One of Japan's most significant cultural phenomenon, the eccentricities of everyday life is explained by the presence of spirits in objects which have become known as Yokai. This concept has been a major figure in numerous stories and plays throughout the years, to novels, TV shows and feature films which is the subject of gonzo-exploitation director Yudai Yamaguchi and Keita Amemiya's joint anthology-styled love letter to the creatures.
“Rokuroku: The Promise of the Witch” is part of the Asian selection at Fantasia International Film Festival
Hearing about her grandfather, young Izumi (Miho Nakanishi, from “Over Your Dead Body”) decides to return to her hometown in order to be with him as her mother continually warns her about the stories he's telling. As a series of strange incidents occur to neighbors around the village, she begins to reconnect with her childhood friend Mika (Shiho, from “Kamen Rider X”) who has the feeling that something terrifying is going to happen to her. Intent on solving the mystery behind her sudden change in behavior, Izumi starts to realize what's going on around and how it ties into a vengeful witch's visit to them as a child now coming to collect on what they offered as a reward for letting them go then.
Overall, this is a rather fun anthology-style effort. One of it's greatest strengths is the way this changes around a normal anthology format into something far more uniquely enjoyable. Telling random stories in the context of being a series of vignettes looking at the lives of others around the village during her stay, offers this two impressive advantages. First, that the setup allows the film to become much more intriguing with a different setup than the usual returning-to-a-troubled-home storyline the wraparounds figure to be. It also works to give us several briefer and highly enjoyable, at times, segments that offer up a fun diversion. Like most anthologies, not all of them work but enough do, which some solid enjoyment.
Naturally, a big deal of that is intent, with the viewer making sense of the storyline. That can be difficult with the notion of this tackling seemingly unrelated stories and characters in the middle of a solid storyline with the main protagonists Izumi and Mika. To take a break from their story and head over into another piece for several minutes before returning to them can be quite distracting and chaotic for those not expecting it, especially if the resultant segment isn't of any interest. That this abandons this disjointed anthology format to finish off their piece for the final half-hour is somewhat of a disappointment, since that is reliant on a wide range of disparate CGI work and way too much confusion over what's going on with the snake-woman chasing them through the various setups we've just been through in the other stories. Why they were needed is never explained and this feels like a minor cheat.
As for the segments themselves, some work and some don't. “Karakasa” and “Hako Onna” manage to be incredibly effective that work in some impressive visual work regarding the creatures and their overall connection to folklore. Although visually stunning, “Nekome” and “Daidara” are less interesting storywise, in regards to how they play out since they usually offer up nothing in the sense of a strong storyline that the others do. Likewise, “Umibozu” and “Hitotsume” are just flat-out not worthwhile at all, being a one-note joke that's not thrilling or scary at all, and in the case of “Hitotsume” offers up some utterly appalling CGI that's a general embarrassment to look at. When the main wraparound occurs, “Rokuroku” has plenty of fun with the rampaging creature coming after the girls in the various locations of the neighborhood which ties together rather nicely with the opening meeting with the kids which is visually strong yet never really ties any of the segments together. It's the only real issue to be had here beyond the individual segments.
On the whole, there are several fun elements at play in regards to the individual segments in the film, yet as a whole is enjoyable enough if you're willing to get over the few issues present. Give this a chance if you're into the individuals involved with the creative side of the film or looking for a fun anthology effort, while those who don't enjoy these kinds of silly J-horror entries should heed caution.
