User Reviews

With the current steady increase in Western knowledge of and interest in the Japanese supernatural, I think this film could earn a much wider audience. It's the tale of a samurai who encounters two fishermen who have trapped a mischievous tanuki and tell him they plan to kill and eat it. (Tanuki, or raccoon dogs, are real Japanese animals, but they are also a common form taken by shapeshifting prankster yokai, and this is one of those.) In his late wife's honor, the samurai buys the creature from the fishermen and sets it free. That night the tanuki, in the form of a human girl, appears in his room telling him of its gratitude and promising to protect him forevermore. Meanwhile, the samurai's no-good, drunken, womanizing son is plotting with his girlfriend to do away with dad and inherit his fortune... but the supernatural protector isn't having that! There follows a cavalcade of murders, apparitions, plots and counterplots, and a final battle in which a slew of classic yokai show up to wreak havoc. It is great, spooky fun, with a very satisfying ending. I wouldn't call it horror, but any fan of the "Yokai Monsters" films or Miyazaki's "Pom Poko" will feel right at home with it.

I did actually not really know what to expect from this movie. It is based on some Japanese folklore I will guess called Tanuki (a sort of spirits or ghosts that seem not to be well liked.)

The story is shortly said about a man that saves one of these spirit creatures that afterwards swear to protect him. And then murders and more soon happen :-)

Story: I found the story interesting and quite good. If you like supernatural creatures or fantasy then this should be good for you. If you expect a scary movie pick something else.

Acting: It is fine but do not expect to sit dazzled by the acting.

You will witness ghosts, treachery, killing, samurai, and beautiful women. Will this be the best movie you ever watched? I am pretty sure it is not. But still fast paced and good and can you live with black and white and the fact it is quite old then go for it if you are lucky enough to find it. I was well entertained and found it above average considering the time it is made.