ULTRAMAN ACE REUNION! TAC Members Share a Grand Evening Together!

Actors Keiko Nishi (left) and Shunichi Okita (right) pose for the cameras at La Shion. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

I've just gotten back home from a small Ultraman Ace (1972-73) reunion at La Shion, a small restaurant in Tokyo. The reunion involved two actors who played TAC members on the show: Shunichi Okita (who played Ichiro Yamanaka) and Keiko Nishi (who portrayed Noriko Mikawa).

When I arrived, I had no idea that Nishi-san would be in attendance, too. It was a very small gathering with very few fans in attendance. In fact, there was really just one other fan there. Nishi-san was there with her son and his wife, as well as a friend of theirs. It was great to be part of such a small and intimate gathering.

While there, Okita-san invited me to attend a very special event next month. Suffice it to say, I'm very excited. Stay tuned for a full report!

A TEMPORARY GODZILLA DIORAMA ROCKS SHINJUKU! The King of the Monsters Celebrates His Birthday in Style!

Say cheese! Godzilla destroys the city for the paparazzi. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

From October 31 until November 8, a temporary Godzilla diorama was set up on the 8th floor of the Hotel Gracery Shinjuku. In celebration of Godzilla's 61st anniversary, fans from all over Tokyo flocked to the location to see it for themselves. The diorama may have closed, but it will live on forever in photos, so let's take a look!

GODZILLA VS. JAMES BOND! A "SPECTRE" Is Haunting Shinjuku!

"Godzilla vs. 007"? Sounds good to me! As the latest James Bond spy thriller SPECTRE (2015) prepares to be released in Japan, this was the scene yesterday in Shinjuku. All I can say is, I can't wait!

KAIJU STREET IN KABUKICHO! A Closer Look at Shinjuku's Monstrous Artwork!

The many faces of Minya! The Son of Godzilla is just one kaiju to get his moment of glory on Kaiju Street. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

I've blogged about Kaiju Street in Kabukicho before, but the photographs I took were rather limited. So here's an expanded look at the artwork available for fans to see up close and personal in Kabukicho. Enjoy!

CELEBRATING GODZILLA'S BIRTHDAY WITH ULF OTSUKI! The Toho Actor Sends the Big G His Best Wishes!

Hanging with actor Ulf Otsuki after dinner at an Indian restaurant in Tokyo.

November 3 marks Godzilla's 61st birthday, and to celebrate the occasion, I visited actor Ulf Otsuki (Godzilla vs. Megalon) at his home. Ulf's credits in tokusatsu are legendary. He has appeared in Space Giants (1966-67), Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot (1967-68), Fight! Mighty Jack (1968), Rainbowman (1972-73), Kamen Rider Stronger (1975), Daitetsujin 17 (1977), Kamen Rider Super 1 (1980-81), and most recently Kamen Rider Drive (2014-15). He also appears in Juzo Itami's Tampopo (1985).

The sun sets on Edogawa, bringing the end to a beautiful day. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I had a great time visiting Edogawa, which is a place I don't get to see very often. It's a beautiful area, and it certainly has a much different feel from the rest of Tokyo. If you don't like the hustle and bustle of Shinjuku or Shibuya, you may find Edogawa more to your liking.

I met up with Ulf at his house, and we caught up on many things. After spending a couple of hours there, we went to an Indian restaurant for dinner. It was very tasty (and very spicy!), and it was a fun way to celebrate Godzilla's birthday.

We had a blast, and I hope Godzilla did, too!

KUMI MIZUNO TALKS GARGANTUAS! Ikebukuro Humax Cinemas Hosts the Special Event!

A signed bromide card of Kumi Mizuno from Monster Zero (1965). Photo by Brett Homenick.

November 2 saw a special screening of War of the Gargantuas (1966) at the Ikebukuro Humax Cinemas as part of an all-night film festival celebrating Godzilla's 61st anniversary.

I'm not a big fan of all-night film festivals, so I elected only to watch War of the Gargantuas and to attend the subsequent Q&A session with actress Kumi Mizuno. Director Shusuke Kaneko (GMK, the Heisei Gamera series) was a surprise guest during the Q&A.

Seeing War of the Gargantuas in 35mm (and on a massive theater screen) was a delight. I don't think it's ever looked better!

Mizuno-san looked great, and she shared many laughs about her career in tokusatsu. After the interview, Mizuno-san handed each attendee a signed bromide card, and a staff member gave each attendee the rest of the bromide set. Suffice it to say, it was a joy to shake hands and speak with Mizuno-san again.

KING KONG VS. GODZILLA FILMING LOCATIONS! A New Look at Some Classic Scenes!

Akabanedai Danchi, the site of the exterior shots of the apartment in King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962). Photo by Brett Homenick.

Recently, diligent Japanese Godzilla fans have identified Akabanedai Danchi as the filming location for the exterior shots of Fumiko's apartment used in Toho's King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962). Akabanedai Danchi is an apartment complex near Akabane Station. Although it's difficult to identify which particular area was used in the film with certainty, any of the complex's buildings from #2-8 would be good candidates.

I found the apartment complex very easily, and even though I was expecting a 10-minute to the area, it seemed closer to five minutes.

The Big O Ferris wheel at Tokyo Dome City, the successor to Korakuen Amusement Park, which is featured in the movie. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The location now known as Tokyo Dome City (in Bunkyo, Tokyo) is site to several notable locations from King Kong vs. Godzilla. When Kong snatches Fumiko from the train, several rides and attractions (including a Ferris wheel) can be seen in the background. At the time, this place was called Korakuen Amusement Park, though it is now Tokyo Dome City.

The famed Kodokan Judo Institute, which Kong clobbered back in 1962. Photo by Brett Homenick.

During Kong's rampage on Tokyo, the beast suddenly stops and punches a gaping hole through a building. That building is the Kodokan Judo Institute (the building on the right in the above photo). Of course, given that it's a celebrated judo school, many Japanese fans have speculated that the attack on the Kodokan was a deliberate in-joke by the filmmakers, signaling the beginning of the series' descent into "monster wrestling."

Elevated train tracks for the Marunouchi Line, the spot from which Kong picked up the train to grab Fumiko. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Right next to the Kodokan are the elevated train tracks that Kong wrecked in the film. Given the close proximity these locations have to one another, it's a convenient way to check out several Godzilla locations in one shot.

I plan to do more location searches in the future, so stay tuned for more cool filming spots!