaiju genre), can destroy it.
Cast
- Akiko Kirihara - Kakumi Takahashi
- Shunsaku Tako - Tatsuto Nagayama
- Tank Corps General Yoshikawa - Kenichiro Mera
- Captain Mouri - Yasuhiro TakedaYasuhiro Takedais a Japanese anime director and founding member of Gainax; for most of his career, he was General Manager. He is also a two-time chair of the Nihon SF Taikai...
Staff
- Producer: Takeshi Sawamura
- Director: Takami AkaiTakami Akaiis an illustrator, game creator, character designer and animator born on November 21, 1961 in Yonago, Tottori Prefecture, Japan. He was a board member of Gainax, and runs his own company titled NineLives. His wife is Kimiko Higuchi...
- Director of Special Effects: Shinji HiguchiShinji Higuchiis a storyboard artist and is one of the top special effects wizards in Japan, best known for his work on the Heisei Gamera Trilogy. He works on both anime and tokusatsu projects.-Biography:...
- Writers: Takami AkaiTakami Akaiis an illustrator, game creator, character designer and animator born on November 21, 1961 in Yonago, Tottori Prefecture, Japan. He was a board member of Gainax, and runs his own company titled NineLives. His wife is Kimiko Higuchi...
, Aiko Ito