Atragon (1963)

( 海底軍艦, Kaitei Gunkan )

'The Undersea Warship'

A fairly entertaining Japanese science fiction film with impressive-looking sets and battle sequences together with a rousing music score. However, this is probably one of Toho’s and Ishiro Honda’s lesser efforts

Directed by Ishirō Honda
Screenplay by Shinichi Sekizawa
Based on The Undersea Warship: A Fantastic Tale of Island Adventure by Shunrō Oshikawa, The Undersea Kingdom by Shigeru Komatsuzaki
Produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka
Cinematography: Hajime Koizumi
Edited by Ryohei Fujii
Music by Akira Ifukube
Production company: Toho
Distributed by Toho
Release date: December 22, 1963 (Japan)
Running time: 94 minutes[2]
Box office: ¥175 million

Cast

Jun Tazaki as Captain Hachiro Jinguji
Tadao Takashima as Susumu Hatanaka
Yōko Fujiyama as Makoto Jinguji
Ken Uehara as Rear Admiral Kusumi
Yū Fujiki as Yoshito Nishibe
Kenji Sahara as Umino
Hiroshi Koizumi as Detective Ito
Akihiko Hirata as Mu Agent #23
Hideyo Amamoto as High Priest of Mu
Tetsuko Kobayashi as Empress of Mu

Strange occurrences are taking place all over the world, including disappearances and kidnappings.

The legendary empire of the lost continent of Mu which disappeared 12,000 years earlier has reappeared.

The Muans and their giant snakelike guardian, Manda are set to reclaim their supposed colonies and threaten the surface world with domination.

The world’s countries unite to resist.

Embittered World War ll Captain Jinguji has created the greatest warship ever seen, that may be the surface world’s only defence.

Despite appeals for assistance from the rest of the world and even from his own daughter, Jinguji is reluctant to help.

But why?

What will it take for Jinguji (still bitter about Japan’s defeat in World War II) to decide to help save civilization?

Trailer

Read on for more....

A Tribute To Yumi Shirakawa - (The Japanese Grace Kelly)

Shirakawa, whose real name was Akiko Yamasaki, was born on 21st November, 1936 in Shinagawa, Tokyo.

In 1956 at just 19 years old, Yumi Shirakawa joined Toho. By the end of that year, Toho gave Shirakawa her first starring role in Rodan (Sora no Daikaiju Radon, 1956). Director Ishiro Honda cast her in his subsequent science fiction films, The Mysterians (1957) and The H-man (1958). Rodan and The H-man are both featured in this blog. 

Yumi Shirakawa’s roles in science fiction films during the Golden Age of Japanese cinema, for which she is mostly remembered include;

Rodan (1956) as Kiyo, Kenji Sahara's character's love interest. 

The Mysterians (1957) as Etsuko Shiraishi. 

The H-Man (1958) as Chikako Arai.

The Secret of the Telegian (1960) as Akiko Chujo. 

The Last War (1961) as Sanae. 

Gorath (1962) as Tomoko Sonoda. 

Apart from her roles in “tokusatsu” or effects films, Shirakawa was featured in many comedies, musicals, dramas and "chanbara" (samurai/swordsman films.)

In 1964 she married actor Hideaki Nitani after which Shirakawa successfully transitioned to television.

Shirakawa was married to Hideaki Nitani until his death in 2012. Shirakawa passed away due to heart failure on June 14, 2016 in Tokyo, at the age of 79 and she is survived by her daughter, actress Yurie Nitani.

Tribute film by Spanish Films at;

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCecL5MZOfGY5nHJm2x0VcdQ/featured

Yumi Shrakawa:

with style & grace