So, when my trash-loving pal texted me about the 1960s Japanese sci-fi monster flick he was watching, I had to check it out.
Akira, an astronomy-obsessed teen, discovers that the planet Icarus is on a collision course with Earth. When the local observatory nerds don’t believe him, he’s abducted by some nefarious-looking types who work for a secret UN-funded organization led by Dr. Yamatone (Sonny Chiba) and the inexplicably British Dr. Pearl (Andrew Hughes). The pair explain that Icarus will destroy the planet unless they find the special lens they need to complete their laser cannon.
The search for the elusive lens brings them into conflict with Nazo, a claw-handed villain in what appears to be an aardvark costume kinda like what they wear in BETTER OFF DEAD. Though he looks like he should be entertaining at a kid’s birthday party, Nazo is instead bent on destroying Earth and ruling the universe.
While on the run from Nazo’s inept henchmen, the team of scientists resurrect The Golden Ninja (originally The Golden Bat), a baton-wielding, skull-faced superhero who has been waiting 10,000 years to save the planet.
What follows is a bonkers adventure complete with evil sidekicks named Jackal (who looks like a reject from TIME OF THE APES), Piranha, and Keloid (a scarfaced lunatic who likes to choke little girls while he cackles like a cross between the Joker and Riddler from the 1960s Batman tv show); a human replicator; kids in peril; and dialogue like “face my silver baton!” and “we can’t conquer the universe with that thing around!”
If you dig Ultraman, Space Robots, Super Inframan, and its ilk, set aside 75 minutes to spend with The Golden Ninja! My only disappointment is that there's not a dozen more GN adventures to enjoy. — Dan Taylor
Dan Taylor is the editor/publisher of Exploitation Retrospect and The Hungover Gourmet. He is not embarrassed to call this his favorite watch of 2026 so far,
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