Yamato Takeru (1994)/Orochi, The Eight-Headed Dragon (2003)

​Yamato Takeru (ヤマトタケル; released as Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon in the US by ADV Films and Section 23 Films) is a 1994 Japanese film. The film was produced by the Japanese film company Toho, and released in Japan on July 9, 1994.

Plot
The movie starts out with the birth of twin princes. Their father, the emperor of Yamato, feels a great loathing for his one child Ousu. Being convinced that this feeling is a premonition, the emperor orders the shaman Tsukinowa to kill the boy, yet his efforts are spoiled by Amano Shiratori, the White Bird of the Heavens.

The emperor’s sister, seeing this as a clear sign of divine intervention, takes it upon herself to raise the child. Years later, when the boy has matured into a man, he is given pardon by his father and allowed to return to the castle. However, not long after, his mother falls ill and dies mysteriously. This sends his brother into a rage and 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 haste to complete this task, stopping off at a shrine on his way where, after a quick battle, he befriends Oto who joins him on his journey. They, along with companies Genbu and Seriyu, raid the castle, killing Kumaso Takeru and their god Kumasogami.

​Following this feat, the prince changes his name to Yamato Takeru, yet fails to win the acceptance of his father. His aunt, though, warns him of a great threat looming overheard, as the god Tsukuyomi is posed to return, endangering the Earth, as Yamato Takeru must prepare to halt this from occurring.

Cast

• Masahiro Takashima as Prince Yamato Takeru
• Yasuko Sawaguchi as Oto Tachibana
• Hiroshi Fujioka 
• Hiroshi Abe as Tsukiyomi
• Saburô Shinoda
• Keaki Mori
• Bengaru
• Masashi Ishibashi
• Miho Akishino
• Akira Koieyama as Oousu
• ​Kenpachirô Satsuma, Yamata no Oraichi puppeteer.

Production
Directed by Takao Okawara
Written by Wataru Mimura
Produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka, Shogo Tomiyama
Music by Kiyoko Ogino, Glay, Yoshiki Hayashi
Cinematography by Yoshinori Sekiguchi, Kenichi Eguchi
Edited by Nobuo Ogawa
Production design by Fumio Ogawa, Tetsuzo Osawa
Assistant directing by Kunio Miyoshi
Special effects by Koichi Kawakita, Takao Okawara, Kenji Suzuki