While 1977 is forever cemented as the year Star Wars changed cinema, Toho Studios—the legendary home of Godzilla—was busy launching its own cosmic counter-offensive. Released in Japan as Wakusei Daisenso (Great Planet War), is a fascinating, disco-infused relic of the "Star Wars cash-in" era that actually has deeper roots in Japanese sci-fi history than most realize. A Galactic Redressing
Toho's Forgotten Frontier: Revisiting "The War in Space" (1977) The War in Space (1977)
: The film is famous for its 70s disco-infused score by Toshiaki Tsushima, giving the space battles a groovy energy unlike anything in the Lucasverse. The Legacy The War in Space (Review) - Toho Kingdom While 1977 is forever cemented as the year
Despite being marketed to ride the Star Wars wave, the film is essentially a sci-fi remake of Toho’s own 1963 undersea adventure . Instead of a flying submarine fighting the Mu Empire, we get the Gohten —a massive space battleship equipped with a giant drill on its nose—tasked with defending Earth from the "Venusians". Why It’s a Cult Classic Today The Legacy The War in Space (Review) -
: Directed by Jun Fukuda (a Godzilla veteran), the film features expertly crafted miniatures on nearly invisible wires. Special effects director Teruyoshi Nakano delivers his signature "fireball" explosions that CGI simply can't replicate.
: In a uniquely Asian sci-fi conceit, the spaceships often resemble seafaring vessels. The alien flagship is even modeled after a Roman sailing ship , complete with glowing oars.
: In a blatant nod to A New Hope , the Gohten crew encounters a horned, axe-wielding "Space Beast" that looks suspiciously like a Wookiee’s aggressive cousin.