Warning from Space (1956)

Warning from Space – originally titled Uchûjin Tôkyô ni arawaru (literally “Aliens Appear in Tokyo”) – was the first Japanese science fiction movie filmed in colour.

A group of benevolent star-shaped aliens from a planet called Paira on the far side of our Sun arrive on earth to warn humankind about a runaway planet (known as Planet R) which is on a collision course with our planet and will destroy the entire solar system, including Paira.

Conscious that their physical appearance would alarm the earth population, the chief Pairan scientist, Ginko (Toyomi Karita), assumes human form and transforms into the popular Japanese singer Hikari Aozora to make contact.

At first, the earth’s leaders don’t take Ginko’s warnings seriously. But when the rogue planet comes closer to earth, all international superpowers muster all the nuclear weapons they have to shoot into space to blow the planet off its collision course.

The attempt fails, and as Planet R grows closer to earth, it causes massive tidal waves and great changes in the weather, resulting in widespread death and destruction.

When all seems lost, Ginko tells the earthlings that only Dr Kamura (Bontarô Miake) can save the planet with his formula for a destructive super-nuclear element called Duriun.

But Kamura has been kidnapped by the Yakuza who want to sell the formula to the highest bidder.

In the end, though, the combined power of the humans and the baggy starfish costumes saves the day.

The Pairan aliens were designed by the prominent avant-garde artist Tarō Okamoto.

Dr Toru Itsobe
Keizô Kawasaki
Hikari Aozora/Ginko
Toyomi Karita
No. 2 Pairan
Bin Yagisawa
Mrs Tokuko Isobe
Sachiko Meguro
Elder Dr. Itsobe
Shôzô Nanbu
Dr Kamura
Bontarô Miake
Taeko Kamura
Mieko Nagai
Mrs Matsuda
Kiyoko Hirai
Dr Matsuda
Isao Yamagata
Madam Ohana
Fumiko Okamura
News Reporter
Toshiyuki Obara
Mystery Man
Shikô Saitô
Dr Takashima
Kanji Kawahara

Director
Kôji Shima

Video