Moguera 1957 (モゲラ Mogera)

This Moguera figure is an original mold with an old toy style, reissued by Marusan in 1998. It is about 6 inches tall. Notice the drill-like nose and the steam shovel-like lower jaw to help the monster burrow its way through the earth underground. (Moguera is Japanese for "Mole.")

Moguera (モゲラ Mogera) is from the 1957 Toho Studios tokusatsu film "The Mysterians" (地球防衛軍), directed by Ishirō Honda (drama) and Eiji Tsuburaya (special effects). The Mysterians was the first tokusatsu filmed in TohoScope and the first Toho film to use stereophonic sound. It is also known for its use of color, in particular its heavy use of day-for-night shots and bright alien costumes. (Alternate titles for the movie: "Chikyu Boeigun" (Japanese) and "The Earth Defense Force".)

In the Mysterians, scientifically advanced wanderers from the destroyed planet Mysteroid request a plot of land on Earth... and earthling women to breed with! After a demonstration of their destructive abilities, mankind must decide whether to capitulate or to resist.

Moguera is a robot used by the alien Mysterians to assist in convincing the earthlings to cooperate. Moguera attacks a small village with its optic heat blasts, but is destroyed when the bridge it is standing on collapses due to the military dynamiting it.

A second Moguera appears as the Markalite beam cannons assault the Mysterians' base. This Moguera trys to destroy one of the Markalites by burrowing underneath it, but the weapon falls on top of it, crushing and destroying the robot.

[Sources: Adapted from Wikipedia.]

Here are some images released in connection with the movie in its various forms:









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