Tokyo Blackout

Tokyo Blackout (首都消失, Shuto shōshitsu)(Disappearance of the Capital) is a 1987 Japanese science fiction film directed by Toshio Masuda.[1] It is based on the Sakyo Komatsu's novel Shuto shōshitsu which won the 6th Nihon SF Taisho Award in 1985.[3] This film's score was composed by Maurice Jarre,[1] and special effects were directed by Teruyoshi Nakano.[1]

Tokyo Blackout
Directed by	Toshio Masuda
Produced by	Yasuyoshi Tokuma Shichirō Murakami
Screenplay by	Hiroyasu Yamaura Toshio Masuda
Based on	the novel by Sakyo Komatsu[1]
Starring	Tsunehiko Watase Yūko Natori Shinji Yamashita
Music by	Maurice Jarre
Cinematography	Masahiko Iimura
Edited by	Toshio Taniguchi
Production companies	Kansai Telecasting Corporation Tokuma Shoten Daiei Film
Distributed by	Toho
Release date	17 January 1987 (1987-01-17) (Japan)
Running time	120 minutes[1]
Country	Japan
Box office	760,000,000 yen (Japan)[2]

Plot

One day, Tokyo and metropolitan area are suddenly covered by a giant dome-shaped and electromagantic "cloud" for an unknown reason, and the whole thing seemed to disappear and all communications with the outside of "the cloud" are cut off.

Therefore, governments and scientific researchers in various places were extremely shocked and hurriedly organized to study countermeasures. But people are unable to cross "the cloud" into the Tokyo metropolitan area.

The Soviet Navy fleet is getting close near Hokkaido, and the U.S. is forcing Japan to form a new governmemt. So an emergency national governor's meeting was held, and made the national governor's meeting a transitional agency of state affairs.

Scientists outside "the cloud" try to rescue 20 million lives in "the cloud" by using artificial high-power electromagnetic jammers.

Cast

• Tsunehiko Watase as Tatsuya Asakura
• Yūko Natori as Mariko Koide
• Shinji Yamashita as Yosuke Tamiya
• Isao Natsuyagi as Eiji Sakuma
• Ichirō Zaitsu as Kawamura
• Yōko Ishino as Mieko Matsunaga
• Raita Ryū as Horie
• Ittoku Kishibe as Yasuhara
• Yoshie Taira as Yumiko Asakura
• Sei Hiraizumi as Wada
• Shōji Yasui as Ambassador to the United States Otsuki
• Kei Taguchi as Ambassador to the United Kingdom Uekusa
• Renji Ishibashi as Miyoshi
• Haruko Katō as Umeko Koide
• Norihei Miki as Matsukichi Kimura
• Fumio Watanabe as Osaka Prefecture Governor Komuro
• Hideji Ōtaki as Professor Otawara
• Tetsurō Tamba as Representative Nakata

Source for cast [1]

Release

Tokyo Blackout was released theatrically in Japan on 11 January 1987 where it was distributed by Toho.[1] It was released in the United States by Toho International on 29 August 1987.[1]

References

Footnotes

1. Galbraith IV 2008, p. 353.
2. "邦画フリーブッキング配収ベスト作品". キネマ旬報. キネマ旬報社 (1988年（昭和63年）2月下旬号): 191. 1988.
3. "Nihon SF Taisho Award Winners List". Science Fiction Writers of Japan. Retrieved 2010-01-28.

Sources

• Galbraith IV, Stuart (2008). The Toho Studios Story: A History and Complete Filmography. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 1461673747.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

External links

• Tokyo Blackout on IMDb
• Tokyo Blackout at AllMovie