Director
Ishirō Honda
Cast
Hiroshi Koizumi - Dr. Shinichi Chujo
Frankie Sakai - Zenichirō Fukuda
Kyōko Kagawa - Michi Hanamura
Ken Uehara - Dr. Harada
Frankie Sakai - Zenichirō Fukuda
Kyōko Kagawa - Michi Hanamura
Ken Uehara - Dr. Harada
Jerry Ito - Clark Nelson
Yumi Ito and Emi Ito - The Shobijin
There's a majestic fantastical persona that surrounds the Japanese kaiju (monster), Mothra. It largely distinguishes her from other Japanese monsters such as Rodan, King Ghidora, Anguirus, and even the King of the Monsters himself, Godzilla.
The giant moth is certainly one of the more popular Japanese monsters after Godzilla. Mothra is just as much a household name.
The 1961 film "Mothra" produced by Toho Studios - the company that gave us Godzilla - and directed by legendary kaiju movie director, Ishirō Honda, introduced the world to the humungous and magnificent Lepidoptera on the big screen.
Mothra appears in several later films, the next being "Mothra vs. Godzilla" (1964).
She also appears with Godzilla in "Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster" (1964), "Ebirah, Horror of the Deep" (1966), "Destroy All Monsters" (1968), "Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla" (1994), "Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack" (2001), "Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S." (2003), "Godzilla: Final Wars" (2004), and "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" (2019). She is also in the series "Godzilla Island" (1997-1998).
But that's not all! Mothra also has her own set of films - "Rebirth of Mothra" (1996), "Rebirth of Mothra II" (1997), and "Rebirth of Mothra III" (1998).
Yumi Ito and Emi Ito - The Shobijin
There's a majestic fantastical persona that surrounds the Japanese kaiju (monster), Mothra. It largely distinguishes her from other Japanese monsters such as Rodan, King Ghidora, Anguirus, and even the King of the Monsters himself, Godzilla.
The giant moth is certainly one of the more popular Japanese monsters after Godzilla. Mothra is just as much a household name.
The 1961 film "Mothra" produced by Toho Studios - the company that gave us Godzilla - and directed by legendary kaiju movie director, Ishirō Honda, introduced the world to the humungous and magnificent Lepidoptera on the big screen.
Mothra appears in several later films, the next being "Mothra vs. Godzilla" (1964).
She also appears with Godzilla in "Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster" (1964), "Ebirah, Horror of the Deep" (1966), "Destroy All Monsters" (1968), "Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla" (1994), "Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack" (2001), "Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S." (2003), "Godzilla: Final Wars" (2004), and "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" (2019). She is also in the series "Godzilla Island" (1997-1998).
But that's not all! Mothra also has her own set of films - "Rebirth of Mothra" (1996), "Rebirth of Mothra II" (1997), and "Rebirth of Mothra III" (1998).
This introduction to Mothra begins with an expedition to Infant Island which has become radiated due to atomic tests performed in the surrounding waters.
The natives are therefore introduced to civilization outside of the island.
However, one businessman attempts to exploit the island natives, which pisses off the god they worship.
Off the coast of Infant Island where Rolisican atomic tests are conducted, a boat is caught in a typhoon and runs aground onto the radioactive island. Rolisica is a fictional country in the movie, located between Eastern Asia and Europe, and meant to be an inoffensive reference to both the United States and Russia. Its capital is New Kirk City. I groaned out loud.
The natives are therefore introduced to civilization outside of the island.
However, one businessman attempts to exploit the island natives, which pisses off the god they worship.
Off the coast of Infant Island where Rolisican atomic tests are conducted, a boat is caught in a typhoon and runs aground onto the radioactive island. Rolisica is a fictional country in the movie, located between Eastern Asia and Europe, and meant to be an inoffensive reference to both the United States and Russia. Its capital is New Kirk City. I groaned out loud.
Anyways, four sailors are found by a rescue party. None of them test positive for radiation sickness which the sailors attribute to a specific berry juice the natives gave them to drink.
This story breaks in the Japanese newspapers. News reporter Zenichiro Fukuda (Frankie Sakai) and photographer Michi Hanamura (Kyōko Kagawa) come on scene by infiltrating the hospital to interview the sailors.
Meanwhile, a joint expedition between Japan and Rolisica, lead by the greedy and self-absorbed Clark Nelson (Jerry Ito) from Rolisica, heads over to Infant Island. A radiation specialist named Dr. Harada (Ken Uehara) accompanies Nelson on the trip along with an anthropologist named Dr. Shin'ichi Chūjō (Hiroshi Koizumi). Fukuda, being the great reporter he is, sneaks on board their boat as a stowaway.
While exploring Infant Island, the crew finds a symbol carved in a rock that looks like a radiating cross. They later find that this symbol, written in the native language of the islanders, means "Mothra."
Chūjō separates from the group and becomes entangled in a vine that begins to twist around and overtake him. He's rescued by a pair of female twins who stand just a foot tall.
When he gets back to the crew, he tells them what he witnessed, and refers to these twins as the "Shobijin" (small beauties).
The Shobijin make their presence known to the entire crew to tell them they want the island spared from any further nuclear testing.
In his greed, Nelson attempts to kidnap the Shobijin but is dissuaded by the natives brandishing weapons and ready to attack him to defend the twins.
When the expedition returns to the mainland, they don't tell anyone what they experienced.
Nelson, however, returns to Infant Island and kidnaps the twins, brings them back to Japan, and forces them to perform as a stage act for his own profit. They plead for their release, but Nelson refuses to let them free. They're too profitable.
So, through telepathic singing, the twins call on Mothra for help. The natives back on Infant Island also beg their god, Mothra, for her aid. At this stage, Mothra is a giant egg.
The egg hatches, and Mothra in larva form, emerges and swims to the mainland to find the twins and punish their kidnappers.
The twins warn Nelson that she's coming and that people will be hurt because he won't let them go.
Of course, he doesn't believe them.
This story breaks in the Japanese newspapers. News reporter Zenichiro Fukuda (Frankie Sakai) and photographer Michi Hanamura (Kyōko Kagawa) come on scene by infiltrating the hospital to interview the sailors.
Meanwhile, a joint expedition between Japan and Rolisica, lead by the greedy and self-absorbed Clark Nelson (Jerry Ito) from Rolisica, heads over to Infant Island. A radiation specialist named Dr. Harada (Ken Uehara) accompanies Nelson on the trip along with an anthropologist named Dr. Shin'ichi Chūjō (Hiroshi Koizumi). Fukuda, being the great reporter he is, sneaks on board their boat as a stowaway.
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| Mothra hatches from a coccoon built underneath a broken Tokyo Tower in "Mothra." |
While exploring Infant Island, the crew finds a symbol carved in a rock that looks like a radiating cross. They later find that this symbol, written in the native language of the islanders, means "Mothra."
Chūjō separates from the group and becomes entangled in a vine that begins to twist around and overtake him. He's rescued by a pair of female twins who stand just a foot tall.
When he gets back to the crew, he tells them what he witnessed, and refers to these twins as the "Shobijin" (small beauties).
The Shobijin make their presence known to the entire crew to tell them they want the island spared from any further nuclear testing.
In his greed, Nelson attempts to kidnap the Shobijin but is dissuaded by the natives brandishing weapons and ready to attack him to defend the twins.
When the expedition returns to the mainland, they don't tell anyone what they experienced.
Nelson, however, returns to Infant Island and kidnaps the twins, brings them back to Japan, and forces them to perform as a stage act for his own profit. They plead for their release, but Nelson refuses to let them free. They're too profitable.
So, through telepathic singing, the twins call on Mothra for help. The natives back on Infant Island also beg their god, Mothra, for her aid. At this stage, Mothra is a giant egg.
The egg hatches, and Mothra in larva form, emerges and swims to the mainland to find the twins and punish their kidnappers.
The twins warn Nelson that she's coming and that people will be hurt because he won't let them go.
Of course, he doesn't believe them.
Fukuda, Hanamura, and Chūjō try to rescue the twins without success. The newspaper Fukuda reports for writes a story that Nelson is holding these small twins against their will.
He threatens a libel suit against the paper and the Rolisican Embassy even comes to his aid.
The larva, meanwhile, survives attacks by military forces while swimming towards Japan. It even takes down a cruise ship along the way.
Mothra finally arrives in Tokyo, and spins a cocoon. Japanese forces attempt to incinerate the cocoon but Mothra still emerges.
The people of Japan are pissed at Nelson for holding onto the twins. So, he's ordered to release them, which he finally does.
He secretly sneaks off to Rolisica, but Mothra immediately flies over to New Kirk City to find the twins, destroying cities along the way.
In true Toho fashion, "Mothra" is made as an epic picture like many of their other monster movies.
While the movie has a rather serious tone, some elements are cartoonish, such as Nelson. He's obviously the villain of the movie as he laughs maniacally whenever he reveals his dastardly plans. He's a little over-the-top as he's driven by greed, and is unmoving and unsympathetic. To Jerry Ito's credit, he makes the audience love to hate his character.
It's worth noting there are several Mothras throughout the kaiju films from Toho. While Mothra is often referred to as "she" in some movies, there have been male Mothras as well.
The majestic nature Mothra possesses carries over into the films she appears in with Godzilla. I think that's part of what makes her as popular and well-known as she is among the rogue's gallery of Japanese monsters.
The pacing of "Mothra" is smooth as they build up to Mothra's ultimate appearance little by little, until the final act of the film. It adds to the epic nature of the entire picture.
He threatens a libel suit against the paper and the Rolisican Embassy even comes to his aid.
The larva, meanwhile, survives attacks by military forces while swimming towards Japan. It even takes down a cruise ship along the way.
Mothra finally arrives in Tokyo, and spins a cocoon. Japanese forces attempt to incinerate the cocoon but Mothra still emerges.
The people of Japan are pissed at Nelson for holding onto the twins. So, he's ordered to release them, which he finally does.
He secretly sneaks off to Rolisica, but Mothra immediately flies over to New Kirk City to find the twins, destroying cities along the way.
In true Toho fashion, "Mothra" is made as an epic picture like many of their other monster movies.
While the movie has a rather serious tone, some elements are cartoonish, such as Nelson. He's obviously the villain of the movie as he laughs maniacally whenever he reveals his dastardly plans. He's a little over-the-top as he's driven by greed, and is unmoving and unsympathetic. To Jerry Ito's credit, he makes the audience love to hate his character.
It's worth noting there are several Mothras throughout the kaiju films from Toho. While Mothra is often referred to as "she" in some movies, there have been male Mothras as well.
The majestic nature Mothra possesses carries over into the films she appears in with Godzilla. I think that's part of what makes her as popular and well-known as she is among the rogue's gallery of Japanese monsters.
The models, while clearly models, are still truly impressive. The time and effort that surely went into them deserves all the "ooohs" and "aaahs" they must have got back in 1961.
The film is one big introduction to this "monster."
The film is one big introduction to this "monster."
In a very loose way, Mothra is kind of like Frankenstein's monster in that she's not a ravenous creature who destroys and devours like any other monster would, compelled by some animalistic hunger or driven by an unseen evil. She seeks revenge, but her wrath isn't unreasonable. Mothra is on a rescue mission.
"Mothra" is an entertaining movie, though it really takes its time getting to what audiences want to see - Mothra in all her colorful glory answering the prayers of the natives and gaining revenge on the greedy.
The movie succeeds telling an epic story rather than showing a giant moth destroy everything in sight for an hour and 41 minutes.
"Mothra" is an entertaining movie, though it really takes its time getting to what audiences want to see - Mothra in all her colorful glory answering the prayers of the natives and gaining revenge on the greedy.
The movie succeeds telling an epic story rather than showing a giant moth destroy everything in sight for an hour and 41 minutes.
The movie holds up in being a truly unique monster film among the rest from Toho.
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