Operation: Mystery (1968)

Combining genuinely chilling gothic horror with pulpy monster-of-the-week entertainment, Operation: Mystery genuinely might be one of the coolest Non-Ultra shows Tsuburaya ever did, long before The X-Files made paranormal investigation a television staple. What other show can claim to feature flesh-eating moths, vampires, murderous dolls and even phantom samurai and still find cause to search for rational explanations, even if those explanations reveal horrors more disturbing than the supernatural itself? It doesn't settle into a formula and keeps you on your toes throughout, punching well above its limitations with an artistic ambition that remains impressive even today, capturing the mood of late-1960s Japan beautifully. The combination of urban locations, laboratory settings and traditional folklore creates a fascinating contrast between modern science and ancient superstition, with several episodes having an almost surreal quality that continues to influence Japanese horror decades later. Unlike many tokusatsu productions of its era, it isn't aimed at children; its stories often explore fear, obsession, greed and humanity's fascination with the unknown. The unexpectedly sophisticated nature and mature tone are more than welcome, as many of its stories are still horrifically creepy, excelling at psychological horror rather than cheap jump scares, building tension through mystery and imagination with the cast's solid, understated performances and great chemistry helping to ground stories that often venture into the bizarre. Although it remains overshadowed by Tsuburaya's more famous Silver Giants, Operation: Mystery deserves every ounce of time you could give it, proving that some of the studio's most imaginative work never needed towering heroes or giant monsters to leave a lasting impression.

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