Yokai Monsters (妖怪シリーズ) is a trilogy of Japanesehorror/fantasy films written by Tetsuro Yoshida and released in the late 1960s. The films were produced byDaiei Film, and productions were largely influenced byGamera andDaimajin franchises where Daimajin was also redeveloped from theGamera franchise,[1][2] and minor references amongGamera films andDaimajin andyōkai films to each other were inserted within respective franchises on various occasions.[1][2]
There were originally three movies made:
While not canonically linked, all three were thematically joined by their inclusion of a group of creatures fromJapanese mythology known asyōkai (妖怪, lit. "strange things").
Receiving little attention outside Japan, the films are remembered mainly for theirspecial effects, which include a lot ofpuppetry,suitmation, and eventraditional animation. The films made use ofyōkai ("strange apparition"), based on traditional illustrations from Japanese folklore. The puppet used for theKasa-obake in particular has become a recognizable rendering of the creature.
Involvement ofShigeru Mizuki andHiroshi Aramata andNatsuhiko Kyogoku resulted incrossovers most notably withTeito Monogatari series to featureYasunori Katō as the main antagonist in the 2005 film, and withGeGeGe no Kitarō franchize andTōfu-kozō series by Kyogoku and other franchizes to a lesser extent.[3][4]
Kazuo Umezu also associated with the franchise, and his manga-based 1968 filmThe Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch was also influenced by theGamera franchise and was distributed along withYokai Monsters: Spook Warfare,[5] while the following project to produce a live-action adaptation ofCat Eyed Boy was cancelled due to the financial situation of Daiei Film.[6] The 2006 filmGod's Left Hand, Devil's Right Hand which was based on the manga of the same name by Umezu was also directed byShusuke Kaneko.
In 2005,Takashi Miike directed aremake ofYokai Monsters: Spook Warfare titledThe Great Yokai War. The film is not officially related to theYokai Monsters trilogy, but draws a lot of its influence from similar sources, notably the legend ofMomotarō andShigeru Mizuki'sGeGeGe no Kitarō series of the same name.[7] Mizuki himself appears in this version, though neither the remake nor the original films make use of his yōkai creations, preferring instead to feature more traditional creatures.
A sequel toThe Great Yokai War, titledThe Great Yokai War: Guardians, was released in Japan on August 13, 2021.[8]Daimajin appeared in the film, andGamera made acameo appearance in its spinoff novelization[3] whereTakashi Miike attempted to rebootDaimajin in late 2000s along with the release of the 2006 Gamera filmGamera the Brave.[9]
Yōkai Heaven and its sequelYōkai Heaven Ghost Hero byMakoto Tezuka in 1986 and 1990, andSakuya Yōkaiden in 2000 were released by different companies, however these films were redeveloped from reboot attempts of theYokai Monsters by Daiei Films andTokuma Shoten, also appointing staffs previously involved in theGamera franchise including the directorTomoo Haraguchi and others such asShinji Higuchi.
Production of the 2003 horror filmOne Missed Call, along with the 2004 filmInstall (jp), was influenced by cancelled projects by Yoichi Arishige andDaiei Film.[10]
 | This article related to a Japanese film of the 1960s is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
 | This 1960s horror film-related article is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |