A Heisei Ultraman Event That Was Ultra-Good!

Kazuya Konaka (left) and Keiichi Hasegawa. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Saturday evening -- that's February 25 -- I attended an interesting event that focused on the Heisei Ultra-series. This is a subject I admittedly know very little about, but it featured not one but two guests I literally hadn't seen in years. With such a rare opportunity on offer, I couldn't pass it up.

Kazuya Konaka (left), Kiyoshi Suzuki (center), and Keiichi Hasegawa. Photo by Brett Homenick.

One of the main guests was screenwriter Keiichi Hasegawa. Hasegawa-san penned numerous episodes of Ultraman Tiga (1996-97), Ultraman Dyna (1997-98), Ultraman Gaia (1998-99), Ultraman Cosmos (2001-02), the feature film Ultraman: The Next (2004), Ultraman Nexus (2004-05), Ultraman Mebius (2006-07), Ultraseven X (2007), Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle (2007-08), Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle: Never Ending Odyssey (2008-09), and Ultraman Ginga (2013). Hasegawa-san has also written for Toei programs, such as Kamen Rider W (2009-10), Kamen Rider Fourze (2011-12), Kamen Rider Drive (2014-15), and Kamen Rider Ghost (2015-16). Godzilla fans would know him as the screenwriter for GMK (2001).

Kazuya Konaka (left), Kiyoshi Suzuki (center), and Keiichi Hasegawa. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Kazuya Konaka was the another guest of honor. Konaka-san helmed episodes of Ultraman Dyna, Ultraman Cosmos, Ultraman Nexus, Ultraman Mebius, Ultraseven X, Ultraman Ginga S (2014), and Ultraman Orb: The Origin Saga (2016-17). Konaka-san also directed the feature films: Ultraman Zearth 2 (1997), Ultraman Tiga and Ultraman Dyna (1998), Ultraman Gaia: The Battle in Hyperspace (1999), Ultraman: The Next, Mirrorman Reflex (2006), and Ultraman Mebius and Ultra Brothers (2006). 

Also on hand was Kiyoshi Suzuki, a veteran of Tsuburaya Productions who joined the company in 1964 and worked on Ultra Q (1966) and Ultraman (1966-67) as an assistant cameraman. From there, Suzuki-san also worked on such tokusatsu productions as: Kaiju Booska (1966-67), Ultra Seven (1967-68), Mighty Jack (1968), Return of Ultraman (1971-72), Mirrorman (1971-72), Iron King (1972-73), Ultraman Taro (1973-73), and Ultraman Leo (1974-75). Suzuki-san also worked behind the camera as a director, and in that capacity he shot episodes of Super Robot Red Baron (1973-74), Super Robot Mach Baron (1974-75), and Dinosaur Expedition Born Free (1976-77). In the Heisei era, Suzuki-san has mostly worked as a producer on various Ultraman movies that have been made since the 1990s.

Keiichi Hasegawa. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The event was quite packed with Heisei Ultraman fans, many of whom I'd never seen before. To say they were enthusiastic about the subject would be quite an understatement. In fact, it was hard to get a word in edgewise, as these fans would sometimes even interrupt each other, trying to get their questions out. 

I had a bit better luck with Hasegawa-san, who was always a lot of fun in the previous times we met. I had a chance to ask him about seeing Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (1966) as a kid, as I remember he mentioned that as his first tokusatsu movie. It certainly has a special place in his heart, as his answer to my question made clear. 

I wish I had more of an opportunity to interact with the special guests, but it was still enjoyable, especially due to Hasegawa-san, who is often the MVP of any event he attends. 

An Ultra-Good Afternoon!

Kiyoshi Suzuki. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today, I had a great afternoon with Kiyoshi Suzuki, who has seen and done just about everything there is to do behind the camera. Suzuki-san began working at Toho in the early 1960s as a part-time employee, working on the SFX shooting staff on such films as The Last War (1961). Suzuki-san joined Tsuburaya Productions from the very beginning. First, he worked as an assistant cameraman, but soon he worked his way up the ladder, ultimately becoming a movie producer in the 1990s. 

We had a wide-ranging chat that covered a number of topics. Suffice it to say, I learned a lot. Suzuki-san gave me a nice gift: a staff jacket from Superior 8 Ultraman Brothers (2008), which he produced. Many thanks, Suzuki-san!

ULTRAMAN: THE NEXT IS BACK! Round Two for This Tsuburaya Pro Feature!

Director/producer/cameraman Kiyoshi Suzuki. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Saturday night, there was another Ultraman: The Next (2004) event that I just couldn't pass up. I'm very glad I attended. I was particularly interested in meeting the man who was (for me) the guest of honor.

It was my first time to meet Kiyoshi Suzuki, a veteran of Tsuburaya Productions who joined the company in 1964 and worked on Ultra Q (1966) and Ultraman (1966-67) as an assistant cameraman. From there, Suzuki-san also worked on such tokusatsu productions as: Kaiju Booska (1966-67), Ultra Seven (1967-68), Mighty Jack (1968), Return of Ultraman (1971-72), Mirrorman (1971-72), Iron King (1972-73), Ultraman Taro (1973-73), and Ultraman Leo (1974-75). Suzuki-san also worked behind the camera as a director, and in that capacity he shot episodes of Super Robot Red Baron (1973-74), Super Robot Mach Baron (1974-75), and Dinosaur Expedition Born Free (1976-77). In the Heisei era, Suzuki-san has mostly worked as a producer on various Ultraman movies that have been made since the 1990s.

Kazuya Konaka returned to this event, as well. Konaka-san has directed episodes of Ultraman Dyna (1997-98), Ultraman Cosmos (2001-02), Ultraman Nexus (2004-05), Ultraman Mebius (2007-07), Ultraseven X (2007), Ultraman Ginga S (2014), and Ultraman Orb: The Origin Saga (2016-17). Konaka-san also helmd the feature films: Ultraman Zearth 2 (1997), Ultraman Tiga and Ultraman Dyna (1998), Ultraman Gaia: The Battle in Hyperspace (1999), Ultraman: The Next, Mirrorman Reflex (2006), and Ultraman Mebius and Ultra Brothers (2006).

Also on hand was actress Kyoko Toyama, who starred in Ultraman: The Next as Sara Mizuhara and reprised her role in episodes 33 and 34 of Ultraman Nexus.

It was another great evening. Many thanks to all the friendly guests for their kindness.