Kamen Rider has his own restaurant? What a SHOCKER!
When in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, be sure to visit this fine dining establishment. Kamen Rider: The Diner is a theme restaurant that any self-respecting tokusatsu fan should visit. Where else can you eat among such cool SFX memorabilia in Japan?
Sure, the prices are higher than comparable restaurants, and the portions are smaller (even for Japan!), but in a place like this, the food's not the point. What can you do there? Well, let's see...
You can meet Kamen Rider himself!
After finishing your meal, you can maniacally cackle as you plot to take over the world.
You can have Kamen Rider help you choose the best drink!
Kaiju fans, be sure to add this great place to your Tokyo travels. Even if henshin heroes aren't your cup of tea, you'll love the ambiance.
The diner's official Web site can be found here. Check it out!
However, director Yoshimitsu Banno wants to update it for the 21st century.
Mr. Banno's production company Advanced Audiovisual Productions, Inc., is proposing 3-D musical version that will take place in 11th-century Japan and present-day America.
This version will be called Genji: The Shining One.
The film will depict the conflict between a father and son who have very different ideas about the direction of the son's future. The theme of forgiveness plays out during the movie's compelling drama.
Mr. Banno takes notes during our conversation.
The screenplay has already been written by Australian scribe Bob Ellis. Mr. Banno is seeking investors for this project, which he hopes will bring The Tale of Genji, one of the most important literary works in human history, to a worldwide audience for the first time ever. Here is information for potential investors, courtesy of producer Yoshimitsu Banno:
As the second project of 3D movie, we are developing “GENJI – The Shining One 3D” and look for the first investor of 15,000,000 (yen).
The Privilege of the first investment is as follows,
As a bonus of the risk of the first investment, AAP remits 15,000,000 to the account of investor on the next day of the start of filming.
(2) The investor could have the position of planning producer and gets 2,000,000 payment on the next day of the start of filming.
(3) Investor possesses the share of 10% of net income of AAP as a privilege of the first investor.
As always, I am happy to pass on any serious inquiries to Mr. Banno. You can help expose a significant part of Japanese history to the world at large!
Yours truly with Keisuke Kato, who played Kamen Rider Ixa on the series Kamen Rider Kiva (2008-09). I interviewed Mr. Kato for G-FAN magazine on January 4.
My trip to Tokyo wasn't just sightseeing and meeting up with friends. I had some business to conduct, as well. A friend of mine put me in touch with not one but two Kamen Riders, both of whom requested to be interviewed by me for G-FAN magazine.
And who am I to turn down a request by Japan's most popular hero?
Standing with Kazuki Kato, who starred in the series Kamen Rider Kabuto (2006-07), as well as the films Kamen Rider: The Next (2007) and Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit (2008).This interview was conducted on January 5.
Suffice it to say, the interviews were entertaining and informative, and I look forward to seeing them published in G-FAN.
Oh, and before I forget...
Kazuki Kato is also a popular singer in Japan. When he was discussing one of his recent concerts, I asked him if he performed the Take-Majin song. Since he wasn't aware that I had even heard of Guilala, he laughed and expressed surprise that I had seen the movie! Naturally, I asked him several questions about the film.
The Land of the Rising Sun lives up to its name: A view of the Tokyo Sky Tree (and the Asahi Flame) right before 7:00 a.m.
The Tokyo Sky Tree was recently determined to be the world's largest free-standing broadcast tower. You can read all about it here.
While visiting Tokyo from January 2 to January 5, I stayed in Asakusa, which provided me a great view of the Tokyo Sky Tree every time I stepped outside.
I managed to take a few shots just before 7:00 in the morning. (I had an early morning interview to conduct on the 5th.) I was impressed with the photos, and hopefully you will be, too.
Ah, and here's a daytime shot for your viewing pleasure!
Your humble blogmeister poses with director Yoshimitsu Banno on January 3, 2012, in Tokyo.
Over on a horror-related message board, tokusatsu fans were discussing Yoshimitsu Banno's role as screenwriter and assistant director on Toho's 1974 disaster epic The Last Days of Planet Earth (a.k.a. Prophecies of Nostradamus).
On my most recent trip to Tokyo, I had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Banno over drinks. We discussed a variety of topics, and I made sure to ask him about his involvement in the ever-controversial Last Days.
Mr. Banno, to this day, remains very active in the movie business.
I was particularly impressed with the information Mr. Banno gave me about Last Days (as well as Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster, his best-known work by far). I posted the following on the board, but I felt I should also share Mr. Banno's memories with you, my loyal readers:
He told me he wrote the screenplay for Last Days of Planet Earth over the course of about 10 days in a Shibuya hotel, with an assist from Toshio Masuda (though Masuda wasn't present the whole time). He mentioned the Ben Goto book as a basis for the screenplay but not (for what it's worth) The Last War. Mr. Banno doesn't remember what scenes he directed except for (as mentioned above) the scenes in New Guinea.
As an aside, he also said that he wrote the script for Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster in about one week with Takeshi Kimura in a cheap hotel in Nagano prefecture. This was, of course, after Kimura turned in a poor first draft that Mr. Banno rejected. (Kimura apparently never gave his all to novice directors.)
One more thing. Mr. Banno cast Hiroyuki Kawase in Smog Monster after auditioning about 50 or 60 child actors. He had nothing but praise for Kawase's acting ability, and he even said that Kawase was the best actor in the movie when it came to dubbing the lines for scenes shot on location.
More information on Mr. Banno will be posted on this blog in the coming days. Stay tuned!
Akira Takarada and Brett, about to enjoy a traditional Japanese dinner.
I got the surprise of the year when I had a phone conversation with Akira Takarada(Godzilla '54, Monster Zero, King Kong Escapes) the other day. He told me he was coming to Nakatsugawa, Gifu, to film a drama for NHK. What's so special about Nakatsugawa, you ask?
Well, it's where I live.
Mr. Takarada sits next to his former acting student (and current co-star) Yuuki Chiho.
I can't remember the last time my luck was this good! I met up with Mr. Takarada in downtown Nakatsugawa, and we went to a nearby restaurant with the rest of the cast and crew for dinner.
Much to my surprise (there's that word again!), Mr. Takarada introduced me to everyone in attendance. Suffice it to say, it was a little overwhelming!
They usually don't get celebrities in Nakatsugawa! Mr. Takarada mingles with the locals.
Mr. Takarada and I spoke about many topics, and I came away from the evening with a lot of hope for the future. If a fraction of what we talked about comes to pass, 2012 will prove to be quite a year!
That's all, folks! Goodnight from Nakatsugawa!
It's not every day that the Godzilla series' biggest star drops by your town, which made this particular meeting all the more special. With 2011 almost at an end, I can't wait for 2012 to arrive, which promises to be an even more exciting year than this one!
Toho star Akira Kubo (Matango, Destroy All Monsters, Monster Zero) answers questions about his career during an all-night film festival in Kyoto, Japan.
Text and photos by Brett Homenick
On December 10, 2011, the Kyoto Minami Kaikan hosted an all-night film festival that celebrated the Golden Age of kaiju eiga. On tap for the evening were special showings of Monster Zero (1965),Majin Monster of Terror (1966), and Gamera vs. Gyaos (1967). The first film began at 1:10 a.m. (technically on December 11), with the final film screening at 4:50 in the morning. Truth be told, all-nighters aren't my idea of a good time (I love sleep too much), so when I initially received the tip from August Ragone that this film festival would be taking place, I was a little unsure. However, one thing sealed the deal for me.
Can you say "game-changer"? Akira Kubo's appearance at the film festival immediately put to rest any doubts I may have had.
By far, the biggest draw of the evening for me was Akira Kubo's advertised appearance. As any good G-fan knows, Mr. Kubo has headlined such Toho classics as Destroy All Monsters, Gorath, Matango, and Son of Godzilla, among others, and he remains one of Toho's most popular actors of all time. That he would be signing autographs and pressing the flesh was all the motivation I needed to hop on the shinkansen bound for Kyoto.
Toho tales: Akira Kubo shares his experiences at Japan's greatest movie studio with an enrapt audience.
Having attended the Shinepatosu Mechagodzilla film event in Ginza last month, I thought I knew what to expect. However, I must say that the Kyoto Minami Kaikan's staff far exceeded my expectations. Fans in attendance were allowed to have more face time with Mr. Kubo than with any of the guests at the Ginza event. (In some instances, we didn't get any face time with the guests!) Also, a staff member ensured we could get photographed with Mr. Kubo. (This touch was painfully absent from the Shinepatosu event.) What can I say? I came away overwhelmed!
Now that's what I call a memento! Yours truly with one of his childhood idols, Akira Kubo.
After Mr. Kubo was finished signing autographs, composer Yasuhiko Fukuda took the stage to do some live demos of his (and other composers') monster movie music. (For more on that, go here.) Following the live music, it was on to the flicks!
Naturally, it was a treat to see three great mid-'60s kaiju eiga on the big screen. I made it all the way through Monster Zero without any problem. As we got into Majin Monster of Terror, however, my eyelids got a little too heavy, and -- yes -- I had to conk out for a while. I was back up in time for the climax, so at least I got to see the good stuff. By then, I felt more awake, and watched Gamera vs. Gyaos in its entirety.
A happy moment...
I must give the Kyoto Minami Kaikan full marks for a job well done. If they do a similar event in the future, I'll do what I can to go. Let's just hope their next event is an all-day film festival! (I sure would appreciate the sleep...)
For an even better idea of what Mr. Kubo's appearance was like, please watch the videos below. It's almost as good as being there!
