Tokyo Blackout

Tokyo Blackout


首都消失
Shuto Shōshitsu
Capital Disappears
Director Toshio Masuda
Special Effects Director Teruyoshi Nakano
Producer Yasuyoshi Tokuma
Shichiro Murakami
Original Story Sakyo Komatsu
Screenplay Hiroyasu Yamaura
Toshio Masuda
Music Maurice Jarre
Photography Masahiko Iimura
Art Shigekazu Ikuno
Lighting Yasuyuki Kawasaki
Sound Tetsuo Segawa
Editor Toshio Taniguchi
Special Effects Art Yasuyuki Inoue
Special Effects Assistant Director Eiichi Asada
Production Companies Kansai TV Broadcasting, Tokuma Shoten, Daiei
Release Date January 17, 1987
Runtime 120 minutes

首都消失
Shuto Shōshitsu
Capital Disappears
Director Toshio Masuda
Special Effects Director Teruyoshi Nakano
Producer Yasuyoshi Tokuma
Shichiro Murakami
Original Story Sakyo Komatsu
Screenplay Hiroyasu Yamaura
Toshio Masuda
Music Maurice Jarre
Photography Masahiko Iimura
Art Shigekazu Ikuno
Lighting Yasuyuki Kawasaki
Sound Tetsuo Segawa
Editor Toshio Taniguchi
Special Effects Art Yasuyuki Inoue
Special Effects Assistant Director Eiichi Asada
Production Companies Kansai TV Broadcasting, Tokuma Shoten, Daiei
Release Date January 17, 1987
Runtime 120 minutes

A mysterious cloud descends on Tokyo, surrounding the city with a wall of turbulent clouds and electric interference that cuts off all communication. The fate of the millions of residents is unknown. Asakura, a scientist en route to Tokyo to visit family, finds himself detained and recruited to help study the cloud in hopes of finding a way to break through it. He befriends two reporters, Mariko and Yosuke, who assist him in his research. While the origin of the cloud is unknown, Asakura deduces that it’s composed of highly charged atomic particles existing in a stable equilibrium. Mariko, who also has family trapped within the cloud, berates Yosuke for his apparent indifference to the suffering of those cut off from Tokyo while reporting on the story.

Asakura devises a machine to puncture the cloud by disrupting the equilibrium and forcing it to dissipate. Two prototypes of the truck mounted magnetic emitter are produced. The first test ends in disappointment, as the cloud’s electric energy field threatens to destroy the truck before the emitter can reach effective range. As if in response to the test, the cloud swells and swallows up the surrounding suburbs, forcing everyone to evacuate. Asakura pilots one of the prototypes himself, attempting to breach the cloud with the emitter, but the cloud’s electrical energy thrusts his truck away and he is wounded.

Yosuke seeks to redeem himself to Mariko and takes command of the second prototype for his own kamikaze run at the cloud. He manages to push his truck further than Asakura and the emitter punches a hole clean through to the inside. Mariko and Yosuke hurry through the opening and find that the city’s inhabitants had survived under the cloud. The cloud dissipates and the evacuees return home.

Top Billed Cast

Tsunehiko Watase
Tatsuya Asakura
Yuko Natori
Mariko Koide
Shinji Yamashita
Yosuke Tamiya
Ichiro Zaitsu
Kawamura
Yoko Ishino
Mieko Matsunaga
Isao Natsuyagi
Commander Sakuma
Hideji Otaki
Kenzo Otawara
Norihei Miki
Matsukichi Kimura
Tetsuro Tamba
Nakata

Rest of Cast Listed Alphabetically

Yoshiro Aoki
General Suemi
Kazuyo Asari
Mitsuko Kimura
Osamu Bonchio
Oyama
Midori Ebina
Keiko Yasuhara
Eimei Esumi
Takeda
Dennis Falt
Pilot
Maha Hamada
Sawako Asakura
Sei Hiraizumi
Reporter Wada
Masato Hoshi
Electric Lab Member
Renji Ishibashi
Daiichiro Miyoshi
Shunsuke Kariya
Reporter Morita
Haruko Kato
Umeko Koide
Ittoku Kishibe
Yasuhara
Hiroshi Miyauchi
Reporter
Shiro Namiki
Yoshitake
Raita Ryu
Director Horie
Kei Taguchi
UK Ambassador
Yoshie Taira
Yumiko Asakura
Takashi Tsumura
Urabe
Fumio Watanabe
Governor Tatsuo Komuro
Shoji Yasui
US Ambassador
Top Billed Cast

Tatsuya Asakura
Tsunehiko Watase

Mariko Koide
Yuko Natori

Yosuke Tamiya
Shinji Yamashita

Kawamura
Ichiro Zaitsu

Mieko Matsunaga
Yoko Ishino

Commander Sakuma
Isao Natsuyagi

Kenzo Otawara
Hideji Otaki

Matsukichi Kimura

Nakata
Tetsuro Tamba
Rest of Cast Listed Alphabetically

General Suemi
Yoshiro Aoki

Mitsuko Kimura
Kazuyo Asari

Oyama
Osamu Bonchio

Keiko Yasuhara
Midori Ebina

Takeda
Eimei Esumi

Pilot
Dennis Falt

Sawako Asakura
Maha Hamada

Reporter Wada
Sei Hiraizumi

Electric Lab Member
Masato Hoshi

Daiichiro Miyoshi
Renji Ishibashi

Reporter Morita
Shunsuke Kariya

Umeko Koide
Haruko Kato

Yasuhara
Ittoku Kishibe

Reporter
Hiroshi Miyauchi

Yoshitake
Shiro Namiki

Director Horie
Raita Ryu

UK Ambassador
Kei Taguchi

Yumiko Asakura
Yoshie Taira

Urabe
Takashi Tsumura

Governor Tatsuo Komuro
Fumio Watanabe

US Ambassador
Shoji Yasui