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.

Godzilla's Cinematographer Speaks on Vantage Point Interviews!

Keiichi Sakurai in April 2022. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Check out my new interview with tokusatsu cinematographer Keiichi Sakurai, who recounts his special effects career from Zone Fighter (1973) through Shin Godzilla (2016). Mr. Sakurai shares many fascinating stories from some of the more obscure tokusatsu films in Toho's history, so there's quite a bit of new information.

Vantage Point Interviews proves once again that it is the website where, in fact, content is king.

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.

An Evening with a Legendary Tokusatsu Cinematographer!

Keiichi Sakurai. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Tonight, I spent an fun evening with tokusatsu cameraman Keiichi Sakurai. Sakurai-san's career in special effects photography goes back to the 1970s with Zone Fighter (1973), but he's best known for his tokusatsu cinematography on Shin Godzilla (2016). The event was part of a tribute for the late tokusatsu director Teruyoshi Nakano, of whom Sakurai-san has many fond memories. I met Sakurai-san for the first time in April, and he couldn't have been nicer. Here's a sample of what happened earlier tonight. Enjoy!

An Evening with Showa- and Heisei-Era Tokusatsu Legends!

Director Shusuke Kaneko and actor Tatsuhito Go. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Tonight, I attended a special event with director Shusuke Kaneko and actor Tatsuhito Go. While most readers of this blog are familiar with Kaneko-san's credits in tokusatsu, I'm sure most may not be familiar with Go-san's. So let's take a quick look at the highlights.

Tatsuhito Go (whose previous stage name was Haruo Nakazawa) was a regular on the Super Sentai-esque TV series Strada 5 (1974) as Ichinen Takenaka/Apollo (Strada 3), and appeared in episode 8 of the series Jekyll and Hyde (1973) and episode 11 of Zone Fighter (1973) as the jealous racecar driver Yukio Sasaki. (This episode features both Godzilla and Gigan and was directed by Jun Fukuda.) 

Tatsuhito Go. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On the big screen, he appears as a youth in Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster (1971) and in Conflagration (1975) as helmsman Tamura. I brought my Blu-ray of Strada 5 for Go-san to sign, as well as a DVD sleeve of Conflagration. When Go-san saw it, he laughed and exclaimed the title of the film in Japanese.

I had fun chatting with Go-san about his tokusatsu experiences, although his memories of those projects have mostly faded these days. Still, he was an entertaining storyteller who had everyone (including me) laughing about his memories.

Shusuke Kaneko. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I also enjoyed hanging out with Kaneko-san again. We chatted about various tokusatsu topics, as well as more mundane, everyday things. Earlier in the evening, Kaneko-san signed my DVD sleeve of GMK (2001).

And that's about all. It was a very fun evening, with two cinematic luminaries whose career cover works as vastly different as the Heisei Gamera series and Zone Fighter. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

Fumio Ishimori Q&A Now on Vantage Point Interviews!

With Fumio Ishimori in November 2020.

A brand-new interview has been posted with screenwriter Fumio Ishimori on Vantage Point Interviews, who began his scriptwriting career at Nikkatsu Studios in the mid-1960s. Among his film credits are Toshio Masuda’s war film Monument to the Girl’s Corps (1968), Toho’s Horror of the Wolf (1973), and the animated feature Galaxy Express 999 (1979). He also wrote several episodes of the original Kamen Rider (1971-73) TV series, as well as episodes of Ultraman Ace (1972-73) and Zone Fighter (1973).

At Vantage Point Interviews, content is king!

Ulf Otsuki, 'Godzilla vs. Megalon's' Bearded Seatopian Agent, Passes Away

Ulf Otsuki with his DVD copy of The Invisible Man in February 2017. Photo by Brett Homenick.

According to a January 2021 interview with his sister, classical pianist Ingrid Fuzjko Hemming, veteran tokusatsu character actor Ulf Otsuki passed away sometime in August 2020. No other details were revealed in the interview. Given that Ulf was born on August 27, 1934, it is impossible to know his exact age at the time of his death without more information.

Ul Otsuki in November 2016 with a signed baby picture of himself. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

Internationally, Ulf Otsuki is best known by far for playing the bearded Seatopian agent in Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973). But, on television, Ulf's tokusatsu credits span about 50 years. He appears in episodes 38 and 39 of The Space Giants (1966-67) as George Yamaguchi, episode 20 of Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot (1967-68) as BF Syndicate scientist B, episode 6 of Fight! Mighty Jack (1968) as the Q boss, episodes 20 and 21 of Warrior of Love Rainbowman (1972-73) as the villainous L-Banda, episode 15 of Zone Fighter (1973) as a Garoga agent, episode 11 of Kamen Rider Stronger (1975) as King Kazaal, as a regular on Daitetsujin 17 (1977) as Professor Hessler, episode 1 of Kamen Rider Super-1 (1980-81) as Professor Henry, and most recently episodes 13, 17, and 47 of Kamen Rider Drive (2014-15) as Harley Hendrickson. He also appears as a doctor in Juzo Itami's Tampopo (1985) and as Nostradamus in The Terrifying Revelations of Nostradamus (1994). As extensive as these credits are, there are many others.

The statue for which Ulf Otsuki modeled as a young adult. Photo by Brett Homenick.

When Ulf was 19 years old (and a member of the acting troupe Haiyuza), he was selected as the model for this statue by Japanese artist Yasuo Sugawara, an old friend of Ulf's mother. The statue is currently at the entrance of the Nara Prefectural Museum of Art, and one can view the statue without buying a ticket to enter the museum.

Ulf Otsuki at a Toho tokusatsu exhibit in August 2012.

I got to know Ulf very well over the years. I wrote a letter to him sometime around early 2008, and shortly thereafter he called me from Japan. We'd been in touch since then. When I moved to Japan in 2011, he was one of the first people I met during my initial visit to Tokyo. He was incredibly energetic and full of life. In early 2018, however, he suffered a massive stroke, and I was only able to see him once after that. I'll always fondly remember going to Ulf's house and watching classic movies with him.

Yours truly clowning around with Ulf at the Toho tokusatsu exhibit in August 2012.

Before we'd ever met, I conducted this interview with Ulf, but always wanted to do something more in-depth. He lived a fascinating life and truly did things his way. I'll miss him dearly. 

Rest in peace, Ulf.

Interviewing a Screenwriting Legend!

Fumio Ishimori. Photo by Brett Homenick.

This afternoon, I had a fun and enlightening time interviewing longtime screenwriter Fumio Ishimori, whose screenwriting career dates back to the early 1960s. I learned a lot about his experiences, and I can't wait to share them in the finished interview.

Ishimori-san has several tokusatsu credits to his name, including Kamen Rider (1971-73), Ultraman Ace (1972-73), Zone Fighter (1973), and the Toho action/horror flick Crest of the Wolf (1973). All these topics and much more were covered in the interview. When it's eventually published, I'll share the link here. Watch this space.

A Comedic Start to 2020!

 Fumio Ishimori. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Over the holidays, I received a letter from Fumio Ishimori, who invited me to attend a play in Asakusa for which he wrote the script. Today was the first performance, and Ishimori-san was in attendance, so naturally I went, too. I've seen several of Ishimori-san's plays in Asakusa. He often writes scripts for this comedy troupe. I hadn't seen Ishimori-san since June, so I was especially pleased to attend. Besides, I really wanted to greet him and personally wish him a happy New Year.

Ishimori-san was a screenwriter who wrote many scripts for Shochiku and Nikkatsu, including Toshio Masuda's war film Monument to the Girls' Corps (1968). Genre fans might know Ishimori-san as co-screenwriter of the Toho horror film Crest of the Wolf (1973) with Jun Fukuda. He also penned numerous episodes of Kamen Rider (1971-73), along with episodes of Ultraman Ace (1972-73) and Zone Fighter (1973).

Ishimori-san was a true gentleman, as he always is. I had a great time in his company, and I hope to see him again very soon.

Comedy Has Come Back to Asakusa!

Fumio Ishimori. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Today, I paid a visit to the Asakusa 21st Century Comic Theater to attend a stage play written by Fumio Ishimori. Ishimori-san is a prolific screenwriter whose credits include the Toho horror film Crest of the Wolf (1973), along with a myriad of TV productions, such as Kamen Rider (1971-73), Ultraman Ace (1972-73), and Zone Fighter (1973). 

The play was a 007 parody with a lot of broad, over-the-top humor. There was even a Kamen Rider reference in the show. (Take that, Shocker!) Definitely fun stuff. I certainly had fun seeing Ishimori-san again, who is always very friendly. I'm already looking forward to his next production!