Warning from Space (1956)
"Uchûjin Tôkyô ni arawaru" (original title)

UFO's are seen around Tokyo. Because they look like giant starfish the aliens cannot approach us without creating panic. Hence one of them sacrifices itself and takes the form of a popular ... See full summary »

Director:

Koji Shima

Writers:

Jay Cipes (English dialogue), Gentaro Nakajima (novel),

Stars:

Keizô Kawasaki, Toyomi Karita, Bin Yagisawa

3 wins.

Cast

Credited cast:
Keizô Kawasaki	...	Dr. Toru Itsobe
Toyomi Karita	...	Hikari Aozora / Ginko
Bin Yagisawa	...	No. 2 Pairan
Shôzô Nanbu	...	The Elder Dr. Itsobe
Bontarô Miake	...	Dr. Kamura (as Bontaro Miake)
Mieko Nagai	...	Taeko Kamura
Kiyoko Hirai	...	Mrs. Matsuda
Isao Yamagata	...	Dr. Matsuda
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gai Harada

Storyline

UFO's are seen around Tokyo. Because they look like giant starfish the aliens cannot approach us without creating panic. Hence one of them sacrifices itself and takes the form of a popular female singer. It/she warns mankind that a meteor will crash on Earth. While the approaching meteor causes hotter and hotter weather, mankind runs and builds a last-chance anti-meteor weapon.

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Plot Keywords:

scientist | alien | starfish | ufo | evacuation | 

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Genres:

Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

29 January 1956 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Warning from Space

Company Credits

Production Co:

Daiei Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min 88 min (dubbed)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Daieicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film wasn't released in the United States until 1967.

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Connections

References Metropolis (1927)

User Reviews

Japan's first color science-fiction film

Weird aliens from a planet called Pairan who look a lot like man-sized starfish creatures with a huge eye in the center show up in Japan and scare people. But their real intention is not to invade earth; instead they try to warn a scientist about his newly created weapon. To do so, one of them changes his look to that of a famous Japanese singer. But then the aliens discover a giant glowing meteor heading towards Earth! Can the starfish monsters help mankind to destroy the meteor before it crashes into Earth? It soon is discovered that there's only one way to destroy it...

Made by Daiei studios (later creators of the flying turtle Gamera, a popular movie monster in Japan) in 1956, this was the fist color science-fiction film from Japan. Supported by a then huge budget it was a serious effort to compete with enemy Toho studios and their 1954 hit "Godzilla". In 1957, Toho studios even made a somewhat similar movie, "Chikyû bôeigun", also known as "The Mysterians". "Space Men Appear in Tokyo" has far less special effects footage than Toho's movies, but the relatively few special effects seen in this film are of pretty good quality, especially considering their age! Filmed in beautiful colors, the film is still well worth watching. Story-wise, it is similar to the American production "When Worlds Collide", but it's actually based on a Japanese novel by Gentarô Nakajima.