Japan Synopsis
ガス人間第一号
A librarian is subject to a scientific experiment which goes wrong and transforms him into 'The Human Vapour'. He uses his new ability to rob banks to fund the career of his girlfriend, a beautiful dancer. The Human Vapour is ruthless in his quest for money and kills anyone who stands in his way, especially police. He soon becomes Tokyo's most wanted criminal. Can he be stopped before he kills again?
Other Titles From TOHO
Science Fiction + Crime in Japan
25 Japan titles in our catalog blend the Science Fiction and Crime genres. Below: the top-rated of them (excluding The Human Vapor itself).
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex – The Laughing Man
★ 7.7 · 2005
Psycho-Pass 3: First Inspector
★ 7.6 · 2020
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex – Solid State Society
★ 7.4 · 2006
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;Surrection
★ 7.4 · 2019
Ghost in the Shell: Arise – Border 1: Ghost Pain
★ 7.2 · 2013
The Man Who Stole the Sun
★ 7.2 · 1979
The 1959–1961 Japan Window
In the crowded 1959-1961 Japan release window, The Human Vapor sits at #28 of 36. The leaderboard below contextualises its neighbours.
#1Hero of the Red Light District
★ 8.6 · 1960
#2The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer
★ 8.4 · 1961
#3The Human Condition II: Road to Eternity
★ 8.2 · 1959
#4Yojimbo
★ 8.1 · 1961
#5The Human Condition I: No Greater Love
★ 8.0 · 1959
#6When a Woman Ascends the Stairs
★ 8.0 · 1960
#7Hiroshima Mon Amour
★ 7.8 · 1959
#8Good Morning
★ 7.7 · 1959
The 1960s Japan Landscape
Catalog density by release year across the 1960s in Japan, 202 titles in total. Highlighted year (yellow) is when The Human Vapor premiered alongside 15 others.
Position in Catalog
Released alongside 15 other Japan films in 1960.
The 141st Japan title from Japan we index (earliest catalogued entry: 1899).
Our Japan catalog contains 4,579 titles in total (2,908 films).
Audience Engagement
14 audience reviews — more than 23% of Japan films in our index.
Popularity sits at the 12th percentile among Japan films.
Reception Benchmarks
Ranked #3,371 of 4,579 Japan films indexed here (26th percentile by TMDB audience score).
Rating is -0.5 points below the Japan average of 6.9/10.
Among Japan Science Fiction productions specifically: #339 of 566 (top 60%).
Production Details
| Primary Country | Japan |
|---|---|
| Original Language | Japanese |
| Production Companies | TOHO |
| Runtime | 1h 32m |
| Release Date | December 11, 1960 |
| IMDb | tt0053853 |