Nihon Chinbotsu (1973 film)
Encyclopedia
is a 1973 film
directed by Shiro Moritani. It is based on the novel Japan Sinks
by Sakyo Komatsu
, published the same year. The film stars Lorne Greene
, Keiju Kobayashi
, Hiroshi Fujioka
and Ayumi Ishida. A remake was released in 2006, Nihon Chinbotsu, loosely based on a second section of this series.
The movie caused a sensation in Japan and paved the way for later "panic" features. Komatsu, the author of the novel, made a cameo in the beginning scenes of the movie.
is moving towards the Japanese Trench, which if left to continue on its collision course, would bring the whole island of Japan under the sea.
Both Japanese and American governments must find a solution to the problem or find refuge for the Japanese in neighboring countries. The movie begins with a brief description of the geological formation of Japan. Later, Toshiro Onodera is shown relaxing at a beach near Kumamoto City with Reiko Abe, his wife. However, Mt. Aso erupts, forcing the two to escape the beach.
Later, Toshiro and Tadokoro have a talk with several American geologists, Warren Brody, Rodger Furren, and Ken Hill in Tokyo
about the now fast-moving subduction of both the Pacific and Eurasian plates. Later a massive monster earthquake, with its epicenter on the Sagami Trough
, strikes the Kanto Region, killing millions in Tokyo and in other areas, causing tsunamis and floods that kill hundreds of thousands more in Tokyo, Yokohama, and other large cities, and fires burn down Tokyo, with thousands more killed in much of the Kanto Region in the process. Rescue efforts begin. Toshiro Onodera hears about the earthquake damage. But before he can do anything to help, a deadly aftershock kills millions of refugees fleeing the city. Toshiro later arrives to help a team of Japanese geologists and American military with plans to save the Japanese. However, the plan backfires when a gang of thugs attacks him. Although Toshiro manages to settle the ordeal, the leader of the gang, Yusuke Yuki, refuses to give up and later begins harassing Toshiro with a Type 99 rifle
. He also threatens to murder his family if he refuses to surrender hope for the Japanese. Toshiro is about to give in and fight-when two of his American friends save him. Sgt. Hank Thompson begins hogging him with violent punching, while another soldier, Pvt. Gary Hilton throws him into a brick. Finally, Yuki wounds Brody by shooting him in the chest with a Type 26 revolver
. Sgt. Thompson knocks the gun out of his hand. Finally, Private Hilton injures Yuki by whacking him in the waist with a broken metal telephone pole fragment. Then he pulls out a Colt M1911 and dumps an entire projectile into Yusuke, which instantly kills him.
With the ordeal settled, Toshiro takes an American Bell Huey
helicopter to Osaka
. There, Toshiro finds the Prime Minister and tells him about the earthquakes in Numazu and Tokyo. Later, countless hundreds of thousands are killed when Sendai is destroyed by a violent tsunami. Toshiro is dumbfounded by the news when it gets printed in the newspaper. Toshiro later tells the Prime Minister about the tsunami's destruction on Sendai. He speaks with Shinji Yuki, his colleague. Toshiro later is surprised at the news that Japan will sink with more devastation than expected. Shocked, Toshiro decides to flee the archipelago. Along the way, he hears more shocking and devastating news. First, thousands, if not millions, are killed when Osaka submerges from a tsunami. Later, Mount Fuji
violently erupts. It destroys the countryside. A few weeks later, Toshiro is speaking with a small team of Japanese scientists in Kumamoto City near the Kumamoto Prefecture. As they speak, Mount Aso violently bursts, destroying the city and killing millions. It seemingly kills Reiko, who tries to call him via telephone.
Concerned about Reiko, Toshiro flees Kumamoto with millions of other Japanese refugees. Later, Toshiro is chosen to guide a fleet of ships carrying refugees to neighboring Pusan, South Korea
by helicopter. However, the plan backfires when a tsunami kills the refugees by sinking each of the ships. Later, it's revealed that Reiko survived the Osaka tsunami. Eventually, another tsunami destroys Hakodate. Later, the Prime Minister decides to flee with his family-but before he can, his daughter's grandfather dies. Later, Tadokoro arrives. The Prime Minister insists that he should join him on the journey. However, Tadokoro refuses, saying that he needs to stay and help the Japanese survivors reach safety. The Prime Minister ends up going without him and uses a Japanese Airline airplane en-route to Beijing
, China
. The movie closes with the Prime Minister's family taking an express train en-route to Beijing
, China
. Before the credits, the camera pans to show the that the entire archipelago has sank completely.
1973 in film
The year 1973 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*The Marx Brothers' Zeppo Marx divorces his second wife, Barbara Blakely. Blakely would later marry actor/singer Frank Sinatra....
directed by Shiro Moritani. It is based on the novel Japan Sinks
Japan Sinks
is a 2006 Tokusatsu film directed by Shinji Higuchi, and a remake of the 1973 screenplay based on the Komatsu novel. It stars Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, Kou Shibasaki, Etsushi Toyokawa, and Mao Daichi, and was released on July 15, 2006....
by Sakyo Komatsu
Sakyo Komatsu
was a Japanese science fiction writer and screenwriter. He was one of the most well known and highly regarded science fiction writers in Japan.-Early life:...
, published the same year. The film stars Lorne Greene
Lorne Greene
Lorne Greene , was the stage name of Lyon Himan Green, OC, a Canadian actor.His television roles include Ben Cartwright on the western Bonanza, and Commander Adama in the science fiction movie and subsequent TV Series Battlestar Galactica...
, Keiju Kobayashi
Keiju Kobayashi
was a Japanese actor. Born in Gunma Prefecture, he began acting at the Nikkatsu studio after dropping out of Nihon University and made his film debut in 1942. In a career that spanned 65 years, he appeared in over 250 films, most famously in the "Company President" comedy films made at Toho, where...
, Hiroshi Fujioka
Hiroshi Fujioka
, better known by his stage name , is a Japanese actor known for playing the hero Takeshi Hongo in the tokusatsu superhero series Kamen Rider, and later the Sega Saturn mascot Segata Sanshiro. Fujioka is a cultural icon in Japan, even having the minor planet 12408 Fujioka, discovered by Akimasa...
and Ayumi Ishida. A remake was released in 2006, Nihon Chinbotsu, loosely based on a second section of this series.
The movie caused a sensation in Japan and paved the way for later "panic" features. Komatsu, the author of the novel, made a cameo in the beginning scenes of the movie.
Synopsis
Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes shake Japan. Firestorms burn beautiful Japanese cities to the ground. A weather survey group discovers that the Japanese ArchipelagoJapanese Archipelago
The , which forms the country of Japan, extends roughly from northeast to southwest along the northeastern coast of the Eurasia mainland, washing upon the northwestern shores of the Pacific Ocean...
is moving towards the Japanese Trench, which if left to continue on its collision course, would bring the whole island of Japan under the sea.
Both Japanese and American governments must find a solution to the problem or find refuge for the Japanese in neighboring countries. The movie begins with a brief description of the geological formation of Japan. Later, Toshiro Onodera is shown relaxing at a beach near Kumamoto City with Reiko Abe, his wife. However, Mt. Aso erupts, forcing the two to escape the beach.
Later, Toshiro and Tadokoro have a talk with several American geologists, Warren Brody, Rodger Furren, and Ken Hill in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
about the now fast-moving subduction of both the Pacific and Eurasian plates. Later a massive monster earthquake, with its epicenter on the Sagami Trough
Sagami Trough
The also Sagami Trench, Sagami Megathrust, or Sagami Subduction Zone is a 210-mile long trough where the Kanto earthquakes of 1703 , 1855 and 1923 arose. It stretches from the Boso Triple Junction where it meets the Japan Trench to Sagami Bay. It runs north of the Izu Islands chain and the...
, strikes the Kanto Region, killing millions in Tokyo and in other areas, causing tsunamis and floods that kill hundreds of thousands more in Tokyo, Yokohama, and other large cities, and fires burn down Tokyo, with thousands more killed in much of the Kanto Region in the process. Rescue efforts begin. Toshiro Onodera hears about the earthquake damage. But before he can do anything to help, a deadly aftershock kills millions of refugees fleeing the city. Toshiro later arrives to help a team of Japanese geologists and American military with plans to save the Japanese. However, the plan backfires when a gang of thugs attacks him. Although Toshiro manages to settle the ordeal, the leader of the gang, Yusuke Yuki, refuses to give up and later begins harassing Toshiro with a Type 99 rifle
Type 99 Rifle
The was a bolt-action rifle of the Arisaka design used by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II.-History:During the Second Sino-Japanese War in the 1930s, the Japanese soon found that the 8×57mm IS cartridge the Chinese used was superior to the 6.5×50mm cartridge of the Type 38 rifle,...
. He also threatens to murder his family if he refuses to surrender hope for the Japanese. Toshiro is about to give in and fight-when two of his American friends save him. Sgt. Hank Thompson begins hogging him with violent punching, while another soldier, Pvt. Gary Hilton throws him into a brick. Finally, Yuki wounds Brody by shooting him in the chest with a Type 26 revolver
Type 26 revolver
was the first modern pistol adopted by the Imperial Japanese Army. It was developed at the Koishikawa Arsenal and is named for its year of adoption in the Japanese dating system...
. Sgt. Thompson knocks the gun out of his hand. Finally, Private Hilton injures Yuki by whacking him in the waist with a broken metal telephone pole fragment. Then he pulls out a Colt M1911 and dumps an entire projectile into Yusuke, which instantly kills him.
With the ordeal settled, Toshiro takes an American Bell Huey
Bell Huey
The Bell Huey family of helicopters includes a wide range of civil and military aircraft produced since 1956 by Bell Helicopter. This H-1 family of aircraft includes the utility UH-1 Iroquois and the derivative AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter series and ranges from the XH-40 prototype, first flown in...
helicopter to Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
. There, Toshiro finds the Prime Minister and tells him about the earthquakes in Numazu and Tokyo. Later, countless hundreds of thousands are killed when Sendai is destroyed by a violent tsunami. Toshiro is dumbfounded by the news when it gets printed in the newspaper. Toshiro later tells the Prime Minister about the tsunami's destruction on Sendai. He speaks with Shinji Yuki, his colleague. Toshiro later is surprised at the news that Japan will sink with more devastation than expected. Shocked, Toshiro decides to flee the archipelago. Along the way, he hears more shocking and devastating news. First, thousands, if not millions, are killed when Osaka submerges from a tsunami. Later, Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji
is the highest mountain in Japan at . An active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji lies about south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and...
violently erupts. It destroys the countryside. A few weeks later, Toshiro is speaking with a small team of Japanese scientists in Kumamoto City near the Kumamoto Prefecture. As they speak, Mount Aso violently bursts, destroying the city and killing millions. It seemingly kills Reiko, who tries to call him via telephone.
Concerned about Reiko, Toshiro flees Kumamoto with millions of other Japanese refugees. Later, Toshiro is chosen to guide a fleet of ships carrying refugees to neighboring Pusan, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
by helicopter. However, the plan backfires when a tsunami kills the refugees by sinking each of the ships. Later, it's revealed that Reiko survived the Osaka tsunami. Eventually, another tsunami destroys Hakodate. Later, the Prime Minister decides to flee with his family-but before he can, his daughter's grandfather dies. Later, Tadokoro arrives. The Prime Minister insists that he should join him on the journey. However, Tadokoro refuses, saying that he needs to stay and help the Japanese survivors reach safety. The Prime Minister ends up going without him and uses a Japanese Airline airplane en-route to Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. The movie closes with the Prime Minister's family taking an express train en-route to Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Before the credits, the camera pans to show the that the entire archipelago has sank completely.
Cast
- Dr. Tadokoro - Keiju KobayashiKeiju Kobayashiwas a Japanese actor. Born in Gunma Prefecture, he began acting at the Nikkatsu studio after dropping out of Nihon University and made his film debut in 1942. In a career that spanned 65 years, he appeared in over 250 films, most famously in the "Company President" comedy films made at Toho, where...
- Onodera Toshio - Hiroshi FujiokaHiroshi Fujioka, better known by his stage name , is a Japanese actor known for playing the hero Takeshi Hongo in the tokusatsu superhero series Kamen Rider, and later the Sega Saturn mascot Segata Sanshiro. Fujioka is a cultural icon in Japan, even having the minor planet 12408 Fujioka, discovered by Akimasa...
- Abe Reiko - Ayumi Ishida
- Fran - Rhonda Leigh Hopkins
- Ambassador Warren Richards - Lorne GreeneLorne GreeneLorne Greene , was the stage name of Lyon Himan Green, OC, a Canadian actor.His television roles include Ben Cartwright on the western Bonanza, and Commander Adama in the science fiction movie and subsequent TV Series Battlestar Galactica...
- Prime Minister Yamamoto - Tetsuro TambaTetsuro Tambawas a Japanese actor.-Biography:Tamba is perhaps best known by Western audiences for his role as Tiger Tanaka in the 1967 James Bond film You Only Live Twice . By then, he had among other roles appeared in two films by director Masaki Kobayashi: Harakiri and Kwaidan...
- Watari - Shogo Shimada
- Narita - John Fujioka
- Australian Prime Minister - Andrew HughesAndrew HughesAndrew Hughes may refer to:*Andrew Hughes , Fijian Commissioner of Police*Andrew Hughes *Andrew Hughes, musicologist, see List of University of Toronto people*Andrew Hughes...
- Japanese Ambassador - Nobuo NakamuraNobuo Nakamurawas a Japanese actor, who made notable appearances in the films of Akira Kurosawa and Yasujiro Ozu in the 1950s and 1960s. Perhaps his most famous roles were those of the callous deputy mayor in Kurosawa's Ikiru , and the hairdresser's henpecked husband in Ozu's Tokyo Story .Nakamura is famous for...
- Prime Minister's Chauffeur - Haruo NakajimaHaruo Nakajimais a famous Japanese actor. He is best known for playing Godzilla and is considered by many to be the best suit actor in the long history of the franchise...
- Dr.Nakata - Hideaki Nitani
- Yuuki - Isao Natsuyagi
- Assistant Professor Yukinaga - Yusuke Takita