Episode 9: The Mysterians (Mini-Analysis)

(Originally published Jan. 22, 2020).

Hello, kaiju lovers!

Nathan covers yet another film discussed on his former podcast, Kaijuvision Radio, by Brian Scherschell: Ishiro Honda’s 1957 tokusatsu classic, The Mysterians. While Godzilla (1954) singlehanded created the kaiju and tokusatsu genres, this film arguably ushered in Toho’s “golden age,” which would last for a decade. While Nathan does touch on Moguera, the special effects, and the film’s many influences, the bulk of his analysis is focused on Japan’s relationship with the United Nations, which the nation joined just a year before the film was released. The Mysterians expresses Japan’s—and Honda’s—postwar ideal of “proactive pacifism,” which it saw in the U.N. Throw in a few snarky interruptions from the podcast’s intrepid producer, Jimmy From NASA, and a random cameo from a psycho-powered dictator, and it’s a typical Wednesday at The Monster Island Film Vault.

After that, Nathan dumps out the mailbag to read several iTunes reviews and e-mails from listeners.

Speaking of which, be sure to check out the upcoming fan project, Batman Meets Godzilla, one of the craziest yet most intriguing lost projects made famous by John LeMay’s book, The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies: The Lost Films (which now has a new “mutated” edition).

T-SHIRT GIVEAWAY: Everyone who shares the Facebook and Twitter posts for this episode from the podcast’s pages will be entered for a drawing for a Batman Meets Godzilla T-shirt. (One entry per person per social media). Entries will be taken from January 22 to January 28 at 11:59pm (EST). The winner must then send Nathan his/her shirt size, shirt color, and mailing address to be forwarded to the team at Batman Meets Godzilla. Here’s a link to the Tee Public site with this epic shirt.
Here’s the KVR episode: Episode 39: The Mysterians (1957) (Normalization of Japan-USSR Relations)

This episode featured the song “‘BATMAN’ [OG Theme Song Remix!]” by Remix Maniacs.

(c) 2020 Nathan Marchand & Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:
• “An Argument for Japan’s Becoming Permanent Member.” Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan
• “Chapter 3: Japan's Foreign Policy to Promote National and Worldwide Interests” (Diplomatic Bluebook 2017). Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan
• “Is China contributing to the United Nations’ mission?” (China Power)
• “Gendered Bodies in Tokusatsu: Monsters and Aliens as the Atomic Bomb Victims” by Yuki Miyamoto (The Journal of Popular Culture, Oct. 2016, vol. 49, no. 5)
• Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa by Steve Ryfle and Ed Godzisewski
• “Japan’s Challenges at the United Nations, a Conversation with Amb. Motohide Yoshikawa” (YouTube, uploaded by UN University)
• Kaijuvision Radio
-“Episode 6: Rodan (1956)”
-“Episode 8: King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)”
• Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda by Peter H. Brothers
• “Why Japan will Never Be a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council” by Peter Harris (The National Interest)