The Mysterians
Encyclopedia
The Mysterians, released in Japan as , is a tokusatsu
science fiction
film
produced and released by Toho Studios
in 1957. It was directed by the "Golden Duo" of Ishirō Honda
(drama) and Eiji Tsuburaya
(special effects). It is notable for being the first tokusatsu filmed in TohoScope
and the first Toho film to use Perspecta
stereophonic sound. Allmovie praises the film for its excellent special effects.
The Mysterians (which inspired Rudy Martinez to name his band Question Mark & the Mysterians) was followed by a sequel, Battle in Outer Space
. The Mysterians, Battle in Outer Space, and Gorath
are considered Toho's space-opera trilogy. For Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla
(1994), special effects director Koichi Kawakita
redesigned the giant robot Mogera into an anti-Godzilla mecha
called M.O.G.U.E.R.A. (Mobile Operation Godzilla Universal Expert Robot Aerotype).
Earthling women. After a demonstration of their destructive abilities from the help of their giant robot Moguera
, humankind must decide whether to capitulate or to resist. Predictably, the Earthlings choose to resist. The Mysterians have giant burrowing dome bases that can come up out of the earth and deploy death rays that emanate from the dome's crown and can melt tanks and jeeps as if they were plastic.
Miraculously, the Earthlings develop their own death-ray-equipped, agile rocket aircraft that enable them to blow up the dome.
The film was released in the U.S. in May 1959. The New York Times
called the film "an ear-splitting Japanese-made fantasy, photographed in runny color and dubbed English," and concluded: "This Metro release is crammed with routine footage of death rays and scrambling civilians, not one of whom can act. Tomoyuki Tanaka produced the mess and Inoshiro Honda directed it. Peter Riethof and Carlos Montalban are responsible for the 'English version,' and may it spread no further linguistically."
The original English dubbed version was released at least twice on VHS in the US. Media Blasters released the Japanese version on DVD in 2005 and recorded new English and Spanish audio tracks for the disc. Toho claims it doesn't own the original English dub anymore and thus it was not included on the DVD.
Tokusatsu
is a Japanese term that applies to any live-action film or television drama that usually features superheroes and makes considerable use of special effects ....
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
produced and released by Toho Studios
Toho
is a Japanese film, theater production, and distribution company. It is headquartered in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group...
in 1957. It was directed by the "Golden Duo" of Ishirō Honda
Ishiro Honda
Ishirō Honda , sometimes miscredited in foreign releases as "Inoshiro Honda", was a Japanese film director...
(drama) and Eiji Tsuburaya
Eiji Tsuburaya
was the Japanese special effects director responsible for many Japanese science-fiction movies, including the Godzilla series...
(special effects). It is notable for being the first tokusatsu filmed in TohoScope
TohoScope
Toho Scope is an anamorphic lens system developed in the late 1950s by Toho Studios in response to the popularity of CinemaScope. Its technical specifications are identical to those of CinemaScope...
and the first Toho film to use Perspecta
Perspecta
Perspecta was a directional motion picture sound system, invented by the laboratories at Fine Sound Inc. in 1954. As opposed to magnetic stereophonic soundtracks available at the time, its benefits were that it did not require a new sound head for the projector and thus was a cheaper...
stereophonic sound. Allmovie praises the film for its excellent special effects.
The Mysterians (which inspired Rudy Martinez to name his band Question Mark & the Mysterians) was followed by a sequel, Battle in Outer Space
Battle in Outer Space
Battle in Outer Space, released in Japan as is a tokusatsu film produced and released by Toho Studios in Japan in 1959, and distributed worldwide in 1960 by Columbia Pictures...
. The Mysterians, Battle in Outer Space, and Gorath
Gorath
Gorath, released in Japan as , is a Japanese science fiction tokusatsu film produced by Toho in 1962. The story for Gorath was by Jojiro Okami.-Synopsis:...
are considered Toho's space-opera trilogy. For Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla
Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla
is a 1994 science fiction kaiju film directed by Kensho Yamashita and written by Hiroshi Kashiwabara. It was the twenty-first film released in the Godzilla series and sixth in the Heisei series of films. It is the second film to feature the Moguera and Little Godzilla and also the seventh film to...
(1994), special effects director Koichi Kawakita
Koichi Kawakita
is a special effects artist.-Biography:In 1958, Kawakita was a member of the Jury at the 6th Berlin International Film Festival....
redesigned the giant robot Mogera into an anti-Godzilla mecha
Mecha
A mech , is a science fiction term for a large walking bipedal tank or robot, including ones on treads and animal shapes.-Characteristics:...
called M.O.G.U.E.R.A. (Mobile Operation Godzilla Universal Expert Robot Aerotype).
Plot
Scientifically advanced wanderers from the destroyed planet Mysteroid request a patch of land on Earth and the right to marryMarriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
Earthling women. After a demonstration of their destructive abilities from the help of their giant robot Moguera
Moguera
is a Kaiju featured in two of Toho's science fiction films. The name is derived from the Japanese word for mole.-Showa:...
, humankind must decide whether to capitulate or to resist. Predictably, the Earthlings choose to resist. The Mysterians have giant burrowing dome bases that can come up out of the earth and deploy death rays that emanate from the dome's crown and can melt tanks and jeeps as if they were plastic.
Miraculously, the Earthlings develop their own death-ray-equipped, agile rocket aircraft that enable them to blow up the dome.
Cast
- Kenji SaharaKenji SaharaKenji Sahara is a Japanese actor. He was born in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa. His real name is Masayoshi Kato...
as Jōji Atsumi - Yumi ShirakawaYumi Shirakawais a former Japanese actress.-Filmography:Filmography of Yumi Shirakawa include:* The Badger Palace aka The Princess of Badger Palace *Kiganjo no Boken*Gorath*Wall-Eyed Nippon...
as Etsuko Shiraishi - Momoko KōchiMomoko KochiMomoko Kōchi was a Japanese actress. She was born in Japan. She is best known for her roles in the original Godzilla, playing the character of Emiko Yamane , & in the Mysterians, playing as Hiroko Iwamoto.- Filmography :* Godzilla * Half...
as Hiroko Iwamoto - Akihiko HirataAkihiko Hiratawas a Japanese film actor. While Hirata starred in many movies , he is most well known for his work in the kaiju genre, including such films as King Kong vs. Godzilla, The Mysterians, and his most famous role of Dr...
as Ryōichi Shiraishi - Takashi ShimuraTakashi Shimurawas a Japanese actor.He was born in Ikuno, Hyogo, Japan.His debut as actor was the film Akanishi Kakita and cast in the Kenji Mizoguchi's film Osaka Elegy ....
as Dr. kenjirō Adachi - Susumu FujitaSusumu Fujitawas a Japanese film and television actor. He played the lead role in Akira Kurosawa's first feature, Sanshiro Sugata, and appeared other Kurosawa film including The Men Who Tread On the Tiger's Tail and The Hidden Fortress . Later, he was a supporting actor in Ishirō Honda's Mothra vs...
as General Morita - Hisaya Itō as Captain Seki
- Yoshio Kosugi as Commander Sugimoto
- Fuyuki Murakami as Dr. Nobu Kawanami
- Tetsu NakamuraTetsu Nakamurais a Japanese medical doctor. He was awarded the 2003 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Peace and International Understanding. He has devoted his work among refugees in the Afghanistan/Pakistan borderlands.-ex.link:***...
as Dr. Kōda - Yoshio TsuchiyaYoshio Tsuchiyais a Japanese actor who has appeared in such films as Toshio Matsumoto's surreal masterpiece "Bara No Soretsu" and Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai and Red Beard, and Kihachi Okamoto's Kill!. He has a long-standing interest in UFOs and had written several books on the subject...
as Mysterian Leader
International distribution
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called the film "an ear-splitting Japanese-made fantasy, photographed in runny color and dubbed English," and concluded: "This Metro release is crammed with routine footage of death rays and scrambling civilians, not one of whom can act. Tomoyuki Tanaka produced the mess and Inoshiro Honda directed it. Peter Riethof and Carlos Montalban are responsible for the 'English version,' and may it spread no further linguistically."
The original English dubbed version was released at least twice on VHS in the US. Media Blasters released the Japanese version on DVD in 2005 and recorded new English and Spanish audio tracks for the disc. Toho claims it doesn't own the original English dub anymore and thus it was not included on the DVD.