Monkey Sun

Monkey Sun
Monkey Sun
	Theatrical release poster
Japanese	孫悟空
Directed by	Kajirō Yamamoto
Screenplay by	Kajirō Yamamoto;
Based on	Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en
Produced by	Tomoyuki Tanaka
Starring	; Yū Fujiki; Shoichi Hirose; Hideyo Amamoto
Cinematography
Edited by	Yoshitami Kuroiwa
Music by	Ikuma Dan
Color process	Color
Production; company	Toho
Distributed by	Toho
Release date	April 19, 1959 (Japan);
Running time	98 minutes
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese

Monkey Sun (孫悟空, Son Gokū, lit. Sun Wukong) is a 1959 Japanese tokusatsu fantasy action film directed by Kajirō Yamamoto, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. The film was based on Journey to the West written by Wu Cheng'en.^[1] The film was never released in the United States or dubbed and subtitled in English.^[2]

Plot[]

The tale unfolds in Changan, capital of China during the Tang Dynasty. People are suffering and dying from floods, epidemics and famine, and the Emperor believes he can save his country if he can obtain the holy script, San Tsang, from distant India. He discovers, however, that no one is willing to make the long journey because the roads to India are infested with savages and devils. The Emperor has a dream in which a hermit appears and tells him there is a brave boy, only 13 years old, by the name of Genjo who would be able to accomplish the mission. The Emperor summons the boy, gives him the name of San Tsang, after the name of the holy script, and sends him on the dangerous journey to India. San Tsang is first attacked by a band of savages and barely escapes death. When he is resting from exhaustion on the summit of a mountain, he hears strange music and notices a ray of light shining on him. Then appears Pon, messager of the goddess of Mercy, who leads him to a cave where Sun Wu Kong has been confined for 500 years. Sun Wu Kong becomes San Tsang's first disciple to protect him on his long journey. Later they are joined by Pa Chieh and Wu Ching. The four are attacked by devils and spiders disguised in various forms, but finally San Tsang and his faithful followers reach the top of a mountain where they see their destination, India. The morning sun is shining on the snow-covered Himalayas, and the sweet voice of Pon is heard from the valley below.

Cast[]

Norihei Miki as Sun Wukong^[1]
Fukutaro Ichikawa as Tang Sanzang
Nobuo Chiba as Zhu Bajie
Zeko Nakamura as Sha Wujing
Yū Fujiki as Swordsman Chikujin
Shoichi Hirose as Native chief^[1]
Hideyo Amamoto as Secretary-General^[3]
Kaoru Yachigusa as Tsui Lan
Reiko Dan as Pon
Yoshio Kosugi as Devil King

Release[]

Monkey Sun was distributed theatrically in Japan by Toho on April 19, 1959 as a double feature with I Want to Be a Shellfish.^[3]

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "Monkey Sun". www.tohokingdom.com. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
^ "孫悟空 (1959年の映画)", Wikipedia (in Japanese), 2021-03-04, retrieved 2021-03-05
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "孫悟空 (1959年の映画)", Wikipedia (in Japanese), 2021-01-08, retrieved 2021-02-28

External links[]

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[:0-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "Monkey Sun". www.tohokingdom.com. Retrieved 2021-02-28.

[2] "孫悟空 (1959年の映画)", Wikipedia (in Japanese), 2021-03-04, retrieved 2021-03-05

[:1-3] Jump up to: ^a ^b "孫悟空 (1959年の映画)", Wikipedia (in Japanese), 2021-01-08, retrieved 2021-02-28

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