Shipwreck survivors found on the presumably uninhabited Infant Island leads to a scientific expedition that discovers a surviving native population along with the Shobijin, tiny twin fairy priestesses of the island's mythical deity called Mothra. After the fairies are kidnapped by an exploitative businessman named Clark Nelson, Mothra sets out to rescue them.
Practical Effects
Glorious moth puppet and hand-operated twin fairies
Production
Vibrant island sets that feel like a feverish tropical postcard
Score
The Peanuts' haunting Mothra song you'll hum for days
Director
Ishirō Honda
Frankie Sakai
Senichiro 'Sen-chan' Fukuda
Hiroshi Koizumi
Dr. Shin'ichi Chûjô
Kyōko Kagawa
Michi Hanamura
Jerry Itō
Clark Nelson
Ken Uehara
Dr. Harada
Emi Ito
Shobijin (Twin Fairy)
Yumi Ito
Shobijin (Twin Fairy)
Takashi Shimura
News Editor
Akihiko Hirata
Doctor
Tetsu Nakamura
Nelson's Henchman
Seizaburō Kawazu
General
Yoshibumi Tajima
Military Advisor
Robert Dunham
Rolisican Official
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Mothra became Toho's first benevolent kaiju, establishing the 'guardian monster' archetype that influenced everything from Gamera to modern Monsterverse films.
The Shobijin were played by actual twin sisters Emi and Yumi Ito, who performed as The Peanuts—Japan's biggest pop duo at the time.
JP
