Yokai Monsters: 100 Monsters: ADV films really shocked a lot of kaiju fans myself included, when back in 2003 they released the lost buried classics from Daiei, the Yokai Monsters trilogy. Unlike their releases of the Daimajin movies, they actually gave these films individual releases with fine anamorphic transfers.

100 Monsters is really something that is hard to explain to someone who is not familiar with any Japanese folklore. Basically from what info I can find from Wikipedia, Yokai are apparently demons or ghosts from ancient Japanese folklore. Many of them show up throughout the film and are quite interesting in and of themselves. Unlike the sequel to this film, Yokai Monsters Spook Warfare, none of the Yokai seem to speak or have much in the way of character.

The plot centers around a small town which is being overrun by a developer who wishes to tear down other people's houses and even a shrine for his own personal gain. In doing so, he and his men have disturbed the Yokai who decide to get even by wreaking havoc. The film actually gets sporadic and jumps from story to story with small Yokai scenes being cut together with the basic theme of the developer tying them together.

It's certainly a different movie but not one I would call bad. If you are a Japanese film or horrow fan I would recommend this so long as you can get this DVD used for under $10. Give these films a chance; you might be surprised.

Labels: Horror, Japanese