Battle in Outer Space

Battle in Outer Space

Year: 1959

Runtime: 90 mins

Language: Japanese

Director: Ishirô Honda

ActionScience Fiction

Earth faces annihilation as a fleet of UFOs destroys the space station JSS‑3 and begins a worldwide siege, using gravity‑altering rays to control humanity. A global council convenes to identify the threat and mobilize a rocket armada for a decisive counter‑strike in orbit. The film continues the story of Etsuko Shiraishi from Toho’s The Mysterians and was trimmed to 74 minutes for its U.S. release.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Battle in Outer Space (1959)

Trace every key event in Battle in Outer Space (1959) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Global disasters engulf Earth in 1965

Global disasters strike Earth in 1965. A railroad bridge in Japan levitates, causing a train wreck. A Panama Canal ocean liner is lifted from the water by a waterspout, Venice endures severe flooding, and the J-SS3 space station is destroyed. Survivors suffer extreme frostbite, hinting at a shared, unknown cause.

1965 Earth (global)
2

UN convenes at Space Research Center in Japan

Leaders convene at the Space Research Center in Japan to address the disasters. Dr. Richardson posits that lowering temperatures near objects reduces Earth's gravity, making them easier to lift, while Katsumiya suggests the force is extraterrestrial. The conference begins to map out a response to the unfolding crisis.

1965 Space Research Center, Japan
3

Ahmed's daze and alien contact

Ahmed collapses in the courtyard, dazed, as a red light pours from the sky. Etsuko Shiraishi witnesses the event, and Iwamura reports the strange phenomenon. The participants begin to suspect that aliens are behind the disasters.

1965 Space Research Center courtyard
4

Ahmed sabotages heat ray and is vaporized

Ahmed returns to sabotage the heat-ray experiments and curses the Earth with Natal colonization. He briefly takes Etsuko hostage and is warned of the coming alien influence; his hand is injured during the struggle. A Natal saucer vaporizes him, but forensics reveal a tiny radio transmitter that locates the aliens on the Moon.

1965 Space Research Center
5

Two SPIPs launch to the Moon; space torpedoes attack

Two SPIP rockets are launched toward the Moon in a UN reconnaissance mission. En route they are attacked by remotely controlled meteors called space torpedoes, and Iwamura is momentarily under alien mind control as he tries to disable the weapons. The SPIPs avoid the meteors and press onward, despite a Natal warning not to land.

1965 On route to the Moon
6

SPIP-1 destroyed; lunar cave and Natal base found

Iwamura unties himself and detonates SPIP-1, sacrificing the craft. The survivors reach a lunar crater and locate a Natal base hidden in a deep cave. Etsuko is briefly captured during the assault, but Katsumiya comes to her aid.

Moon mission Moon
7

Lunar base assault; mind control broken

On the Moon, a beam weapon battle erupts as the teams assault the Natal base. The Natal base is destroyed and Iwamura is freed from mind control. He stays behind to provide covering fire, enabling SPIP-2 to escape.

Moon mission Moon crater
8

Earth builds defenses for the final showdown

With the Moon victory secured, the world mobilizes for a climactic counteroffensive. Rocket Fighter Planes, based on the X-15, and Atomic Heat Cannons are developed and deployed to counter the Natal fleet. The human defense prepares for a full-scale space battle.

1965 Earth
9

Natal armada approaches; orbit clashes erupt

Natal saucers and their mothership near Earth spark a major space engagement. Scout Ships are repurposed into space fighters to join the dogfight in orbit. The Natal fleet presses toward Earth, threatening the planet.

Late 1965 Space near Earth
10

Space torpedoes devastate major cities

The Natal mothership launches space torpedoes that strike New York and San Francisco, causing widespread devastation. Panic spreads as the invasion fleet closes in on Tokyo. Earth's defenses readiness is tested to the limit as the countdown to a climactic battle begins.

Late 1965 New York, San Francisco, route to Tokyo
11

Mothership devastates Tokyo; invasion presses on

The mothership descends on Tokyo and unleashes an anti-gravity ray that lays the metropolis to waste. The remaining Natal saucers and the mothership advance on the Space Research Center as Earth's forces rally their defenses. The fate of humanity hinges on a last-ditch counterstrike.

Late 1965 Tokyo
12

Atomic Heat Cannons destroy the mothership; Earth saved

In the final clash, space fighters engage the surviving Natal ships and the Atomic Heat Cannons deliver a decisive blow. The Natal mothership is destroyed, ending the invasion and saving Earth. Humanity breathes a collective sigh of relief as the crisis ends.

Late 1965 Earth/Space Research Center

Last Updated: October 07, 2025 at 09:38

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Battle in Outer Space Summary

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Battle in Outer Space Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in Battle in Outer Space

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Battle in Outer Space

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