Toho's Forgotten Frontier: Revisiting "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 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
: 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.