The Man Who Stole the Sun

The Man Who Stole the Sun

Year: 1979

Runtime: 147 mins

Language: Japanese

Director: Kazuhiko Hasegawa

ActionThrillerCrime

Mocked by his students, a high‑school science teacher’s life changes when the school bus is seized during a trip. While the students fear the hijackers, the teacher hides a far darker secret: in his modest apartment he is secretly assembling an atomic bomb, turning a routine school outing into a deadly showdown.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – The Man Who Stole the Sun (1979)

Trace every key event in The Man Who Stole the Sun (1979) 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

Bus hijack during a field trip ends in heroism

During a school field trip, Makoto is involved in a botched hijacking of a school bus. He and Yamashita manage to overpower the hijacker, and the incident earns them public praise as heroes. The episode thrusts Makoto into the limelight and seeds his later extraordinary actions.

During the field trip School field trip route
2

Theft of plutonium from a nuclear plant

After the bus incident, Makoto undertakes a dangerous plan to obtain plutonium isotopes. He succeeds in stealing material from the Tōkai Nuclear Power Plant, arming himself for the creation of a bomb. This act marks his transition from a teacher to a would-be mastermind.

After the bus incident Tōkai Nuclear Power Plant
3

Makoto resolves to build his own atomic bomb

With the stolen plutonium, Makoto decides to construct two bombs: one genuine device and another decoy that is detectable but useless. He begins assembling them in a makeshift lab, signaling a radical shift toward extortion and terror.

After acquiring plutonium Makoto's lab
4

Two bombs completed

Two bombs are completed: one real and one inert decoy. The devices become central tools for Makoto's blackmail campaign against the government and police. He now has the means to threaten authorities publicly.

Later Makoto's lab
5

Plants the decoy bomb and taunts the police

Makoto plants the fake bomb in a public lavatory and uses a voice scrambler to phone the police, demanding that Yamashita take the case. His anonymity allows him to orchestrate a persistent extortion campaign without being traced.

After planting Public lavatory
6

Extorts the government with full baseball broadcasts

Using the decoy bomb as leverage, Makoto forces the government to broadcast baseball games in full, breaking from the usual 9pm cutoff. The stunt elevates his profile and demonstrates the reach of his coercion.

Shortly after the lavatory incident Tokyo government/media
7

Rolling Stones concert extortion plan approved

Following Zero's suggestion, Makoto uses the real bomb to press for allowing the Rolling Stones to perform in Japan. The government concedes, marking a peak in his extortion campaign as the band is scheduled to play in Tokyo.

Soon after baseball extortion Tokyo
8

Makoto heads toward the concert with the bomb

Makoto makes his way toward the concert venue with the real bomb in hand, threatening to escalate the situation further. Yamashita follows, suspicious of Makoto's motives but unable to identify him as the mastermind.

On the way to the concert City streets toward Tokyo concert venue
9

Rooftop confrontation with Yamashita

On a rooftop, Makoto draws a gun and reveals his true identity as the extortionist. He and Yamashita engage in a brutal struggle, and they spill over the edge with the bomb still in Makoto's grip. Makoto is saved by a power line, while Yamashita falls to his death.

Climax of pursuit Rooftop
10

The countdown ends in explosion

Makoto, still clutching the bomb, walks away as a ticking sound grows louder. The explosion erupts, ending the rooftop confrontation and leaving his fate and motives open to interpretation.

Immediately after rooftop fall City street near the confrontation
11

Aftermath and escape

The blast unleashes chaos, and authorities scramble to understand the sequence of events. Makoto disappears into anonymity, leaving the public to wrestle with the dual image of him as a hero and as a dangerous extremist.

Post-explosion Tokyo
12

Public perception struggles with hero and antagonist

The story forces the public to reevaluate Makoto's actions: the bus-rescuer image clashes with the bomb-extortion reality. The film leaves viewers pondering where heroism ends and menace begins.

Throughout Public spaces/media

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 10:42

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Man Who Stole the Sun

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