Atragon (1963)

When an ancient underground civilization and their snake-like guardian plots to reclaim the surface world, those of the surface fights back.

Director:

Ishirô Honda

Writers:

Shin'ichi Sekizawa (screenplay), Shunrô Oshikawa (novel)

Stars:

Tadao Takashima, Yôko Fujiyama, Yû Fujiki

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tadao Takashima	...	Commercial Photographer Susumu Hatanaka
Yôko Fujiyama	...	Makoto Jinguji, the Captain's Daughter
Yû Fujiki	...	Yoshito Nishibe
Kenji Sahara	...	Uoto Unno - Journalist / Mu Agent
Ken Uehara	...	Retired Admiral Kusumi
Hiroshi Koizumi	...	Detective Itô
Jun Tazaki	...	Captain Hachiro Jinguji
Yoshifumi Tajima	...	Tome 'Amano' Amanoshome
Akihiko Hirata	...	Mu Agent #23
Hideyo Amamoto	...	High Priest of Mu
Susumu Fujita	...	Defense Commander
Minoru Takada	...	Government Official
Hisaya Itô	...	Shindo, Kidnapped Scientist
Ikio Sawamura	...	Taxi Driver
Tetsuko Kobayashi	...	Empress of Mu

Storyline

Several strange occurrences are taking place all over the world including the disappearance of two engineers. Also, former admiral Kosumi is nearly kidnapped along with his secretary, and goddaughter, Makoto Jinguji. The kidnap attempt is thwarted by photographer Susumu Hatanaka and his assistant Yoshito Nishibe. It is later revealed the Mu Empire, which disappeared 12,000 years earlier, are responsible for all the occurrences and are planning to invade the surface world to reclaim their supposed colonies. Also, the Muans manage to steal the I-403 submarine from embittered Captain Jinguji, Makoto's father, and in the process steal the plans for and even greater sub, Atragon (aka Gotengo). As the attacks by the Muans increase the world anxiously asks Jinguji for his help, even his daughter Makoto makes an impassioned plea for him to join the fight against Mu. Unfortunately, Jinguji is still bitter about the defeat of Japan in World War II and won't help. However, the fight becomes ...

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Plot Keywords:

psychotronic film | submarine | submarine crew | japanese nationalist | mu civilization | 

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Taglines:

See! Underwater Juggernauts of Destruction!

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Genres:

Adventure | Family | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

TV-Y7

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

11 March 1965 (USA)

Also Known As:

Atragon

Company Credits

Production Co:

Toho Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min 89 min (English dubbed)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Tanaka may have been inspired by "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" but the actual story behind "Kaitei Gunkan" dates from the late 1880's when electricity and Jules Verne were both in vogue in Japan. It was a fantasy story called "Denki-Kai" - "The Electric Light Ship."

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Goofs

When the Mu agent tosses the signaling device overboard, it is about the size of a golf ball, but when you see it sinking past the Mu submarine, it is considerably larger.

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Quotes

Captain Hachiro Jinguji: Let her go. Let her die with her nation.

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Connections

Spun-off from Godzilla (1954)

User Reviews

Fair sci-fi effort from Toho.

THE MYSTERIANS was about a big battle with aliens that takes place on Earth, BATTLE IN OUTER SPACE was about a big battle with aliens in outer space. So I suppose following that logic, it was inevitable that Toho would follow up those films with one that takes place beneath the sea.

This time Earth is threatened by inhabitants from beneath the sea who are descendants of the lost continent of Mu. Much of what is "known" about Mu comes from the speculative works of William Churchwald. Mu is said to be a lost continent like Atlantis, except Mu was in the Pacific. Like Atlantis, Mu was according to Churchwald at least, the home of an advance race that perished eons ago beneath the waves when world wide disaster struck.

ATRAGON (Aka KAITEI GUNKAN) is a fairly entertaining science fiction from Toho, but its one of their lesser efforts. There is not as much spectacle as can found in THE MYSTERIANS and BATTLE IN OUTER SPACE. The special effects and miniatures are not as colorful and detailed as in previous Toho epics. The big world threat promised by the Muians never materializes, about all they do is sink a Japanese merchant vessel and sink an American navel sub. They also try to kidnap a few surface people, but all that is hardly a reason to destroy a whole civilization. When the submarine Atragon attacks Mu, the Muians make a feeble attempt to protect themselves. Overall, the Muians bark is worse than their bite.

THE MYSTERIANS and BATTLE IN OUTERSPACE are very well paced and exciting films and are recommended to fans of Japanese science fiction. ATRAGON however, was a film I sat through with only mild interest and little enthusiasm.