DAN MOROBOSHI AND AKIKO FUJI TEAM UP IN FUJISAWA! Two Popular Ultra-Stars Share the Stage!

Koji Moritsugu and Hiroko Sakurai talk to the audience about the Ultra-memories. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Saturday, September 12, I traveled to Fujisawa in Kanagawa Prefecture to attend a talk show event hosted at Joli Chapeau. Actor Koji Moritsugu (Ultra Seven's Dan Moroboshi) and actress Hiroko Sakurai (Ultra Q's Yuriko Edogawa and Ultraman's Akiko Fuji) were scheduled to sign autographs and meet their fans at a special event with limited attendance.

Koji Moritsugu remains one of the most popular alumni from the entire Ultra-series. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Actors from Ultraman (1966-67) and Ultra Seven (1967-68) tend to be the most popular from the decades-long series among Japanese fans, and it is always a treat when actors from the two shows share the stage. It also means it's usually difficult to see, as tickets for such events sell out extremely quickly.

Actress Hiroko Sakurai was in great spirits, often laughing with Moritsugu-san. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The event started with autograph signings, and it's always interesting to see the memorabilia that Japanese fans bring to get signed. I brought in my trusty The Genesis of Ultraman 1966-1980 book for both guests to sign. Moritsugu-san signed another page of the book (he signed it elsewhere last month), and Sakurai-san added her signature to it.

Coming to the rescue! Photo by Brett Homenick.

I also asked Sakurai-san to sign my DVD sleeve of the Toho comedy Aloha 3 Gents (1963), directed by Shue Matsubayashi. Along with Machiko Naka (Godzilla's Revenge), Sakurai-san plays one of Hisaya Morishige's daughters. Sakurai-san was quite surprised to see the DVD sleeve and commented on how nostalgic it made her feel.

After that, the guests sat down and had a free-flowing conversation. They compared it to manzai, a two-person form of Japanese comedy, and after seeing it, that's not a bad description at all! Sakurai-san could not keep a straight face, as she was laughing most of the time. Moritsugu-san is quite a jokester, and he kept Sakurai-san in stitches.

Once the two guests had finished their interview, it was time for pictures to be taken. If you thought I was kidding about Moritsugu-san's comedic antics, well, just look at the photo below. I think a picture really is worth a thousand words!

Overall, I had a fantastic time. Moritsugu-san is always a blast to hang out with, and Sakurai-san is always a joy to see. As usual, more cool things are in the works, so keep it here for all the inside info!

AN AFTERNOON WITH SHIGEO KATO! Enjoying Coffee with One of Toho's Most Prolific Actors!

Actor Shigeo Kato in Kamakura. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Earlier today I traveled to Kamakura to meet with actor Shigeo Kato. I've blogged about Kato-san several times, but suffice it to say that he's worked with all the great Toho directors and appears in just about every Toho classic from the Showa era. At 90 years old, Kato-san still keeps active in Kamakura.

Shiego Kato signs my copy of The Genesis of Ultraman 1966-1980. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Kato-san was not just a familiar face in Toho movies, but he was an actor in many classic Tsuburaya Productions TV shows. So I brought my copy of The Genesis of Ultraman 1966-1980 for him to sign. Kato-san was rather impressed with the book and enjoyed thumbing through it.

Unfortunately, the weather was extremely rainy, so our activities were kept indoors. We've already made tentative plans for the next visit, so we'll have to do that during sunnier weather! I'm very grateful for Kato-san's unending generosity. He is truly one of the good guys!

CELEBRATING A NEW PLAY! Writer Hiroyasu Yamaura Hosts a Party in Kawasaki!

Shuwatch! Ultraman fans join writer Hiroyasu Yamaura (front row, second from right) in striking Ultraman's Specium Ray pose.

Tonight I attended an after-party celebration for a new stage play by famed screenwriter Hiroyasu Yamaura. Yamaura-san was in great spirits after a successful performance. The cast and crew joined fans and had a great time mingling with one another.

Yamaura-san signs my The Genesis of Ultraman 1966-1980 book. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Yamaura-san wrote several episodes of many Tsuburaya programs, but the most notable were Ultra Q (1966) and Ultra Seven (1967-68). Naturally, I asked him to sign my The Genesis of Ultraman 1966-1980 book, which he enjoyed thumbing through. Several tokusatsu fans gathered around during this time, and we took several group shots together.

I hadn't seen Yamaura-san since June, so it was a great opportunity to catch up. While I wasn't able to see the play (it sold out before I could reserve tickets), Yamaura-san invited me to attend the after-party celebration. Suffice it to say, I was only too happy to accept.

TAC CELEBRATION IN SHINJUKU! An Ultraman Ace Alum Throws a Shinjuku Shindig!

Utraman Ace actor Mitsuhiro Sano sings a karaoke rendition of his series' theme song. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Saturday, August 22, I made my way to Shinjuku's Kabukicho district to attend a party at Poppo, a bar owned and operated by Ultraman Ace actor Mitsuhiro Sano (TAC member Kozo Yoshimura). The party was attended by several familiar faces, many of whom I meet on a regular basis.

Sano-san's autograph joins those of many other Ultra-series alumni in my The Genesis of Ultraman 1966-1980 book. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Karaoke was a major aspect of the celebration, and several attendees sang various songs, such as tokusatsu TV show themes and even Beatles tunes (specifically "Yesterday"). Sano-san himself got in on the act and belted out the theme song to Ultraman Ace. It was quite a sight to see (and hear).

Yours truly with Mitsuhiro Sano at his bar in Kabukicho.

I must thank Sano-san for his hospitality and for throwing such an enjoyable shindig. When it comes to tokusatsu events, no one does them quite as well as the Japanese. I feel fortunate to have made as many friends in Japan as I have. A sincere thanks to every one of them!

THE GENESIS OF ULTRAMAN 1966-1980! A Temporary Ultra Exhibit in Yokosuka!

Signage outside the Yokosuka Museum of Art, advertising its special Ultraman exhibit. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The Genesis of Ultraman 1966-1980 is a special exhibit hosted by the Yokosuka Museum of Art, which runs between June 27 and August 30, 2015. This exhibit has been touring around different parts of Japan for the past few years, but it has recently come to the Tokyo area (though it's technically taking place in Kanagawa Prefecture) earlier this summer.

Ultramen assemble! One of the (very) few parts of the exhibit in which photography is allowed. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I was very impressed by the exhibit. I have seen other Ultraman-related exhibits in Tokyo, but this was by far the best. I was pleasantly surprised by the sheer number of original props on display (everything from original Science Patrol uniforms to masks of the various Ultra Brothers), as well as the various creature designs that patrons could view.

Kanegon stands on guard, ready to confiscate your camera if you sneak any photos! Photo by Brett Homenick.

As the name of the exhibit would suggest, it covers the years 1966 through 1980, so everything from Ultra Q (1966) through Ultraman 80 (1980-81) is covered. At the end of the exhibit, there is some memorabilia, highlighting Ultraman's iconic status, but since my interest is limited to the production of the shows (and not the merchandise that gets pumped out), I just briefly glanced at what was on display.

Overall, I highly recommend The Genesis of Ultraman 1966-1980 to any Ultra-fan lucky enough to be in the Tokyo area this summer. The artifacts and history on display was awe-inspiring, and it is by far the best array of props and memorabilia from the Ultra-series I have ever seen.

Gettin' in on the action! Could there be room for another Ultra Brother?

For more information, follow this link. A word of advice: The Yokosuka Museum of Art is very far from Yokosuka Station. Be prepared for a very expensive taxi ride to the museum and/or to stand in the blistering summer heat of Japan for a long time while you wait for the bus. (I speak from painful experience on both counts.) In any case, definitely check it out while you can.