PRINCE OF SPACE (1959)
aka Ysei Oji
Article 1881 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 5-9-2006
Posting Date: 10-6-2006
Directed by Ejiro Wakabayashi
Featuring Tatsuo Umemiya, Ushio Skashi, Joji Oka

Phantom of the planet Krankor plans to take over the Earth, but he finds opposition in the form of a superhero named Prince of Space.

If you’re looking for serious science fiction thrills – look elsewhere. However, if you’re looking for a confusing but unintentionally hilarious clone of the Starman movies, here’s your cup of tea. Sure, Starman has the edge in the -uh – department of enhancements, but Prince of Space gets to mention repeatedly how guns won’t work against him; the movie is either cobbled together from episodes of a TV series, or was written for people with no short term memory. And if he doesn’t trip your trigger, there’s always Phantom of Krankor to keep you amused; his melodic laugh will no doubt linger in your memory for weeks. I do wonder if “Underdog” got any inspiration for this; the alter ego of Prince of Space is Wally the Shoeshine Boy. Then there’s the little kids with the short pants and the slow-moving giant of Krankor. I won’t tell you to forget the plot; the movie is incoherent enough that remembering the plot shouldn’t become an issue at all. Still, when it comes to this type of entertainment, give me EVIL BRAIN FROM OUTER SPACE any day; the beak-nosed cronies of Krankor simply don’t compete with atomic mimes.