Even science has no value in itself. It all depends on how it’s used. For good or for evil.
During a local festival Ryoichi tells Joji that he has broken off his engagement to Hiroko. No one can understand why. As they talk a wildfire erupts near the village. Ryoichi is last seen that night. The next day the entire village is destroyed when the earth opens up and swallows it. Joji investigates and finds the ground nearby is radioactive. Dead fish are floating down the stream and the ground is hot enough to melt tires. Then a giant robot called Moguera appears and starts stomping everything and burning stuff with his laser eyes. The Japanese officials determine that the fire, the landslide, and the robot are the work of something superhuman. Something from another planet.
The authorities believe that strange things have been happening near a lake in the area. They go to investigate. While they are there a giant spinning dome rises out of the earth near the lake at the base of Mt Fuji. The aliens request a meeting with 5 specific delegates. The aliens are from the planet Mysteroid. They migrated to Mars when their world was destroyed by an Intergalactic war.
They say they are looking for a piece of land three kilometers square and the right to mate with Earth women to replenish their race. Because of the war they are suffering from radiation poisoning and they need fresh blood to restore their race. They want five women, three of which they already have. The other two are Ryoichi’s sister Etsuko and his former fiancée Hiroko. Japanese officials are suspicious of the Mysterians. Ryoichi appears on television a spokesperson for them.
“The Mysterians” is a TOHO production science fiction story released in 1957 and was directed by Ishiro Honda. Honda did the original Godzilla movie as well as Rodan, Mothra and at lease 50 of the TOHO movies. Many of which have a huge American fan base. “The Mysterians” is Honda’s first foray into the science fiction genre. It was followed up by “Battle in Outer Space” in 1959. Then “Gorath” in 1962.
Many believe that “Battle in Outer space” was a loose sequel to “The Mysterians”. Other than they’re both about aliens wanting to take over Earth I couldn’t see any real correlation. Although there are a lot of references to them coming from the dark side of the moon. If so, I missed that part. I heard Mars only. Perhaps they have a summer place on the moon. Wherever they came from they don’t like to share.
The movie has lots of the usual outer space toys. The miniatures are good. The quality of the special effects is OK considering this is 1957. The plot was standard, aliens are greedy and want to overthrow Earth. As a whole the movie was fine, however, I liked “Battle in Outer Space” much better. “The Mysterians” still had lots of action, rockets, lasers and stuff blowing up.
American dubbed
Japanese subtitled