The superhero Starman is sent by the Emerald Planet to protect Earth from belligerent aliens from the Sapphire Galaxy. The Sapphireans (or "Spherions") kidnap Dr. Yamanaka and force him to use his spaceship against the Earth.
Practical Effects
Cardboard spaceships and rubber alien suits that wobble adorably
Stunts
Starman's signature belly-flop flying pose defies physics and dignity
Costume
The leotard that launched a thousand confused Japanese children
Director
Teruo Ishii
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was hastily assembled from three 1957 Japanese Starman serials, edited and dubbed for American TV without the original actors' knowledge. Ken Utsui famously hated the costume and tried to have his name removed.
The 'Spherions' name change was pure distributor panic—American censors in 1965 thought 'Sapphireans' sounded too communist-adjacent during Cold War sci-fi saturation.
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