Fumio Ishimori, Writer of 'Kamen Rider,' 'Zone Fighter,' and 'Ultraman Ace,' Passes Away at 93

Fumio Ishmimori with a Zone Fighter DVD in April 2017. Photo by Brett Homenick.

According to his official Facebook page, screenwriter Fumio Ishimori (sometimes credited as Shiro Ishimori) passed away on June 9. He was 93.

Born on July 31, 1931, Mr. Ishimori began his screenwriting career in the early 1960s, primarily working for Nikkatsu Studios during most of the 1960s, before transitioning to Shochiku before the end of the decade.

With Fumio Ishimori in April 2017.

In total, Mr. Ishimori wrote more than 70 movie screenplays, penning the scripts for the films Fearless Comrades (1966), A Warm Misty Night (1967), Toshio Masuda’s Monument to the Girl’s Corps (1968), The Rendezvous (1972), Journey into Solitude (1972), Toho’s Horror of the Wolf (1973), Galaxy Express 999 (1979), and Nobuhiko Obayashi’s The Rocking Horsemen (1992).

Fumio Ishimori stands outside a theater in Asakusa where a play he had written was performed in September 2016. Photo by Brett Homenick.

In terms of TV tokusatsu, he wrote Kamen Rider (1971-73) episodes 47, 50, 76, 83, 89, and 90, Ultraman Ace (1972-73) episodes 37 and 44, and Zone Fighter (1973) episode 20 (under the pen name Shiro Ishimori).

But his tokusatsu connections run even deeper — his maternal cousin was famed manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori. 

Fumio Ishimori in Asakusa after his play was performed in January 2020. Photo by Brett Homenick.

In November 2020, I had the distinct privilege of interviewing Mr. Ishimori about his prolific screenwriting career. I had come to respect and admire Mr. Ishimori since our first meeting in early 2016 that I was determined to share his story in English with the rest of the world. Mr. Ishimori was, without a doubt, one of the kindest gentlemen I met while I was in Japan. 

With Fumio Ishimori in October 2020.

As he got older, he became much less active, and I never met him again after we completed our interview. Mr. Ishimori stopped going out, although he continued to offer screenwriting lectures via Zoom. I wanted to meet him one last time before leaving Japan, but it was sadly not to be. I'm pleased that I was able to record Mr. Ishimori's screenwriting memories in my interview with him.

Rest in peace, Ishimori-sensei. Thank you for your kindness.

Eizo Yamagiwa, Director of Various Ultra-Shows, Passes Away at 92

Eizo Yamagiwa in July 2022. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Longtime Ultra-series director Eizo Yamagiwa passed away on November 28 at a Tokyo hospital from sepsis due to old age. A private funeral has already been held. He was 92. 

Born on July 22, 1932, Eizo Yamagiwa began his career in the film industry at Shintoho in the mid-1950s as an assistant director. During his time at the studio, he worked on the seventh entry in the Starman film series, Super Giant: The Space Mutant Appears (1958), which was one of the three Starman features that was eventually edited into the American release Evil Brain from Outer Space. 

Ultra-series alumni Shozo Uehara (left), Toshihiro Iijima (center), and Eizo Yamagiwa enjoy a chat in March 2016. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Yamagiwa-san also worked as an assistant director under Teruo Ishii at Shintoho before launching his career as a director of film and television. At Tsuburaya Productions, Yamagiwa-san directed episodes 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 28, 29, 34, and 35 of Return of Ultraman (1971-72), episodes 3, 4, 9, 10, 15, 16, 21, 22, 28, 29, 38, and 39 of Ultraman Ace (1972-73), episodes 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 14, 20, 21, 24, 25, 39, 40, 47, 48 (as well as episode 28 as special effects director) of Ultraman Taro (1973-74), and episodes 50 and 51 of Ultraman Leo (1974-75).

Mitsuhiro Sano, Keiji Takamine, Eizo Yamagiwa, and Shigemitsu Taguchi gather at an Ultraman Ace reunion in February 2019. Photo by Brett Homenick.

He also helmed episodes 3, 4, 14, and 15 of Silver Kamen (1971-72), episode 4 of Horror Theater Unbalance (1973), episodes 11 and 13 (as well as episode 11 as co-scriptwriter with Ei Ogawa) of Jekyll and Hyde (1973), and episodes 8, 9, 16, and 17 of the Submersion of Japan TV series (1974-75).

I first met Yamagiwa-san in March 2016 at a book-launch party for an Ultra Q (1966) tome. There were numerous luminaries in attendance from the world of tokusatsu, and Yamagiwa-san was among them. Even though I didn't know who he was at the time, Yamagiwa-san seemed surprised that an American was at the event, so he approached me. He gave me his business card, and, bowled over that he would come up and introduce himself to me, I asked that we take a picture together. Of course, it didn't take long for me to become familiar with Yamagiwa-san's work.

Eizo Yamagiwa in February 2019. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Over the years, we met several times at events and a couple of times on a personal level. In fact, a month after we first met, we went to a Chinese restaurant in Shibuya together and ate dinner. At that dinner, Yamagiwa-san signed and gave me a book about Return of Ultraman in which he participated as an interviewee. We also talked about various movies from around the world we enjoyed. One title I recall that Yamagiwa-san cited was 8 1/2 (1963). However, when I mentioned Ed Wood (1994), another movie about moviemaking, he wasn't familiar with it, which was to be expected.

Shigemitsu Taguchi (left), Eizo Yamagiwa (center), and Akihiko Iguchi gather to discuss their work on the '70s Ultra-series in November 2016. Photo by Brett Homenick.

As Yamagiwa-san got older, however, it became more and more difficult to meet up. I'd still catch him at an event here and there, but, when I would call him, we couldn't seem to get our schedules to match.

Eizo Yamagiwa interviewed at his home in November 2020. Photo by Brett Homenick.

In 2020, I began doing interviews again in a big way, and I was pleased that Yamagiwa-san agreed to do one with me. In fact, in the beginning, he wasn't sure he would participate at all. I guess he felt he'd given enough interviews on his work in the Ultra-series and wasn't too keen on doing any more. So he wanted to see a sample of the questions I wanted to ask before accepting.

With Eizo Yamagiwa in June 2018.

My translator mailed him the translated version of my questions, which covered a wide variety of topics, including his early life and his work at Shintoho, with the Starman series. It was apparently enough to get him to agree to the interview, as we conducted it just a few weeks later.

Eizo Yamagiwa next to his bookshelf in November 2020. Photo by Brett Homenick.

We did the interview at Yamagiwa-san's home in Eifuku. It was a fascinating history, and I'm very glad he shared it with me. I was especially interested in hearing about his work on the Starman series. In fact, after the interview, I told Yamagiwa-san how I first saw clips of the Starman movies on the old Muppet Babies cartoon show in America. I wanted to point out how the Starman movies became part of American pop culture in surprising ways. His reaction? I'll do my best at an exact quote from memory: "If that had been Japan, I would have tried to sue them." I guess my anecdote didn't go over very well.

Ultra-series veterans Susumu Kurobe (left), Mitsuko Hoshi (center), and Eizo Yamagiwa share the stage in June 2018. Photo by Brett Homenick.

My other memory from the interview is that Yamagiwa-san wanted his photo taken next to his bookshelf so that people could see his collection. I guess he was quite proud of it!

I last saw Yamagiwa-san at an event in July 2022. It was great to see him again there, and I finally was able to get him to sign something Starman-related. I had a DVD sleeve made from cardstock from an old Mill Creek 50-movie pack that included Evil Brain from Outer Space. I brought it for Yamagiwa-san to sign, and I told him it was the U.S. version of the Starman movie he worked on. I remember he did a great job of reading the U.S. title out loud from the DVD sleeve, which was fun to see.

After the event, I bumped into him again by chance as he was getting into a taxi as he was leaving. I said goodbye to him again as he entered the vehicle to go home. Little did I know I'd never see him in person again.

With Eizo Yamagiwa in November 2020.

To the best of my memory, I called him in May 2023, asking to meet up. He told me he was too old, so he had to decline my request. When I knew I was leaving Japan, I asked a mutual friend to try to arrange a meeting, hoping he would have better luck, but that didn't work, either. I wish I could have met him again before I left.

With Eizo Yamagiwa in July 2022.

Rest in peace, director. Your legacy in film lives on.

Actor Makoto Akatsuka, Who Appeared in the Ultraman and Kamen Rider Series, Passes Away at Age 73

Makoto Akatsuka in November 2022. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Film and television actor Makoto Akatsuka passed away on July 4 at a hospital in Ibaraki Prefecture of esophageal cancer. He was 73.

Mr. Akatsuka, who was born on March 19, 1951, began his professional film career in 1967 with Toho, playing youthful character in a variety of productions. He plays Sangoro in the film Double Suicide (1969), Mamoru Watanabe in Wet Sand in August (1971), Chuji Saito in Yoji Yamada's The Village (1975), the grandson in the Tora-san film Tora's Pure Love (1976), a chimpira in The Yellow Handkerchief (1977), Otomatsu Kawase in Nomugi Pass (1979), Makoto in Tora-san Goes North (1987), a policeman in Tora-san Makes Excuses (1992), and Yazaki in the Oscar-nominated The Twilight Samurai (2002).

On television, he appears uncredited in episode 12 of Ultraman Ace (1972-73), episode 11 of Jekyll and Hyde (1973) as a toy factory worker, Fight! Dragon (1974) as Kojiro Musashi, the all-star TV movie Tokyo Earthquake Magnitude 8.1 (1980) as Hiroshi Sakaki, episode 28 of Kamen Rider Black (1987-88) as Tsunekichi Koyama, and Kamen Rider Black RX (1988-89) as the recurring character Shunkichi Sahara.

I met Mr. Akatsuka only once in November 2022. It was after a stage performance in Daikanyama, Tokyo. I approached him after the show to introduce myself and mentioned my interest in tokusatsu productions, specifically mentioning Ultraman Ace. He was very kind, and I enjoyed meeting him.

His acting resume was impressive enough that I did consider reaching out to him for an interview, but, given his recent health issues, it probably wasn't very likely, anyway. I'm sure he had many fascinating stories to tell.

Rest in peace, Mr. Akatsuka.

A Visit with One of Tokusatsu's Greatest Art Directors!

Yoshio Suzuki. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today (Sunday, March 24), I was privileged to meet art director Yoshio Suzuki, a veteran of Godzilla (1954) and numerous other Toho and Tsuburaya Productions works. Suzuki-san was one of the members of the modeling staff who worked on the original Godzilla suit, so to say that he is a living cinematic legend would be the understatement of the year.

Yoshio Suzuki signs a Godzilla (1954) mini poster. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Suzuki-san brought quite a few fascinating items with him. The most interesting thing had to be the photobook with various Mighty Peking Man (1977) stills in it, most likely taken by official Shaw Brothers photographers. I'd never seen any of those photos published anywhere before, so it was a rare glimpse into the history of that particular Hong Kong production.

Suzuki-san's wife Mitsuyo was also on hand for the meeting, and she was quite lovely. Suzuki-san was interested in seeing the photos of Pulgasari that I showed him on my phone again, so I arranged to send the photos to Mitsuyo-san before leaving. Mitsuyo-san also snapped a few photos of me on her phone when I was talking to her husband.

Suzuki-san was very lively and energetic for our two-hour-plus get-together. Would you believe he turns 90 next year? I wouldn't! Then again, on the way to our meeting room, we passed a friend of the Suzukis who was singing karaoke in the rec room of the building. That friend is 99 years old. The 100-year life is truly a reality in Japan.

A big thanks to the Suzukis for making this afternoon one to remember. 

Kamen Rider and Ultra-Heroes Unite for One Night!

Mitsuhiro Sano, Yumiko Tanaka, and Keiko Nishi pose for pictures. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Saturday, July 15, I attended a special event with some surprise guests. The main event was the variety show in which actress Yumiko Tanaka performed onstage with a number of other actors. After the show, I was invited to a dinner with Tanaka-san's friends and supporters. That, for me, was the real attraction.

Yumiko Tanaka. Photo by Brett Homenick.

If you don't know by now, Tanaka-san stars in Kamen Rider Super-1 (1980-81) as Harumi Kusanami and also appears in a small role toward the beginning of Godzilla 1985 (1984) in a scene with Ken Tanaka (which was edited out of the American release). 

At the end of the show, Tanaka-san and her co-stars sang and danced to the Japanese version of the Village People classic "YMCA." I thought that was quite amusing. After the show, our group gathered in front of the venue, which was in Tsukiji, before heading off to dinner. Before I knew it, actress Keiko Nishi joined our group and greeted me by touching my arm. (It's always a plus when the most beautiful woman in the history of the Ultra-series makes contact!)

Actor Mitsuhiro San wasn't too far behind Nishi-san. He and I talked about the song "YMCA," but he's a much bigger fan of the song "Massachusetts" by the Bee Gees, which he can do a pretty good job of singing in English. After that, we headed to the restaurant.

Mitsuhiro Sano. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Of course, Sano-san TAC member Kozo Yoshimura in Ultraman Ace (1972-73). I sat across from Sano-san at the table and close to Nishi-san. Naturally, it was a great experience to be in the presence of such Ultra-series royalty! 

Sano-san commented that he was good at signing in English but not good at English conversation. Well, I hope one day he can master English conversation, too. But, in any case, it's always a blast hanging out with him.

With Keiko Nishi.

Nishi-san appears in Ultraman Ace as TAC member Noriko Mikawa. Even though her cafe closed a while back, it's a joy to see Nishi-san attend events like these. 

And that's a wrap! It was a much more fun evening than I expected, but I'm definitely not complaining! Hope we can do it again soon.

'Ultraman Ace' Alums Reunite in Jimbocho!

Keiko Nishi and Mitsuhiro Sano. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Earlier today (Friday, May 5), I attended an Ultraman Ace-themed event headlined by two actors from the show: Mitsuhiro Sano and Keiko Nishi. Last year, there was a similar event held at the same venue, featuring a different cast member from the show (Shunichi Okita), as well as director Eizo Yamagiwa. That fun event was arranged by a different group, and the differences certainly showed today.

Keiko Nishi and Mitsuhiro Sano. Photo by Brett Homenick.

While I'm sure today's event was fun for the sold-out audience of 40 attendees, I must admit I found it rather lackluster. I make no secret on this blog that I judge events by the amount of personal interaction I can have with guests. Other than a quick greeting from Sano-san when I entered the venue, there was zero. The event was organized with having essentially no contact with the featured guests. And the event was almost twice the cost I usually pay! So it wasn't great...

I don't have much else to say about it, but, since I took time out of my schedule to attend and took some photos, I thought I'd share them here. And I also wanted to highlight the fact that some events do indeed disappoint, as I'm usually rather upbeat in my assessments. Here, though, I just don't have any way to spin this as anything other than a letdown. Oh, well. Live and learn!

SHOWA SONGS! Attending a Live Performance Featuring a Tokusatsu Actress!

Tsukiji Hongan-ji. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Saturday evening, January 14, I attended a performance featuring actress Yumiko Tanaka. The show was held next to Tsukiji Hongan-ji, a beautiful Buddhist temple, in Tsukiji. Due to my work schedule, I missed the first half of the show and arrived during intermission. I only caught the second half of the performance, which was essentially a comedic variety show that featured a lot of Showa-era songs, styles, and dances.

Yumiko Tanaka (right) sings onstage with her fellow performers. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Tanaka-san stars in Kamen Rider Super-1 (1980-81) as Harumi Kusanami and also appears in a small role toward the beginning of Godzilla 1985 (1984) in a scene with Ken Tanaka (which was edited out of the American release). Tanaka-san's various performances during the show were highly entertaining. She's certainly a multi-talented performer! 

The main reason I attended the show was to participate in the dinner that was being organized by one of my friends. After the performance, a group of us headed to a nearby izakaya for a special New Year's celebration. At the dinner, I became acquainted with a couple of fellow tokusatsu fans whom I'd never met before at any other event.

Tanaka-san sat at the table next to mine, so I was able to communicate with her fairly easily. She's just as friendly as she's always been. I always get a kick out of seeing her.

She signed autographs for anyone who brought items for her to sign. I've had her sign a few things over the years, so I didn't bring anything to get autographed. But it turns out I didn't have to. My friend gave out a signed photo to each attendee featuring both Tanaka-san and actress Keiko Nishi, who played TAC member Noriko Mikawa on Ultraman Ace (1972-73).

Yumiko Tanaka. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Speaking of Nishi-san, she also attended the show and dinner, which was a big surprise to me. I hadn't seen her since her cafe in Ginza closed a couple of years ago. When she saw me just after the show got out, she mentioned that it had been a long time since we last met.

Yumiko Tanaka signs Kamen Rider Super-1 memorabilia for a fan. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Nishi-san joined the dinner on the private basis, i.e., not as a featured guest, but she was still friendly enough to sign the photos for attendees and posed for the photo below. Also there was actor Mitsuhiro Sano, who played TAC member Kozo Yoshimura in Ultraman Ace, who was just as awesome. It's always great to spend an evening with such friendly people.

With Keiko Nishi.

And that's a wrap! It was a fun evening, and, even though I got home close to midnight, it was a great time. Hope to do it again!

GODZILLA RETURNS TO MONSTER ISLAND: The '74 Godzilla Suit Actor Retires from Public Life

Isao Zushi in February 2017. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Wednesday, December 28, Godzilla suit actor-turned-restauranteur Isao Zushi permanently closed his izakaya. The 72-year-old Mr. Zushi is one of the handful of Showa-era Godzilla suit actors who played the King of the Monsters in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974), as well as on the tokusatsu TV series Zone Fighter (1973).

"Two Godzillas -- what does it mean?!" Heisei-era Godzilla suit actor Kenpachiro Satsuma talks shop with Mechagodzilla '74 Godzilla suit actor Isao Zushi in July 2020. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

Mr. Zushi and his wife Kiyoko opened his restaurant/bar in 1977 in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. In fact, the name of the restaurant, Seasonal Cuisine Kiyohama, is a portmanteau of Kiyoko and Yokohama. The name of the establishment perfectly encapsulates the family-oriented theme of the izakaya.

Isao Zushi in June 2017. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I was fortunate to visit the restaurant numerous times over the years, starting in May 2016. My visit in July 2020, during which Godzilla series suit actors Kenpachiro Satsuma and Hurricane Ryu also attended, was the last time I would see Mr. Zushi there. The next time I returned, sometime in 2021, Mr. Zushi was surprisingly absent, and he would never return.

The facade of Seasonal Cuisine Kiyohama in December 2022. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Mr. Zushi's health has apparently declined in recent times, although no details are available. Kiyoko and the couple's son Teru continued to run the restaurant after Mr. Zushi stepped away, but the family has ultimately decided to close the restaurant. 

Kiyoko and Isao Zushi behind the counter of the restaurant, presumably in the late 1970s. Photo by Brett Homenick.

In order to attend the last evening before closing, you needed to make a reservation ahead of time, so I decided to visit the restaurant on December 27, the izakaya's penultimate evening in business. It also was a much better fit for my schedule. As usual, Kiyoko and Teru were making the food and the serving the drinks. (To my knowledge, the restaurant has never employed workers outside the family.)

Godzilla watches over Kiyohama in December 2022. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I had a nice time chatting with them. Teru in particular was interested in a 10-DVD set of classic horror movies that I happened to pick up at Book Off earlier in the day. He commented that he appreciates the handmade quality of older films, as opposed to the overuse of CG today. 

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla memorabilia was always proudly on display, as it was here in December 2022. Photo by Brett Homenick.

After I ate my dinner, I said my farewells to Kiyoko and Teru. It was truly sad to see the restaurant close, but, after 45 years in business, the family has more than earned the right to call it a day. I wished them well and thanked them for their years of hospitality.

Meeting Mr. Zushi for the first time in May 2016.

But what about Isao Zushi himself? Well, much to my regret I never got to do a proper interview with him. Believe me when I say it wasn't for lack of trying. In January 2019, he sent my translator a postcard in which he agreed to answer written questions about his career. That January proved to be a particularly busy time for Mr. Zushi and his family, as they welcomed their first grandchild on New Year's Day. 

With Isao Zushi in August 2018.

Of course, I was overjoyed that Mr. Zushi accepted my request, but, regrettably, I would never receive those answers. 

Isao Zushi in August 2018. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Despite being a warm and welcoming gentleman, and, despite his obvious affection for his suit-acting days, he was never interested in doing personal appearances at events or other forms of publicity. Many have tried to convince him otherwise, and all fell flat on their faces in failure. That simply was never going to happen, much to the chagrin of greedy promoters who wanted to profit from him.

With Isao Zushi in February 2018.

I always knew getting an interview from Mr. Zushi was an unlikely prospect, and -- admittedly -- I got further with it than I ever expected I would, but I can't say I'm surprised it never happened. He wasn't after publicity, and you have to respect his decision.

Isao Zushi in July 2017. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I looked all over for any notes I may have taken after my visits with Mr. Zushi, and I just couldn't find any. Maybe I never took any notes. Since (obviously) no recording was made of the conversations, and I (apparently) didn't take contemporaneous notes, please forgive my incomplete memories. But I will try to present some information about Mr. Zushi that (to the best of my knowledge) is accurate. 

With Isao Zushi in June 2017.

Isao Zushi was born on August 15, 1950. He scored the role of Godzilla after being recommended for it by Koichi Kawakita, who worked with Mr. Zushi on Ultraman Ace (1972-73). Mr. Zushi said that he did not wear the Godzilla suit for the scenes with the imposter Godzilla in Mechagodzilla so that its movements would be noticeably different from those of the real Godzilla. 

With Isao Zushi in February 2017.

He also said that Godzilla's unique walk was based on movements he did as a judo practitioner. Moreover, according to this blog, Mr. Zushi shot his scenes as Godzilla in 10 days. 

Isao Zushi, with a photo from his suit-acting days, in December 2016. Photo by Brett Homenick.

An appropriate grain of salt might be necessary for the above information, since it's so hard to verify. I wish I could present something more comprehensive and detailed (and, perhaps, accurate), but this is all I've got. 

With Isao Zushi in August 2016.

I'm grateful I got to spend several evenings with the suit actor who portrayed one of my favorite Godzillas. When you're able to walk into a restaurant and hang out with one of your favorite Godzilla suit actors, you start taking it for granted, and it seems like it'll be that way forever. This is a stark reminder that nothing could be further from the truth.

Isao Zushi in October 2019. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I'll close by reiterating what I told Kiyoko and Teru last night -- that I appreciate their hospitality over the years. I only found out recently that the restaurant would be closing for good, so it was a huge shock to me. I was confident that Mr. Zushi would eventually return to the izakaya once his health recovered, but it simply isn't to be. All I can say is that I'm grateful for the memories I have.

Isao Zushi in April 2019. Photo by Brett Homenick.

In the 1970s, Isao Zushi was the King of the Monsters. But he traded in that prestigious title to live a quiet and rewarding life as a restauranteur, which he did successfully for 45 years. It's a retirement well earned.

With Isao Zushi in April 2019.

Thank you, Zushi-san, for your kindness, and I wish you all the best in the future.