Yusei Oji – Kyofu no Uchusen

aka 遊星王子 – 恐怖の宇宙船 aka Planet Prince – The Terrifying Spaceship

1959
Written by Masaru Igami
Screenplay by Shin Morita
Directed by Eijiro Wakabayashi

TERRIFYING!! Oh, wait wrong spaceship…

We have reached the end of our Prince of Space journey (for now!) with the final installment of the Prince of Space film series, Yusei Oji – Kyofu no Uchusen (Planet Prince – The Terrifying Spaceship). Like Yusei Oji, they were edited and combined into a single film for western audiences called Prince of Space, which is one of the greatest movies ever made. Yusei Oji was released on May 19th, 1959, and Yusei Oji – Kyofu no Uchusen followed a six whole days later on May 25th. Prince of Space is the greatest hero to help mankind, and he does so because it’s the right thing to do. And the chicks! Just kidding, there are no chicks. Sorry, Prince.

And one day, we’ll get a hold of his tv series and share it with the world. Until then, we must be content with the films. Because we’re awesome, here is a picture of actor Joji Oka, aka Phantom of Krankor, sans makeup! And another Prince of Space comic book cover!

Yusei Oji – Kyofu no Uchusen features the same opening, but with the different title! Who needs creativity when you have Prince of Space, famed Starman ripoff??? The action largely follows what we saw in the US in the last half of Prince of Space, with a few differences and cuts for pacing sake. Like some unimportant side characters get the heave-ho. Good riddance! But they’re all here. In their full glory. Important boring newspaper characters.

Planet Krankor is filled with pervs!

Planet Prince (Tatsuo Umemiya) – Prince of Space is totally one of them hero type guys who does heroic stuff. Dr. Maki (Ushio Akashi) – Dr. Maki has more screen time in this adventure as he is kidnapped, but he does act like a moron until he’s saved by Prince of Space! Ginsei no Maboroshi Taishi (Joji Oka) – Despite being dead, Ambassador Phantom of the Silver Star is alive and well. That’s what happens when you are a rich jerk! Ginsei-jin (Various) – The Silver Star People are Phantom’s jerk soldiers Bannin (???) – Bannin means Guardian, so that’s why the Guardian is called Bannin. Now you have learned Japanese. Time to go to Japan. Book your flight now.

That’s what happens when you use a cheap mechanic!

It’s me, Prince of Space, I’m still in these flicks!

Hi, you don’t know us, but we’re important Planet Prince characters. Hence the Coke with a straw!

A lady is waiting at the airport, and press people are interviewing her like she’s famous. On the plane, we see the scientist guy who is later kidnapped (and called Dr. Macken’s sister’s husband in the American version) reading, and his chairmate is reading over his shoulder, spying the photo of a wife and daughter. Then the spaceship appears!

Several characters say “Black Dragon” in English about the spaceship. There are shots of the press guys calling into their boss about the missing plane, and newspapers being published.

One of the press guys goes to talk to Waku-san about the missing plane, and get his shoes shined.

The air force guy is killed, and Dr. Maki leaves the house, though we see now he went to the latest UN meeting to discuss the Black Dragon sightings. And the meeting is longer in the original as a guy lists off all sorts of sightings.

Newspapers From Space!!!

Even I don’t trust you children to do a good job!

After the meeting, military guys are talking when they get the call that Dr. Maki has disappeared. They head to Maki’s house, where cops and press are, but no Dr. Maki. The head cop talks with Dr. Maki’s wife inside. Ichiro, Makoto, and Kimiko are there. Makoto screams about getting Planet Prince to help, the transmitter from the prior film somehow not making it to this one.

Dr. Maki awakens on the spaceship – and the dead Phantom of Silver Star is there! Whatever the explanation Phantom gives for why he isn’t dead, I could not figure it out.

Planet Prince is on the case and is trailing them – he must have heard Makoto scream. The space battle happens, the smokescreen and meteors. Outside the base, the Guardian monster growls audibly. Phantom arrives home to immediately send men back to Earth with the X Radar, then goes to gloat to the captured scientists, where we see more of Dr. Maki’s kid and Waku-san’s children via Phantom’s video screen. Phantom’s laugh is so low-key that it almost sounds like a chicken going “bawk bawk bawk”! It definitely isn’t the Phantom of Krankor laugh we all know and love.

Giant Flags rampaged across the planet. The people called out for Prince of Space to help, to no avail…

Enjoy the actors looking in three different directions!

Waku-san is located, the Black Dragon returns and buzzes the city. Phantom announces the scientists will address the world, and Dr. Maki’s wife gets Ichiro, telling him his dad will be on TV. They watch, and newspaper people watch, military people watch, it’s like the last episode of M*A*S*H in crazy space guy mode. The speech Dr. Maki gives is longer than in the US version.

Things follow the normal pattern of note on the birdcage, Phantom’s men chasing Planet Prince, and guns not working again and again. YOUR GUNS DON’T WORK!!!!

This has never worked before, but it will work now because…..
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The Silver Star men escape in the Black Dragon, Planet Prince follows in his ship, and the three kids follow on the ground and yell encouragements to Planet Prince. The Planet Prince theme plays because this is so Planet Prince we need to play the theme.

Phantom knows Planet Prince is pursuing them, dumps the caustic vapor and all that jazz, then goes to the fortress to threaten the scientists.

The huge Guardian is called Bannin, which means Guardian. Planet Prince comes and blasts him and save the day. Pretty much everything here is the same, Phantom dies (again!) in his base, and the scientists are loaded on Black Dragon and go back to Earth, Planet Prince shadowing them all the way. The children sing the Planet Prince theme, and all is right with the world. For now.

Guardians of the Galaxy: The Prequel
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Things quickly go south because there hasn’t been any Planet Prince since this flick! NOoooOOOooOOO!!!!!

The Unabomber stalks his latest target!

Alien invasion, or a boy band video breaking out???

Rated 8/10 (The family, flag rampage, circus theater, x marks the spot, flintlock phasers, trapping the Prince, we are also scientists!, Toei!)

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