Firebird: Daybreak Chapter (1978)
"Hi no tori" (original title)

This extraordinarily complex film is not only a send-up of every samurai film ever made, it is also an extrapolation of the value of life. The Yamatai, represented by Prince Susano-O and ... See full summary »

Director:

Kon Ichikawa

Writers:

Shuntaro Tanikawa (screenplay), Osamu Tezuka (story)

Stars:

Tomisaburô Wakayama, Toshinori Omi, Masao Kusakari

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tomisaburô Wakayama	...	Sarutahaiko, General of the Yamatai
Toshinori Omi	...	Nagi
Masao Kusakari	...	Yumihiko of Matsuro
Kaoru Yumi	...	Uzume, a dancer from Matsuro
Ken Tanaka	...	Takeru
Reiko Ôhara	...	Hinaku
Tôru Emori	...	Susanoo
Ryûzô Hayashi	...	Guzuri
Mieko Takamine	...	Queen Himiko of Yamatai
Tatsuya Nakadai	...	Jingi the Conqueror, leader of the Takamagahara
Mitsuko Kusabue	...	Iyo
Takeshi Katô	...	Kamamushi
Junzaburô Ban	...	Exorcist
Hideji Ôtaki	...	Sukune
Jun Fubuki	...	Oro

Storyline

This extraordinarily complex film is not only a send-up of every samurai film ever made, it is also an extrapolation of the value of life. The Yamatai, represented by Prince Susano-O and elderly advisor Sumuke, hire Yumihiko of Matsuro to hunt the phoenix so that Queen Himiko, sister of Susano-O can have eteranal life. Matsuro is then destroyed by the Takamagahara, who have mastered the art of horseback riding, which is foreign to all other western Japanese tribes. One of their number, Uzume uses makeup to appear ugly and avoid rape, though her dancing induces Jingi to spare her. Queen Himiko's apprentice, Iyo, orders the execution of an innocent based on her magical observation, so Susano-O sides with the people. A Yamatai doctor named Guzuri washes up from a shipwreck in the country of Kumaso, where Hinaku, daughter of the chief, is dying. Urusni, her husband, is killed hunting the phoenix to save her, but Guzuri gives her penicillin, which saves her, so the chief marries him to her...

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Plot Keywords:

queen | phoenix | prince | samurai | pregnancy | 

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Genres:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | History | War

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Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

30 March 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

Firebird: Daybreak Chapter

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hi no Tori Productions, Tezuka Production Company Ltd., Toho Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

137 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Remade as Hi no tori (2004)

User Reviews

Phoenix 2772

The animated movie "Hi no Tori" (aka "Phoenix 2772", "Ai no Kosumozōn"

• "Love's Cosmozone") is an excellent SF allegory. Godo, the main

character, born in a tube as all the children in that future time, is selected, according to his genes, to attend the pilot academy. He falls in love with Rena, who was the fiancée of Rock, a political leader and chief science officer. Godo is put to jail for seducing Rena and is tricked to escape on a spaceship especially designed for capturing a mythological bird, Phoenix 2772, which Rock believed could make the Earth recover from the exhaustive exploitation it had to suffer. While fighting the strange and very powerful Phoenix, Godo discovers he had strong feelings about Oruga (Olga) and Phoenix is really impressed by that and even... I won't tell you what it does. Finally, Godo has to give his life so that the Earth (which he loved so much) be able to live again.