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Action thriller

The Man Who Stole the Sun (1979): Cast & Plot

The Man Who Stole the Sun (1979) movie poster

The Man Who Stole the Sun is a 1979 action thriller directed by Kazuhiko Hasegawa, starring Kenji Sawada as Makoto Kido, Bunta Sugawara and Kei Satô. It runs 2 hours 27 minutes.

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The Man Who Stole the Sun (1979) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 27m (147 min)
Genres
Action , Thriller , Crime
Original language
Japanese
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Man Who Stole the Sun About?

The premise of The Man Who Stole the Sun without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Mocked by his students, a high‑school science teacher’s life changes when the school bus is seized during a trip. While the students fear the hijackers, the teacher hides a far darker secret: in his modest apartment he is secretly assembling an atomic bomb, turning a routine school outing into a deadly showdown.

The Man Who Stole the Sun Themes & Keywords

· 45 tags
  • animal abuse
  • cat
  • nuclear bomb
  • nuclear threat
  • radiation poisoning
  • nuclear terrorism
  • police officer
  • tough cop
  • japanese
  • exploding car
  • teacher
  • japan
+33 more
  • atomic bomb
  • police
  • misfit
  • hijacking
  • school bus
  • baseball game
  • rolling stones
  • tokyo japan
  • sleeping gas
  • schoolteacher
  • radio dj
  • nuclear power plant
  • hostage
  • high school teacher
  • disc jockey
  • bus
  • bubble gum
  • 1970s
  • satire
  • rooftop
  • suicide
  • radiation sickness
  • unlikely hero
  • glove box
  • bomb in public place
  • plutonium
  • nuclear weapons
  • disguise
  • car chase
  • terrorism
  • science teacher
  • voice changer
  • public pool
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Cast & crew

The Man Who Stole the Sun Cast & Characters

Kenji Sawada leads the cast as Makoto Kido, with Bunta Sugawara as Inspector Yamashita and Kei Satô as Dr. Ichikawa. Directed by Kazuhiko Hasegawa; 32 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in The Man Who Stole the Sun

· 28 more
Show all 32 cast members
Plot

The Man Who Stole the Sun Plot Summary

What happens in The Man Who Stole the Sun from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Kenji Sawada as Makoto Kido, a high school science and chemistry teacher, has decided to build his own atomic bomb. Before he can steal plutonium isotopes from the Tōkai Nuclear Power Plant, he becomes involved in a botched hijack of a school field trip bus. Alongside Bunta Sugawara as Inspector Yamashita, the two help subdue the hijacker and emerge publicly hailed as heroes. He also grows close to a female radio personality nicknamed “Zero.”

Full summary

The whole story of The Man Who Stole the Sun, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Man Who Stole the Sun?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is the name of the high‑school teacher who masterminds the plot?

Details

The Man Who Stole the Sun Also Known As

9 alternative titles, including “Taiyô wo nusunda otoko” and “Taiyō o nusunda otoko”.

Also known as
  • Taiyô wo nusunda otoko
  • Taiyō o nusunda otoko
  • 盗日者
  • 太陽を盗んだ男
  • Человек, укравший солнце
  • 태양을 훔친 사나이
  • L'Homme qui a volé le soleil
  • O Homem que Roubou o Sol
  • 竊取太陽的男人

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FAQ

The Man Who Stole the Sun FAQ: Cast & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, post-credit scenes and language of The Man Who Stole the Sun, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Man Who Stole the Sun?

The Man Who Stole the Sun runs 2 hours 27 minutes (147 minutes).

When was The Man Who Stole the Sun released?

The Man Who Stole the Sun was released on October 6, 1979.

Who directed The Man Who Stole the Sun?

The Man Who Stole the Sun was directed by Kazuhiko Hasegawa.

More films by Kazuhiko Hasegawa

Who is in the cast of The Man Who Stole the Sun?

The Man Who Stole the Sun stars Kenji Sawada as Makoto Kido, Bunta Sugawara as Inspector Yamashita and Kei Satô as Dr. Ichikawa, among 32 credited actors.

Does The Man Who Stole the Sun have a post-credit scene?

No. The Man Who Stole the Sun has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is The Man Who Stole the Sun in?

The original language of The Man Who Stole the Sun is Japanese.

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