The Super Inframan (1975)

After nearly a decade of redefining Hong Kong cinema with their martial arts and wuxia epics, Shaw Brothers ventured into the tokusatsu superhero genre with the release of Super Infra-Man. Drawing inspiration from Japanese series such as Ultraman (1966–present) and Kamen Rider (1971–present), the film distinguished itself by blending sci‑fi and fantasy special effects with the kind of high‑energy kung fu choreography that had become the studio’s hallmark. It’s a fascinating change of direction for a company best known for grounded hand‑to‑hand combat, and part of the fun is watching them apply that same sensibility to rubber‑suited monsters and laser‑beam mayhem.

’70s and ’80s kids will recognize elements reminiscent of The Six Million Dollar Man, especially in the way the film treats cybernetic enhancement as both a scientific marvel and a heroic calling. Meanwhile, ’90s kids in the U.S. who grew up with the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers will immediately register the familiar tokusatsu DNA. Though the Rangers themselves descend directly from Japan’s Super Sentai, the lineage of colorful heroes battling outlandish creatures is unmistakable here.

The plot is straightforward but charmingly earnest. When the villainous Glacier Queen (aka Demon Princess Elzebub, aka Princess Dragon Mom) awakens and unleashes her army of mutant monsters to conquer Earth, humanity’s only hope lies with Professor Liu, director of the Scientific Research Institute. He transforms his student Lei Ma into the cyborg superhero Infra-Man. Armed with super strength, energy blasts, and martial arts expertise, Infra-Man battles a parade of bizarre creatures, such as plant monsters, skeleton warriors, and mechanical beasts, before facing Demon Princess Elzebub herself in a final showdown to save the world.

This was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the inventive practical effects, the unabashed campiness, and the fusion of sci-fi elements, superhero theatrics, kaiju‑inspired monsters, and martial arts action sequences. There’s a sincerity to the whole production that makes it easy to appreciate, even when the effects show their age.

I watched the Mandarin audio version with English subtitles.

If this film is any indication, I think this set is going to be a blast.