Daimajin or Arakatsuma is a mighty stone warrior yokai created by Daiei Film Co. Ltd. that first appeared in the 1966 film, Daimajin.
Daimajin 1966
A kind warrior named Shino fought Daimajin some years ago and won. He trapped the spirit of Daimajin inside a stone statue. From that day forward, Daimajin could be summoned by people who needed his help, but only by waking the spirit from its slumber within the statue.
Daimajin – The Movie
The movie opens with a household of peasants cowering during a series of earth tremors that are interpreted as the escape attempts of Daimajin, a spirit trapped within a nearby geological formation. The entire village gathers at their shrine to pray that Majin’s spirit will remain imprisoned.
This torchlit parade is observed by local Feudal Lord Hanabasa, a good and just ruler. Also observing is his chamberlain, Samanosuke (Yutaro Gomi), who harbors ill intentions and has been waiting for just such a diversion to stage a coup d’état.
Daimajin – The Movie 1966
As the villagers pray, Samanosuke and his henchmen strike, slaughtering Hanabasa and his wife, but their son and daughter, aided by the heroic samurai Kogenta (Jun Fujimaki) escape. Concurrently, at the shrine, more of Samanosuke’s men break up the prayer meeting and forbid any such gatherings by the town’s people in the future.
The priestess Shinobu issues a dire warning against forbidding the prayers, but the men ignore her. Discouraged, Shinobu, goes home.
Upon arriving, Shinobu discovers that she has unwittingly become the last hope of survival for Hanabasa’s orphans, and their protector, Kogenta.
She takes them up the side of the mountain, into forbidden territory, where the stone idol Daimajin, stands half-buried. Near this idol is an ancient temple – the only safe place for the children, as only Shinobu knows of its existence.