Message from Space: Galactic Wars

Message from Space: Galactic Wars
GenreTokusatsu, Science fiction
Created by
Based onMessage from Space
by Kinji Fukasaku
Shotaro Ishinomori
Masahiro Noda
Written byMasaru Igami
Directed byMinoru Yamada
Starring
Narrated byAsao Koike
Composers
Country of originJapan
No. of episodes27
Production
Producers
  • Kanetake Ochiai
  • Keizo Nanajo
  • Akimasa Ito
  • Masahide Shinozuka
Running time30 minutes
Production companiesToei Company
Ishimori Productions
I.D.D.h.
Original release
NetworkANN (TV Asahi)
ReleaseJuly 8, 1978 (1978-07-08) –
January 27, 1979 (1979-01-27)

Message from Space: Galactic Wars (宇宙からのメッセージ・銀河大戦, Uchū kara no Messēji: Ginga Taisen) is a Japanese TV series written by Shotaro Ishinomori, co-produced by Toei Company and TV Asahi and aired on TV Asahi from July 8, 1978 to January 27, 1979, with a total of 27 episodes. It is a spin-off of the 1978 film Message from Space.

Cast

  • Hayato Gen/Maboroshi (ゲン・ハヤト/まぼろし, Gen Hayato/Maboroshi): Hiroyuki Sanada (真田広之, Sanada Hiroyuki)
  • Ryu/Nagareboshi (リュウ/流れ星, Ryū/Nagareboshi): Akira Oda (織田あきら, Oda Akira)
  • Ape-Man Ballou (猿人バルー, Enjin Barū): Ryo Nishida (西田良, Nishida Ryō)
  • Tonto (トント) (Voice): Iwao Tabuchi (田渕岩夫, Tabuchi Iwao)
  • Sofia (ソフィア): Yoko Akitani (秋谷陽子, Akitani Yōko)
  • Narrator (ナレーター, Narētā): Asao Koike (小池朝雄, Koike Asao)

Suit actors

Staff

MESSAGE FROM SPACE SPACE WARS
Producers Kanetake Ochiai, Keizo Shichijo, Akimasa Ito, Masahide Shinozuka, Hubert Chonzu
Created by Shotaro Ishinomori
Serialized in Shogakukan's "Televi-Kun", Kodansha's "TV Magazine", Tokuma Shoten's "TV Land"
Written by Masaru Igami, Miyoko Nagase, Ayuko Anzai, Taku Eren
Music Shunsuke Kikuchi & Kenichiro Morioka
Theme Song "Oh Braves Cross the Galaxy"

"Love is Beyond the Stars"

Lyrics Shotaro Ishinomori
Performed by Isao Sasaki, Columbia Male Choir
Monologue Asao Koike
Theme From "Sankuokai" Éric Charden
Stunts by Japan Action Enterprises
Staff
Directors of Photography Sakuji Shiomi, Shozo Sakane, Yuhei Harada, Takeharu Kobayashi, Kiyoshi Kitasaka
Lighting Tokuji Wakaki, Keiichi Kano, Yasuo Otani, Yoshikazu Watanabe, Heisaku Kato, Tsuyoshi Muguruma
Sound Recordists Koichi Sakamoto, Masayuki Kato
Art Akira Takahashi (Cosmo Productions)
Editing by Takeo Araki
Scripter Girls Kyoko Kurokawa, Yuko Nishikawa, Yoshiko Ishida, Yoko Miru
Equipment and Decorating Shigekazu Yoshioka, Yoshiaki Shiraishi, Terumasa Tabata, Shigeharu Yamamoto
Assistant Directors Mitsukazu Kawamura, Hideo Suzuki, Kiyomi Yada, Yuji Takakura, Isamu Sone, Kazue Saito, Masaki Godai
Beauty & Hairdressing Towa Beauty
Costumes Tamotsu Iwatuki, Muneyuki Kuroki
Acting Officers Eiji Morimura, Takayasu Kuzuhara, Yoshiaki Yamashita, Masaru Fujiwara, Mamoru Shimokawa
VFX Minoru Nakano
Special Video Programming Commodore Japan
Stunt Arrangers Toshio Sugawara, Ikuo Miyoshi, Junnosuke Doi, Junji Yamaoka (JAC)
Chief Managers Yoshio Yamamoto, Manshu Sugiura, Takahiro Tarayaka, Hiroshi Mazawa, Hiroshi Kanada, Susumu Uji
Special Thanks Nara Dreamland
Film Processing IMAGICA
English Dubbing 3B Productions
Music

Sound Design

Doug Lackey, Joseph Zappala
Associate Producer

Supervising Editor

Michael Part
Written, Produced and Directed by Bunker Jenkins
Editor Floyd Ingram
Additional FX George Budd
Post Production Gomillion Sound, American Film Factory
Another Presentation from Newhope Entertainment
SFX Unit
SFX Made By Special Effects Research Laboratory
Practical Effects Subaru Suzuki
Director of Photography Satoru Takanashi
Art Director Tetsuzo Osawa
Lighting Akiyoshi Hiji
Produced by Yoshiyuki Nakamura
Director Nobuo Yajima
Directed by Minoru Yamada, Tomoomi Yoda, Miki Wakabayashi
Produced by Toei Company, TV Asahi
In Association with IDDH, France 2

Songs

Opening theme
  • "Yūsha yo Ginga o Watare" (勇者よ銀河を渡れ)
    • Lyrics: Shotaro Ishimori (石森 章太郎, Ishimori Shotaro)
    • Composition and Arrangement: Shunsuke Kikuchi (菊池 俊輔, Kikuchi Shunsuke)
    • Artist: Isao Sasaki (ささきいさお, Sasaki Isao) with Columbia Male Choir (コロムビア男声合唱団, Koromubia dansei gasshō-dan)
Ending theme
  • "Ai wa Hoshizora no Kanata ni" (愛は星空の彼方に)
    • Composition and arrangement: Kenichiro Morioka (森岡賢一郎, Morioka Ken'ichirō)

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Bizarre! The Black Spaceship"Minoru YamadaMasaru InoueJuly 8, 1978 (1978-07-08)
When the evil Gavanas Empire invades the 15th Solar System, Hayato Gen joins forces with Ryu and Balu to fight back!
2"Terror! The Ninja Corps"Minoru YamadaMasaru InoueJuly 15, 1978 (1978-07-15)
Hayato, Ryu, and Balu are scouted by a local band of rebels, but Ryu has doubts about joining up.
3"A Beautiful Messenger From Earth"Minoru YamadaMasaru InoueJuly 22, 1978 (1978-07-22)
Hayato saves a beautiful messenger from Earth. But does her arrival bring hope, or despair?
4"Fighter for Justice, Shooting Star"Minoru YamadaMasaru InoueJuly 29, 1978 (1978-07-29)
Roxair commissions a grand palace to be built on Analys, and Hayato makes a rash decision.
5"The Cursed School"Tomoomi YodaMasaru InoueAugust 12, 1978 (1978-08-12)
Hayato's attempt to check in at his old school reveals a conspiracy and a trap that will turn Balu on his colleagues.
6"What is the Monster Empire?"Tomoomi YodaMasaru InoueAugust 19, 1978 (1978-08-19)
Ryu steals a Gavanas transport and attempts to gain an audience with Roxair.
7"Friendship Shining in the Starry Sky"Minoru YamadaMasaru InoueSeptember 9, 1978 (1978-09-09)
An SOS call on Analys leads the Liabe crew to kindly resistance leader Dan and his adopted sister Hana.
8"The Cruel Ape Hunt"Minoru YamadaMasaru InoueSeptember 16, 1978 (1978-09-16)
In order to cement Roxair's rule over Cita, the Gavanas attempt to round up the planet's native population.
9"The Devil Castle of the Gavanas"Tomoomi YodaMasaru InoueSeptember 23, 1978 (1978-09-23)
Hoping to sacrifice Sofia to consecrate the new Imperial Palace, Roxair sets a trap for Ryu, Hayato, and Balu.
10"Destroy the Planet Earth"Tomoomi YodaMasaru InoueSeptember 30, 1978 (1978-09-30)
The Gavanas blackmail a brilliant scientist into creating a ship that will let them attack Earth!
11"The Princess of the Underground Kingdom"Minoru YamadaMasaru InoueOctober 7, 1978 (1978-10-07)
A visit to the Ghost Mountains of Belda leads Hayato, Ryu, and Balu to a previously unknown civilization.
12"Duel! The Mysterious Ninja Tower"Minoru YamadaMasaru InoueOctober 14, 1978 (1978-10-14)
When the princess of the underground kingdom is kidnapped, the crew of the Liabe must fight to bring her back.
13"The Miracle of the God Magnol"Tomoomi YodaMiyoko NagaseOctober 21, 1978 (1978-10-21)
An old friend of Balu's plans to sell his island's religious artifacts to the Gavanas.
14"The Terrible Flying Ninja"Tomoomi YodaMasaru InoueOctober 28, 1978 (1978-10-28)
The life of a kindly old man is disrupted when the Gavanas try to blackmail him into killing Hayato and Ryu!
15"Fly, Embracing Love!"Minoru YamadaAyuko AnzaiNovember 4, 1978 (1978-11-04)
Hayato must stop a terrible man-made plague from spreading on Belda.
16"The Girl in the Trick House"Minoru YamadaMasaru InoueNovember 11, 1978 (1978-11-11)
A disguised assassin works her way into Hana's good graces and sets a trap for Hayato and Ryu.
17"The Golden Vampire Princess"Miki WakabayashiTaku ErenNovember 18, 1978 (1978-11-18)
The Liabe brings the last survivor of a doomed worldto the village of Nazca, which is facing a mysterious threat.
18"Great Escape! The Boy Ninja Team"Miki WakabayashiMasaru InoueNovember 25, 1978 (1978-11-25)
The heroes must stop the Gavanas's plan to kidnap children and turn them into a ninja army!
19"Rise! The Warrior of the Wasteland!"Tomoomi YodaTaku ErenDecember 2, 1978 (1978-12-02)
A mysterious water shortage on Planet Cita leads Hayato and the others to an occupied town and a fallen hero.
20"The Legend of the Golden Ship"Tomoomi YodaMasaru InoueDecember 9, 1978 (1978-12-09)
In order to quell a possible Delan uprising, the Gavanas exploit a local legend.
21"The Monster From Another Dimension"Minoru YamadaMasaru InoueDecember 16, 1978 (1978-12-16)
The fall of an extradimensional meteorite presages the appearance of a terrible monster on Belda.
22"Great Demon God Roxair"Minoru YamadaMasaru InoueDecember 23, 1978 (1978-12-23)
After Sofia is set adrift in space, the crew of the Liabe goes in search of her.
23"Blow Up the Imperial Palace"Tomoomi YodaMasaru InoueDecember 30, 1978 (1978-12-30)
Roxair's terrible new form leads the rebels to plot the destruction of the Imperial Palace.
24"Great Comet Zatan Appears"Tomoomi YodaMasaru InoueJanuary 6, 1979 (1979-01-06)
As a terrible comet approaches Planet Belda, Hayato seeks a way to destroy Roxair once and for all.
25"The End of Planet Belda"Minoru YamadaMasaru InoueJanuary 13, 1979 (1979-01-13)
Hayato, Ryu, and Balu race to evacuate Belda before the comet strikes.
26"The Mystery of the Emeralida"Minoru YamadaMasaru InoueJanuary 20, 1979 (1979-01-20)
The Liabe searches for the pieces of the Emeralida, the only weapon that can destroy Roxair.
27"Farewell, Heroes of the Galaxy"Minoru YamadaMasaru InoueJanuary 27, 1979 (1979-01-27)
The heroes face off against Roxair for the final time to try to restore peace to their planets.

Manga adaptation

A manga adaptation by Kaoru Shintani was published in Kodansha's TV Magazine from August to December 1978.

International broadcasts

Message from Space: Galactic Wars was broadcast in the Philippines in the early 1980s under the title Space Wars. It also aired in 1979 in parts of Europe under the title San Ku Kaï. It aired in parts of Latin America in the early 80s under the title "Sankuokai". In the United States, the series was retitled Space Ninja and dubbed by 3B Productions (Tranzor Z), but released straight-to-video (there is no documentation, currently, of any television broadcast) in 1981. 3B produced a compilation feature, Swords of the Space Ark, which was aired on the Christian Broadcasting Network in 1983. In Indonesia, it aired on SCTV In Mid 90s under the name title Ksatria dari Zelda (Knight from Zelda (Not to be confused with Legend of Zelda). Toei promoted the series overseas as Message from Space: Galaxy Wars.

  • The French version's theme music for the opening and closing credits, different from the Japanese original one, was composed by Eric Charden.

DVD release

During Otakon 2018, Discotek Media announced that they licensed the show for a one-disc SD on BD release. It was released on October 29, 2019, in Japanese with English subtitles.

In popular culture

A television set playing an episode of Message from Space: Galactic Wars can be seen during a scene in the 2021 Netflix film Kate, which is set in Japan. The three main characters Hayato, Ballou and Ryu appear clearly during the scene.


This page was last updated at 2023-10-30 20:36 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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