King Kong (and Son) Appear in Kitami!

 King Kong (chompin' a cigar) plays with his favorite toy in Kitami. Photo by Brett Homenick.

In the past, I've blogged about a large King Kong (or at least a giant gorilla) sculpture in Sangenjaya, but it was recently brought to my attention that there was another such sculpture in Setagaya Ward. About a seven-minute walk from Kitami Station (not too far from Toho Studios) is another great ape (and son) atop a building. Naturally, I had to see it for myself, which I did yesterday. Here are my photos. Enjoy!

FIRE AND FURY! The Legacy of Godzilla!

The Godzilla statue at Toho Studios. Photo by Brett Homenick.

In 1954, Japanese audiences witnessed fire and fury (and frankly power), the likes of which movie audiences had never seen before. Godzilla's legacy as a groundbreaking monster movie continues to be felt to do this day, with various remakes, reboots, and reimaginings being produced on both sides of the Pacific.

In light of recent events, I paid another visit to Toho Studios to celebrate this legacy as well as the life of the man who brought Godzilla to life.

A fan-made tribute to Haruo Nakajima was left at the studio. I can't say for sure who made it, but whoever it was probably used to make expressions in animation. 

And here is a closeup of a Godzilla figure placed among the flowers and photos. Rest in peace, Mr. Nakajima.

REVISITING TOHO STUDIOS! Paying My Respects to the King of the Monsters!

Earlier today, I stopped by Toho Studios to photograph the area. I hadn't been by the studio in a long time, so it was overdue. Enjoy!

YUZO KAYAMA DRINKS COKE! 100 Years of the Iconic Coca-Cola Bottle Celebrated in Japan!

A vending machine in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, depicts movie star Yuzo Kayama as a Coca-Cola pitchman. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Coca-Cola is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its iconic Coke bottles in a big way, and the party has reached the shores of Japan. Vending machines, train stations, and other locations all have pictures of various celebrities drinking Coke, and the celeb who would appeal most to fans of Showa-era Toho films is Yuzo Kayama.

The son of Ken Uehara (Mothra, Atragon), Kayama-san himself never appeared in a monster movie, but he did dabble in tokusatsu with appearances in Espy (1974) and war films like Attack Squadron! (1963). Otherwise, he is best known to Westerners for his co-starring role in Akira Kurosawa's Red Beard (1965) and for playing the title character in Toho's Young Guy series.

It's certainly nice to see a classic Toho star adorning vending machines throughout Tokyo!