Movie Review: Atomic Rulers of the World

Atomic Rulers of the World (a.k.a. Atomic Rulers) 

Starring: Ken Utsui, Junko Ikeuchi, Shôji Nakayama, Minoru Takada, Sachihiro Ohsawa, Reiko Seto, Minako Yamada, Hiroshi Hayashi, Utako Mitsuya, Chisako Hara, Akira Tamura, Fumiko Miyata, Kami Ashita, Tomohiko Ôtani, Jôji Ôhara, Terumi Hoshi, Shinsuke Mikimoto, Hiroshi Ayukawa, Ryo Iwashita, Noriko Katsuma, Yukihiko Ôsawa, Masao Takamatsu, Kurahashi Hiroaki, Sugiyama Kotaro, Hara Seiji, Yamaguchi Taga, Jack Arutenbai, Takenaka Hironao, Shirakawa Akio, Kikukawa Daijiro, Komori Satoshi, Saeki Kazuhiko, Murayama Kyoji 

Directors: Koreyoshi Akasaka, Teruo Ishii, Akira Mitsuwa 

Shintoho Film Distribution Committee, Walter Manley Enterprises, Japan, USA, 1964. 

This movie is published in Nightmare Worlds 50 movie pack box by Mill Creek Entertainment. 

This film is edited from two episodes of the Sûpâ jaiantsu (Super Giant) serial.

Radiation from atomic bomb tests reaches Emerald planet in Moffet galaxy. High council holds a meeting. Emerald Men fear possible nuclear war and pollution of the galaxy. Evil Megolians are smuggling nuclear weapons to Earth. and Emerald Men must stop them. They send Starman (Ken Utsui) to save Earth. Using his Globe-meter he can 

1. Fly through space 

2. Detect radiation
3. Speak and understand any language 

He can also use disguises and he is bulletproof.

Emerald Men

Starfish Emerald Men

Starman

First Starman saves an airplane that is hit by storm. Boris Sedenko and other members of Megolian (or Merapolian?) economic mission arrive with a nuclear suitcase. Starman fights the Megolians. Bunch of kids snatches gun and the suitcase. Megolians kidnap a boy, Hiroshi (Yukihiko Ôsawa). Masao's (Ryo Iwashita) and other kids live in orphanage with Sister Toshiko (Junko Ikeuchi). 

Megolians threaten Starman

Sister Toshiko

Masao and the kids

Starman comes to get the suitcase. He also bends the gun into a banana.  Reiko (Seto Reiko) brings the kids a gift basket. Reiko's brother Okamoto (Shôji Nakayama) is a detective, he becomes interested in the kids' story. Starman goes to find Hiroshi and leaves the suitcase in the orphanage. 

Reiko

Detective Okamoto

Is it Supermasn? No, it is Starman!

In secret Megolian base the destruction of Japan is planned. In Merapolian embassy the Megolian leader (Jack Arutenbai) sentences the failed goon (Ayukawa Hiroshi) to death. Starman tries to save the man, but the Megolians shoot him. Starman fights his way out. He then goes to save Hiroshi. The Megolians know that the nuclear bomb is hidden in the orphanage. They kidnap also Reiko. 

Megolian leader

Starman fights

Starman tries to get information from two other goons but they get murdered. Okamoto suspects that the murder weapon belongs to Starman. Police arrests Starman but he escapes. Kids try to infiltrate the embassy and try to warn the Japanese diplomats. Starman attacks the enemy base and makes the bomb harmless. 

Starman escapes prison

Megolians threaten to kill Reiko unless Starman returns the nuclear device. Starman falls into a trap. Megolians put him and Reiko into a chamber with mini-nuke. Luckily Starman's body is strong enough to shield Reiko from the explosion (never mind the radiation). Then Starman beats up the Megolians and saves the Earth.

Mini-nuke

Starman returns home

The movie is fun old fashioned superhero adventure. The Emerald Men costumes are imaginative. However the movie could have used more of the cool alien costumes, instead of having a plot with quite regular spy stuff. 

Rating: Average