Ultraman Great Flies into Tokyo!

Dore Kraus poses with Ultraman at a Mandarake shop at the Nakano Broadway shopping mall. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Actor Dore Kraus, who played Ultraman Great's alter ego, Jack Shindo, in Ultraman: Towards the Future (1992), came to Tokyo in April of this year, and I had the distinct privilege of spending time with him during his vacation on two separate days. Dore contacted me a few days before arriving, and, when I knew he would be coming to my neck of the woods, I made sure to set aside plenty of time.

We first got together on Saturday, April 22, in Nakano after I finished work. Then we met up again on Sunday, April 30, in Ebisu (before moving on to Ultraman Street and Toho Studios) and spent most of the day together. There's a lot to see, so let's get right to the photos!

Dore Kraus poses under a sign listing Ultraman Great at Nakano Broadway. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Dore Kraus finds an Ultraman Great figure at a toy shop in Nakano Broadway. Photo by Brett Homenick.

After dinner at Gusto in Nakano. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Dore Kraus poses with Ultraman at Soshigaya-Okura Station. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Ultraman watches over Soshigaya-Okura Station. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Dore Kraus poses with Ultraman. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Photo by Brett Homenick.

Photo by Brett Homenick.

Say, that guy flying over us looks a bit familiar... Photo by Brett Homenick.

Dore Kraus (can you spot him?) at Toho Studios. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Photo by Brett Homenick.

Photo by Brett Homenick.

Photo by Brett Homenick.

It's Godzilla vs. Jack Shindo! Photo by Brett Homenick.

Jack Shindo would have made a great addition to the Seven Samurai. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Photo by Brett Homenick.

Capping off a fun day at the Hotel Excellent Ebisu.

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!

'Ultraman: Towards the Future' on Vantage Point Interviews!

Photo © Tsuburaya Productions.

Ultraman: Towards the Future (1992) was the first Ultra-series produced in the West, and Terry Larsen wrote all 13 episodes. For the first time ever, Mr. Larsen shares his experiences of making this memorable series. Read all about it on Vantage Point Interviews!

Vantage Point Interviews Updates!

Steven Greene with actor Yuzo Kayama during the filming of Espy. Photo courtesy of Steven Greene. Espy © 1974, Toho Co., Ltd.

New content is available at Vantage Point Interviews, so let's take a look! First is an interview with actor Steven Greene from Toho's Espy (1974). He played the Baltonian prime minister in that film, but he's had so many adventures around the world that the bulk of the interview focuses on those. It's truly a fascinating story!

Photo © Steve Rosewell.

The second one is an interview with Steve Rosewell who worked on the SFX of Ultraman: Towards the Future (1992). Mr. Rosewell reveals that the SFX were originally done more or less Gerry Anderson-style but that everything switched to suitmation about halfway through production. And he has the photos to prove it! 

Vantage Point Interviews proves once again that content is king!

Ringing in the New Year with Vantage Point Interviews!

With Katsuhiko Sasaki in 2013.

Vantage Point Interviews kicks off the New Year with some never-before-seen content! The first interview is one with Godzilla series actor Katsuhiko Sasaki that was conducted back in April 2013 that hadn't been properly translated until just recently. (Hey, better late than never.)

Also on the site is my brand-new interview with Ultraman: Towards the Future (1992) regular Lloyd Morris, who played UMA member Charles Morgan.

In 2021, content is still king at Vantage Point Interviews!

New Updates at Vantage Point Interviews!

With Kenji Sahara in June 2012.

There's more new content at Vantage Point Interviews. For the first time ever, my second interview with Kenji Sahara from July 2009 has finally been published. (The first one was published on VPI a couple of years ago.) Check it out -- you'll be among the first!

Also new at VPI are my interviews with Ultraman: Towards the Future model maker Norman Yeend and Godzilla vs. Biollante actress Beth Blatt. Content is king at Vantage Point Interviews, and these new additions to the site more than live up to that motto!

My dinner with Ultraman

Brett hangs out with Dore Kraus after an excellent meal at L.A.'s Drago Centro.

On October 8, I had the pleasure of sharing a meal with Dore Kraus, best known to G-fans as playing Jack Shindo (Ultraman's alter ego) in Tsuburaya Productions' Ultraman: Towards the Future (a.k.a. Ultraman Great). The show, which aired on L.A.'s KCOP-TV (channel 13) in early 1992, was my first exposure to Ultraman, and would remain the only Ultra-show I would see for many years.

Dore Kraus is no stranger to Godzilla fandom, as he made guest appearances at John Roberto's KAIJU-CON '96 in New York and G-CON '97 in Chicago (along with Kenji Sahara and Masanari Nihei).

I could go on and on about the dinner and what a gentleman Dore was, but when you have actual footage from the event, why not let that do the talking? So, without further ado...