Two Tokusatsu Heroines Join Forces to Save the World!

Sayoko Hagiwara (second from the left) and Michiko Makino (second from the right) pose with the cast and crew of 7 Ways (2023). Photo by Brett Homenick.

Tonight (Sunday, August 6), I joined an event headlined by two tokusatsu heroines: Sayoko Hagiwara and Michiko Makino. They were promoting their new film 7 Ways (2023), which I didn't manage to catch, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to spend an evening with them.

It was actually the first time I met Makino-san. She plays Hikaru Katsuragi (Pink Five) in Choudenshi Bioman (1984-85), one of the most popular Super Sentai series internationally. Interestingly, it was my first time to meet her. I started to think I'd never end up meeting her, as our paths never seemed to cross. 

Of course, Hagiwara-san played Yullian in Ultraman 80 (1980-81) and Dyna Pink in Kagaku Sentai Dynaman (1983-84). She also later appears in Choushinsei Flashman (1986-87) as the villainous Leh Nafel. I've blogged about Hagiwara-san many times in the past, but I hadn't seen her in three and a half years -- way too long! That's what happens when a pandemic gets in your way.

Michiko Makino. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I was privileged to sit across from Makino-san for about half the evening. She talked about going to various events around the world, including France and the Philippines, as well as some of the stunts on the set of Bioman. She also described working with Tadao Nakamaru on Bioman, calling him a frank individual. 

But we also discussed more personal topics. At one point, she asked how old I was, but guessed my age at about six years younger than my actual one. When I told her how old I really was, she was surprised and commented that I look younger. Hey, I'll take it!

Due to the evening's seating arrangement, I had much less time to speak with Hagiwara-san, but what little time I had in her company was very enjoyable. When she saw me, Hagiwara-san called me by my full name and mentioned that we last met about three years ago. Suffice it to say, I was flattered she remembered me so well!

Like with Makino-san, we also got into topics on a more personal side. Hagiwara-san asked if I was married, and I told her I'm still single. She asked me more questions from there (even jokingly holding out her fist like a microphone -- now I know how it feels to be interviewed!), which were fun to answer. (It's kind of surreal talking to tokusatsu heroines about your private life!) 

Sayoko Hagiwara. Photo by Brett Homenick.

In my favorite moment of the evening, when Hagiwara-san went to check the time on the clock on the wall, she grabbed my arm and pulled me with her to check the time. I know other events elsewhere in the world make it a rule that you can't touch the guests, but I sure hope Japanese events don't ever ban the guests from touching me!

And there you have it. What a fun evening it was. Between yesterday's event with Bin Furuya, it was a packed weekend in the company of Japanese heroes!

Vantage Point Interviews Returns with New Content!

Masaaki Daimon in April 2021. Photo by Brett Homenick.

There is new content available on Vantage Point Interviews!

Masaaki Daimon stars in the original Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) as Keisuke Shimizu, but he also appeared in a bevy of other notable films throughout the 1970s. Mr. Daimon talks all about his acting career in my brand-new interview with him.

Jay Hackett was taken over by the evil alien Gudis on Ultraman: Towards the Future (1992) -- and lived to tell the tale! Read all about his Ultra-adventures Down Under here!

Content is always king on Vantage Point Interviews!

A Very Toei Evening!

Sayoko Hagiwara. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Right ater work, I headed for Shimo-kitazawa to catch a play featuring two Toei actors: Shinzo Hotta and Sayoko Hagiwara, both of whom I've written about on this blog in the past.

 Shinzo Hotta. Photo by Brett Homenick.

When I entered the venue, I was surprised to see Shinzo Hotta hanging out in the lobby area. That's because I arrived about an hour after the production had started! He seemed to recognize me and then approached me, although he couldn't quite where he remembered me from. When I mentioned the event we last met, he remembered who I was.

As a refresher, Hotta-san's acting roles date back to the mid-1960s at Toei Studios. Among many others, his credits include: Female Convict Scorpion: Jailhouse 41 (1972), Iron King (1972-73), Ninja Captor (1976-77), and Message from Space: Galactic Wars (1978-79).

Despite having blogged about Sayoko Hagiwara countless times here, I might as well put in a reminder about her, too. Hagiwara-san essayed the role of Ryoko Hoshi, Yullian's human form, on Ultraman 80 (1980-81) from episode 43, as well as Dyna Pink in Dynaman. She also appeared on Flashman as the villain Leh Nafel.

Toei Heroes to the Rescue!

Hiroyuki Takano. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

Tonight, immediately after work, I made my way to Shinjuku to see a stage play starring two Toei (and even Tsuburaya Pro!) actors -- Hiroyuki Takano and Sayoko Hagiwara. These two names ought to be rather familiar by now, as I've blogged about both multiple times.

Takano-san can be seen in Ultra Seven (1967-68), Fight! Mighty Jack (1968), Operation: Mystery (1968-69), Spectreman (1971-72), Return of Ultraman (1971-72), Kamen Rider (1971-73), Silver Mask (1971-72), and Submersion of Japan (1974-75). However, his most notable role was co-starring in the Toei superhero series Barom-1 (1972) as Kentaro Shiratori.

Sayoko Hagiwara. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

Sayoko Hagiwara, who played the role of Ryoko Hoshi, Yullian's human form, on Ultraman 80 (1980-81) from episode 43, as well as Dyna Pink on Kagaku Sentai Dynaman (1983-84). She also appeared on Choushinsei Flashman (1986-87) as the villainous Leh Nafel.

I arrived rather late (due to work), so I was only able to catch the last 30 minutes or so of the play. It didn't bother me so much, as the reason I came was to visit Takano-san and Hagiwara-san, anyway. After the show, I spotted several friendly faces in the audience, and suffice it to say, it was great to see so many great people in one spot.

A great time was had by all.

Ultraman 80's Jin Nakayama Passes Away at 77

Jin Nakayama as Captain Kazuki Oyama in Ultraman 80. 

Actor Jin Nakayama passed away on October 12 of lung cancer at his Tokyo residence. Despite having passed away nearly a month ago, news of his passing was announced by his agency on November 11. He was 77.

Born on September 25, 1942, Nakayama began his professional acting career in 1965 and appeared in films for a variety of Japanese studios, including Toho and Shochiku. He made his biggest impact on television, from which Ultraman fans worldwide still remember him as UGM Captain Kazuki Oyama in Tsuburaya Productions' Ultraman 80 (1980-81). He also appeared in Akio Jissoji's Ultra Q: The Movie (1990) as Dr. Ichinotani. He remained active as a performer until the time of his passing.

Please join me in saluting a true monster fighter.

Toei Heroes Back in Action!

Daisuke Ban. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Thursday, August 29, I attended a play in Shimo-kitazawa starring two legendary TV heroes: Daisuke Ban and Sayoko Hagiwara. Well, to say "starring" is a bit of an exaggeration. Actually, they had extended cameos. The bulk of the show featured actors I was completely unfamiliar with.

Anyway, on to the stars. Ban-san starred in Kikaider (1972-73) and Inazuman (1974). Ban-san went on to play Battle Cossack in Battle Fever J (1979-80). I've met him a few times in the past -- most notably in Los Angeles in 2010. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Ban-san remembered me from that meeting.

With Sayoko Hagiwara.

Also on hand was Sayoko Hagiwara. Hagiwara-san played Ryoko Hoshi, Yullian's human form, on Ultraman 80 (1980-81) from episode 43, as well as Dyna Pink on Kagaku Sentai Dynaman (1983-84). She also appears on Choushinsei Flashman (1986-87) as the villain Leh Nafel.

The show itself wasn't that amusing, but getting a chance to see Hagiwara-san and Ban-san made it all worth it.

Nikkatsu Night!

Mayumi Shimizu. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

Today, I attended a screening of a 35mm print of Masahisa Sunohara's Kaminari Otemba Musume (1961), produced by Nikkatsu Studios. The film is a lighthearted comedy about a young tomboy who rides a motorcycle and ultimately falls in love with another motorcyclist.

Also at the screening was Nikkatsu actress Mayumi Shimizu. Joining Nikkatsu in 1957, Shimizu-san starred in a bevy of films for the studio. She eventually married fellow Nikkatsu actor Yuji Odaka (of Gappa the Triphibian Monster fame) and is the aunt of Godzilla series actress Megumi Odaka. She even has her own tokusatsu connection, guest-starring in episode 38 of Ultraman 80 (1980-81).

When I presented her with a photo of our first meeting in February for her to sign, she pointed to me in the photo and said in English, "Handsome." Well, I'll let Shimizu-san have the final word on that.

Naturally, it was great to see her again, and the movie was a lot of fun, too. Let's do it again!

TOEI HEROES CONVERGE! Two Superhero Actors Join Forces for an Event in Shinjuku!

Sayoko Hagiwara and Takumi Tsutsui. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today, I attended a special event in Shinjuku that was guested by two popular actors from '80s Toei superhero programs.

The first guest was Takumi Tsutsui, who starred in Sekai Ninja Sen Jiraiya (1988-89), which is a show with an intenational following.

The other guest was Sayoko Hagiwara, who played the role of Ryoko Hoshi, Yullian's human form, on Ultraman 80 (1980-81) from episode 43, as well as Dyna Pink on Kagaku Sentai Dynaman (1983-84). She also appeared on Choushinsei Flashman (1986-87) as the villainous Leh Nafel. I've blogged about her many times in the past.

It had been a few months since I last saw Hagiwara-san, so I especially enjoyed seeing her again. We had a nice chat, and when I left the event as things were winding down, she walked me to the door and kept chatting. It's not every day you get that kind of treatment from special guests!

SUPERHEROES CONVERGE ON TSUKIJI! The Toei All-Stars to the Rescue!

Tsukiji Hongan-ji. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Tonight, I attended a play near Tsukiji Hongan-ji, but the true highlight is what happened afterward. I was quite fortunate to attend a special dinner with several stars from the Super Sentai and Kamen Rider series.

Sayoko Hagiwara, Yumiko Tanaka, and Koji Unoki pose for pictures. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The three luminaries on hand were Sayoko Hagiwara (Dynaman's Dyna Pink), Yumiko Tanaka (Harumi Kusanami from Kamen Rider Super-1, as well as Godzilla 1985), and Koji Unoki (Dyna Blue from Dynaman). 

To say it was a fun evening would be the understatement of the year. I had a blast. There's nothing like hanging out with people as cool as this. To top it all off, it was Hagiwara-san's birthday. That made the evening all the more special. Many thanks to all involved!

THE LADIES OF SUPER SENTAI! Three Decades of Toei Action Heroines in the House!

Yours truly with Ultraman 80 and Dynaman actress Sayoko Hagiwara. 

Today, I attended an event with a plethora of alumni from Toei's long-running Super Sentai series. of course, most Americans are only familiar with Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, but Super Sentai is where it all started.

One of the guests I was interested in seeing again was Sayoko Hagiwara. As readers of this blog ought to know by now, Hagiwara-san played Yullian on Ultraman 80 (1980-81) and Dyna Pink on Kagaku Sentai Dynaman (1983-84). I was rather surprised when Hagiwara-san greeted me with a hug. Suffice it to say, that's not something one often gets an event like this!

With Goranger and Battle Fever J star Lisa Komaki. 

Also on hand was Lisa Komaki. Komaki-san played Peggy Matsuyama on Himitsu Sentai Goranger (1975-77), the original Super Sentai series. She was also the suit actor for and voice of actress Diane Martin as the heroine Miss America on Battle Fever J (1979-80).

With Gingaman actress Juri Miyazawa.

Finally, I enjoyed meeting actress Juri Miyazawa for the first time. Miyazawa-san played Ginga Pink on Seiju Sentai Gingaman (1998-99). It was a great event with very friendly guests. Can't wait to do it again in the future!

DYNA PINK RETURNS! Sayoko Hagiwara Celebrates Christmas!

Actress Sayoko Hagiwara at a recent signing event. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

I've just returned from a great Christmas Eve event with actress Sayoko Hagiwara. Hagiwara-san played Yullian in Ultraman 80 (1980-81) and Dyna Pink in Kagaku Sentai Dynaman (1983-84). She also later appears in Choushinsei Flashman (1986-87).

I arrived just after work and was able to attend the dinner portion. It was my second time to meet Hagiwara-san, and I was glad that she remembered me. We spoke quite a bit in English (after my Japanese failed), and she even invited me to come and sit next to her when she changed seats to speak with another group of fans. She also said I looked like Kyle MacLachlan, which was quite a compliment.

Hagiwara-san is awesome, and I look forward to seeing her again. She's among the friendliest genre personalities I've ever met. Thank you very much for an incredible Christmas Eve, Hagiwara-san!

MEETING SAYOKO HAGIWARA! An Actress Whose Career Includes Ultraman and Super Sentai!

Yours truly with actress Sayoko Hagiwara.

Today I attended a special event in Tokyo and was able to meet actress Sayoko Hagiwara.

Hagiwara-san played Yullian in Ultraman 80 (1980-81) and Dyna Pink in Kagaku Sentai Dynaman (1983-84). She also later appears in Choushinsei Flashman (1986-87). Hagiwara-san spoke some English, and we were able to have a nice conversation. I found her to be extremely friendly, and she was one of the nicest people I've met in Japan. 

Hopefully, I'll have a chance to meet her again the future. I'd certainly love to have the opportunity.