I was unfamiliar with the story behind The Three Treasures and the legendary founding of Japan and Shintoism, and I found the film hard to follow, overly long, and ultimately a bit boring (even the fight between Susanoo (the great Toshiro Mifune) and the eight-headed dragon). Some of the imagery and special effects (from Toho Studios master Eiji Tsuburaya) were very good and the acting fine (for an action-fantasy film). Mifune is fine in the dual role of Prince Yamato Takeru and Susanoo, although I found the Prince's constant credulousness tiring (he is repeatedly lied to yet seems to believe everything he's told). I think I'd need more background in Japanese history and culture to really appreciate this film (fortunately not required to enjoy Toho's rollicking kaiju epics).

Good, Good and Good, this is the only adjective possible to be used to this jewel of the Japanese cinematography. Culturally is a film to be seen by all, it is amusing and interesting. Here we all learn how we can fight bad things with good behavior and polite talk, something nearly forgotten during these days. The film shows that not always the man can be peaceful but good feelings from humans can help a lot to avoid the violence.

A wonderful epic that concentrates on spectacle and drama, but is not solely effects-driven despite having several fantastic sequences. Toshiro Mifune has two parts, one telling of how he earns the name Yamato Takeru, and is given by his father, (he thinks) the sword Kusanagi. One of the sacred Imperial treasures referred to in the alternate title of the film.

Mifune's other role is as the young god Susanoo, which features a marvelous scene of him slaying the eight-headed dragon Orochi and winning the aforementioned blade from within its tail. Akira Ifukube's score combines with Eiji Tsuburaya's effects team to make this a standout despite the technical limitations of the time.

But it is not just in terms of spectacle that this exceeds The Ten Commandments, the Hollywood epic of three years previous that it is in part an answer to. It similarly features a huge cast of extras and enormous sets, but more fully elaborates its creation myth and examines the dramatic origins of divinely moral order through a story of filial piety.

The marvelous cast includes Takashi Shimura & Koji Tsuruta as brothers, and countless other stars. Kazuo Yamada's cinematography is stunning, and includes a running battle across broken plains near the end. Interestingly, the style of swordsmanship in the film is appropriate to the more primitive blades used. But Mifune's dramatic slashing and martial poses convey the intended mythic strength of his character well.

There are some slower dialogue scenes in the Japanese cut of the film. But considering that the US edit cuts out over an hour, it should be ignored. The version that I saw seems comprised of several prints, as the background color and grain of the film stock cuts between varying tones within the same shot several times throughout the film. It is a shame that more extensive restoration has not been done to improve upon this and provide more professional subtitles. Still, the film is so well worth seeing, that it is easily ignored in light of so much great film-making.