Birth of Japan was produced by Toho as their celebratory thousandth film. At the time, it was the most expensive Japanese film ever made. Based on the legends of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, and the origins of Shinto, it was released in America as The Three Treasures and in the rest of the world as Age of the Gods. That said, those versions are 70 minutes shorter.

Directed by Hiroshi Inagaki and written by Toshio Yasumi and Ryuzo Kikushima, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya, this stars Toshiro Mifune as Prince Yamato Takeru and Susanoo. That second name is essential, as most of this film is about the battle between Susanoo and the legendary dragon Orochi. In fact, this film is a series of legends told by an old woman to her village, such as the story of how marriage was invented.

I wonder what American audiences thought of this, a movie undubbed with subtitles, a film in which the hero dies only to be transformed into a bird that causes a volcano to kill all of his enemies, and where women drown themselves to please the gods.

While I watched this as a kaiju movie — and yes, it has giant monsters — this is an epic movie. From Japan’s creation to the symbols of the emperor, this is a very symbolic story. 

Toho would later remake this as Orochi the Eight-Headed Dragon.