What Non-Godzilla Toho Films Do You Still need to Watch?

[HedorahIsBestGirl]

Soo i completely forgot about the original Showa version of Yamato Takeru. Consider that on the list!

Oh yeah, The Three Treasures. Anyone here seen that one? I'm not terribly interested, but if it's any good I might check it out with all this free time the coronavirus hysteria is providing...

[Terasawa]

It’s more like a period costume drama or Hollywood biblical epic (think The Ten Commandments) than any monster movie Toho did. It’s a huge production that’s worth watching just for the spectacle, although I wouldn’t recommend it to casual fans or those just wanting to see monsters.

[HedorahIsBestGirl]

It’s more like a period costume drama or Hollywood biblical epic (think The Ten Commandments) than any monster movie Toho did. It’s a huge production that’s worth watching just for the spectacle, although I wouldn’t recommend it to casual fans or those just wanting to see monsters.

I enjoy epics when I'm in the right mood, I'll probably check it out at some point. Not too excited about the three-hour runtime though, which is why I have to be in the right mood to watch epics. Even the LOTR films start to bore me in the last hour if I'm not in the right mood and I love those movies.

[shadowgigan]

The mysterians, atragon, and (to my embarrassment) many Kurosawa films.

[Spuro]

I'm also really interested in The Three Treasures, perhaps more than any other film I listed on the last page.

I can enjoy three hour movies pretty easily, but like everything it depends entirely on the movie and the pacing. Seven Samurai had me hooked beginning to end, but The Godfather tested my patience.

[Terasawa]

Treasures has an intermission, like most classic long movies. So, worst case scenario, you can watch it in chunks.

[LSD Jellyfish]

Treasures has an intermission, like most classic long movies. So, worst case scenario, you can watch it in chunks.

That's what I did. Also worth noting the first chunk ends on a good climactic moment.

[KaijusHunter]

Two movies on which Eiji Tsuburaya provided a hand on the special effects: The Paradise Island Story (1957) and Blood in the Sky (1962). I am currently unable to get my hands on copies, but I wish they'll air on Japanese television at some point. Paradise is the most interesting to me, as it apparently features an exploding volcano in the climax.

That was unexpected... I finally got my hands on Blood in the Sky. While it's a not-that-great-looking VHS rip, I'm very glad to own this movie, both due to the involvement of Eiji Tsuburaya and the actors starring in the picture like Makoto Sato and Yuzo Kayama.

Now my Toho Holy Grail really is The Paradise Island Story. It's scheduled to be screened as part of a "Tokusatsu" retrospective in Japan, which also included Half Human a while ago. Fingers crossed a restored copy airs on cable TV...

[MaxRebo320]

That was unexpected... I finally got my hands on Blood in the Sky. While it's a not-that-great-looking VHS rip, I'm very glad to own this movie, both due to the involvement of Eiji Tsuburaya and the actors starring in the picture like Makoto Sato and Yuzo Kayama.

Sounds like a great catch to me! To my understanding, the film acts as sort of a companion piece to the similarly titled Blood on the Sea (Kurenai no umi) also starring Kayama and Sato (I have no idea if its an actual sequel or just shares most of the same cast and crew). I have seen Sea listed among Toho's SFX films in the past, but it seems next to impossible to find (It isn't lost though, as there are some super low-res images from the film online). Any luck in finding that one?

[KaijusHunter]

That was unexpected... I finally got my hands on Blood in the Sky. While it's a not-that-great-looking VHS rip, I'm very glad to own this movie, both due to the involvement of Eiji Tsuburaya and the actors starring in the picture like Makoto Sato and Yuzo Kayama.

Sounds like a great catch to me! To my understanding, the film acts as sort of a companion piece to the similarly titled Blood on the Sea (Kurenai no umi) also starring Kayama and Sato (I have no idea if its an actual sequel or just shares most of the same cast and crew). I have seen Sea listed among Toho's SFX films in the past, but it seems next to impossible to find (It isn't lost though, as there are some super low-res images from the film online). Any luck in finding that one?

I own a copy of Blood on the Sea too. It's a VHS rip, slightly better-looking than Sky.

[Chrispy_G]

None, because I've find that I honestly don't really care enough about any of them outside of Godzilla films

I personally find even watching most non-Godzilla KAIJU films from Toho to be fairly tedious. Godzilla himself....his design, sounds, look, music, and overall 'type' of movie he occupies is what I find insanely appealing....to all of the various other Kaiju and Toho films of the same vintage just don't do it for me.

But I have odd tastes in film.

[Jetty_Jags]

I honestly haven’t gotten into non Godzilla Toho films but really want too. Matango looks really interesting, but what others should I look into?

[LSD Jellyfish]

I honestly haven’t gotten into non Godzilla Toho films but really want too. Matango looks really interesting, but what others should I look into?

Frankenstein vs. Baragon is a fantastic place to start. The Mysterians as well.

[Spuro]

I honestly haven’t gotten into non Godzilla Toho films but really want too. Matango looks really interesting, but what others should I look into?

Frankenstein vs. Baragon is a fantastic place to start. The Mysterians as well.

I'll second Frankenstein vs Baragon. One of my favorites! Be sure to check out War of the Gargantuas after – not as good in my opinion, but still well worth it.

Naturally, Rodan and Mothra are also ones you should seek out.

Branching off into general sci-fi, the Mysterians is pretty decent, as LSD said. Atragon is... rough, but interesting. Latitude Zero isn't very good, but it's very, VERY fun if nothing else.

Matango and the H-Man for straight horror films; House (1977) if you want something trippy.

Be sure to check out Kurosawa's library too if you appreciate historical/samurai/western style films – I'm just getting into them myself and I'm loving what I see.

And while I haven't seen either myself, I've heard very good things about The Submersion of Japan and The Human Vapor.

[HedorahIsBestGirl]

I honestly haven’t gotten into non Godzilla Toho films but really want too. Matango looks really interesting, but what others should I look into?

What are you most interested in? If you're mostly into kaiju then I'd recommend that you start by watching, in order:
1) Rodan
2) Mothra
3) Frankenstein vs. Baragon
4) War of the Gargantuas

If you're interested in horror films like Matango, I'd also strongly recommend H-Man. I actually like it better, though I'm in the minority. Another must-watch is The Human Vapor; it's got sci-fi, horror, romance, mystery and drama.

If you're looking for straight sci-fi, with a lesser focus on kaiju, The Mysterians and Atragon are both decent. Both films are pretty slow, although they end with some good action. I'm not a huge fan of either, but I think they're well worth watching if you're a fan of Honda as a director and Tsuburaya as an effects director.

If you're a fan of tokusatsu, anything that Honda and Tsuburaya worked on is worth watching at least once but the films I mentioned above are probably the best ones to start with. Most of Honda's sci-fi films have been released on DVD in the US with the exception of Half Human, The Human Vapor and Gorath. You can find these easily enough online, and I'm sure the same goes for the others if you're not looking to drop money on a physical copy.

[Tamura]

There are literally thousands of Toho films and I want to see them all, specifically pre-1971.

[KaijusHunter]

There are literally thousands of Toho films and I want to see them all, specifically pre-1971.

I have been collecting them for almost two years now, starting all the way to 1933. The high peak is truly the 1960's, but I also have a soft spot for the earlier productions, where both actors and technicians started.

[MaxRebo320]

^ Agreed on all this. There are certainly titles I prioritize over others, but if its a Toho production produced from circa the mid-50s to early/mid-70s (give or take), I'll happily watch it.

[Ultragodzillafan]

The original Japanese Rodan, War of Gargantuants, Mysterians, Atragon, Japanese version of King Kong Escapes.

[Dino-Mario]

Gorath, Battle in Outer Space, War in Space, Latitude Zero to name some.