Nikkatsu Studios Director Yukihiro Sawada Passes Away

Yukihiro Sawada in March 2019. Photo by Brett Homenick.

According to various social media posts, longtime Nikkatsu director Yukihiro Sawada has recently passed away. No other details are available at the moment, including the cause or even date of death. However, it is likely he was 89 years old at the time of his passing, especially since Sawada-san apparently attended a Q&A event in June of this year.

Yukihiro Sawada in March 2019. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Yukihiro Sawada was born on January 15, 1933, in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. He graduated from Chuo University’s Faculty of Economics in 1956 and joined Nikkatsu Studios after graduating from university. There, he worked on the legendary director Seijun Suzuki, among many others.

Yukiro Sawada in November 2019. Photo by Brett Homenick.

He debuted as a film director in his own right in 1970, directing Tetsuya Watari in the movie Attack (1970). He went on to direct the violent 1978 cult flick Panic in High School (alongside co-director Gakuryu Ishii), as well as the tokusatsu feature film Moonlight Mask (1981). He remained at Nikkatsu until 1983, after which he worked freelance.

In between Miyoko Akaza (left) and Yukihiro Sawada in November 2019.

Sawada-san is, however, probably best remembered for his work in television, having helmed episodes of the hit TV series Howl at the Sun! (1972-86), Seibu Keisatsu (1979-84), and Detective Story (1979-80). But, for tokusatsu fans, he directed the very first episode of the Nikkatsu-produced, pre-Super Sentai action series Strada 5 (1974), which seemed to anticipate many of the tropes that would come to be associated with that famous franchise.

With Yukihiro Sawada in March 2019.

I had the privilege of meeting Sawada-san three times over the years. I just wish I was more familiar with his career and could have talked to him in more detail about it.

Rest in peace, Sawada-san.

UPDATE (9/23): According to screenwriter Hiroshi Kashiwabara, Sawada-san passed away on September 21.

SHOWA HEROES ASSEMBLE! Kikaider and Moonlight Mask Join Forces in Tokyo!

Daisuke Ban (left) poses with fellow TV hero Koichi Ose. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Sunday morning, October 6, I headed to Nakano, Tokyo, for a special event headlined by two of television's greatest heroes: Daisuke Ban and Koichi Ose. 

Koichi Ose. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

Ose-san starred in Moonlight Mask (1958-59) as the titular hero. He later starred in another Senkosha-produced series called The Samurai (1962-65) as the heroic Shintaro Akikusa, the samurai of the program's title

Daisuke Ban. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Ban-san starred in Kikaider (1972-73) and Inazuman (1974) and went on to play Battle Cossack in Battle Fever J (1979-80).

It's also worth noting that both heroes have strong international followings. Kikaider was a big hit in Hawaii and still has a sizable fandom to this day. In Australia, The Samurai is still remembered well by many fans. In recent years, both Ban-san and Ose-san have made trips there to meet their respective fan bases.

I was especially pleased that Ose-san remembered me, as I'd met him two times before. All I know is, when I get to be his age, I hope I look half as good as he does.

THE SAMURAI! Attending a Reunion of This Early Japanese TV Classic!

In between Koichi Ose (left) and Shunsuke Omori.

Today is Christmas Eve, and what better way to spend the day than attending a small reunion of a classic Japanese TV show?

Koichi Ose was the event's guest of honor. Ose-san starred in Moonlight Mask (1958-59) as the titular hero. He later starred in another Senkosha-produced series called The Samurai (1962-65) as the heroic Shintaro Akikusa, the samurai of the program's title. Also in attendance was Shunsuke Omori, who played the boy Shusaku Baba in The Samurai. 

The Samurai has quite a following in Australia where it was broadcast in the mid-1960s. Being American, however, today was the first time I'd ever seen it. Three episodes were screened, and I enjoyed the show.

I was impressed when Ose-san recognized me from the previous event. Omori-san asked me if I was Australian, but I answered that I'm an American who's a fan of Moonlight Mask. But after today, I like both shows.

Tokyo Comic Con 2018

 The entrance to the Tokyo Comic Con. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today, I attended the first day of the Tokyo Comic Con. It's the only day I could attend the convention, and my overall reaction was that it was okay. The event was held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba City, which is far from the center of Tokyo. I was surprised to see that the event itself was smaller in size than Wonder Festival, even though I'd say that both events are quite similar.

Aside from bumping into cult director Minoru Kawasaki, I didn't see any familiar faces from the world of tokusatsu. Anyway, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. Enjoy! 

60 YEARS OF MOONLIGHT MASK! Actor Koichi Ose Celebrates the Milestone!

Koichi Ose. Photo by Brett Homenick.

February 24, 2018, marks the 60th anniversary of the debut of Japanese television's first superhero: Moonlight Mask. On February 24, 1958, Moonlight Mask (1958-59) aired for the first time on the station now known as TBS (in Japan, that is). So it was a great honor to be able to attend the event marking the 60th anniversary of this history-making TV series with Moonlight Mask himself, actor Koichi Ose.

Koichi Ose poses with his heroic alter ego, as well as the same type of motorcycle on which he used to chase baddies. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

The event kicked off with a screening of several Moonlight Mask episodes, which were a lot of fun. The stories are simple and extremely easy to follow, which really makes knowledge of Japanese unnecessary to enjoy them. After that, Koichi Ose joined the proceedings and gave a Q&A session, during which he reminisced about his memories of making Moonlight Mask.

Following that, we made our way to a nearby parking lot where we could pose for photos with Ose-san, an incredible Moonlight Mask cosplayer, and the same type of motorcycle on which Moonlight Mask rode in the series. When that finished, we got autographs from Ose-san. (I brought a Moonlight Mask DVD sleeve for him to sign.) Finally, we all gathered around and had dinner with the legendary superhero himself.

Despite its place in history, Moonlight Mask is still not nearly as well known in the West as its small-screen successors. It's an entertaining show, and I hope it eventually finds a wider audience. It's certainly worth a look. If Mammoth Kong isn't enough to entice daikaiju fans, then I don't know what is!

Happy 60th anniversary, Moonlight Mask!