Hiroshi Sagae Passes Away at 52

Hiroshi Sagae at Super Festival in January 2016 with one of his creations. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Noted figure sculptor and miniature maker Hiroshi Sagae passed away at 7:15 a.m. on October 26 after a long battle with colon cancer, his widow Yumiko announced on social media. He was 52.

Hiroshi Sagae with his Gotouchi Kaiju collaborator Sojiro Uchino in September 2014. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I had the privilege of meeting Sagae-san at several events and gatherings in Tokyo, beginning in 2011. He was always a joy to be around, and I'll always appreciate his introducing me to his friend and former child actor Sojiro Uchino in 2014. 

Rest in peace, Sagae-san.

AN AFTERNOON WITH AN ULTRA-VETERAN! Sharing Lunch with Sojiro Uchino!

Former child actor Sojiro Uchino poses with a signed DVD sleeve, featuring his episode of Kaiju Booska. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today I had a pleasant lunch and chat with Sojiro Uchino, a former child actor who has appeared in several Tsuburaya Productions TV series. Uchino-san can be seen in episode 18 of Ultra Q (1966), episode 15 of Ultraman (1966-67), episode 19 of Kaiju Booska (1966-67), and in the film Gamera vs. Viras (a.k.a. Destroy All Planets, 1968). 

We met in Jimbocho, and the conversation covered a lot of ground, including the Gotouchi Kaiju project that Uchino-san is working on with master modeler Hiroshi Sagae. Some big plans are under way, so stay tuned for more details!

As always, it was a blast to catch up with Uchino-san. I look forward to our next lunch together!