UNPACKING HARUNA FUJI! Getting to Know Actress Keiko Sawai!

Posing with Toho actress Keiko Sawai in Yokohama.

In Monster Zero (1965), Astronaut Glenn (Nick Adams) quips that his partner, Fuji (Akira Takarada), should have left his sister packed in ice before leaving for Planet X. On February 14, a few lucky fans had an opportunity to unpack Haruna Fuji and get to know actress Keiko Sawai.

Keiko Sawai poses for pictures. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Aside from Monster Zero, tokusatsu fans will remember her as the doomed girl in the hospital whom Nick Adams comforts at the beginning of Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965) and her appearance in episode 8 of Ultra Q (1966). She also had a turn in the quirky comedy Konto 55: Space Adventure (1969), which was also a tokusatsu film in its own right.

Despite being initially shy, it certainly seemed that Sawai-san got into the spirit of the event and began to enjoy herself immensely. She went out of her way to be friendly to me, which I appreciate. Sometimes actresses can be aloof (and understandably so), but that was not the case with Sawai-san.

I had a blast meeting Keiko Sawai. Hopefully I'll get another chance down the line. All of us in attendance are lucky to have "unpacked" Haruna Fuji and met the real Sawai-san!

A SPECIAL MONSTER ZERO EVENT COMES TO YOKOHAMA! MZ Vets Gather to Disucss This Popular Kaiju Romp!

Actress Keiko Sawai and assistant SFX director Teruyoshi Nakano host a panel discussion about Monster Zero (1965) following a screening of the film. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Sunday, February 14, was a memorable day for several reasons. First, it was Valentine's Day. Also, it was unseasonably warm. Seriously, it felt like late spring, and even though I dressed light today, it still felt hot. Third, and most important, today marked a special event in Yokohama that centered around the Toho classic Monster Zero (1965).

Actress Keiko Sawai, still as lovely as ever, smiles as the gathered fans take her picture. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Keiko Sawai (who played Haruna Fuji) made a rare appearance at the event, and even though she appeared rather shy at first, she seemed to warm up quickly to the fans in attendance. I'm happy to say that she seemed to show special interest in me. During a break, she was standing with her manager, but once we made eye contact, she approached me, and we began talking. I gave her a present I had prepared for her (a box of chocolates) since it was Valentine's Day. She was quite pleased to receive it.

Standing between Keiko Sawai and Teruoyoshi Nakano, following their panel discussion.

Teruyoshi Nakano was in attendance as well, and he adds liveliness to any event he attends. Besides, it's always a lot of fun whenever he says (in English), "Nice boy!"

Optical effects expert Sadao Iizuka helped bring King Ghidorah to life. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Sadao Iizuka also appeared, and given that he animated King Ghidorah's gravity ray, it was most appropriate. Iizuka-san is a kind gentleman and is always happy to meet his fans.

The 35mm print of Monster Zero was excellent. One detail I noticed for the first time was that, in Akira Kubo's bedroom scene toward the beginning of the film, there's a rolled-up poster for 007. Who knew there was a James Bond reference in the Showa series?

The event also gave me a chance to catch up with my fellow fans. There are some cool things in development, and naturally they'll be reported on this blog when they happen.

The event was another smashing success, and I cannot wait for the next one. Fortunately, the wait won't be a long one!

Two legends, Sadao Iizuka and Teruyoshi Nakano, share a laugh in Yokohama. Photo by Brett Homenick.

See you next time!