is a 1978

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

ese ''

jidaigeki is a genre of film, television, video game, and theatre in Japan. Literally meaning "period dramas", they are most often set during the Edo period of Japanese history, from 1603 to 1868. Some, however, are set much earlier—''Portrait of Hel ...

'' film written and directed by

Kon Ichikawa was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. His work displays a vast range in genre and style, from the anti-war films '' The Burmese Harp'' (1956) and '' Fires on the Plain'' (1959), to the documentary ''Tokyo Olympiad'' (1965), which won t ...

. It is based on the "

Dawn Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the appearance of indirect sunlight being scattered in Earth's atmosphere, when the centre of the Sun's disc has reached 18° below the observer's horizo ...

" storyline from

Osamu Tezuka Osamu Tezuka (, born , ''Tezuka Osamu''; – 9 February 1989) was a Japanese manga artist, cartoonist, and animator. Born in Osaka Prefecture, his prolific output, pioneering techniques, and innovative redefinitions of genres earned him such ...

's manga of the same title.

Himiko , also known as , was a shamaness-queen of Yamatai-koku in . Early Chinese dynastic histories chronicle tributary relations between Queen Himiko and the Cao Wei Kingdom (220–265) and record that the Yayoi period people chose her as ruler fol ...

, the queen of

Yamatai Yamatai or Yamatai-koku is the Sino-Japanese name of an ancient country in Wa (Japan) during the late Yayoi period The Chinese text ''Records of the Three Kingdoms'' first recorded the name as () or (; using reconstructed Middle Chinese p ...

, orders her subordinates to search for the Phoenix, which is said to have eternal life for those who drinks its blood.

Cast

Tomisaburo Wakayama , born Masaru Okumura (奥村勝),Leous, G. (''c.'' 2003)Tomisaburo WakayamaRetrieved on May 23, 2010. was a Japanese actor best known for playing Ogami Ittō, the scowling, 19th-century '' ronin'' warrior in the six ''Lone Wolf and Cub'' samura ...

as Sarutahaiko, General of the Yamatai *

Toshinori Omi is a Japanese actor. Career Born in Tokyo, Omi joined the children's theater troupe Himawari Theatre Group when he was still in kindergarten. He made his film debut at age 13 in Kon Ichikawa's ''Hi no Tori'' (1978) and got his first starring ro ...

as Nagi *

Masao Kusakari is a Japanese actor and model (profession), model. Biography Masao Kusakari was born in Fukuoka Prefecture to a Japanese mother and an American father, the latter who died in the Korean War. Considered stunningly good looking, his debut into th ...

as Yumihiko of Matsuro *

Mieko Takamine (2 December 1918 – 27 May 1990) was a Japanese actress and singer. Biography Mieko Takamine was born the eldest daughter of famous chikuzen biwa player and teacher Chikufu Takamine. She gave her acting debut in the 1936 film ''Kimi yo takarak ...

as Queen Himiko of Yamatai * Ken Tanaka as Takeru *

Mitsuko Kusabue Mitsuko is a feminine Japanese given name. Possible writings The name Mitsuko is generally written with the kanji characters 光 and 子 which, when translated into English can mean "light, child" or "shining, child".http://www.20knames.com/femal ...

as Iyo * Masaya Oki as Uraji * Akiji Kobayashi as Yamatai *

Reiko Ohara was a Japanese actress. Her life story was adapted into the TV Tokyo program '. Biography Ohara was born in Tokyo in 1946 to a family that sold Japanese confectionery in the Hongo area. Upon graduating from high school, she made her debut as a ...

as Hinaku *

Tōru Emori is a Japanese actor, voice actor, and theater director. He has appeared in more than sixty films since 1965. Career Emori entered the acting school at the Bungakuza theater troupe in 1962 and came to fame with the play ''Ōmugiiri no chikin s ...

as Susano * Takeshi Kato as Kamamushi *

Hideji Ōtaki was a Japanese actor. He has served as President of the Mingei Theatre Company. Career After serving in World War II, he became interested in the theater and helped found the Gekidan Mingei troupe in 1950. He gained fame for his television work ...

as Sukune *

Jun Fubuki is a Japanese actress. Career Jun Fubuki received a Japanese Academy Award Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role in '' Muno no Hito'', and won at the Hochi Film Awards. This role also won Fubuki the "Best Actress" award at the Yokoh ...

as Oro *

Kaoru Yumi is a Japanese actress. Filmography Movies * (1966) * (1973) * (1973) * (1974) * (1974) * (1976) * (1976) * (1978) TV Dramas * (1970 NHK) ''as Yaku Hiroko'' * * (1973) * * (1986 TBS) * * (1997 TBS) * References External links ...

as Uzume * Junzaburo Ban as Oro *

Tatsuya Nakadai is a Japanese film actor. He was featured in 11 films directed by Masaki Kobayashi, including ''The Human Condition'' trilogy, wherein he starred as the lead character Kaji, plus ''Harakiri'', ''Samurai Rebellion'' and ''Kwaidan''. Nakadai wor ...

as Jingi the Conqueror, leader of the Takamagahara

Ninigi is a deity in Japanese mythology. Grandson of the sun goddess Amaterasu, Ninigi is regarded according to Japanese mythology as the great-grandfather of Japan’s first emperor, Emperor Jimmu. The three sacred treasures brought with Ninigi from ...

References

External links

* 1978 films Films directed by Kon Ichikawa Samurai films Jidaigeki films 1970s Japanese-language films Live-action films based on manga Cultural depictions of Himiko 1970s Japanese films {{1970s-Japan-film-stub