Today marks 50 years since the release of Mothra (1961) in Japan on July 30, 1961.
According to Wikipedia:
Mothra (モスラ, Mosura) is a 1961 monster movie from Toho Studios, directed by genre regular Ishirō Honda with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. It is the kaiju eiga debut of screenwriter Shinichi Sekizawa, whose approach to the genre grew to prominence during the 1960s. The film stars Frankie Sakai, a popular comedian in Japan at the time, and Hiroshi Koizumi, in the first of many academic roles he would adopt in tokusatsu. Jerry Ito (transliterated as "Jelly Ito" in the credits of the U.S. release) stars in the film, his only contribution to Toho's kaiju eiga genre. Ito also appeared in 1958's Japanese/US co-production "The Manster" (a.k.a. "The Split"), and in Toho's 1961 end-of-the-world science fiction feature "Sekai Daisensou" ("The Last War").
It's basic plot was recycled in King Kong vs. Godzilla and Mothra vs. Godzilla (1962 and 1964, both also written by Sekizawa), and the daikaiju Mothra would become one of Toho's most popular, appearing in seven more Godzilla films and her own trilogy in the 1990s.
The movie also marks the first appearance of Tokyo Tower in a daikaiju eiga movie. Mothra uses the partially-toppled tower as an anchor for its cocoon.
Mothra has been honored by Toho Studios with a mural just down a driveway from the main entrance of the studio (photo above). Toho Studios is located in the Setagaya ward of Tokyo.
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