A sweet fantasy tale of a young boy conquering the odds despite his own fear and aided by a band of eccentric misfit “monsters” of Japanese folklore is the idea behind 2005’s “The Great Yokai War.” The child is named the “Kirin Rider” at a local festival and is subsequently obliged to fulfill the rural legend of leading the Yokai (demon) battle. Although director Takeshi Miike departs from his usual bloody flicks for adults in favor of a family-friendly fable, he never sheds his knack for the overstated, nor his love of high-action fight scenes.

After braving-up enough to embark on the quest, the boy encounters numerous bizarre, frightening, and fantastical Yokai (demons) who turn out to be friendly aides in helping him conquer this harrowing journey. The first Yokai he meets is a little animal named Sunekosuri, who is easily one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen and definitely goes on the list of “movie creatures I wish were real and were my pets.”

The costuming for the Yokai is amazing to the point of believable, which is enough reason to watch this movie on a rainy day. The “bad guys” are animated machine monsters led by a fiercely-trained girl in white. The CGI on these creatures leaves a little be desired but the creativity of their design is unmatched.


Keep this charming flick in mind if you want a nice escape with plenty of kooky laughs. This gallant action film will appeal to Miike fans and kids alike. The strong values and courageous sentiment certainly earn TGYW a place on the shelf of family favorites. If you liked Labyrinth, The Never-Ending Story, or InuYasha, this is for you!

Currently available until 1/30/2010 on Comcast ON Demand in the Movie Collections section under Japanese Cult Films.

Watch the trailer here: