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The War in Space

Original title: Wakusei daisenso
  • 1977
  • TV-PG
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
5.0/10
579
YOUR RATING
The War in Space (1977)
ActionAdventureSci-Fi

Earth is attacked by alien spacecraft from Venus. But a Japanese scientist has constructed a space craft, the Gohten, with which he may save humanity.Earth is attacked by alien spacecraft from Venus. But a Japanese scientist has constructed a space craft, the Gohten, with which he may save humanity.Earth is attacked by alien spacecraft from Venus. But a Japanese scientist has constructed a space craft, the Gohten, with which he may save humanity.

  • Directors
    • Jun Fukuda
    • Ishirô Honda
    • Toshio Masuda
  • Writers
    • Hideichi Nagahara
    • Ryûzô Nakanishi
    • Tomoyuki Tanaka
  • Stars
    • Kensaku Morita
    • Yûko Asano
    • Ryô Ikebe
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    5.0/10
    579
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • Jun Fukuda
      • Ishirô Honda
      • Toshio Masuda
    • Writers
      • Hideichi Nagahara
      • Ryûzô Nakanishi
      • Tomoyuki Tanaka
    • Stars
      • Kensaku Morita
      • Yûko Asano
      • Ryô Ikebe
    • 5User reviews
    • 29Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos53

    A1
    The War in Space (1977)
    The War in Space (1977)
    The War in Space (1977)
    The War in Space (1977)
    The War in Space (1977)
    The War in Space (1977)
    The War in Space (1977)
    The War in Space (1977)
    The War in Space (1977)
    The War in Space (1977)
    The War in Space (1977)

    Top cast

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    Kensaku Morita
    Kensaku Morita
    • Miyoshi
    Yûko Asano
    • June Takigawa
    Ryô Ikebe
    Ryô Ikebe
    • Professor Takigawa
    Masaya Oki
    • Reisuke Muroi
    Hiroshi Miyauchi
    • Morrei
    Hideji Ôtaki
    • Dr.Matsuzawa
    Katsutoshi Atarashi
    • Tadashi Mikasa
    Akihiko Hirata
    Akihiko Hirata
    • Defense Countermeasure Supreme Commander Oshi
    Gorô Mutsumi
    Gorô Mutsumi
    Isao Hashimoto
    Shôji Nakayama
    David Perin
    • Jimmy
    William Ross
    • Dr. Schmidt…
    Katsutoshi Arata
    • Directors
      • Jun Fukuda
      • Ishirô Honda(earlier film clips) (uncredited)
      • Toshio Masuda(earlier film clips) (uncredited)
    • Writers
      • Hideichi Nagahara
      • Ryûzô Nakanishi
      • Tomoyuki Tanaka
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      This was the last Toho tokusatsu film to be shot in the 2.35:1 (CinemaScope) aspect ratio before Godzilla 2000: Millennium (1999). This was also the final Toho tokusatsu film to be shot in anamorphic widescreen. (All subsequent Toho tokusatsu movies shot on film were in spherical lens, with either a hard-matte or digital cropping, which causes much film grain when cropped into their intended aspect ratio.)
    • Goofs
      The wires (and their connectors) holding up the Gohten are clearly visible when the ship turns to approach the wreckage of the space station.
    • Connections
      Features Prophecies of Nostradamus (1974)

    User reviews5

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    4/10
    Toho sci-fi trash.
    In 1977, 20th Century Fox gave us Star Wars; Japanese studio Toho, on the other hand, presented The War in Space. Star Wars spawned umpteen sequels, made George Lucas impossibly rich, and became a phenomenon that is as popular today as it was 30 years ago; The War in Space didn't.

    But Jun Fukuda's epic sci-fi effort doesn't fail because of its crap effects, awful design and ridiculous plot (these elements actually make the film just about bearable); it fails due to it's dreary beginning, dreadful pacing and complete lack of excitement.

    The film starts with an attack on Earth by an alien fleet that has its base on Venus. After several notable landmarks are destroyed (in a scene that reminded me of Independence Day, but made without the benefits of computers and a decent budget), we meet the heroes of the piece: Professor Takigawa (Ryo Ikebe), his babelicious daughter (Yûko Asano), and her two suitors Miyoshi (Kensaku Morita) and Morrei (Hiroshi Miyauchi).

    These guys, along with a small, dedicated (and seemingly expendable) crew, head for Venus in their fresh-off-the-forecourt battleship, The Gohten, and proceed to kick extraterrestrial butt.

    Sounds like fun, doesn't it? Well, sometimes it is, but.....

    ...the film takes a long time to get going, with lots of talking where there should've been action (not that the action is much cop: badly choreographed laser shoot-outs and tedious space battles are the order of the day) and a pointless romantic sub-plot also gets in the way of the good stuff.

    And by 'the good stuff', I mean the awful spaceships (that resemble galleons and submarines), the poorly conceived aliens (the main baddies have painted green faces and wear particularly daft outfits, whilst a huge hairy wookie-style monster has big yellow horns and brandishes an axe), the inventive weapons (The Gohten is equipped with huge lasers, that look like the bullet chamber from a giant revolver, and a flying drill/über-bomb), and, of course, the great scene in which June is kidnapped, and forced to wear a saucy leather outfit!
    helpful•13
    12
    • BA_Harrison
    • Aug 26, 2007

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • April 25, 2006 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Japan
    • Language
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • War in Space
    • Production companies
      • Toho Company
      • Toho Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 31 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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