Gorath (1962) Spaceship JX-1 (the first manned flight to Saturn) is ordered to change course and intercept Gorath, a rouge star barreling through the galaxy, heading straight for a planet-shattering collision with the earth. Outfitted in white coveralls and helmets, the crew of JX-1 look more like contestants in a go-cart race than astronauts, but in Gorath’s future of the “80s,” these are the men with the right stuff. When informed they are on what amounts to a suicide mission, the crew only hesitates a moment before raising their fists in the air and chanting in unison, “Hurrah! Hurrah!” While their esprit de corps is appreciated, it’s also just a bit creepy.
Back on earth, high-ranking Japanese officials are peeved at not having been consulted about the decision to reroute JX-1, but after some thought, they magnanimously decide that, yes, maybe the right decision was made without them (useful information about the possible destruction of the earth was obtained, after all). Once everyone is on the same page regarding the need to do something about Gorath, the bean counters weigh in with their penny-pinching take on the situation: it’s going to cost a lot of money to save the earth. It’s decided the job is too big for Japan to take on alone, and before you can say UNICEF, the project is a United Nations operation.
