DINNER WTH SHINPEI HAYASHIYA! A Prelude to G-FEST!

Hanging out with director Shinpei Hayashiya at an izakaya near Tabata Station in Tokyo. 

Last night my friend Yasushi and I had the good fortune to attend a rakugo show with Shinpei Hayashiya. While many of us know Hayashiya-san as the director of Gamera 4: The Truth,  Reigo the Deep-Sea Monster vs. the Battleship Yamato, and The Deep-Sea Monster Raiga (as well as playing a bespectacled newspaper photographer in Godzilla 1985), he is well known in Japan for his raucous rakugo performances.

Hayashiya-san uses his big (and I mean "big"!) voice to his advantage during his performances, so try not to jump out of your seat when he suddenly shouts (as several folks in the audience did!). After Hayashiya-san and other rakugo performers finished the show, a small group of us headed to a nearby izakaya for dinner and drinks.

Many topics were discussed, including G-FEST, at which Hayashiya-san will attend as one of many special guests from Japan. Coincidentally, Hayashiya-san and I will be taking the same flight to the U.S., which is an experience I am looking forward to!

My favorite story of the evening was the one Hayashiya-san told us about meeting Godzilla (1954) actress Momoko Kochi by chance roughly 20 years ago. She was exiting a building at a time when Hayashiya-san happened to be entering. He asked her for an autograph, and she asked him which movie(s) he enjoyed her performance in. When he answered Godzilla, her reaction was less than enthusiastic!

See you in Chicago, Hayashiya-san!

YOU CAN'T HANDLE 'THE TRUTH'! Getting a Rare Glimpse at a Rarely Seen Treasure!

Director Shinpei Hayashiya and yours truly with Hayashiya-san's one-of-a-kind Gamera 4: The Truth box art. 

During my most recent trip to Tokyo, I was very fortunate to be invited to a private screening of one of the most sought-after kaiju fan films of all time, Gamera 4: The Truth. Director Shinpei Hayashiya invited my friend Yasushi and me into his home for the screening.

Hayashiya-san and his producer-wife Atsuko were incredibly gracious hosts. I can't thank them enough for their hospitality.

Regarding the film itself, it's a very good mix of CGI and practical effects. I was under the impression that the film would be almost all computer graphics, so it was a pleasant surprise to see detailed miniatures and puppet effects. Even though the drama scenes have a shot-on-video quality, the movie was well paced that after a while I didn't even notice it anymore. Overall, it was a remarkable effort, especially considering it was a fan film!

After making this (as well as Godzilla vs. Deathgilas, another fan film), Hayashiya-san went on to direct Reigo the Deep-Sea Monster vs. the Battleship Yamato and Raiga the Monster from the Deep Sea. I, for one, eagerly await Hayashiya-san's next effort!