Sixties City - Bringing on back the good times

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1960s

Sixties City - bringing on back the good times!

also known as: Superman, Spaceman, Starman, Supergiant, Supah Jaianto

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The Super Giant films
were a compilation science-fiction product of the Japanese Shin Toho film and television studio series 'Supah Jaianto' which ran from 1956 to 1959. Nine wide screen format episodes ( chapters ) were definitely made which were subsequently combined to produce four definitive films that were issued in the U.S.A. in 1964 with the hero known as 'Starman' but, as always, there is confusion as to the exact number of original episodic films produced. Super Giant was a costumed superhero ( played by Ken Utsui ) - a kind of Japanese equivalent to Superman. He successfully battled all manner of threats to the safety of the world from both Earth and Outer Space, usually with the assistance of children. The scripts and story-lines were intended for the Japanese market and so, as is unfortunately the case with so many overdubbed Japanese productions, the English version can be quite ( unintentionally ) hilarious in places. n.b. The film 'Prince of Space' aka 'Yusei Oji' aka 'The Star Prince' which was released in 1959 (Japan) and 1964 (US) also under the title 'Invaders From Space' is not a 'Super Giant' film, although it is somewhat similar in content.

Super Giant Images The Episodes The Films

The Episodes

Episode 1

Supah Jaianto
aka
The Steel Man From Outer Space

1956 - 49 mins

Director: Teruo Ishii Producer: Mitsugi Okura

Ken Utsui, Junko Ikeuchi, Minoru Takada, Ryo Iwashita, Minako Yamada, Utako Mitsuya

Episode 2

Supah Jaianto
aka
Rescue From Outer Space

1956 - 52 mins

Director: Teruo Ishii Producer: Mitsugi Okura

Ken Utsui, Junko Ikeuchi, Minoru Takada, Ryo Iwashita, Minako Yamada, Utako Mitsuya

Episode 3

Kotetsu No Kyojin - Kaiseijin No Mayo
aka
Devils From The Planet
Invaders From The Planets

1957 - 49 mins

Directors: Koreyoshi Akasaka, Teruo Ishii and Akira Mitsuwa
Producer: Mitsugi Okura

Ken Utsui, Minako Yamada, Junko Ikeuchi, Minoru Takada, Ken Hayashi, Reiko Seto, Chisako Tahara, Akira Tamura

Episode 4

Kotetsu No Kyojin - Chikyu Metzubo Sunzen
aka
The Earth In Danger

1957 - 40 mins

Directors: Koreyoshi Akasaka, Teruo Ishii and Akira Mitsuwa Producer: Mitsugi Okura

Ken Utsui, Minako Yamada, Junko Ikeuchi, Minoru Takada, Ken Hayashi, Reiko Seto, Chisako Tahara, Akira Tamura

Episode 5

Jinko Eisen To Jinrui No Hametsu
aka
Spaceship Of Human Destruction

1958 - 40 mins

Director: Teruo Ishii Producer: Mitsugi Okura

Ken Utsui, Utako Mitsuya, Ken Hayashi, Teruhisha Ikeda, Hiroshi Asami, Junko Ikeuchi, Minoru Takada

Episode 6

Uchutei To Jinko Eisen No Gekitotsu
aka
The Destruction Of The Space Fleet

1958 - 39 mins

Director: Teruo Ishii Producer: Mitsugi Okura

Ken Utsui, Utako Mitsuya, Ken Hayashi, Teruhisha Ikeda, Hiroshi Asami, Junko Ikeuchi, Minoru Takada

Episode 7

Uchu Kaijin Shutsugen
aka
Spacemen Appear

1958 - 44 mins

Director: Akira Miwa Producer: Mitsugi Okura

Ken Utsui, Chisako Tawara

Episode 8

Akuma No Keshiin
aka
The Devil Incarnate

1959 - 57 mins

Director: Chogi Akasaka Producer: ?

Ken Utsui, Reiko Seto

Episode 9

Dokuga Okoku
aka
Kingdom Of The Poison Moth

1959 - 56 mins

Director: Chogi Akasaka Producer: ?

Ken Utsui, Terumi Hoshi

Note: It is possible that another three episodes were made during 1959
but it cannot be confirmed whether or not these films were part of the Super Giant series:

Araumi No Oja

Director: Tetsu Taguchi

Ken Utsui, Naoko Kubo

Gonin No Hanzaisha

Director: Teruo Ishii

Ken Utsui, Yoko Mihara

Jotai Sambashi
aka
Red Piers

Director: Teruo Ishii

Ken Utsui, Akemi Tsukushi

The Films

Super Giant I
aka
The Appearance Of Super Giant

1964 - 85 mins
Black and White, dubbed in English

Director: Teruo Ishii
Producer: Mitsugi Okura

Ken Utsui, Junko Ikeuchi, Minoru Takada, Ryo Iwashita, Minako Yamada, Utako Mitsuya

The evil leaders of the planet Sapphire send agents to spy on Earth prior to attack. Alien forces friendly towards Earth send Super Giant to save us.

This feature was an edited combination of episodes 1 and 2

Supergiant II
aka
The Atomic Rulers Of The World
Attack Of The Flying Saucers

1964 - 83 mins
Black and White, dubbed in English

Directors: Koreyoshi Akasaka, Teruo Ishii and Akira Mitsuwa
Producer: Mitsugi Okura

Ken Utsui, Minako Yamada, Junko Ikeuchi, Minoru Takada, Ken Hayashi, Reiko Seto, Chisako Tahara, Akira Tamura

American gangsters plan to hold Japan to ransom with an A-bomb but are foiled by the superhero.

This feature was an edited combination of episodes 3 and 4

Super Giant Against The Satellites
aka
Attack From Space
Invaders From Space

1964 - 79 mins
Black and White, dubbed in English

Director: Teruo Ishii
Producer: Mitsugi Okura

Ken Utsui, Utako Mitsuya, Ken Hayashi, Teruhisha Ikeda, Hiroshi Asami, Junko Ikeuchi, Minoru Takada

Super Giant defends the world against alien beings intending to conquer and destroy the planet.

This feature was an edited combination of episodes 5 and 6

The Brain From Outer Space
aka
The Evil Brain From Outer Space

1964 - 146 mins
Black and White, dubbed in English

Directors: Chogi Akasaka and Akira Miwa
Producer: Mitsugi Okura and ?

Ken Utsui, Terumi Hoshi, Chisako Tawara, Reiko Seto

The living brain of an evil dictator is brought to Earth by a bunch of criminals and mutants with the intention of setting up a base
from which to conquer and rule the galaxy.

This feature was apparently an edited combination of episodes 7, 8 and 9

An Assortment Of Images From Super Giant Films