SYNOPSIS:

In a peaceful village ruled by a good and just feudal lord (Hanabasa), trouble is brewing. It first comes in the sign of enormous footsteps and earthshaking originating around the sacred resting place of the Majin, a giant stone statue of a warrior god. The people of the illage are terrified by the footsteps and earthquakes and quickly band together in a prayer ceremony to keep the Majin at bay. But in the castle of Hanabasa, bad things are happening. The former-chamberlain Samonoske has decided to implement his plan to take over the royal throne. Samonoske kills Hanabasa and his wife, but his two children (Tadafumi and Kozasa) escape alongside their trusted samurai protector Kogenta. The prayer service for the Majin is abrubtly halted by a servant of Samonoske. Meanwhile, Kogenta and the royal heirs visit with the priestess, who knows of only one place where they would be safe. The priestess takes them to the mountain of the Majin, a most sacred place. Directly across from the giant Majin is where Tadafumi, Kozasa, and Kogenta live for ten years. Cut to ten years later. Kogenta and Tadafumi decide to try to avenge their rulers slaying and kill Samonoske, who has forced the entire village into bondage. Kogenta goes to the village to speak with several of Hanabasa's vassels in hiding, but is captured by Gonjuro (a very burly servant of Samonoske who recognizes Kogenta). Kogenta is tortured by Gonjuro to tell where the others are hiding, but he does not. Tadafumi goes to the village to rescue Kogenta, but is also captured. It is decided that the two are to be crucified. The priestess goes to the village to bargain with Samonoske, who kills her with his sword, but not until she curses him. Gonjuro is sent by Samonoske to destroy the statue of the Majin. On his way he finds Kozasa and a boy named Take (whose mother and father were dead) and forces them to show him the way to the statue. His servants climb on top of the Majin and begin to hammer on it, and even put a chisel into it's head (Which is all good and well until the statue starts to bleed). Then, the sky grows dark and stormy, lightning flashes all around, and an enormous fissure opens in the ground that swallows Gonjuro and his men. The earthquake is felt all the way in the village, but Samonosuke dismisses it as nothing to be concerned about. Gonjuro is pulled underground by mysterious forces after trying to destroy the Daimajin

After the brief intervention of the Gods, Kozasa and Take begin praying to the Majin to stop Samonosuke from crucifying Tadafumi and Kogenta. She prays with all of her heart, but to no avail. A single tear runs down her cheak and hits the ground. She runs to a waterfall and tries to offer her own life to the Majin. Take stops her after realizing that their is some commotion around the Majin. Rocks and trees fall from around the statue and the ground shakes mercilessly. Then the rocks fall from around the Majin's feet and the giant statue walks forward in enormous and thundering steps, then waves his arm over his mask to reveal a quite evil looking expression. Just as Tadafumi and Kogenta are to be executed, Hanabasa's followers try to revolt but are killed by Samonosukes guards. The execution attempts to procede again. The sky turns dark and an enormous blue fireball begins flying directly over the crowd. People scream and run. The fireball smashes into the ground and the Giant Majin appears. With unstoppable force he enters Samonosukes palace grounds, destroying a guard tower; then he knocks down the crosses of Tadafumi and Kogenta. . Samonosuke tries to destroy the Majin with swords, guns, catapults, chains tied to stuff, and even a fire wall (which is extinguised quite easily by the Majin). Nothing works. Samonosuke tries to escape by running into his castle, but is caught by the Majin's hand. The Majin carries Samonosuke to a bit of rubble that looks like a cross and holds him up to it. Then he takes the chisel out of his head and uses it to impale Samonosuke to the make-shift cross. Then we find out why the villagers were so scared of the Majin; because when he gets pissed, he stays pissed (there is a reason he is known as a vengeful and evil warrior god). He wanders into the village of the townspeople and procedes to destroy it as well. He murders a couple of the villages and even hurls the good guy Tadafumi across a street. He is stopped only after Kozasa once again risks her life to save Take. The Majin looks down at her as a tear hits his foot. The Majin then apparently realizes that he's done enough smashing for this century or so, waves his arm over his face to once again show his mask, and flies away as the blue fireball. Then, his statue crumbles into a bit of rubble intermingled with chains.

COMMENTS:

"Daimajin" was an excellent beginning to an absolutely phenomenal series of films. It's plot follows the original legend of the Daimajin much more closely than any the other films of the series. The special effects are nearly flawless and the story is good to. The Daimajin films are unlike other Kaiju films in that they don't have as much monster action. But the action that you do get kicks some bad guy warlord ass. This film is no exception in that respect. Watch it, and watch it again.