The Mysterians

"Space weapons mobilize! A great battle between Earth forces and the gruesome mystery planet people, the Mysterians!"

1957 1h 29m JA

😐

6.3

MID

⭐

6.1

IMDB

★6.3TMDB · 65★6.1IMDB · 1,966

Science FictionActionDramaThrillerWar

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In Japan, scientifically advanced invaders from the war-destroyed planet Mysteroid cause an entire village to vanish, then send a giant robot out to storm the city by night, after which they request a small patch of land on Earth and the right to marry earthling women, claiming to be pacifists. Mankind must decide whether to capitulate or to resist.

“Space weapons mobilize! A great battle between Earth forces and the gruesome mystery planet people, the Mysterians!”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Kenji Sahara
Joji Atsumi
Yumi Shirakawa
Etsuko Shiraishi
Akihiko Hirata
Ryoichi Shiraishi
Momoko Kôchi
Hiroko Iwamoto
Yoshio Tsuchiya
Leader of the Mysterians
Takashi Shimura
Dr. Tanjiro Adachi
Yoshio Kosugi
Cmdr. Sugimoto
Susumu Fujita
Gen. Morita

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Ishirō Honda
Writers: Jōjirō Okami, Takeshi Kimura
Languages: Japanese, English
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

89 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

69 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Japanese, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "The Mysterians Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Ishirō Honda, shot by Hajime Koizumi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Akira Ifukube. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Kôichi Iwashita shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Kenji Sahara and Yumi Shirakawa and Akihiko Hirata carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Ishirō Honda directs. Hajime Koizumi behind the camera. Akira Ifukube scores. Kôichi Iwashita cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

189 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
269 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Japanese, English.
4Part of the "The Mysterians Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
5Directed by Ishirō Honda, shot by Hajime Koizumi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Akira Ifukube. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Kôichi Iwashita shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Kenji Sahara and Yumi Shirakawa and Akihiko Hirata carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "Space weapons mobilize! A great battle between Earth forces and the gruesome mystery planet people, the Mysterians!".
10IMDB entry: tt0050251 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Only 65 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
12Classified under 12 themes, including "japan", "flying saucer", "spaceman", "alien".
13Released under 10 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Hajime Koizumi
Original score: Akira Ifukube
Editing: Kôichi Iwashita
Production design: Teruaki Abe
Costume design: Teizô Toshimitsu
Runtime: 89 min · 1h 29m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: JA
IMDB: The Mysterians (1957)
IMDB rating: 6.1/10 · 1,966 votes
MPAA: Approved
US box office: $975,000

Part of

The Mysterians Collection

Also by

Ishirō Honda

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Production companies

Who made it

TOHO
JP
FA
Far East Laboratory
JP

Key crew

ProducerTomoyuki Tanaka
Production DesignTeruaki Abe
Special EffectsEiji Tsuburaya
EditorKôichi Iwashita
CastingKaeko Sakamoto
Sound RecordistMasanobu Miyazaki
Sound EffectsIchirô Minawa
Lighting TechnicianKuichiro Kishida
Production ManagerYasuaki Sakamoto
Visual EffectsEiji Tsuburaya
AdaptationShigeru Kayama
MusicHector Berlioz
MusicEdvard Grieg
First Assistant DirectorKoji Kajita
Special EffectsMasakatsu Asai
Special Effects AssistantMasakatsu Asai
Visual Effects DirectorEiji Tsuburaya
Visual EffectsMasakatsu Asai
Visual Effects DirectorMasakatsu Asai
Visual Effects Art DirectorAkira Watanabe
Special Effects AssistantYasuyuki Inoue
Visual Effects Art DirectorYasuyuki Inoue
Special EffectsSadamasa Arikawa
VFX Director of PhotographySadamasa Arikawa

Themes & keywords

What it's about, really

japan
flying saucer
spaceman
alien
space
giant robot
alien abduction
alien invasion
kaiju
human vs alien
ray gun
tokusatsu

Release history · US

When it landed

Theatrical1959-05-14· RKO Radio Pictures/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) release. Re-written by Peter Riethof & Carlos Montalbán and dubbed by American Dubbing Co.
Physical2005-03-01· Media Blaters/Tokyo Shock DVD. Includes Japanese, English (Bang Zoom! dub), & Spanish audio, w/EN subs.
Physical2007-08-21· Media Blasters/Tokyo Shock DVD set titled "Toho Pack Box Set". Same features as 2005 DVD. Packaged with "Varan the Unbelievable" (1958) and "Matango: Attack of the Mushroom People" (1963).

Also known as