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{{Mtab
{{Tab/new|tab3=Credits|tab4=Soundtrack}}
|soundtrack={{soundtracktab|soundtrack=Yamato Takeru (Soundtrack)}}
{{Infobox Film|ratings=yes
|type1        =Fire
|type2        =Poison
|image        =Orochi Poster Japan.png
|caption      =The Japanese poster for Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon
|dt          =''Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon'' (1994)
|name        =''Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon''|titles=yes|alt-titles=yes
|jp-title    =''Yamato Takeru'' (1994)
|producer    =[[Shogo Tomiyama]]
|director    =[[Takao Okawara]]
|writer      =[[Wataru Mimura]]
|composer    =Kiyoko Ogino, GLAY
|sfx          =[[Koichi Kawakita]]{{#tag:ref|Main director [[Takao Okawara]] took charge of [[Yamato Takeru]]'s battle with [[Kumasogami]], including the [[suitmation]] footage of the latter.<ref name="Perfection">{{Cite book|title=[[Heisei Godzilla Perfection]]|chapter=Points of ''Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II'' 4: Main-Unit Special Effects......?|first=Jun|last=Shimazaki|date=2 October 2012|publisher=[[Kadokawa|ASCII MEDIA WORKS]]|isbn=978-4-04-886119-9|page=153}}</ref>|name="Okawara FX"|group="lower-alpha"}}
|distributor  =[[Toho]]{{sup|[[Japan|JP]]}}, [[A.D. Vision|ADV Films]]{{sup|[[United States|US]]}}
|produced    =[[TOHO Studios|Toho Pictures]], [[Toho Eizo Bijutsu]]|multiple=y
|rating      =Not Rated
|gross        =¥800,000,000<ref name="KJ">{{Cite magazine|title=1994 Japanese Film Distribution Revenue|magazine=Kinema Junpo|date=February 1995|page=156}}</ref>
|runtime      =104 minutes{{sup|[[Japan|JP]]}}<br />{{Small|(1 hour, 44 minutes)}}<br />103 minutes{{sup|[[United States|US]]}}<br />{{Small|(1 hour, 43 minutes)}}
|aspectratio  =1.85:1
}}
}}
{{Infopelicula
'''''Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon''''' {{Nihongo|ヤマトタケル|Yamato Takeru|lit. "''Yamato Takeru''"}} is a [[1994]] [[tokusatsu]] fantasy [[kaiju]] [[:Category:Kaiju Films|film]] directed by [[Takao Okawara]] and written by [[Wataru Mimura]], with special effects by [[Koichi Kawakita]]. It was produced by [[TOHO Studios|Toho Pictures]], while its special effects were produced by [[Toho Eizo Bijutsu]]. The film stars [[Masahiro Takashima]], [[Yasuko Sawaguchi]], Akaji Maro, [[Saburo Shinoda]], Keaki Mori, Yuki Meguro, Hiroshi Abe, [[Hiroshi Fujioka]], and Nobuko Miyamoto. [[Toho]] released it to [[Japan]]ese theaters on July 9, 1994.
|type1      =Fire
|type2      =Poison
|image      =Orochi Poster.jpg
|caption    =The Japanese poster for Yamato Takeru
|nameoffilm  =''Yamato Takeru''
|dt          =''Yamato Takeru''
|producer    =[[Tomoyuki Tanaka]]<br>[[Shogo Tomiyama]]
|director    =[[Takao Okawara]]
|writer      =[[Wataru Mimura]]
|composer    =[[Kiyoko Ogino]]<br>[[Glay]]<br>[[Yoshiki Hayashi]]
|distributor =[[Toho]]{{sup|[[Japan|JP]]}}<br>ADV Films{{sup|[[United States|US]]}}
|rating      =Not Rated
|budget      =Unknown
|gross      =¥800,000,000<ref name="TK">[http://www.tohokingdom.com/movies/yamato_takeru.htm Yamato Takeru]</ref>
|runtime    =104 minutes{{sup|[[Japan|JP]]}}<br />{{Small|(1 hour, 44 minutes)}}<br />103 minutes{{sup|[[United States|US]]}}<br />{{Small|(1 hour, 43 minutes)}}
|designs    =[[HeiseiOrochi]], [[Utsuno Ikusagami|ShodaiUtsuno]], [[Kaishin Muba|ShodaiKaishin]], [[Amano Shiratori|ShodaiAmano]], [[Kumasogami|ShodaiKumaso]]
}}
'''''Yamato Takeru'''''  {{Nihongo|ヤマトタケル|Yamato Takeru}} is a [[1994]] [[tokusatsu]] [[kaiju]] [[:Category:Kaiju Films|film]] produced by [[Toho]] It was released to [[Japan]]ese theaters on July 9, 1994.
{{TOC}}
{{TOC}}
==Plot==
==Plot==
The film begins with the birth of twin princes. One of the twins is named Ousu, and is loathed by his father, the emperor of Yamato. The emperor is convinced that his loathing of Ousu is a premonition, and he orders the shaman named Tsukinowa to kill the child. But his plans are thwarted by Amano Shiratori, the White Bird of the Heavens. The emperor’s sister views this as a clear sign of divine intervention, and takes it upon herself to raise the young prince.
{{Stub}}
The film begins with the birth of twin princes. One of the twins is named [[Yamato Takeru|Ousu]], and is loathed by his father, the Emperor of Yamato. The emperor is convinced that his loathing of Ousu is a premonition, and he orders a shaman named Tsukinowa to kill the child. But his plans are thwarted by [[Amano Shiratori]], the White Bird of the Heavens. The Emperor's sister views this as a clear sign of divine intervention, and takes it upon herself to raise the young prince.


Years later, when Prince Ousu has matured into a man, he is given pardon by the emperor and allowed to return to his father's castle. Unfortunately, not long after, his mother falls ill and mysteriously dies. This sends his brother into a rage, causing him to attack Ousu, who defends himself and kills his sibling in the process. His father, furious at these events, orders his son to leave the castle and not return until the barbarians living in the Kumaso domain are dealt with. The prince makes dealing with these barbarians his top priority, and quickly takes off. He stops at a shrine on his way, where, after a quick battle, he befriends the beautiful but mysterious Oto, who joins him on his journey. They, along with their companions Genbu and Seiryu, raid the barbarian castle, killing Kumaso Takeru and their god Kumasogami. Following this feat, the prince changes his name and becomes Yamato Takeru.
Years later, when Prince Ousu has matured into a man, he is given pardon by the Emperor and allowed to return to his father's castle. Unfortunately, not long after, his mother falls ill and mysteriously dies. This sends his brother Ousu into a rage, causing him to attack Ousu, who defends himself and kills his sibling in the process. His father, furious at these events, orders his son to leave the castle and not return until the barbarians living in the Kumaso domain are dealt with. The prince makes dealing with these barbarians his top priority, and quickly takes off. He stops at a shrine on his way, where, after a quick battle, he befriends the beautiful but mysterious Ototachibana, who joins him on his journey. Along with their companions Genbu and Seiryu, they raid the barbarian castle, killing Kumaso Takeru and their god [[Kumasogami]]. Following this feat, the prince changes his name and becomes Yamato Takeru.


However, he still fails to win the acceptance of his father, and Yamato's aunt, warns him of a great threat looming overhead. The god Tsukuyomi is posed to return, endangering the Earth, and Yamato Takeru must prepare to halt this from occurring.
However, he still fails to win the acceptance of his father, and Yamato's aunt warns him of a great threat looming overhead. The god Tsukuyomi is posed to return, endangering the Earth, and Yamato Takeru must prepare to halt this from occurring.
==Staff==
==Staff==
{{Staffs
{{Staffs
|Directed by=[[Takao Okawara]]
|Directed by=[[Takao Okawara]]
|Written by=[[Wataru Mimura]]
|Written by=[[Wataru Mimura]]
|Produced by=[[Tomoyuki Tanaka]], [[Shogo Tomiyama]]
|Executive producer=[[Shogo Tomiyama]]
|Music by=[[Kiyoko Ogino]], [[Glay]], [[Yoshiki Hayashi]]
|Associate producer=[[Ritsuko Suzuki]]
|Cinematography by=Yoshinori Sekiguchi, Kenichi Eguchi
|Visual effects producer=[[Toshihiro Ogawa]]
|Edited by=Nobuo Ogawa
|Music by=Kiyoko Ogino
|Production Design by=Fumio Ogawa, Tetsuzo Osawa
*Theme song "RAIN"
|Assistant Directing by=Kunio Miyoshi
|*Performed by|GLAY
|Special Effects by=[[Koichi Kawakita]], [[Takao Okawara]], [[Kenji Suzuki]]
|*Lyrics by|YOSHIKI
|*Composed by|YOSHIKI, TAKURO
|*Arranged by|YOSHIKI
|Cinematography by|Yoshinori Sekiguchi
|Edited by|Nobuo Ogawa
|Production design by|Fumio Ogawa
|First assistant director|[[Kunio Miyoshi]]
|Director of special effects|[[Koichi Kawakita]]{{R|Okawara FX|group="lower-alpha"}}
|First assistant director of special effects|[[Kenji Suzuki]]
|Visual effects supervisors|[[Yutaka Onodera]], [[Tetsuo Ohya]], [[Osamu Izumiya]]
}}
}}
==Cast==
==Cast==
{{Cast
{{Cast
|[[Masahiro Takashima]]|Ousu/Yamato Takeru
|[[Masahiro Takashima]]|Prince Ousu / [[Yamato Takeru]]
|Yasuko Sawaguchi|Oto Tachibana
|[[Yasuko Sawaguchi]]|[[Oto Tachibana]]
|Hiroshi Abe|Tsukiyomi
|Hiroshi Abe|[[Yamata no Orochi|Tsukuyomi]]
|[[Hiroshi Fujioka]]|Kumaso Takeru
|[[Saburo Shinoda]]|Emperor Keiko, Takeru's father
|Miyashi Ishibashi|Seiryu
|Miyashi Ishibashi|Seiryu
|Bengal|Genbu  
|Bengal|Genbu
|[[Kenji Sahara]]|Emperor
|Keaki Mori|Empress Inahi, Takeru's mother
|Yuki Meguro|Susanoo
|Akaji Maro|Tsukinowa
|Miho Akishino|Etachibana, Oto's sister
|Akira Koieyama|Ousu, Takeru's brother
*[[Koichi Ueda]]
|[[Ryu Hariken|"Hurricane" Ryu Hariken]]|[[Kumasogami]]
|[[Kenpachiro Satsuma]]|[[Yamata no Orochi]]
|[[Wataru Fukuda]]|[[Utsuno Ikusagami]]
|Yuij Saeki|[[Kaishin Muba]]
}}
===English dub===
{{Cast|notice=no
|Jack Murphy|Prince [[Yamato Takeru]]
|Chris Hilton|Emperor Keiko / Seiryu
|Warren Rooke|Genbu
|[[Rik Thomas]]|Tsukinowa / Kumaso Takeru
}}
}}
==Appearances==
==Appearances==
===Monsters===
===Monsters===
*[[Orochi]] ([[HeiseiOrochi]])
*[[Yamata no Orochi]]
*[[Amano Shiratori]]
*[[Amano Shiratori]]
*[[Kumasogami]]
*[[Kumasogami]]
*[[Kaishin Muba]]
*[[Kaishin Muba]]
===Weapons, Vehicles, and Races===
*[[Utsuno Ikusagami]]
*[[Yamato Takeru]]
==Production==
*[[Orochi|Tsukuyomi]]
''Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon'' was originally scheduled to go into production following the release of ''[[Godzilla vs. Mothra]]'' in 1992. The original story was a remake of [[Toho]]'s 1959 epic ''[[The Three Treasures]]'', but director [[Takao Okawara]], mindful of the studio's plans for a trilogy, made numerous revisions, including the addition of the Imperial Regalia of Japan and [[Yamato Takeru]]'s two companions.<ref name="Milner II">[http://www.davmil.org/www.kaijuconversations.com/okawar2.htm Takao Okawara Interview II by David Milner]</ref> He approached the material "not as a period piece, but instead as a futuristic drama imagined by people living in the past."
*[[Oto Tachibana]]
 
The final battle between [[Yamata no Orochi]] and [[Utsuno Ikusagami]] was significantly edited at the request of Toho executives, who felt the film was too long. A second scene of Yamato Takeru jumping onto one of Orochi's heads was also cut.
==Gallery==
==Gallery==
{{Main|Yamato Takeru (film)/Gallery}}
{{Main|Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon/Gallery}}
==Soundtrack==
==Soundtrack==
{{Main|Yamato Takeru (Soundtrack)}}
{{Main|Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon/Soundtrack}}
==Alternate Titles==
==Alternate titles==
*'''''Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon''''' (English Title)
*'''''Yamato Takeru''''' (Japanese title / alternate English title)
*'''''Madra the Eight-Headed Monster''''' (''Madra die Acht-Headed Monster''; German)
*'''''Prince Yamato''''' (alternate English title)
==Theatrical Releases==
*'''''Orochi, the Multiheaded Dragon''''' (alternate English title)
*[[Japan]] - July 9, 1994
*'''''Madra the Eight-Headed Monster''''' (''Madra die Acht-Headed Monster'', Germany)
==[[United States|U.S.]] Release==
==Theatrical releases==
''Yamato Takeru'' was released in the U.S. under the title of ''Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon'' in [[2004]].
*[[Japan]] - July 9, 1994
==Box Office==
==[[United States|U.S.]] release==
The film did poorly in the box office.
''Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon'' was dubbed into English in [[Hong Kong]]. Voice actors included Chris Hilton as Emperor Keiko and Seiryu, and Rik Thomas as Tsukinowa and Kumaso Takeru. The film went direct to video in the United States under its international title. [[A.D. Vision|ADV Films]] first released it on VHS in 1999, then on DVD in 2003.
==Box office==
''Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon'' performed poorly at the Japanese box office, grossing only ¥800,000,000 with approximately 1,500,000 admissions.<ref name="Milner III">[http://www.davmil.org/www.kaijuconversations.com/okawar3.htm Takao Okawara Interview III by David Milner]</ref> By comparison, Toho's other 1994 kaiju film, ''[[Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla]]'', made ¥1,650,000,000. Its failure forced the studio to eventually abandon its plans for a trilogy, with a sequel featuring a new monster named [[Bagan]] scheduled for 1997, but ultimately cancelled.
==Reception==
==Reception==
Reception for the film has been very negative from both audiences and critics alike.
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, ''Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon'' currently has a 30% Audience Score, based on over 1,000 ratings. Its average rating there is 2.9/5. The film remains fairly obscure among [[kaiju]] fans due to its limited availability on home video. [[Toho Kingdom]]'s Anthony Romero gave the movie a 1.5/5 rating, citing it as "pretty lackluster across the board" being "plagued by a weak script and a hollow cast of characters", with "bland acting, [and] special effects", and a musical score that "would have been more appropriate for a television show". However, he does state that the monsters featured in the film "were well done in terms of details," though they "are far less impressive once they are seen in motion". Writing for Alternate Ending, Tim Brayton took aim at its low production values, calling it "an early '80s European fantasy adventure with just enough of a distinct Japanese sensibility in the themes and dialogue to mark it out."
 
==Video releases==
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the movie currently holds a 38% rotten approval rating from audiences, counting reviews from over one thousand individuals who viewed the film.
'''[[A.D. Vision|ADV Films]]''' DVD (2003)<ref>[http://www.amazon.com/Orochi-Eight-Headed-Dragon-Masahiro-Takashima/dp/B0000AYLJ9/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1401582900&sr=8-1&keywords=yamato+takeru Amazon.com: Orochi: The Eight-Headed Dragon (1999)]</ref>
 
*'''Region:''' 1
Toho Kingdom's Anthony Romero gave the movie a 1.5/5, citing it as "pretty lackluster across the board" being "plagued by a weak script and a hollow cast of characters", with "bland acting, [and] special effects", and a musical score that "would have been more appropriate for a television show". However, he does state that the monsters featured in the film "were well done in terms of details" but "are far less impressive once they are seen in motion".
*'''Discs:''' 1
*'''Audio:''' Japanese (2.0 Mono), English (2.0 Mono)
*'''Special features:''' Trailers
*'''Notes:''' Out of print.
'''[[Toho]]''' DVD (2004)
*'''Region''': 2
*'''Discs''': 1
*'''Audio''': Japanese
*'''Subtitles''': Japanese
*'''Notes''': The DVD has been reissued twice since its initial release on August 27, 2004: on February 7, 2014, and on August 19, 2015.
Though ''Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon'' is not available on Blu-ray, an HD version can be rented or purchased on the Japanese versions of Amazon Video and iTunes.
==Videos==
==Videos==
{{videos|
{{videos|
{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">iEMfH7c8XSs</youtube>|English ''Yamato Takeru'' trailer}}
{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">GoDpTEnXbz8</youtube>|Japanese teaser trailer}}
{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">a6YERz4SVXY</youtube>|Japanese teaser trailer}}
{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">qKQ6V7_55qU</youtube>|Japanese teaser trailer}}
{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">zyjRKGqlgCA</youtube>|Japanese TV spots}}
{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">iEMfH7c8XSs</youtube>|English trailer}}
}}
}}
 
==Notes==
==Video Releases==
{{Notelist|lower-alpha}}
'''ADV''' DVD (2003)<ref>[http://www.amazon.com/Orochi-Eight-Headed-Dragon-Masahiro-Takashima/dp/B0000AYLJ9/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1401582900&sr=8-1&keywords=yamato+takeru Amazon.com: Orochi: The Eight-Headed Dragon (1999)]</ref>
*Region: 1
*Discs: 1
*Audio: Japanese (2.0 Mono), English (2.0 Mono)
*Special Features: Trailers
*Notes: Out of print.
 
Though ''Yamato Takeru'' is not available on Blu-ray, an HD version can be rented or purchased on the Japanese versions of Amazon Video and iTunes.
 
==Trivia==
*The film was touted as being "an all new epic adventure" that was "from the creators of the original Godzilla."
*''Yamato Takeru'''s poor critical and commercial performance may have convinced Toho to reduce the budget and complexity for their film ''[[Godzilla vs. AstroGodzilla]]'', which became ''[[Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla]]''.
*Toho had intended to follow the film with a sequel, but this idea was discarded due to the film's poor reception and box office performance.
*''Yamato Takeru'' is a loose remake of Toho's [[1959]] epic, ''[[The Birth of Japan]]''.
==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Kaiju Movies}}
{{Kaiju Movies|tab=Toho}}
{{Comments}}
{{Era|TOH|HEI|FIL|ORO|UTS|KM|AS}}
{{Era|TOH|HEI|FIL|ORO|UTS|KM|AS}}
[[Category:Kaiju Films]]
[[Category:Kaiju Films]]
Line 109: Line 141:
[[Category:Films directed by Takao Okawara]]
[[Category:Films directed by Takao Okawara]]
[[Category:1990's Films]]
[[Category:1990's Films]]
[[Category:Films dubbed in Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Historical dramas]]

Latest revision as of 02:38, 20 January 2024

Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon
The Japanese poster for Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon
Alternate titles
Flagicon Japan.png Yamato Takeru (1994)
See alternate titles
Directed by Takao Okawara
Producer Shogo Tomiyama
Written by Wataru Mimura
Music by Kiyoko Ogino, GLAY
Special
effects by 		Koichi Kawakita[a]
Production companies Toho Pictures, Toho Eizo Bijutsu
Distributor TohoJP, ADV FilmsUS
Rating Not Rated
Box office ¥800,000,000[2]
Running time 104 minutesJP
(1 hour, 44 minutes)
103 minutesUS
(1 hour, 43 minutes)
Aspect ratio 1.85:1
Rate this film!
3.67
(18 votes)

Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon (ヤマトタケル,   Yamato Takeru, lit. "Yamato Takeru") is a 1994 tokusatsu fantasy kaiju film directed by Takao Okawara and written by Wataru Mimura, with special effects by Koichi Kawakita. It was produced by Toho Pictures, while its special effects were produced by Toho Eizo Bijutsu. The film stars Masahiro Takashima, Yasuko Sawaguchi, Akaji Maro, Saburo Shinoda, Keaki Mori, Yuki Meguro, Hiroshi Abe, Hiroshi Fujioka, and Nobuko Miyamoto. Toho released it to Japanese theaters on July 9, 1994.

Plot

Paper.gif This article is a stub. Please help out by adding information.

The film begins with the birth of twin princes. One of the twins is named Ousu, and is loathed by his father, the Emperor of Yamato. The emperor is convinced that his loathing of Ousu is a premonition, and he orders a shaman named Tsukinowa to kill the child. But his plans are thwarted by Amano Shiratori, the White Bird of the Heavens. The Emperor's sister views this as a clear sign of divine intervention, and takes it upon herself to raise the young prince.

Years later, when Prince Ousu has matured into a man, he is given pardon by the Emperor and allowed to return to his father's castle. Unfortunately, not long after, his mother falls ill and mysteriously dies. This sends his brother Ousu into a rage, causing him to attack Ousu, who defends himself and kills his sibling in the process. His father, furious at these events, orders his son to leave the castle and not return until the barbarians living in the Kumaso domain are dealt with. The prince makes dealing with these barbarians his top priority, and quickly takes off. He stops at a shrine on his way, where, after a quick battle, he befriends the beautiful but mysterious Ototachibana, who joins him on his journey. Along with their companions Genbu and Seiryu, they raid the barbarian castle, killing Kumaso Takeru and their god Kumasogami. Following this feat, the prince changes his name and becomes Yamato Takeru.

However, he still fails to win the acceptance of his father, and Yamato's aunt warns him of a great threat looming overhead. The god Tsukuyomi is posed to return, endangering the Earth, and Yamato Takeru must prepare to halt this from occurring.

Staff

Staff role on the left, staff member's name on the right.

Cast

Actor's name on the left, character played on the right.

English dub

  • Jack Murphy   as   Prince Yamato Takeru
  • Chris Hilton   as   Emperor Keiko / Seiryu
  • Warren Rooke   as   Genbu
  • Rik Thomas   as   Tsukinowa / Kumaso Takeru

Appearances

Monsters

Production

Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon was originally scheduled to go into production following the release of Godzilla vs. Mothra in 1992. The original story was a remake of Toho's 1959 epic The Three Treasures, but director Takao Okawara, mindful of the studio's plans for a trilogy, made numerous revisions, including the addition of the Imperial Regalia of Japan and Yamato Takeru's two companions.[3] He approached the material "not as a period piece, but instead as a futuristic drama imagined by people living in the past."

The final battle between Yamata no Orochi and Utsuno Ikusagami was significantly edited at the request of Toho executives, who felt the film was too long. A second scene of Yamato Takeru jumping onto one of Orochi's heads was also cut.

Gallery

Main article: Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon/Gallery.

Soundtrack

Main article: Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon/Soundtrack.

Alternate titles

  • Yamato Takeru (Japanese title / alternate English title)
  • Prince Yamato (alternate English title)
  • Orochi, the Multiheaded Dragon (alternate English title)
  • Madra the Eight-Headed Monster (Madra die Acht-Headed Monster, Germany)

Theatrical releases

U.S. release

Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon was dubbed into English in Hong Kong. Voice actors included Chris Hilton as Emperor Keiko and Seiryu, and Rik Thomas as Tsukinowa and Kumaso Takeru. The film went direct to video in the United States under its international title. ADV Films first released it on VHS in 1999, then on DVD in 2003.

Box office

Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon performed poorly at the Japanese box office, grossing only ¥800,000,000 with approximately 1,500,000 admissions.[4] By comparison, Toho's other 1994 kaiju film, Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla, made ¥1,650,000,000. Its failure forced the studio to eventually abandon its plans for a trilogy, with a sequel featuring a new monster named Bagan scheduled for 1997, but ultimately cancelled.

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon currently has a 30% Audience Score, based on over 1,000 ratings. Its average rating there is 2.9/5. The film remains fairly obscure among kaiju fans due to its limited availability on home video. Toho Kingdom's Anthony Romero gave the movie a 1.5/5 rating, citing it as "pretty lackluster across the board" being "plagued by a weak script and a hollow cast of characters", with "bland acting, [and] special effects", and a musical score that "would have been more appropriate for a television show". However, he does state that the monsters featured in the film "were well done in terms of details," though they "are far less impressive once they are seen in motion". Writing for Alternate Ending, Tim Brayton took aim at its low production values, calling it "an early '80s European fantasy adventure with just enough of a distinct Japanese sensibility in the themes and dialogue to mark it out."

Video releases

ADV Films DVD (2003)[5]

  • Region: 1
  • Discs: 1
  • Audio: Japanese (2.0 Mono), English (2.0 Mono)
  • Special features: Trailers
  • Notes: Out of print.

Toho DVD (2004)

  • Region: 2
  • Discs: 1
  • Audio: Japanese
  • Subtitles: Japanese
  • Notes: The DVD has been reissued twice since its initial release on August 27, 2004: on February 7, 2014, and on August 19, 2015.

Though Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon is not available on Blu-ray, an HD version can be rented or purchased on the Japanese versions of Amazon Video and iTunes.

Videos

Japanese teaser trailer
Japanese teaser trailer
Japanese teaser trailer
Japanese TV spots
English trailer

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Main director Takao Okawara took charge of Yamato Takeru's battle with Kumasogami, including the suitmation footage of the latter.[1]

References

This is a list of references for Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon. These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: [1]

  1. ↑ Shimazaki, Jun (2 October 2012). "Points of Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II 4: Main-Unit Special Effects......?". Heisei Godzilla Perfection. ASCII MEDIA WORKS. p. 153. ISBN 978-4-04-886119-9.
  2. ↑ "1994 Japanese Film Distribution Revenue". Kinema Junpo. February 1995. p. 156.
  3. ↑ Takao Okawara Interview II by David Milner
  4. ↑ Takao Okawara Interview III by David Milner
  5. ↑ Amazon.com: Orochi: The Eight-Headed Dragon (1999)

Films
 
Godzilla films
Showa era
Heisei era
Millennium era
Reiwa era
American films
Short films
 
King Kong films
King Kong (1933) • Son of Kong (1933) • King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) • King Kong Escapes (1967) • King Kong (1976) • King Kong Lives (1986) • The Mighty Kong (1998) • Kong: King of Atlantis (2005) • King Kong (2005) • Kong: Return to the Jungle (2006) • Kong: Skull Island (2017) • Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) • Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)
 
Other Toho films
Shōwa period
Ramayana (1940s) • Invisible Man (1954) • Half Human (1955) • Rodan (1956) • The Mysterians (1957) • The H-Man (1958) • Varan (1958) • The Three Treasures (1959) • Battle in Outer Space (1959) • The Secret of the Telegian (1960) • The Human Vapor (1960) • Mothra (1961) • The Last War (1961) • Gorath (1962) • Matango (1963) • Atragon (1963) • Dogora (1964) • Frankenstein vs. Baragon (1965) • The War of the Gargantuas (1966) • The Killing Bottle (1967) • Latitude Zero (1969) • Konto 55: The Great Outer Space Adventure (1969) • Space Amoeba (1970) • Daigoro vs. Goliath (1972) • Submersion of Japan (1973) • ESPY (1974) • Prophecies of Nostradamus (1974) • The War in Space (1977) • Magnitude 7.9 (1980) • Bye-Bye Jupiter (1984) • Princess from the Moon (1987)
Heisei period
Reiwa period
 
Other Japanese films
Shōwa period
Heisei period
Reiwa period
 
Miscellaneous
Films
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953) • The Giant Behemoth (1959) • Gorgo (1961) • Bulgasari (1962) • Gogola (1966) • Space Monster Wangmagwi (1967) • Yongary, Monster from the Deep (1967) • A*P*E (1976) • The Mighty Peking Man (1977) • Pulgasari (1985) • Reptilian (1999) • Cloverfield (2008) • 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) • Colossal (2016) • The Cloverfield Paradox (2018) • Rampage (2018) • Notzilla (2019) • untitled Cloverfield sequel (TBA)
Documentaries
Fan films
Bambi Meets Godzilla (1969) • Gamera 4: Truth (2003) • Waiting for Gorgo (2009) • G vs. G (2019) • Godziban (2019) • Heritage (2020) • Coming Out (2020) • Wolfman vs. Godzilla (TBA)

 
 
V • T • E

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