Directed by Koji Kajita. Written by Tetsuo Kinjo. Airdate Feb. 20, 1966.
Another forest-and-giant-monster story from writer Tetsuo Kinjo, following “Goro and Goro” and “S.O.S. Mount Fuji.” I’m unsure why TBS decided to air this right after “S.O.S. Mount Fuji,” considering the similarities, but the network likely was only thinking of front-loading Ultra Q with as many giant monster episodes as possible. From a big rock monster in the woods to a big mole monster in the woods, if that’s what draws the viewers…
To be fair, this is an entertaining giant monster tale. TBS would’ve been thrilled if Tsuburaya Pro did nothing but send them episodes of straightforward monster fun like this. I’m glad that TsuPro went with variety, but I’m also glad they knew how to play the standards so well.
The premise repeats the plot beats of “Goro and Goro.” Like that episode, “Terror of the Sweet Honey” has a lab in the woods where scientists are working on an experimental formula that can make animals grow huge. A stray animal gets into the lab and eats the experiments, causing it to grow enormous. Scientists offer explanations for what happened, there’s drama about who’s responsible for the whole mess, and then the military arrives for monster clean-up. We’ve seen this before on Ultra Q, and we’ve seen similar stories in a dozen US and Japanese monster movies.
But “Terror of the Sweet Honey” is good at what it sets out to do. The plot construction is excellent, integrating our trio of main cast members as investigators into the personal drama of Shigeo Kimura, a scientist at the Isayama Agricultural Experiment Station. Kimura blames himself for the existence of the giant mole that consumed bee larvae tested with “Honey Jellion,” a Food of the Gods-type of nutrient that can embiggen bees and the rodents who eat them.
Something more sinister, however, is going on than just a mole getting into an experimental lab. There’s a “twisted heart” at the center of it, as the narrator explains. This isn’t a mystery to viewers, who get tipped off to what’s happening in the opening scene. The knowledge doesn’t hurt the suspense; it’s fun watching Yuriko, Jun, and Ippei go full Scooby Gang mode in getting to the bottom of the question “who let the mole in?” They don’t even need Professor Ichinotani’s help.
In fact, Ichinotani feels shoehorned into the episode without much to do aside from look sagacious. The manager of the experimental station (Takuzo Kumagai) handles most of the science exposition. This doesn’t unbalance the episode, which always puts the focus where it needs to be.
Mongula the Massive Mole is a surprisingly effective kaiju considering that a giant mole is a superficially silly concept and might come across as cuddly. The costume design is nothing unusual, but it works to create a realistic monster that feels genuinely menacing. It still could’ve gone wrong in execution, but the episode doesn’t play cute with Mongula. That makes the climax exciting, even with its conventional military action and recycling footage from Rodan and The Mysterians for several shots of tanks, missiles, and collapsing ground. I can forgive the use of the reused footage because of the high quality of the newer VFX. The effects set pieces include an early scene where Mongula’s burrowing causes a train crash. It’s a good bit of spectacle that sets up the danger while keeping the monster out of sight.
The cast has a major guest star: Susumu Kurobe as Shigeo Kimura. He’ll go on to star in Ultraman as Shin Hayata, the human host for the titular hero. Kurobe has continued to appear in the Ultra series, playing Hayata and other characters, like a recurring role in Ultraman Max as Officer Tomioka and cameos in Ultraman Zearth, Ultraman Zearth 2, and Ultraman Cosmos: The First Contact.
Rating: Good
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