Super Giant
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This article is about the Japanese super hero. For the life cycle stage of a star see Supergiant.
Super Giant (スーパージャイアンツ Sūpā Jaiantsu?, literally translated as "Super Giants") is a fictional Japanese superhero featured in a successful series of serial-like tokusatsu short feature films produced by Shintoho Company, Ltd. (the non-union branch of Toho). He is also known in Japan as Giant of Steel (鋼鉄の巨人 Kōtetsu no Kyojin?), is known in America as Starman, and known in France as Spaceman.
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[edit] Japan's first onscreen superhero
Whereas Takeo Nagamatsu's 1930 kamishibai The Golden Bat (Ōgon Batto) was Japan's first modern superhero (and had many manga, anime and tokusatsu adaptations), Shintoho's Super Giant was the first celluloid superhero, and the role model for many Japanese superheroes to come, especially Ultraman and Kamen Rider.
It was Moonlight Mask who became Japan's first television superhero when his TV show debuted a year later.
[edit] Who or what is Super Giant?
Super Giant is a human-like creature created from the strongest steel by the Peace Council from the Emerald Planet. He is created to destroy evil to restore peace in the universe. Resembling a Japanese man with white tights/cowl (fitted with an antenna) and capes under his arms, he is virtually indestructible. He wears on his wrist a "Globe-Meter", which enables him to:
- Fly through space
- Detect radiation
- Speak and understand any language
He can also use it to disguise himself as an Earthling to walk among them. When sent to Earth to stop evil forces, he disguises himself as a Japanese man wearing a fancy suit and fedora hat (almost looking like a detective), but still uses his "Super Giant" name. His secret identity is not that secret, as he works with the Japanese authorities in helping them to stop the threats of evil. He is just as powerful in his civilian form. He also gets along with children, and saves them from danger, as children represent the Earth's future.
When accomplishing his task, Super Giant flies back to the Emerald Planet.
[edit] Super "Giants"?
Although he is obviously human-sized, it is said by some fans in Japan that the plurally-named singular superhero "Super Giants" is named for Adventures of Superman (which was being broadcast in Japan at the time) and the famous Japanese baseball team, the Yomiuri Giants (which was extremely popular at the time).
[edit] The man in the "steel" tights
Super Giant was played in all films by respected film/TV actor Ken Utsui. However, Utsui hated playing Super Giant, and to this day refuses to talk about the role. This was partially on account of the somewhat embarrassing costume, especially the somewhat overstuffed crotch area (the producers thought that females were attracted to men with big anatomy, so they stuffed the crotch area with cotton). Nevertheless, this did not stop the audience's enjoyment of the movies.
[edit] Manga adaptations
Towards the end of the film series' run, there were manga adaptations of the Super Giant adventures. Artists included Tatsuo Yoshida and Jiro Kuwata.
[edit] American adaptation
The American company Walter Manley Enterprises[1] purchased the international rights to Starman and with Medallion Films[2] repackaged the nine Starman films into 4 films for television in the mid-1960s. The first six installments were cut and merged into three films-- Atomic Rulers of the World (or just Atomic Rulers), Invaders from Space, and Attack from Space. The final three films were severely cut and merged into Evil Brain from Outer Space. Dubbing was handled by Titra Studios of New York, using many of the voices common in dubbed films of the time, including Peter Fernandez. The original music soundtrack was largely replaced by library tracks.
[edit] The films
- 1.) Super Giant (スーパー・ジャイアンツ - Sūpā Jaiantsu)
- Released July 30, 1957
- B&W, 49 minutes
- Directed by Teruo Ishii
- Written by Ichiro Miyagawa
- Music by Michiaki Watanabe
- Plot: Super Giant first appears on Earth to stop foreign terrorists who threaten to destroy Japan (and the rest of the world) with an atomic bomb. (Part 1 of 2)
- Part of Atomic Rulers (US Version). See: Atomic Rulers at the Internet Movie Database
- 2.) Super Giant Continues (続スーパー・ジャイアンツ - Zoku Sūpā Jaiantsu)
- Released August 13, 1957
- B&W, 52 minutes
- Directed by Teruo Ishii
- Written by Ichiro Miyagawa
- Music by Michiaki Watanabe
- Plot: Super Giant continues his battle against the foreign terrorists. But things are complicated when the terrorists frame him for murder! (Part 2 of 2)
- Part of Atomic Rulers (US Version). See: Atomic Rulers at the Internet Movie Database
- 3.) Super Giant - The Mysterious Spacemen's Demonic Castle (スーパー・ジャイアンツ 怪星人の魔城 - Sūpā Jaiantsu - Kaiseijin no Majō)
- Released October 1, 1957
- B&W, 48 minutes
- Directed by Teruo Ishii
- Written by Ichiro Miyagawa
- Music by Michiaki Watanabe
- Plot: The reptile-like Kapia-Seijin prepare to conquer the Earth, and Super Giant must stop them. (Part 1 of 2)
- Part of Invaders from Space (US Version). See: Invaders from Space at the Internet Movie Database
- Trivia: The Kapia-Seijin are based on the Japanese kappa (water imps).
- 4.) Super Giant - Earth on the Verge of Destruction (スーパー・ジャイアンツ 地球滅亡寸前 - Sūpā Jaiantsu - Chikyū Metsubō Sunzen)
- Released October 8, 1957
- B&W, 39 minutes
- Directed by Teruo Ishii
- Written by Ichiro Miyagawa
- Music by Michiaki Watanabe
- Plot: Super Giant continues his battle against the Kapia-Seijin, who not only send a mysterious witch after a group of children, but summon their almighty leader to alter Earth's rotation. (Part 2 of 2)
- Part of Invaders from Space (US Version). See: Invaders from Space at the Internet Movie Database
- 5.) Super Giant - The Artificial Satellite and the Destruction of Humanity (スーパー・ジャイアンツ 人工衛星と人類の破滅 - Sūpā Jaiantsu - Jinkō Eisei to Jinrui no Hametsu)
- Released December 28, 1957
- B&W, 39 minutes
- Directed by Teruo Ishii
- Written by Ichiro Miyagawa
- Music by Riichiro Manabe
- Plot: Super Giant pursues a Nazi-like army that operates on a huge satellite in space. The satellite is armed with weapons that could destroy whole cities on Earth from afar. (Part 1 of 2)
- Part of Attack from Space (US Version). See: Attack from Space at the Internet Movie Database
- 6.) Super Giant - The Spaceship and the Clash of the Artificial Satellite (スーパー・ジャイアンツ 宇宙艇と人工衛星の激突 - Sūpā Jaiantsu - Uchūtei to Jinkō Eisei no Gekitotsu)
- Released January 3, 1958
- B&W, 39 minutes
- Directed by Teruo Ishii
- Written by Ichiro Miyagawa
- Music by Riichiro Manabe
- Plot: Although he was believed to be destroyed by the Nazi-like army, Super Giant breaks into the satellite, and a long, riotous battle ensues. (Part 2 of 2)
- Part of Attack from Space (US Version). See: Attack from Space at the Internet Movie Database
- Trivia: It was after this film when director Teruo Ishii left the series, upon being horrified to hear about a child who imitated Super Giant (even wearing a cape he made) by jumping out of a window and landing on the street, seriously injuring himself. This became a very controversial liability issue with Japanese superhero programs (not unlike those in America), until shows like Android Kikaider (1972) added a safety bumper at the end of each episode, telling children not to imitate the impossible feats performed by the title superhero.
- This was the last Super Giant film with a 2-part story arc; The remaining films are standalone episodes.
- 7.) Super Giant - The Space Mutant Appears (スーパー・ジャイアンツ 宇宙怪人出現 - Sūpā Jaiantsu - Uchū Kaijin Shutsugen)
- Released April 29, 1958
- B&W, 45 minutes
- Directed by Akira Mitsuwa
- Written by Akira Mitsuwa & Ichiro Miyagawa
- Music by Ko Ishimatsu
- Plot: Super Giant battles a marauding brainlike alien creature created by a mad scientist with the help of an alien army. (Standalone)
- Part of Evil Brain from Outer Space (US Version). See: Evil Brain from Outer Space at the Internet Movie Database
- Trivia: Last Super Giant film in fullscreen.
- 8.) Super Giant Continues - The Devil's Incarnation (続スーパー・ジャイアンツ 悪魔の化身 - Zoku Sūpā Jaiantsu - Akuma no Keshin)
- Released March 27, 1959
- B&W, 57 minutes
- Directed by Chogi Akasaka
- Written by Ichiro Miyagawa
- Music by Sadao Nagase
- Plot: Super Giant copes with a mad scientist (who was disfigured in World War II) who uses science and sorcery to turn his deceased daughter into an evil witch that murders women. (Standalone)
- Part of Evil Brain from Outer Space (US Version). See: Evil Brain from Outer Space at the Internet Movie Database
- Trivia: The first Super Giant film in widescreen (2.35:1); All previous films were fullscreen.
- 9.) Super Giant Continues - The Poison Moth Kingdom (続スーパー・ジャイアンツ 毒蛾王国 - Zoku Sūpā Jaiantsu - Dokuga Ōkoku)
- Released April 24, 1959
- B&W, 57 minutes
- Directed by Chogi Akasaka
- Written by Ichiro Miyagawa
- Music by Sadao Nagase
- Plot: Super Giant fights against an Arab terrorist army (which dresses in costumes that look similar to the alien army in The Space Mutant Appears) which plots to assassinate its nation's peaceful crown prince for his treasure. (Standalone)
- Part of Evil Brain from Outer Space (US Version). See: Evil Brain from Outer Space at the Internet Movie Database
- Trivia: The final Super Giant film.
[edit] External Reviews
- Atomic Rulers at the Internet Movie Database
- Invaders from Space at the Internet Movie Database
- Attack from Space at the Internet Movie Database
- Evil Brain from Outer Space at the Internet Movie Database
[edit] References
- Ragone, August. THE ORIGINAL "STARMAN"; the Forgotten Supergiant of Steel Who Fought for Peace, Justice and the Japanese Way Originally published in Planet X Magazine, included in Something Weird Video's 2-DVD release of the four American versions of Starman.
