What Happened When a Kamen Rider and a Toho SFX Director Crossed Paths!

Masato Uchiyama. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Tonight (Saturday, April 29), I attended a special event -- one that boasted a familiar guest as well as a brand-new one for me. The new guest was Masato Uchiyama. Uchiyama-san's credits include playing Ren Senju on Ultraman Nexus (2004-05), Katsuhiro Kumagai on episode 11 of Ultra Q: Dark Fantasy (2004), and Yoshio Kobayashi (Rabbit Orphnoch) on Kamen Rider 555 (2003-04). His best-known role, however, would have to be that of Shun Kageyama (Kamen Rider PunchHopper) in Kamen Rider Kabuto (2006-07), Kamen Rider Decade (2009), and Kamen Rider Zi-O (2018-19). 

Masato Uchiyama strikes a pose with Eiichi Asada. Photo by Brett Homenick.

It's not often that I meet guests who are actually younger than I am, but that's the case with Uchiyama-san. He was quite friendly, but, due to my lack of familiarity with his work, it was a bit difficult to come up with things to say. Thankfully, a group of about four young women (who looked like they came straight from Harajuku) were on hand, attracted by the opportunity to meet Uchiyama-san, and did the talking for me. One young lady even brought out a few Kamen Rider toys for the occasion. It was a rare sight at a tokusatsu event, but I guess Uchiyama-san has that kind of fanbase. 

Masato Uchiyama and Eiichi Asada. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I did talk quite a bit with Uchiyama-san's colleague (and assistant) who was there at the event with him. She told me she isn't an actress or even Uchiyama-san's manager; she just works at the same company as Uchiyama-san and was there to assist him. She also told me a bit about of her own background, as well as Uchiyama-san's current projects. 

With Masato Uchiyama.

The most fun at the event, however, was definitely Eiichi Asada. I showed up to the event quite late, and, when I arrived, Asada-san was standing outside by himself on a smoke break. We engaged in a bit of small talk, and Asada-san was a bit concerned that I might be a bit cold because I wasn't wearing a coat. I assured him I was fine (which I most assuredly was), despite the cold weather. During the event, Asada-san told Uchiyama-san's group of admirers about me, pointing out to them that I was single. I had a bit of fun with that (telling the young ladies the reason I'm single is that I play for the other team), to which Asada-san jokingly got exasperated. It's kind of amusing when a Toho SFX director tries to play matchmaker for you.

With Eiichi Asada.

Asada-san left the event a bit sooner than I did, so you can imagine my surprise when I heard someone call my name when I was about to get on the elevator at the train station. It was Asada-san (who was with another person from the event), and we all went up the elevator together. I was holding a flyer for the recent soundtrack release for the Ken Takakura film Station (1981), which Asada-san pointed out was a good film. Actress Chieko Baisho was on the flyer, and I mentioned that she was married to the composer of Godzilla 1985 (1984), of which Asada-san wasn't aware. He then told me I knew a lot about these movies, which I guess after all this time I kind of do. 

We went out separate ways at the next station. What a fun event! Even though I wasn't sure I would attend, I'm glad I did. Bring on the next one!

A Former Toho SFX Director Brings a New Hero to the Stage!

Yuichi Kikuchi. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

After work on Friday, June 28, I headed out to catch the latest stage play directed by Yuichi Kikuchi. I blogged about him a few months ago, but to recap, Kikuchi-san is best known for serving as SFX director on Godzilla against Mechagodzilla (2002), as well as working as assistant SFX director on such movies as Gamera 3 (1999) and Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000). He was also SFX director on Ultraman (2004), Ultraman Nexus (2004-05), Ultraman Max (2005-06), Ultraman Mebius (2006-07), as well as other works.

The stage play was quite interesting, as it centered around the making of a superhero movie. The "movie within a play" sequences were a lot of fun to watch, as a suit actor battled several baddies onstage in scenes reminiscent of most Toei TV programs.

After the show, the inevitable photo ops took place. Kikuchi-san signed my mini poster of the show, and I took a photo of the play's superhero in all his glory, Not too shabby, eh?

Meeting Godzilla's Millennium SFX Director!

Yuichi Kikuchi. Photo by Brett Homenick.

As soon as I finished work, I made a beeline to Suginami to attend a stage play directed by Yuichi Kikuchi. Kikuchi-san is best known for serving as SFX director on Godzilla against Mechagodzilla (2002), as well as working as assistant SFX director on such movies as Gamera 3 (1999) and Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000). 

The Tokusatsu DNA staff sent its congratulations to Kikuchi-san. Photo by Brett Homenick

Following his work on the kaiju genre, Kikuchi-san returned to the Ultra-series, working as SFX director on Ultraman (2004), Ultraman Nexus (2004-05), Ultraman Max (2005-06), Ultraman Mebius (2006-07), among others.

Following the performance, Kikuchi-san greeted attendees in the lobby. Kikuchi-san knew who I was based on the message I wrote him, and I guess I'm pretty easy to spot in a Japanese crowd, anyway. We had a nice chat and talked a bit tokusatsu.

ULTRAMAN: THE NEXT IS BACK! Round Two for This Tsuburaya Pro Feature!

Director/producer/cameraman Kiyoshi Suzuki. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Saturday night, there was another Ultraman: The Next (2004) event that I just couldn't pass up. I'm very glad I attended. I was particularly interested in meeting the man who was (for me) the guest of honor.

It was my first time to meet Kiyoshi Suzuki, a veteran of Tsuburaya Productions who joined the company in 1964 and worked on Ultra Q (1966) and Ultraman (1966-67) as an assistant cameraman. From there, Suzuki-san also worked on such tokusatsu productions as: Kaiju Booska (1966-67), Ultra Seven (1967-68), Mighty Jack (1968), Return of Ultraman (1971-72), Mirrorman (1971-72), Iron King (1972-73), Ultraman Taro (1973-73), and Ultraman Leo (1974-75). Suzuki-san also worked behind the camera as a director, and in that capacity he shot episodes of Super Robot Red Baron (1973-74), Super Robot Mach Baron (1974-75), and Dinosaur Expedition Born Free (1976-77). In the Heisei era, Suzuki-san has mostly worked as a producer on various Ultraman movies that have been made since the 1990s.

Kazuya Konaka returned to this event, as well. Konaka-san has directed episodes of Ultraman Dyna (1997-98), Ultraman Cosmos (2001-02), Ultraman Nexus (2004-05), Ultraman Mebius (2007-07), Ultraseven X (2007), Ultraman Ginga S (2014), and Ultraman Orb: The Origin Saga (2016-17). Konaka-san also helmd the feature films: Ultraman Zearth 2 (1997), Ultraman Tiga and Ultraman Dyna (1998), Ultraman Gaia: The Battle in Hyperspace (1999), Ultraman: The Next, Mirrorman Reflex (2006), and Ultraman Mebius and Ultra Brothers (2006).

Also on hand was actress Kyoko Toyama, who starred in Ultraman: The Next as Sara Mizuhara and reprised her role in episodes 33 and 34 of Ultraman Nexus.

It was another great evening. Many thanks to all the friendly guests for their kindness.

ULTRAMAN NEXUS IN YOKOHAMA! The Cast and Crew Comes Out for an Ultra-Event!

 Ultraman Nexus star Takuji Kawakubo poses with an Ultra-toy. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today, I spent a pleasant evening in Yokohama at an Ultraman-related event with several guests in attendance. Each one was friendly and outgoing, and even though I'm not very familiar with Ultraman Nexus (2004-05), after this event, I think I'm a fan for life!

With series director Yuichi Abe.

Yuichi Abe was one of the headlining guests. Abe-san directed many episodes of the series, and he has also helmed episodes of some of the more recent Ultraman outings. In addition, he worked on Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) and early on in his career worked on the special effects side of Gunhed (1989) and Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989).

With series star Takuji Kawakubo.

 Also on hand was star Takuji Kawakubo, who played Kazuki Komon. Kawakubo-san is passionate about learning English, so it was a big topic of conversation for us. He was very friendly and a joy to speak with.

With series writer Keiichi Hasegawa.

I also met Keiichi Hasegawa, who was a writer on Ultraman Nexus. However, his biggest credit in the U.S. is penning GMK: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001). He was also quite friendly to speak with.

What a great way to cap a busy week!