The H-Man
Encyclopedia
The H-Man, known in Japan as , is a tokusatsu
film
produced and released by Toho Studios
in 1958. The film was made by Toho's legendary Godzilla
directing/special effects/producing team of Ishirō Honda
, Eiji Tsuburaya
, and Tomoyuki Tanaka
, and is considered part of Toho's "mutant trilogy," along with The Human Vapor
and The Secret of the Telegian.
This, with films like The Human Vapor
, and Matango
, was one of Honda and Tsuburaya's forays into science fiction without kaiju
or giant monsters. Instead, the story focuses on mobsters, nightclub singers, and radioactive, liquid creatures that live in Tokyo's sewers, which were the results of a nuclear explosion.
Akira Ifukube
, the usual composer for the Toho
tokusatsu
films, did not score this movie. Rather, the more jazz-influenced Masaru Satō
was assigned the job, as much of the film takes place in and around a nightclub.
The film was released by Columbia Pictures
in the United States in 1959. A New York Herald Tribune
film critic at the time called it, "A good-natured poke at atom-bomb tests... The picture is plainly making a case against the use of nuclear bombs. At the same time, there is a great deal of lively entertainment in the story involving police, dope smugglers, scientists and some very pretty Japanese girls."
Tokusatsu
is a Japanese term that applies to any live-action film or television drama that usually features superheroes and makes considerable use of special effects ....
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
produced and released by Toho Studios
Toho
is a Japanese film, theater production, and distribution company. It is headquartered in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group...
in 1958. The film was made by Toho's legendary Godzilla
Godzilla
is a daikaijū, a Japanese movie monster, first appearing in Ishirō Honda's 1954 film Godzilla. Since then, Godzilla has gone on to become a worldwide pop culture icon starring in 28 films produced by Toho Co., Ltd. The monster has appeared in numerous other media incarnations including video games,...
directing/special effects/producing team of Ishirō Honda
Ishiro Honda
Ishirō Honda , sometimes miscredited in foreign releases as "Inoshiro Honda", was a Japanese film director...
, Eiji Tsuburaya
Eiji Tsuburaya
was the Japanese special effects director responsible for many Japanese science-fiction movies, including the Godzilla series...
, and Tomoyuki Tanaka
Tomoyuki Tanaka
----Tomoyuki Tanaka was a Japanese film producer, most famous for creating the Godzilla series. He was born in Kashiwara, Osaka, Japan on April 26, 1910, and died in Tokyo on April 2, 1997. He died of a stroke at the age of 86....
, and is considered part of Toho's "mutant trilogy," along with The Human Vapor
The Human Vapor
The Human Vapor, known in Japan as , is a tokusatsu film produced and released by Toho Studios in 1960. The film was made by Toho's legendary Godzilla directing/special effects/producing team of Ishirō Honda, Eiji Tsuburaya, and Tomoyuki Tanaka...
and The Secret of the Telegian.
This, with films like The Human Vapor
The Human Vapor
The Human Vapor, known in Japan as , is a tokusatsu film produced and released by Toho Studios in 1960. The film was made by Toho's legendary Godzilla directing/special effects/producing team of Ishirō Honda, Eiji Tsuburaya, and Tomoyuki Tanaka...
, and Matango
Matango
, also known as Matango, Fungus of Terror and Attack of the Mushroom People, is a 1963 Japanese tokusatsu movie. It was directed by Ishirō Honda, written by Takeshi Kimura based on the story "The Voice in the Night" by William Hope Hodgson , and had special...
, was one of Honda and Tsuburaya's forays into science fiction without kaiju
Kaiju
is a Japanese word that means "strange beast," but often translated in English as "monster". Specifically, it is used to refer to a genre of tokusatsu entertainment....
or giant monsters. Instead, the story focuses on mobsters, nightclub singers, and radioactive, liquid creatures that live in Tokyo's sewers, which were the results of a nuclear explosion.
Akira Ifukube
Akira Ifukube
was a Japanese composer of classical music and film scores, perhaps best known for his work on the soundtracks of the Godzilla movies by Toho.-Biography:...
, the usual composer for the Toho
Toho
is a Japanese film, theater production, and distribution company. It is headquartered in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group...
tokusatsu
Tokusatsu
is a Japanese term that applies to any live-action film or television drama that usually features superheroes and makes considerable use of special effects ....
films, did not score this movie. Rather, the more jazz-influenced Masaru Satō
Masaru Sato
was a Japanese composer of film scores. He was born in Rumoi, Hokkaidō and raised in Sapporo. While studying at the National Music Academy, Sato came under the influence of Fumio Hayasaka, Akira Kurosawa's regular composer for his earlier films. He became a pupil of Hayasaka's, studying film...
was assigned the job, as much of the film takes place in and around a nightclub.
U.S. release
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
in the United States in 1959. A New York Herald Tribune
New York Herald Tribune
The New York Herald Tribune was a daily newspaper created in 1924 when the New York Tribune acquired the New York Herald.Other predecessors, which had earlier merged into the New York Tribune, included the original The New Yorker newsweekly , and the Whig Party's Log Cabin.The paper was home to...
film critic at the time called it, "A good-natured poke at atom-bomb tests... The picture is plainly making a case against the use of nuclear bombs. At the same time, there is a great deal of lively entertainment in the story involving police, dope smugglers, scientists and some very pretty Japanese girls."
Cast
- Masada (Assistant professor at Joutou University) - Kenji SaharaKenji SaharaKenji Sahara is a Japanese actor. He was born in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa. His real name is Masayoshi Kato...
- Chikako Arai (Singer of a cabaret Homura) - Yumi ShirakawaYumi Shirakawais a former Japanese actress.-Filmography:Filmography of Yumi Shirakawa include:* The Badger Palace aka The Princess of Badger Palace *Kiganjo no Boken*Gorath*Wall-Eyed Nippon...
- Tominaga (Detective) - Akihiko HirataAkihiko Hiratawas a Japanese film actor. While Hirata starred in many movies , he is most well known for his work in the kaiju genre, including such films as King Kong vs. Godzilla, The Mysterians, and his most famous role of Dr...
- Miyashita (Mayor of Criminal Investigation Department) - Eitarou Ozawa
- Dr. Maki - Korenari Senda
- Uchida - Makoto Satou
- Misaki (Lover of Chikako) - Hisaya Itou
- Hanae - Machiko Kitagawa
- Aunt (Manager of an apartment) - Toshiko Nakano
- Taguchi (Detective) - Yoshio TsuchiyaYoshio Tsuchiyais a Japanese actor who has appeared in such films as Toshio Matsumoto's surreal masterpiece "Bara No Soretsu" and Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai and Red Beard, and Kihachi Okamoto's Kill!. He has a long-standing interest in UFOs and had written several books on the subject...
- Seki (Detective) - Tadao Nakamaru
- Ogawa (Detective) - Kamayuki Tsubono
- Mineko - Naomi Shiraishi
- Kishi - Kou Misaki
- Sakata(Detective) - Yoshihumi Tajima
- Kin - Tetsu NakamuraTetsu Nakamurais a Japanese medical doctor. He was awarded the 2003 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Peace and International Understanding. He has devoted his work among refugees in the Afghanistan/Pakistan borderlands.-ex.link:***...
- Munetyan (Crew of Daini-Ryuujin-Maru) - Haruya Katou
- Daityan (Crew of Daini-Ryuujin-Maru) - Senkichi Oomura
- Tyousuke (Crew of Daini-Ryuujin-Maru) - Haruo NakajimaHaruo Nakajimais a famous Japanese actor. He is best known for playing Godzilla and is considered by many to be the best suit actor in the long history of the franchise...
- Mattyan(Crew of Daini-Ryuujin-Maru) - Shigeo Katou
- Yasukichi (Crew of Daini-Ryuujin-Maru) - Yasuhiro Shigenobu
- Crew of Daini-Ryuujin-Maru - Katsumi TezukaKatsumi Tezukais a Japanese actor. He is best known for playing monsters in several Toho science fiction and horror films directed by Ishirō Honda.-Films:* 1954 - Godzilla * 1955 - Godzilla Raids Again * 1956 - Rodan...
- Emii (Dancer) - Ayumi Sonoda
- Metropolitan Police Department executive officer A - Kan Hayashi
- Metropolitan Police Department executive officer B - Mitsuo Tsuda
- Metropolitan Police Department executive officer C - Akio Kusama
- Kusuda (Director at Criminal Investigation Department) - Minosuke Yamada
- Nishiyama - Jun Fujio
- Saeki - Ren Yamamoto
- Hotta (Crew of Daini-Ryuujin-Maru) - Akira Sera
- Man of a dating couple - Yousuke Natsuki
- Woman of a dating couple - Keiko Ieda
- Aunt of a room next to Chikako - Matsue Ono
- Resident of an apartment of Chikako - Mitsuo Matsumoto
- Old policeman - Keij Sakakida
- Shimazaki - Nadao Kirino
- Taxi driver - Yutaka Sada
- Hamano - Shin Ootomo
- Yakuza of Hanada-Gumi - Yutaka Nakayama
- Old policeman - Yutaka Oka
- Head of a worker - Syouichi Hirose
DVD release
Columbia TriStar (Sony)- Released: August 18, 2009
- Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic (2.35:1) Widescreen
- Special features: Audio commentary by Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski for MothraMothra (film)is a 1961 Kaiju film from Toho Studios, directed by genre regular Ishirō Honda with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. It is the kaiju eiga debut of screenwriter Shinichi Sekizawa, whose approach to the genre grew to prominence during the 1960s...
and Battle in Outer SpaceBattle in Outer SpaceBattle in Outer Space, released in Japan as is a tokusatsu film produced and released by Toho Studios in Japan in 1959, and distributed worldwide in 1960 by Columbia Pictures... - Sound: Japanese, English
- Region 1
- Note: Contains both original Japanese and English versions of the film; Only available as a triple feature with Battle in Outer SpaceBattle in Outer SpaceBattle in Outer Space, released in Japan as is a tokusatsu film produced and released by Toho Studios in Japan in 1959, and distributed worldwide in 1960 by Columbia Pictures...
and MothraMothra (film)is a 1961 Kaiju film from Toho Studios, directed by genre regular Ishirō Honda with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. It is the kaiju eiga debut of screenwriter Shinichi Sekizawa, whose approach to the genre grew to prominence during the 1960s...
.