Ishiro Honda's

GODZILLA

(1954)

Godzilla is an extremely serious film, somber in tone, in sharp contrast to many of its sequels. When it was made, there was no thought to potential sequels to a film which hints at the end of civilization. Godzilla is the atomic bomb personified. The film was planned as the most expensive and complicated production of the year by the largest film studio in Japan. The elaborate production was matched by an equally elaborate and extensive marketing campaign, including a radio play featuring sound effects from the film.

Director Ishiro Honda served as Assistant or Second Unit Director under Akira Kurosawa for the filming of Stray Dog (1949) and many of his other significant films. Honda continued to assist Kurosawa until Honda's death in 1993. Honda coauthored the screenplays for several of Kurosawa's later films, including Kagemusha (the Shadow Warrior) (1980). Honda was instrumental in arranging financing for Kagemusha, which was the most expensive film ever made in Japan until it was surpassed by Ran (1985).

Many people involved in the production of Godzilla suffered traumatically during World War II or witnessed the suffering of others, and this experience colored their presentation of the suffering of the characters portrayed in the kaiju eiga, especially in Godzilla. As the first film in the series, it is chronologically less removed from the devastation of the war. Honda witnessed the firebombing of Tokyo while on leave, and visited Hiroshima in 1946. His war experience profoundly influenced his treatment of death, destruction, and moral issues in his films.

Composer Akira Ifukube, first winner of the Tcherepine prize, was the first Japanese composer educated at a Western conservatory, studying classical Western composition in Russia. Born in Kushiro, Hokkaido, his music often incorporates aboriginal themes and rythms of the Ainu people of Hokkaido, the most remote region of Japan. Thus, much of his fully-orchestrated music, which sounds Japanese to Western ears, sounds particularly exotic, primitive, and vibrant even to the Japanese themselves. He scored Toshiro Mifune's film debut, To the End of Silver Mountain, and Akira Kurosawa's The Quiet Duel (1949). His score for Godzilla is one of his best and most memorable compositions, though it could be said much of his later music for the kaiju eiga represents variations on original themes introduced in the score for this film.

Ifukube suffered from radiation sickness at the end of World War II, which was fatal to his brother Isao. Ifukube scored so many of the kaiju eiga he is identified with the series, and his music is identified with individual kaiju. Ifukube also created the sound effects for Godzilla's roar, by rubbing a gloved hand over a contrabass and adding reverb, and for Godzilla's footsteps with a drum, an effect not repeated in any sequel. These effects were instrumental in giving the promotional radio play its impact, and they are used more prominently in Godzilla than in any subsequent film.

Actor Takashi Shimura (Dr Yamane the paleontologist) was very busy in 1954. He had just finished making Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai with Toshiro Mifune, then the most expensive film ever made in Japan. Toho studios, which also produced Godzilla, twice halted location shooting on Seven Samurai and made Kurosawa wait for approval before he could resume. The expense of filming Seven Samurai may have delayed or even jeopardized the making of Godzilla. All Japanese film critics include both films on their ten best lists.

One indication of Kurosawa's stature is that he directed five in turn of the most expensive films ever made in Japan, all of which are universally highly regarded. Seven Samurai (1954) was the Heaven's Gate of its day, but according to some sources it was almost immediately surpassed by Godzilla in cost, though this is difficult to believe. Afterward, Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress (1957), Red Beard (1965), Kagemusha (1980), and Ran (1985) were each the most expensive films made in Japan. Honda's Mothra (1961) surpassed The Hidden Fortress.

Even an expensive film like Godzilla generally took no more than three to four months to make, with limited location shooting in downtown Tokyo and Ohto Island. Seven Samurai took over a year, which was unprecedented at the time for a Japanese film; it was all filmed in a remote location where Kurosawa built a village set and was free from the prying eyes of studio executives.

Godzilla features elaborate special effects, which were all filmed in the studio on sound stages, and the climax features the first underwater photography in a Japanese film. Underwater filming was just being attempted in the U.S. at most a few years earlier. Though these underwater scenes are somewhat inferior to those in contemporary American films like Jack Arnold's Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), they are adequate and less central to the story than in Creature. Also, the murkiness of the water helps integrate the live action scenes of the divers with the effects shots of the monster, so this may have been intentional.

The success of Godzilla prompted a disappointing first sequel in 1955, Matayoshi Odo's Godzilla's Counterattack, also known as Gigantis the Fire Monster and Godzilla Raids Again. Introducing the monster Angorous, also known as Anzilla, this film was also expensive and elaborate, but is mainly of historical interest to especially devoted kaiju eiga fans. Honda had already been scheduled to direct several other films when Toho made the decision to go ahead with a sequel, so he was unable to direct.

Toho released the American version starring Raymond Burr with Japanese subtitles in 1957 as Monster King Godzilla. It was touted as a widescreen production, though in fact all Toho did was chop off the tops and bottoms of the frame. This was not an uncommon practice in the fifties. Mutilated scenes from this version were used as stock shots in Varan the Unbelievable (1958).

Godzilla's next appearances were in Tohocolor and Tohoscope, with Perspecta Sterophonic Sound: the highly satirical King Kong versus Godzilla (1959) and Mothra versus Godzilla (1962). The adult content combined with colorful action provided sophisticated stories which appealed equally well to children as adults. These were the most financially successful films in the series for several decades, and are highly critical of capitalism, materialism, marketing, and entrepreneurship. Toho, itself an icon of capitalism, laughed all the way to the bank. Unfortunately, most of the satiric content was removed from the American versions.

The Cast

Takashi Shimura [1905-1982] (Paleontologist Dr. Kyohei Yamane), one of the greatest actors of the twentieth century, starred in Akira Kurosawa's The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail (1945), Those Who Make Tomorrow (1946), No Regrets for Our Youth (1946), Drunken Angel (1948), The Quiet Duel (1949), Stray Dog (1949) as Toshiro Mifune's boss, Rashomon (1950) as the woodcutter, Scandal (1950) as Mifune's lawyer, The Idiot (1951) from the novel by Fyodor Dosoevsky, Ikiru (1952) as the bureaucrat dying of stomach cancer, The Seven Samurai (1954) as the head samurai, Record of a Living Being (I Live in Fear) (1955), The Throne of Blood (1957) as the character corresponding to Macduff, The Hidden Fortress (1958), The Bad Sleep Well (1960) as the second villain, Yojimbo (1961), Sanjuro (1962), High and Low(Heaven and Hell) (1963), Red Beard (1965), and finally, in Kagemusha (1980). He reprised the role of Dr. Yamane as a cameo in Godzilla's Counterattack (1955), as well as appearing in The Mysterians (Earth Defense Forces) (1957), Mothra (1961), Ghidrah the Three-Headed Monster (1964), and most kaiju eigan films until his death. He also had a small role as a priest in Masaki Kobayashi’s Kwaidan (1964), based on short stories by Lafcadio Hearn. In his films for Akira Kurosawa, Shimura’s characters are generally the moral center of the Kurosawan universe, often providing guidance to the less experienced character played by Toshiro Mifune. After 1957, when Shimura played a supporting role in The Throne of Blood, a retelling of Macbeth, his parts became increasingly brief but continued to be highly memorable.

Akihiko Hirata (Physicist Dr. Daisuke Serizawa) carries the most melodramatic role in the film. Notice how his hair goes grey in moments of extreme dramatic stress. He was originally intended for the role of Ogata, but a wise decision was made for him to swap roles with Akira Takarada. He does not play a mad scientist, but the lab in his basement could easily equip one. He was a fixture in later kaiju eiga and crime films, often teamed with Kenji Sahara (star of Rodan (1956), The Mysterians (1957), and Ghidrah the Three-headed Monster (1964)) as his junior police colleague. He plays the Minister of Defense in King Kong versus Godzilla (1959), and often portrayed scientists. His only roles as villain were as a wily and resourceful Mu agent in Atragon (1963) and the martinet Red Bamboo commander in Godzilla versus the Sea Monster (1966). He starred as one of the young samurai in Sanjuro (1962) for Akira Kurosawa. The original Godzilla explains he was wounded in the war, possibly from a research accident, which cost him an eye. It is remarked that he is reclusive, when he sees off a boat leaving for Ohto Island. And he is sensitive about having his research linked with German colleagues, though this reference is vague he may have collaborated on war research. These references are all lost in the American version.

Akira Takarada (Hideto Ogata) made one of his first film appearances in Godzilla. He became a fixture in later kaiju eiga, portraying the lead reporter in Godzilla versus Mothra (1962), the astronaut in Monster Zero (1964), and the jewel thief in Godzilla versus the Sea Monster (1966). In Godzilla he forms one point of the romantic triangle. As he matured, he became the epitome of a Japanese movie star. In the original version it is made clear in Takarada's first scene that he is a salvage diver for the Nankai (Southern) Steamship Company, and that he is dating Emiko Yamane, who is engaged to Dr. Serizawa. This scene is removed from the American version

Momoko Kochi (Emiko Yamane) is matched in an arranged marriage to Dr. Serizawa, but loves the younger and better-looking Ogata. This was her only kaiju eiga appearance until Godzilla versus Destroyer (1995) where she reprised her role as Emiko Yamane.

Sachio Sakai (Reporter Hagiwara) this part was written out of the American version, and all his lines given to Raymond Burr. In the American version, the character is still prominent in several scenes, but none of his lines are dubbed into English. He played a yakuza in Ikiru (1952) and one of the villagers in Seven Samurai (1954) for Akira Kurosawa.

Kenji Sahara (Man on Boat) starred in Rodan (1956), and The Mysterians (1957) and became as much a fixture in the kaiju eiga as Shimura, Hirata, or Takarada. He also starred in Atragon (1962), Ghidrah the Three-headed Monster (1964), and Destroy All Monsters (1967). He often played a dashing young police officer who works with Akihiko Hirata and always saves the girl.

Ren Yamamoto (Masaji Sieji) plays the landing craft commander at the end of Godzilla's Counterattack (1955).

Toyoaki Suzuki (Shinkichi Sieji) plays the son or younger brother of Masaji. It is not made clear why he moves in with the Yamanes, or if they have any family connection with the Ohto islanders.

Fuyuki Murakami (Physicist Dr. Tabata) appears fairly prominently in the original but his role in the American version is minimal and few of his lines are dubbed into English. It becomes clear in the Japanese version that his expertise is a necessary supplement to that of Dr. Yamane. As a paleontologist, Dr. Yamane has no understanding of radiation.

Miki Hayashi (Chairman of the Diet Committee)

Seijiro Onda and Kin Sugai (Parliamentarians)

The debate before a committee of the diet is more prominent in the Japanese version of the film. It is not intended as satire, but to underscore the panic, bordering on irrationality, inspired by the insoluble problems of the atomic age. Though no party affiliations are suggested, the chairman and the male member of the committee are likely members of the ruling Liberal Party, whereas the opposition women are members of a more leftist Socialist or Labor Party.

Takeo Oikawa (Chief of Emergency Headquarters)
Kuninori Kodo (Gisaku, Ohto Island Patriarch)
Toranosuke Ogawa (President of Nankai Shipping Company)
Ren Imaizumi (Nankai Radio Operator)
Tadashi Okabe (Reporter Killed in Tower)

Keiji Sakakida

Shizuko Higashi

Kiyoshi Kamoto

Takeo Oikawa

Haruo Nakajima, Katsumi Tezuka, Ryosaku Takasugi (Godzilla) these are the men inside the rubber suit. Godzilla was also depicted with a hand puppet and an immobile doll

Eiji Tsuburaya directed the special effects. Though somewhat primitive by today's standards, they were groundbreaking, memorable, and there certainly are plenty of them.

The Lucky Dragon incident

When the United States detonated the first hydrogen bomb on March 1, 1954, the Japanese fishing vessel Daigo Fukuryo Maru, the Lucky Dragon, was caught in the fallout. The ship's crew became seriously ill, and radio operator Aikichi Kuboyama died on September 23, 1954, the first victim of the hydrogen bomb. His agonizing and drawn-out death was front-page news in Japan.

In an effort to conceal data on the hydrogen bomb, American military doctors purposely gave misleading advice to Japanese doctors treating Kuboyama, and may have contributed to his death. Godzilla had already been completed, and was released on November 3. Awareness of the Lucky Dragon incident, which became a cause celebré in Japan, as well as memories of World War II, colored Japanese audiences' experience of the film.

Toho made the tasteful and compassionate decision not to capitalize on the tragedy in promoting the film, but the opening scenes, where several ships are destroyed by what seems to be atomic bomb testing, which turns out to be Godzilla, seem almost inspired by the fate of the Lucky Dragon. This may actually be the case, because filming may not have been completed until long after the story broke in the news media.

In the original Japanese version, there were several references not only to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but there was a reference to the fire bombing of Tokyo, which Ishiro Honda and many others involved with the film witnessed. These references were deleted in the American version. A woman comforts her children at the base of a burning building, saying "we're going to be with your father." The implication was that the father died in the war. This scene remains in the American version but was left untranslated.

After Godzilla's rampage, Emiko Yamane and Ogata volunteer in a hospital, comforting one beautiful little girl who has been exposed to lethal radiation, and one whose mother has been killed. These scenes remain in the American version, but lose most of their impact.

ISHIRO HONDA FILMOGRAPHY

Work as Assistant Director at P.C.L (Photo Chemical Laboratories) Studios

1934

• Untitled lost film directed by Sotoji Kimura

1935

• Three Sisters with Maiden Hearts, directed by Mikio Naruse

1937

• A Husband's Chastity, directed by Kajiro Yamamoto
• Avalanche, directed by Mikio Naruse
• Chakkiri Kinta, directed by Kajiro Yamamoto
• Humanity and Paper Balloons, directed by Sadao Yamanaka

1938 (P.C.L. becomes Toho)

• Chinetsu, directed by Eisuke Takizaewa
• Tsurujiro Tsuru Jiachi, directed by Mikio Naruse
• Tojuro's Love, directed by Kajiro Yamamoto

1940

• War movie directed by Kajiro Yamamoto, title not available.

1944

• Colonel Kato's Falcon Squadron, directed by Kajiro Yamamoto 

1949

• Child of the Wind, directed by Kajiro Yamamoto
• Stray Dog, directed by Akira Kurosawa

Works as documentary filmmaker at Toho's documentary branch.

1949

• A Story of a Co-op

1950

• Ise Island (about scientists in central Japan)

Works as director (all from Toho unless noted).

1951

• The Blue Pearl (03/08) Cast: Ryo Ikebe, Yukiko Shimazaki, Takashi Shimura, Kokuten Kodo

1952

• The Skin of the  South (28/03) Cast: Yoko Fujita, Yoshio Kosugi, Takashi Shimura, Kamatari Fujiwara

1952

• The Man Who Went to Sea (27/11) Cast: Toshiro Mifiuie, Takashi Shimura, Hiroshi Koizumi, Kamatari Fujiwara, Senkichi Omura, Ren Yamamoto, Bokuzen Hidari; AkiraTani.  Note: Jun Fukuda served as chief assistant director (also on Rodan ). 

1953

• Adolescence Part II (01/07) Cast: KyokoAoyama, Hiroshi Koizumi, Akira Kubo, Fumiko Homma, Sachio Sakai, Keiju Kobayashi, Fuyuki Murakami, Ren Yamamoto
• Eagle of the Pacific (21/10) Cast: Denjiro Okochi, Toshiro Mifiuie, Keiju Kobayashi, Rentaro Mikuni.  Note: the film's composer was Yuji Koseki, who later scored Mothra.

1954

• Farewell Rabaul (10/02) Cast: Ryo Ikebe, Rentaro Mikuni, Akihiko Hirata, Yu Fujiki, Akira Kubo
• Godzilla (03/11) Cast: Takashi Shimura, Akihiko Hirata, Akira Takarada, Momoko Kochi

1955

• Love Makeup (09/01) Cast: Ryo Ikebe, Kyoko A()yama, Hiroshi Koizumi, Bokuzen Hidari, Akira Tani
• O-en-san (possibly meaning "Crybaby") (07/06) Cast: Yaeko Mizutani, Hiroshi Koizumi, Yoko Tsukasa, Kamatari Fujiwara 
• Abominable Snowman (Half Human) (14/08) Cast: Akemi Negishi, Akira Takarada, Momoko Kochi, Nobuo Nakamura, Sachio Sakai, Kokuten Kodo, Yoshio Kosugi, Akira Tani, Senkichi Omura.  Note: This film may have been shot before Oen-san in the winter of 1955.

1956

• Young Tree (22/01) Cast: Kyoko Aoyama, Takashi Shimura, many now-forgotten girl idol types
• Night School (18/04) Independently produced short film (44 minutes) released by Daiei, uses mostly Daiei cast and crew, as well as Keiju Kobayashi and Yoshifumi Tajima
• People of Tokyo Goodbye (28/06) 61 minute program 
• Monster of the Sky Rodan (Rodan) (26/12) Cast: Kenji Sahara, Yumi Shirakawa, Akihiko Hirata, Yoshifumi Tajima.  Note: Honda's first film in color.

1957

• Good Luck to These Two (19/02) Cast: Hiroshi Koizumi, Yumi Shirakawa, Toshiro Miflme, Takashi Shimura, Kamatari Fujiwara, Yoshifumi Tajima, Yu Fujiki
• A Teapicker's Song of Goodbye (02/07) Cast: Yoshio Kosugi, Fumiko Romma, Akihiko Hirata
• A Rainbow Plays in my Heart (02/07) (shown in two Parts) Cast: Ken Uehara, Momoko Kochi, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Akemi Negishi, Akira Takarada, Risayo Ito, Akihiko Hirata, Fumiko Romma, Fuyuki Murakami
• A Farewell to the Woman Called My Sister (25/08) Cast: Akihiko Hirata, Machiko Kitagawa, Hiroshi Koizumi, Fuyuki Murakami 
• Earth Defense Force (The Mysterians) (28/12) Cast: Kenji Sahara, Yumi Shirakawa, Takashi Shimura, Momoko Kochi, Akihiko Hirata, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Susumu Fujita, Hisaya Ito, Yoshio Kosugi.  Note: Honda's fIrst film in scope format, as are all subsequent films. 

1958

• Song for a Bride (11/02) Cast: Akemi Negishi, Kenji Sahara, Hiroshi Koizumi, Yoshio Tsuchiya
• Beauty and the Hydrogen Man (The H-Man) (24/06) Cast: Yumi Shirakawa, Kenji Sahara, Akihiko Hirata, Eitaro Ozawa, Makoto Sato, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Koreya Senda, Yoshifumi Tajima, Nadao Kirino
• The Monster Varan (Varan the Unbelievable) Cast: Kozo Nomura, Ayumi Sonoda, Koreya Senda, Akihiko Hirata, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Yoshifumi Tajima, Hisaya Ito, Nadao Kirino, Fuyuki Murakami, Yoshio Tsuchiya

1959

• An Echo Calls You (22/01) Cast: Ryo Ikebe, Izumi Yukimura, lkio Sawamura, Yu Fujiki, Bokuzen Hidari
• Inao - Story of an Iron Arm (baseball comedy) (21/03) Cast: Takashi Shimura, Yumi Shirakawa, Sachio Sakai, Fuyuki Murakami 
• Seniors, Juniors, Co-Workers (13/09) Cast: Daisuke Kato, Kumi Mizuno, Akira Kubo, Yoshifumi Tajima
• The Great Space War (Battle in Outer Space) (26/12) Cast: Ryo Ikebe, Kyoko Anzai, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Koreya Senda, Hisaya Ito, Fuyuki Murakami, Nadao Kirino, Kozo Nomura, Raruya Kato, lkio Sawamura

1960

• Sanbo the Magic Waterwheel (Honda directed only the dubbing actors for this Russian-Finnish film.)
• The First Human Vapor (The Human Vapor) (11/12) Cast: Tatsuya Mihashi, Kaoru Yachigusa, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Bokuzen Hidari, Keiko Sata, Yoshio Kosugi, Yoshifumi Tajima, Fuyuki Murakami

1961

• Mothra (30/07) Cast: Frankie Sakai, Kyoko Kagawa, Hiroshi Koizumi, Takashi Shimura, Jerry Ito, The Peanuts (Emi Ito, Yumi Ito ), Ken Uehara, Kenji Sahara (cameo)
• The Scarlet Man (12/09) Cast: Makoto Sato, Yumi Shirakawa, Akira Kubo, Kozo Nomura, Sachio Sakai, lkio Sawamura, Akira Tani, Ko Nishimura, Eisei Amamoto, Keiko Sata

1962

• Mystery Planet Gorath (Gorath) (21/03) Cast: Ryo Ikebe, Yumi Shirakawa, Takashi Shimura, Kumi Mizuno, Ken Uehara, Akira Kubo, Akihiko Hirata, Jun Tazaki, lkio Sawamura, Kenji Sahala
• King Kong vs Godzilla (11/08) Cast: Tadao Takashima, Yu Fujiki, Mie Hama, Akiko Wakabayashi, Kenji Sahara, Ichiro Arishima, Akihiko Hirata, Jun Tazaki, Ikio Sawamura

1963

• Matango (Attack of the Mushroom People) (11/08) Cast: Akira Kubo, Kenji Sahara, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Hiroshi Koizumi, Miki Yashiro, Kumi Mizuno, Hiroshi Tachikawa

1964

• Mothra vs Godzilla (Godzilla vs The Thing) (29/04) Cast: Akira Takarada, Yuriko Hoshi, Kenji Sahara, Yoshifumi Tajima, Yu Fujiki, Jun Tazaki, Emilto, Yumilto, Ikio Sawamura, Ren Yamamoto, Kenzo Tadake
• Giant Space Monster Dogora (Dogora the Space Monster) (II/08) Cast: Yosuke Natsuke, Robert Dunham, Hiroshi Koizumi, Yoko Fujiyama, Jun Tazaki, Yoshifiuni Tajima, Eisei Amamoto, Akiko Wakabayashi, Mie Hama
• The Greatest Battle on Earth (Ghidrah the Three Headed Monster) (20/12) Cast: Yosuke Natsuke, Yuriko Hoshi, Hiroshi Koizumi, Takashi Shimura, Emi Ito, Yumi Ito, Ikio Sawamura, Akiko Wakabayashi, Kenji Sahara, Akihiko Hirata, Yoshifumi Tajima, Eisei Amamoto

1965

• Frankenstein vs the Subterranean Monster (Frankenstein Conquers the World) (11/08) Cast: Nick Adams, Kumi Mizuno, Tadao Takashima, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Takashi Shimura, Jun Tazaki, Yoshifiuni Tajima
• The Great Monster War (Monster Zero) (19/12) Cast: Nick Adams, Kumi Mizuno, Akira Takarada, Akira Kubo, Jun Tazaki, Yoshio Tsuchiya

1966

• Monsters of Frankenstein: Sanda vs Gaila ( War of the Gargantuas) (31/07) Cast: Russ Tamblyn, Kumi Mizuno, Kenji Sahara, jun Tazaki, Ikio Sawamura, Yoshifumi Tajima
• Come Marry Me (20/1 0) Honda's last non-effects film

1967

• King Kong's Counterattack (King Kong Escapes) (22/07) Cast: Rhodes Reason, Akira Takarada, Linda Miller, Mie Hama, Eisei Amamoto, Yoshifiuni Tajima, Ikio Sawamura

1968

• Attack of the Marching Monsters (Destroy All Monsters) (Released on 01/08 but shooting, cutting and scoring were completed months before.) Cast: Akira Kubo, Jun Tazilki, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Kyoko Ai, Yukiko Kobayashi, Kenji Sahara, Yoshifumi Tajima, Ikio Sawamura, Andrew Hughes, Kazuo Suzuki

1969

• Latitude Zero Military Tactics (Latitude Zero) (26/07) Cast: Joseph Cotten, Cesar Romero, Richard Jaeckel, Akira Takarada, Akihiko Hirata
• All Monsters Attack (Godzilla's Revenge) (20/12) Cast: Kenji Sahara, Eisei Amamoto, Yoshifumi Tajima, Tomonori Yazaki, Ikio Sawamura

1970

• Decisive Battle! Monsters of the South Seas (Yog Monster From Space) (01/08) Cast: Kenji Sahara, Akira Kubo, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Yu Fujiki

Note: From March, 1971 through September, 1973, Honda directed twenty five half hour segments for five SF/action TV shows including the "Zone Fighter" series, which featured appearences by Godzilla, Gigan and King Ghidorah.

1975

• Mechagodzilla's Counterattack (The Terror of MechaGodzilla) (15/03) Cast: Akihiko Hirata, Tomokoai, Katsumasa Uchida, Goro Mutsu, Kenji Sahara, lkio Sawamura

Honda went into semi-retirement at this point, but is known to have assisted Akira Kurosawa on the movies Kagemusha (1980), Ran (1985), Dreams (1990), Rhapsody in August (1991), and Madadayo (1992). He is known to have directed at least one important sequence in one of those films, and is likely to have directed several more. Honda co-wrote several of these screenplays with Kurosawa and others.