Okami Jôjirô

Okami was an author and former air officer who wrote science fiction stories for magazines in the 1950s. His work caught the attention of Toho producer Tanaka Tomoyuki, who commissioned him to write treatments for potential films.

His unpublished novel was the basis for The Mysterians (1957); while Kayama Shigeru wrote the final screenplay, Okami’s original concept provided the foundation for the alien invasion plot. Later, his novella Space Mons was adapted into the film Dogora (1964). Despite his influence on these key titles, he remains a relatively obscure figure in the history of Japanese sci-fi.