Celebrating the Life and Career of Director Nobuo Nakagawa!

Nobuo Nakagawa, as painted by Yuji Yorimoto. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Saturday, June 20, I attended a special tribute event for one of Japan's most recognized directors around the world, Nobuo Nakagawa (1905-1984). The event was held at the Laputa Asagaya, a venue at which I've seen countless movies over the years. For this Nobuo Nakagawa event, I elected to attend only the reception.

A script for The Ghost of Yotsuya (1959) on display. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Last month, I received an invitation to attend via email, and naturally I RSVPed. All I knew was that the guest of honor would be Yuji Yorimoto, who worked as an assistant director for director Nakagawa on television for series like Oniwaban (1968) and The Wandering Samurai (1973). Mr. Yorimoto, who was born in 1941, is currently a painter.

Akihide Tsuzawa. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I entered the hall as Mr. Yorimoto was finishing up his Q&A. In the audience, I thought I saw Akihide Tsuzawa, who worked with director Nakagawa as a child actor, but in the moment I couldn't be 100% sure. After the interview was over, and I was looking at some of the artwork and photos on display, Mr. Tsuzawa approached me and asked if I was me. Well, of course I'm me! Mr. Tsuzawa didn't know I had returned to Japan and was surprised to see me. He also wasn't quite sure if it was me because I've apparently lost a little weight since he last saw me. It's true; I haven't been chowing down like I used to!

With Akihide Tsuzawa. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I spent a good while chatting with Mr. Tsuzawa and even exchanged phone numbers and messaging-app info with him until he was called upon to give a kampai speech in honor of director Nakagawa. I caught up with Mr. Tsuzawa toward the end of the reception and continued our conversation.

Shinkichi Nakagawa. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I also greeted the son of director Nakagawa, Shinkichi Nakagawa, who greeted me and thanked me for coming back to the event. If I recall correctly, I only saw Mr. Nakagawa in passing at the last one I attended, so it'd been a few years since we actually spoke to one another.

With Shinkichi Nakagawa. Photo by Brett Homenick.

One semi-amusing anecdote was, when I went to say my farewells to Mr. Nakagawa, a staff member was introducing a young man to Mr. Nakagawa, pointing out that he was 19 years old. So I joked that I was also just 19 years old, to which Mr. Nakagawa replied something like, "And then some!" Really glad I got a chance to see Mr. Nakagawa again.

Tomoo Haraguchi. Photo by Brett Homenick.

At these particular events, it's rare to see a figure from the film world in attendance who didn't have some direct connection with director Nakagawa, so I was surprised when I spied Tomoo Haraguchi in the audience.

With Tomoo Haraguchi.

It was doubly surprising because Mr. Haraguchi is a pretty rare guest at recent kaiju-related events, so it was great to speak with him and to get his business card. 

Masahisa Sakashita with Mr. Yorimoto. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Right before I left, I wanted to greet Masahisa Sakashita, whom I've met at each Nobuo Nakagawa event I've attended. While he worked his way up through Nikkatsu Studios during the 1970s, more recently he has worked as a freelance television director.

With Masahisa Sakashita. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Mr. Sakashita asked me what Nikkatsu movies I liked since that was his studio. I named Gappa (1967) and the movies of director Seijun Suzuki and actress Masako Izumi. I think he was a bit surprised that I actually knew some names!

With Mr. Yorimoto.

And that's a wrap! It was raining cats and dogs when I attended, but the fun I had and connections I made during the event certainly made the trek well worth it. 

Joining a Tsuburaya Pro Legend for Dinner!

Akihide Tsuzawa. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Tonight (Wednesday, March 27), I enjoyed the company of former child actor Akihide Tsuzawa with whom I ate dinner at a Jonathan's family restaurant near his home. Tsuzawa-san played Hoshino in the original Ultraman (1966-67) TV series, which makes me wish we could have met at a Hoshino Coffee instead!

I was surprised to find that Tsuzawa-san had another present for me. It was a pamphlet-size photobook of pictures his mother took on location during the shooting of Ultra Q (1966) and Ultraman. Apparently, this book will be on offer at an upcoming event in Japan, but I'm certainly privileged to have been given my own copy.

Akihide Tsuzawa. Photo by Brett Homenick.

There are a mixture of color and black-and-white photos in the booklet. Some of the photos were originally taken in color, while others were colorized for the pamphlet. 

We hung out for just under two hours and talked about many things, including Tsuzawa-san's interest in Japanese MLB players throughout the years (especially Otani and Nomo), my reaction to Godzilla Minus One (2023), which Tsuzawa-san hasn't seen, his recent trip to Lake Okutama (which I pointed out was a location in 1961's Mothra, which he didn't know), his busy professional life that left him little time to stop and smell the flowers, and many other things. 

Tsuzawa-san told me that his favorite director to work with on Ultraman was Toshihiro Iijima. He also drew a map on a napkin of where Toho was in relation to Tsuburaya Productions. I asked Tsuzawa-san if he watched any of the tokusatsu scenes being shot, but he said he didn't due to how hectic the drama side's shooting schedule was. While shooting took place at Tsuburaya Productions, the dubbing apparently took place at Toho.

Tsuzawa-san also talked about his nostalgia for old American TV shows like Lassie, Rawhide, and Superman. In fact, he wanted to see a photo of the Superman he grew up with, but, when I showed him a photo of George Reeves in costume, he said that wasn't it. So I thought maybe he was thinking of Kirk Alyn, but no dice. It wasn't until I showed him a photo of Reeves with Noel Neill as Lois Lane that it finally clicked.

Of course, we also touched on real-life issues, such as careers, relationships, the cost of health insurance, and other things like that. When it was all said and done, I paid for both our meals. Hey, it was the least I could do!

I'm so glad to have had the opportunity to hang out with Tsuzawa-san so soon after our last meeting in January. During the evening, Tsuzawa-san remembered the first time we met in 2016. All these years later, I'd say that's a tremendous feat. When I pulled out my phone to take Tsuzawa-san's photo, he beat me to the bunch by taking my picture first on his camera. (I won't remind you about what I always say about VIPs and guests who take photos of you.)

What a fun evening! Many thanks to Tsuzawa-san for his kind hospitality!

A Legendary Evening with a Legend of TV Tokusatsu!

Akihide Tsuzawa poses with a signed shikishi board. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Last night (Thursday, January 25), I was lucky to spend a fun evening with former child actor Akihide Tsuzawa. Tsuzawa-san is best known for playing Isamu Hoshino on the original Ultraman (1966-67) TV series. 

I called Tsuzawa-san from the train station as soon as I arrived, and shortly thereafter he met me at the station. From there, we headed to a nearby Jonathan's family restaurant and ordered our food. Without any prompting from me, Tsuzawa-san brought a shikishi board with him and signed it for me. I usually don't collect these boards (if you have too many, they can start to take up too much room), but this is one I'll certainly cherish.

During our conversation, I was surprised to learn that Tsuzawa-san has an older brother who lives in Paris with his French wife. The couple has a daughter together, and Tsuzawa-san showed me a couple of photos of his older brother and his Parisian family. 

Tsuzawa-san also enjoys driving long distances, including to places like Okutama, with which I'm pretty familiar myself. He takes his mother, Masako, with him on trips, whom he takes care of in her old age. According to Wikipedia, his mother, who is a well-known haiku poet, was born in 1927, but thankfully she's still going strong. 

Akihide Tsuzawa with his script for The Birth of Ultraman (1966). Photo by Brett Homenick.

Tsuzawa-san brought along a few scripts, including the one for The Birth of Ultraman (1966) TV special, as well as the one for Ultra Q (1966) episode 12, "I Saw a Bird," in which he played the young boy Saburo. It was fascinating to thumb through these treasures of tokusatsu history. In addition, he pulled out a plastic bag that contained New Year's greeting cards from the likes of directors Toshihiro Iijima, Nobuo Nakagawa, and Eizo Yamagiwa, all of whom Tsuzawa-san had worked with in the 1960s. Tsuzawa-san received these cards around the time he had worked with these directors in the '60s.

The script for The Birth of Ultraman. Photo by Brett Homenick.

As if all that weren't enough, Tsuzawa-san also brought a few photo albums with him to our dinner. Many of the photos were taken by his mother on set and on various filming locations. For example, there was a photo of Tsuzawa-san with Kenji Sahara at the filming location for Ultra Q.

Akihide Tsuzawa with his script for Ultra Q (1966) episode 12 (which was called "Unbalance" at the time). Photo by Brett Homenick.

When I asked Tsuzawa-san what Sahara-san was like, he said that Sahara-san was a star who had that kind of aura around him. For what it's worth, director Harunosuke Nakagawa was also included in the photo album, and Tsuzawa-san commented that he was kind.

The script for Ultra Q episode 12. Photo by Brett Homenick.

One interesting aspect of the photo albums he brought is that they contained many photos taken of their home TV set whenever Tsuzawa-san was onscreen. Naturally, his appearances on Ultraman were well represented among these snapshots, but so were assorted commercials he was on. In those pre-VHS days, there was no other way to record such broadcasts, which is why his mother took those photos whenever Tsuzawa-san was on TV.

Tsuzawa-san was quite proud of the photos he had with famed Japanese pro wrestler Rikidozan on the set of the TV series Champion Futoshi (1962-63). Speaking of which, it was actually on this show where Tsuzawa-san worked with Eizo Yamagiwa, who was an assistant director at the time.

In fact, there was a photo of Yamagiwa-san in one of the albums taken at the time of Champion Futoshi, which was my first time to see Yamagiwa-san when he was young. Coincidentally, Yamagiwa-san would go on to direct many episodes of the Ultra-series in the 1970s.

But we also talked about things not related to Tsuzawa-san's entertainment career. For example, he was quite interested to get the proper pronunciation of my first and last name, which is quite difficult for most Japanese. He was also interested in my family history and background. 

What was particularly fun for me was when Tsuzawa-san took pictures of and with me. It's always great when I'm not the only one snapping photos!

When it was all said and done, I insisted on paying for dinner, even though Tsuzawa-san did his best to convince me to let him pay. That wasn't going to happen, so, when the waiter left the bill on the table, I made sure to snatch it before Tsuzawa-san could. It was my privilege.

At the end of the evening, Tsuzawa-san walked me back to the train station. He took a couple of photos of me after I entered the ticket gate, and we waved to each other until I went down the escalator and was completely out of sight. All I can say is that Tsuzawa-san is a true gentleman, and this was one of the best evenings I've had in years.

New Content on Vantage Point Interviews!

With Ryuhei Kitamura.

Just in time for the New Year, Vantage Point Interviews has posted not one, not two, but three new interviews. First up is my August 2018 interview with director Ryuhei Kitamura in which he discusses his work on Godzilla: Final Wars. That interview can be read here.

With Masanori Machida.

Next up is my October 2018 conversation with former child actor Masanori Machida, who played the island native Saki in Gappa the Triphibian Monster (a.k.a. Monster from a Prehistoric Planet, 1967). There are also quite a few surprises in there, as well. That interview can be read here. 

With Akihide Tsuzawa.

Last but not least, my October 2018 interview with another former child actor, Akihide Tsuzawa, can be read here. Tsuzawa-san played Hoshino on Tsuburaya Productions' Ultraman (1966-67), and he's got quite a few things to say about the experience!

Stay tuned for more interviews coming soon!

NOBUO NAKAGAWA CELEBRATED! Attending a Special Event Honoring the Legendary Director!

Composer Chumei Watanabe answers questions during a Q&A. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Sunday, September 23, I had the honor of attending a special event in Tokyo celebrating the career of director Nobuo Nakagawa. It was my first time to attend such an event, but I was really surprised at how impressive it was. There were quite a few luminaries on hand for the festivities -- much more than I expected.

Shinkichi Nakagawa, the son of director Nakagawa. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The event kicked off with a screening of Nakagawa's Ningyo Sashichi torimonocho: Oedo Ushimitsudoki (1957), which was scored by the event's guest of honor: 93-year-old composer Chumei Watanabe. I missed the film screening but arrived just in time for Watanabe-sensei's Q&A following the event.

With Shinkichi Nakagawa.

I was amazed when Watanabe-sensei mentioned my interview with him last July at the end of his interview session, during which he also discussed the interest his work has among many fans internationally. He's proud of the international following his work enjoys -- and rightfully so.

Actress Sumiko Abe. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

After Watanabe-sensei's interview, the group gathered in a nearby restaurant that had been reserved specifically for the event. The gathering was a veritable "who's who" of friends, family, and colleagues of director Nakagawa. I was quite surprised at just who was in attendance.

With actress Sumiko Abe.

The first person I was introduced to was the director's son, Shinkichi. I certainly wasn't expecting to meet him at the event! We exchanged greetings as well as business cards.

Director Masahisa Sakashita. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Also on hand was actress Sumiko Abe, whose credits are very impressive. She had just turned 88 years old on September 3, but you wouldn't have guessed it had you not already known. She was incredibly spry and in great spirits. Among her credits are: Toho's Love in a Teacup (1953), starring Toshiro Mifune and directed by Yasuki Chiba, Shintoho's The Depths (1957), directed by Nobuo Nakagawa, and Shochiku's Flag in the Mist (1965), directed by Yoji Yamada.

Akihide Tsuzawa. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

I also met Nikkatsu Studios veteran Masahisa Sakashita. While he worked his way up through Nikkatsu Studios during the 1970s, more recently he has worked as a freelance television director.

With Akihide Tsuzawa.

I also had a fun chat with actor Akihide Tsuzawa, best known for playing Hoshino on the original Ultraman (1966-67) TV series. I was pleased to find that Tsuzawa-san remembered me from our first meeting two years prior. He also called me cool, which coming from a veteran of the original Ultraman is quite a compliment. 

Chumei Watanabe. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

Suffice it to say, I met a lot more folks than I had ever anticipated. Toward the end of the event, while the MC was handing the microphone to the various special guests on hand, he offered me the microphone. I had no idea what to say, but I did my best to muster something. After saying a few things, I noticed Watanabe-sensei walking in my direction, so I handed him the mike. I was very thankful for his well timed assist!

What an afternoon! I elected to miss the latest Super Festival in order to attend, and I'm very glad I did. The more recent Super Festivals have been pretty lackluster (in my opinion, of course), but this event was anything but. One for the history books, for sure!

FIFTY YEARS OF ULTRAMAN! Celebrating the Hero from M78 with Some of his Longtime Friends!

Former child actor Akihide Tsuzawa poses for a picture. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Following work, I was able to join a celebration of Ultraman's 50th anniversary in Yokohama with some luminaries from the series' history. 

Akihide Tsuzawa was one of the special guests, and he was of particular interest to me. He played the young boy Hoshino, who was a regular on the original Ultraman (1966-67) TV series. Although I've met many of the alumni from the original series, this was my first time to meet Tsuzawa-san. I found him to be gregarious and a great storyteller. He even has a credit in another major SFX production. He played a young islander in the original Mothra (1961)!

Ultra-series director Toshihiro Ijima. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

Another true legend of the Ultra-series was in attendance, and that was director Toshihiro Iijima. Iijima-san helmed numerous episodes of Ultra Q (1966), Ultraman, Ultra Seven (1967-68), and other Tsuburaya Productions series. He also directed the feature film Daigoro vs. Goliath (1972).

Iijima-san is truly one of the pioneers who shaped the Ultra-series into what it has become. He had a guiding hand in the pivotal first three Ultra-series (and beyond). It's always exciting to meet an individual of Iijima-san's caliber.

Takeshi Yagi, a director of some of the more recent Ultraman adventures, was also there, sharing his memories about making the latter-day episodes of the franchise.

It was a great evening, but the fun resumes tomorrow. I can't wait!