Friday, May 7, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAISUKE BAN: MAY 5, 1947!
Actor and Star of KIKAIDA and INAZUMAN
お誕生日おめでとう、伴大介さん!
Photo: Ban Daisuke Official Website
Born on May 5, 1947 as Kiyonori Saito in Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture, Ban became interested in acting while attending Meiji University and working a low-paying job in a local teahouse, Saito joined the NLT Acting Troupe, which cast him in stage plays based on the works of French playwrights. When casting KIKAIDA (1972-73), Toei producer Susumu Yoshikawa and his wife came across the headshot for the young actor, with Mrs. Yoshikawa proclaiming, “He’s the one!” After being christened “Daisuke Ban” by series architect, mangaka Shotaro Ishimori, his screen career was launched. But, after forty years in acting, he is best remembered as Jiro, the incomplete android in KIKAIDA—a role that he will be forever beloved for—not only in Japan, but also in the US (where the series was aired during the mid-1970s on Japanese-language stations).
When the production of INAZUMAN (1973-74) was delayed, the producers had Bad join Shunsuke Ikeda in the early episodes (and the series finale) of KIKAIDA 01. One of the few actors to play three lead roles in a tokusatsu series, Ban also starred as Daisuke Izumo/Ka’nin Captor 7 in NINJA CAPTOR (1976-77), before becoming Makoto Jin/Battle Cossack, one of the main characters in BATTLE FEVER J (1979-80). But, not being typecast, Ban soon was appearing in a number of other television series, including ZENIGATA HEIJI (1966-84), EDO DRAGNET (1970-92), THE YOUNG DETECTIVES (1971-76), HOWL AT THE SUN! (1972-86), THE BODYGUARDS (1974), THE GORILLA 7 (1975), SPECIAL INVESTIGATION: FRONTLINE (1977-87), HELLO! GOODBYE (1989), TRUE SCARY STORIES (1990-92), SUZURAN (1999), and SUPER QUEEN (2007).
Ban also guest starred in several tokusatsu series, as Lt. Colonel Tetsuya Yokota in Episode 81 of SECRET TASK FORCE: GORANGER (1975-77), Professor Kazuhiko Kawamei in Episode 28 of VIGILANTE ZUBAT (1977), Interpol Agent Kuroki in Episode 12 of SPIDER-MAN (1978-79), Tashiro in Episode 16 of SUKEBAN DEKA (1985), Professor Katayama in Episode 34 of MONSTER INVESTIGATOR: JUSPION (1985-86), Professor Hoshi in Episode 1 of SUPER BEAST TASK FORCE: LIVEMAN (1987-88), Ijin in Episode 11 of PSI TASK FORCE: MASKMAN (1988-89), Takayama in Episode 9 of MOBILE COP: JIBAN (1989-90), Detective Koyama in Episode 9 of SPECIAL POLICE: WINSPECTOR (1990-91), Dr. Aizawa in Episode 22 of ICARUS TASK FORCE: JETMAN (1991-92), Dr. Hideyo Inoue in ELECTRONIC SUPERHUMAN: GRIDMAN (1993-94), and Episode 34 of ULTRAMAN DYNA (1997-98).
The prolific actor’s film roles include Shintaro Katsu’s ZATOICHI (1989), Shuei Matsubayashi’s THE VICTORS (1992), Macoto Tezuka’s THE INNOCENT (Hakuchi, 1999), and Tsuruta Norio’s PREMONITION (2004). He is best known outside of Japan as Dr. Heihachiro Ikuma in Hideo Nakata’s RING (1998), Joji Iida’s SPIRAL (1998), Nakata’s RING 2 (1999), and Tsuruta’s RING 0: BIRTHDAY (2000). Ban has also appeared in several independent productions in including GRAVITY-SPEED PHANTOMS (2005) and Aaron Yamasato’s BLOOD OF THE SAMURAI (2001) and the spin-offs BLOOD OF THE SAMURAI: THE SERIES (2004) and NINJA EX (2004). He recently co-starred with fellow tokusatsu star, Hiroshi Miyauchi (KAMEN RIDER V3), as Big John Jack in Kiyohide Matsumura's GAME ACTION (2009).
In 2001, Kadokawa Publishing released Ban’s autobiography, Switch On! Android Kikaida: My Journey With Jiro.
Photo: Ban Daisuke Official Website
Born on May 5, 1947 as Kiyonori Saito in Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture, Ban became interested in acting while attending Meiji University and working a low-paying job in a local teahouse, Saito joined the NLT Acting Troupe, which cast him in stage plays based on the works of French playwrights. When casting KIKAIDA (1972-73), Toei producer Susumu Yoshikawa and his wife came across the headshot for the young actor, with Mrs. Yoshikawa proclaiming, “He’s the one!” After being christened “Daisuke Ban” by series architect, mangaka Shotaro Ishimori, his screen career was launched. But, after forty years in acting, he is best remembered as Jiro, the incomplete android in KIKAIDA—a role that he will be forever beloved for—not only in Japan, but also in the US (where the series was aired during the mid-1970s on Japanese-language stations).
When the production of INAZUMAN (1973-74) was delayed, the producers had Bad join Shunsuke Ikeda in the early episodes (and the series finale) of KIKAIDA 01. One of the few actors to play three lead roles in a tokusatsu series, Ban also starred as Daisuke Izumo/Ka’nin Captor 7 in NINJA CAPTOR (1976-77), before becoming Makoto Jin/Battle Cossack, one of the main characters in BATTLE FEVER J (1979-80). But, not being typecast, Ban soon was appearing in a number of other television series, including ZENIGATA HEIJI (1966-84), EDO DRAGNET (1970-92), THE YOUNG DETECTIVES (1971-76), HOWL AT THE SUN! (1972-86), THE BODYGUARDS (1974), THE GORILLA 7 (1975), SPECIAL INVESTIGATION: FRONTLINE (1977-87), HELLO! GOODBYE (1989), TRUE SCARY STORIES (1990-92), SUZURAN (1999), and SUPER QUEEN (2007).
Ban also guest starred in several tokusatsu series, as Lt. Colonel Tetsuya Yokota in Episode 81 of SECRET TASK FORCE: GORANGER (1975-77), Professor Kazuhiko Kawamei in Episode 28 of VIGILANTE ZUBAT (1977), Interpol Agent Kuroki in Episode 12 of SPIDER-MAN (1978-79), Tashiro in Episode 16 of SUKEBAN DEKA (1985), Professor Katayama in Episode 34 of MONSTER INVESTIGATOR: JUSPION (1985-86), Professor Hoshi in Episode 1 of SUPER BEAST TASK FORCE: LIVEMAN (1987-88), Ijin in Episode 11 of PSI TASK FORCE: MASKMAN (1988-89), Takayama in Episode 9 of MOBILE COP: JIBAN (1989-90), Detective Koyama in Episode 9 of SPECIAL POLICE: WINSPECTOR (1990-91), Dr. Aizawa in Episode 22 of ICARUS TASK FORCE: JETMAN (1991-92), Dr. Hideyo Inoue in ELECTRONIC SUPERHUMAN: GRIDMAN (1993-94), and Episode 34 of ULTRAMAN DYNA (1997-98).
The prolific actor’s film roles include Shintaro Katsu’s ZATOICHI (1989), Shuei Matsubayashi’s THE VICTORS (1992), Macoto Tezuka’s THE INNOCENT (Hakuchi, 1999), and Tsuruta Norio’s PREMONITION (2004). He is best known outside of Japan as Dr. Heihachiro Ikuma in Hideo Nakata’s RING (1998), Joji Iida’s SPIRAL (1998), Nakata’s RING 2 (1999), and Tsuruta’s RING 0: BIRTHDAY (2000). Ban has also appeared in several independent productions in including GRAVITY-SPEED PHANTOMS (2005) and Aaron Yamasato’s BLOOD OF THE SAMURAI (2001) and the spin-offs BLOOD OF THE SAMURAI: THE SERIES (2004) and NINJA EX (2004). He recently co-starred with fellow tokusatsu star, Hiroshi Miyauchi (KAMEN RIDER V3), as Big John Jack in Kiyohide Matsumura's GAME ACTION (2009).
In 2001, Kadokawa Publishing released Ban’s autobiography, Switch On! Android Kikaida: My Journey With Jiro.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
TOKYOSCOPE: "WAR OF THE GIANT MONSTERS!"
San Francisco Kaiju Event on May 7, 2010
5月7日にサンフランシスコでVIZシネマの日本怪獣トークショー!
VIZ Cinema in San Francisco's Japantown is presenting the 3rd talk in the "TokyoScope" series. This time it’s "War of the Giant Monsters", all about Japan’s Giant Monster Cinema, on Friday, May 7th at 7:00pm. Join Otaku USA Editor-in-Chief Patrick Macias, Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters author August Ragone, and Japanese film critic Tomohiro Machiyama at the Bay Area’s hottest film venue for a fun and lively discussion on the “kaiju” (monster) movies featuring rare images and clips of Godzilla, Mothra, Gamera and other iconic creatures from classic Japanese sci-fi cinema.
This "Kaiju Shakedown!" event will also feature a special raffle giveaway of premium monster collectables including the brand new DVD release from Shout! Factory of GAMERA: THE GIANT MONSTER (1965), which will be released on May 18th. The revered classic features the original Japanese version of the film presented with fresh English subtitles and anamorphic widescreen produced from an all-new HD master created from original vault elements. General admission tickets are Adults: $10.00/Senior & Child: $8.00.
"War of the Giant Monsters" kicks off VIZ Cinema's GODZILLATHON film festival taking place Saturday, May 8th through Thursday, May 13th, featuring brand-new 35mm screenings of GODZILLA VS. HEDORAH (1971), GODZILLA VS. GIGAN (1972), GODZILLA VS. MEGALON (1973), and GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA (1974)—all in their original Japanese versions with English subtitles! For more details and screening times go to: www.vizcinema.com
VIZ CINEMA • NEW PEOPLE MALL • JAPANTOWN
1746 Post St,
San Francisco, CA 94115
Tel: 415-525-8600
VIZ Cinema in San Francisco's Japantown is presenting the 3rd talk in the "TokyoScope" series. This time it’s "War of the Giant Monsters", all about Japan’s Giant Monster Cinema, on Friday, May 7th at 7:00pm. Join Otaku USA Editor-in-Chief Patrick Macias, Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters author August Ragone, and Japanese film critic Tomohiro Machiyama at the Bay Area’s hottest film venue for a fun and lively discussion on the “kaiju” (monster) movies featuring rare images and clips of Godzilla, Mothra, Gamera and other iconic creatures from classic Japanese sci-fi cinema.
This "Kaiju Shakedown!" event will also feature a special raffle giveaway of premium monster collectables including the brand new DVD release from Shout! Factory of GAMERA: THE GIANT MONSTER (1965), which will be released on May 18th. The revered classic features the original Japanese version of the film presented with fresh English subtitles and anamorphic widescreen produced from an all-new HD master created from original vault elements. General admission tickets are Adults: $10.00/Senior & Child: $8.00.
"War of the Giant Monsters" kicks off VIZ Cinema's GODZILLATHON film festival taking place Saturday, May 8th through Thursday, May 13th, featuring brand-new 35mm screenings of GODZILLA VS. HEDORAH (1971), GODZILLA VS. GIGAN (1972), GODZILLA VS. MEGALON (1973), and GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA (1974)—all in their original Japanese versions with English subtitles! For more details and screening times go to: www.vizcinema.com
VIZ CINEMA • NEW PEOPLE MALL • JAPANTOWN
1746 Post St,
San Francisco, CA 94115
Tel: 415-525-8600
Saturday, May 1, 2010
"GODZILLATHON" ROARS INTO SAN FRANCISCO!
May 8th-13th at Viz Cinema, Japantown
ゴジラ映画祭はシスコにに現わる!
VIZ Cinema is unleashing the monsters for KAIJU SHAKEDOWN: GODZILLATHON! from Saturday, May 8th thru Thursday, May 13th. Featured are rare screenings of four Godzilla films from the 1970s' "Toho Champion Festival", which produced some of the most outre entries of the series, which were made exclusively for children. But, even so, these were some of the most violent of all the Godzilla films, and the juxtaposition must be seen to be believed — imagine H.R. PUFF'N'STUFF as told by Sergio Leone and Sam Peckinpah... But, wilder!
Screening are Yoshimitsu Banno's GODZILLA VS. HEDORAH (1971), Jun Fukuda's GODZILLA VS. GIGAN (1972), GODZILLA VS. MEGALON (1973), and GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA (1974) — all in their widescreen glory! For GODZILLATHON, Toho Company has struck brand-new, 35mm prints for this event, in Japanese with English subtitles! Previously, Stateside festivals and theaters could only rent Toho's "International" English-dubbed versions of the films — making this event even more special for Bay Area monster mavens!
Don't miss out on the chance to see the color and fury of these films in stunning 35mm a VIZ Cinema, the nation’s first movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean venue is located in the New People building, which boasts state-of-the-art projection and a premium THX®-certified sound system, and plush seating. Ticket prices: General Admission: $10.00; Senior & Child: $8.00.
GODZILLA VS. HEDORAH (1971)
May 8 & 9 at 1:00 pm • May 10 & 12 at 5:00 pm
GODZILLA VS. GIGAN (1972)
May 8 & 9 at 3:00 pm • May 10 & 12 at 7:00 pm
GODZILLA VS. MEGALON (1973)
May 8 & 9 at 5:00 pm • May 11 & 13 at 5:00 pm
GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA (1974)
May 8 & 9 at 7:00 pm • May 11 & 13 at 7:00 pm
VIZ CINEMA • NEW PEOPLE MALL • JAPANTOWN
1746 Post St,
San Francisco, CA 94115
Telephone: 415-525-8600
Click here to purchase Advance Tickets!
VIZ Cinema is unleashing the monsters for KAIJU SHAKEDOWN: GODZILLATHON! from Saturday, May 8th thru Thursday, May 13th. Featured are rare screenings of four Godzilla films from the 1970s' "Toho Champion Festival", which produced some of the most outre entries of the series, which were made exclusively for children. But, even so, these were some of the most violent of all the Godzilla films, and the juxtaposition must be seen to be believed — imagine H.R. PUFF'N'STUFF as told by Sergio Leone and Sam Peckinpah... But, wilder!
Screening are Yoshimitsu Banno's GODZILLA VS. HEDORAH (1971), Jun Fukuda's GODZILLA VS. GIGAN (1972), GODZILLA VS. MEGALON (1973), and GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA (1974) — all in their widescreen glory! For GODZILLATHON, Toho Company has struck brand-new, 35mm prints for this event, in Japanese with English subtitles! Previously, Stateside festivals and theaters could only rent Toho's "International" English-dubbed versions of the films — making this event even more special for Bay Area monster mavens!
Don't miss out on the chance to see the color and fury of these films in stunning 35mm a VIZ Cinema, the nation’s first movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean venue is located in the New People building, which boasts state-of-the-art projection and a premium THX®-certified sound system, and plush seating. Ticket prices: General Admission: $10.00; Senior & Child: $8.00.
GODZILLA VS. HEDORAH (1971)
May 8 & 9 at 1:00 pm • May 10 & 12 at 5:00 pm
GODZILLA VS. GIGAN (1972)
May 8 & 9 at 3:00 pm • May 10 & 12 at 7:00 pm
GODZILLA VS. MEGALON (1973)
May 8 & 9 at 5:00 pm • May 11 & 13 at 5:00 pm
GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA (1974)
May 8 & 9 at 7:00 pm • May 11 & 13 at 7:00 pm
VIZ CINEMA • NEW PEOPLE MALL • JAPANTOWN
1746 Post St,
San Francisco, CA 94115
Telephone: 415-525-8600
Click here to purchase Advance Tickets!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
"GAMERA VS. BARUGON" SPECIAL EDITION DVD!
From Shout! Factory On July 10th!
Art courtesy of Shout! Factory ©Kadokawa Pictures
Freed from the Z Plan capsule, Gamera attacks a dam upon his return to Earth! Meanwhile, a private expedition to retrieve a rare opal in New Guinea, unwittingly unleashes the malevolent Barugon! Virtually unstoppable, and able to freeze anything in its path, the monstrous lizard turns modern cities into glaciers until Gamera arrives to challenge the marauder! But, even the fire-spitting terrapin becomes trapped in the creature’s frozen grip! Can one of the explorers, Keisuke Hirata (Kojiro Hongo, Satan’s Sword), and a New Guinea native, Karen (Kyoko Enami, The Woman Gambler), help to defeat Barugon before it plunges Japan into a new Ice Age?
GAMERA VS. BARUGON (1966) was the second entry in Daiei Studios’ monster series, directed by veteran Shigeo Tanaka (The Great Wall), is more lavish than the original in terms of scale and scope — shot in spectacular color! Noriaki Yuasa (Gamera, The Giant Monster) was relegated to helming the visual effects for this outing, and the results are fantastic! For the first time, Shout! Factory presents GAMERA VS. BARUGON in an all-new HD anamorphic widescreen transfer, in Japanese with English subtitles! Special Features include a collectible reversible cover, a special 12-page booklet featuring an essay by actor Kojiro Hongo, publicity galleries, and an Audio Commentary with Japanese Cinema historians August Ragone and Jason Varney!
Shout! Factory's Special Edition DVD of GAMERA VS. BARUGON hits retailers on July 10, 2010 for only $19.93! Order from the Shout! Factory website, and receive a special limited edition set of Gamera postcards — each representing one of the eight original Gamera films — free with your purchase!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
"GAMERA" IS BOWLING OVER THE CRITICS!
Unanimous Praise For Shout!'s New Release
米国版『大怪獣ガメラ』のDVDは、批評家から賞賛です!
©Kadokawa Pictures
With the impending May 18th release of Shout! Factory's Special Edition DVD of GAMERA, THE GIANT MONSTER (1965), the first of the original eight films to be released by the Santa Monica-based label, the reviews are coming in — and the early reports are stellar! While I have already received advance copies of the DVD, it would not be fair for me to review this disc myself (obviously). So, l will let the objective (and unapologetic) critics speak in their own words:
Kevin Pyrtle of WTF-Film.com: "First things first – the packaging on this release is exceptional all around... Opening the package one finds well designed disc art as well as a 12-page booklet, featuring a 2001 essay by director Noriaki Yuasa, character bios, [and] a neat anatomical rendering of Gamera himself... New in the supplemental department is a feature commentary by August Ragone... this is a fine track, offering insight into the Cold War setting of the film and a wealth of back info for the production and biographical information on the cast and crew... the well-translated subtitles [are the most literate] I’ve seen for a Japanese genre release... the work [Ragone] put into [the subtitles] shows. [Gamera] is a winner all around, and it’s wonderful to see another fan favorite getting its long-due respect... a must buy!"
Joe Cascio of DVD Drive-In: "Shout! Factory must be commended for such an excellent DVD presentation, giving this film the dignity and respect it deserves... The 2.35:1 black and white image is impeccably clean and transferred from an all new High Definition master created by vault elements... an excellent and very informative commentary by August Ragone... sheds new light on all of the film's key players like the late Noriaki Yuasa... as well as thorough biographies on all the leading actors and the genesis of what would eventually become Gamera... [his] playful comments about his distaste for the child character of Toshio Sakurai are also amusing... the dedicated fans at Shout! Factory... have obviously poured their heart and love into giving the genre fans the original GAMERA the way Noriaki Yuasa intended it to be seen."
Ian Jane of DVD Maniacs: "The best of the extra features on this disc is a commentary track from August Ragone... who quite obviously knows his stuff... [he] provides a lot of context... discussing how the Cuban Missile Crisis and other nuclear incidents set the stage for the film... If you've ever wanted to know more about the politics behind a film like Gamera, this is a pretty interesting way to learn about them, but we're also given a wealth of information about who worked on this picture, what else they may have done, how Japanese mythology is reflected in Kaiju films, and how the visual effects were done... Ragone keeps the facts coming quickly in this track, barely taking time to breath, and is never at a loss for words... The transfer is great and the extras are great. Shout! Factory has done an excellent job all around on this release and should be commended for their efforts..."
Stay tuned for more reviews as they come in...
©Kadokawa Pictures
With the impending May 18th release of Shout! Factory's Special Edition DVD of GAMERA, THE GIANT MONSTER (1965), the first of the original eight films to be released by the Santa Monica-based label, the reviews are coming in — and the early reports are stellar! While I have already received advance copies of the DVD, it would not be fair for me to review this disc myself (obviously). So, l will let the objective (and unapologetic) critics speak in their own words:
Kevin Pyrtle of WTF-Film.com: "First things first – the packaging on this release is exceptional all around... Opening the package one finds well designed disc art as well as a 12-page booklet, featuring a 2001 essay by director Noriaki Yuasa, character bios, [and] a neat anatomical rendering of Gamera himself... New in the supplemental department is a feature commentary by August Ragone... this is a fine track, offering insight into the Cold War setting of the film and a wealth of back info for the production and biographical information on the cast and crew... the well-translated subtitles [are the most literate] I’ve seen for a Japanese genre release... the work [Ragone] put into [the subtitles] shows. [Gamera] is a winner all around, and it’s wonderful to see another fan favorite getting its long-due respect... a must buy!"
Joe Cascio of DVD Drive-In: "Shout! Factory must be commended for such an excellent DVD presentation, giving this film the dignity and respect it deserves... The 2.35:1 black and white image is impeccably clean and transferred from an all new High Definition master created by vault elements... an excellent and very informative commentary by August Ragone... sheds new light on all of the film's key players like the late Noriaki Yuasa... as well as thorough biographies on all the leading actors and the genesis of what would eventually become Gamera... [his] playful comments about his distaste for the child character of Toshio Sakurai are also amusing... the dedicated fans at Shout! Factory... have obviously poured their heart and love into giving the genre fans the original GAMERA the way Noriaki Yuasa intended it to be seen."
Ian Jane of DVD Maniacs: "The best of the extra features on this disc is a commentary track from August Ragone... who quite obviously knows his stuff... [he] provides a lot of context... discussing how the Cuban Missile Crisis and other nuclear incidents set the stage for the film... If you've ever wanted to know more about the politics behind a film like Gamera, this is a pretty interesting way to learn about them, but we're also given a wealth of information about who worked on this picture, what else they may have done, how Japanese mythology is reflected in Kaiju films, and how the visual effects were done... Ragone keeps the facts coming quickly in this track, barely taking time to breath, and is never at a loss for words... The transfer is great and the extras are great. Shout! Factory has done an excellent job all around on this release and should be commended for their efforts..."
Stay tuned for more reviews as they come in...
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
"CAPTAIN HARLOCK" STRIKES AGAIN!
The Original 1978 Series Now Online!
最初『宇宙海賊キャプテンハーロック』オンラインを見てください！
Space Pirate: Captain Harlock ©Leiji Matsumoto/Toei Animation
HOLY FLUTTERING JOLLY ROGERS IN SPACE! I never thought I'd live to see the day... All 42 episodes of Leiji Matsumoto and Rintaro's 1978 Anime masterpiece, SPACE PIRATE: CAPTAIN HARLOCK is now up for viewing (fully subtitled) on several online sites, courtesy of Toei Animation and its new partnership with Texas-based anime juggernaut, Funimation. Is this in anticipation of the all-new CGI animated film now in production in Japan, which Toei Animation hopes to distribute world wide (along with their recently announced live action GAIKING revamp)? In any case, it's a welcome and much appreciated surprise, because while the character is famous around the world, the original series was never properly presented in the US. This is the series that exemplified everything that the best of everything that Anime had to offer. The careful plotting, the layered characters, the wonderful teleplays, the dramatic animation, and the amazing score. CAPTAIN HARLOCK is a classic in every sense of the word — it's an epic, rousing and romantic space opera starring one of the greatest science fiction characters ever created!
In the year 2977, the human race has become apathetic and slothful, akin to the end of the Roman Empire, and have let the great oceans die while the Earth’s resources ran dry. So, Mankind reached out into the void only to keep the machine running, and to keep the coffers of the wealthy full. Opposed to this human decay are individuals who have not lost their human spirit, and branded by the government as outlaws, have proudly taken up the mantle of “Pirates”. They take to the stars to seize wealth from the rich and give to the downtrodden. Chief among these pirates is the stoic Captain Harlock, who sets out to protect the human race from itself. But, after a series of strange incidents and the murder of a noted astronomer, Harlock is lead to uncover an invasion plot by a mysterious feminine alien race. The Mazone, who had explored Earth eons ago, have now returned to claim their prize…
Toei Animation and Funimation are also offering several other classic shows as part of its Streaming and On Demand for English viewers, including Matsumoto's seminal GALAXY EXPRESS 999 and even the epic 1980s sensation, FIST OF THE NORTH STAR! Streaming is available to view immediately on Funimation, Crunchyroll, and Hulu. CAPTAIN HARLOCK, and the other series Toei and Funimation are offering, are also available as downloads from Amazon, with other sites to following with on-demand downloads, such as Direct2Drive, Playstation Store, Vuze, and Joost.
I consider SPACE PIRATE: CAPTAIN HARLOCK to be one of the greatest all-time achievements, not only Anime, but also in Science Fiction for television— so, do yourself a favor and visit one of these sites to join the crew of the Arcadia under their "Flag of Freedom"!
Space Pirate: Captain Harlock ©Leiji Matsumoto/Toei Animation
HOLY FLUTTERING JOLLY ROGERS IN SPACE! I never thought I'd live to see the day... All 42 episodes of Leiji Matsumoto and Rintaro's 1978 Anime masterpiece, SPACE PIRATE: CAPTAIN HARLOCK is now up for viewing (fully subtitled) on several online sites, courtesy of Toei Animation and its new partnership with Texas-based anime juggernaut, Funimation. Is this in anticipation of the all-new CGI animated film now in production in Japan, which Toei Animation hopes to distribute world wide (along with their recently announced live action GAIKING revamp)? In any case, it's a welcome and much appreciated surprise, because while the character is famous around the world, the original series was never properly presented in the US. This is the series that exemplified everything that the best of everything that Anime had to offer. The careful plotting, the layered characters, the wonderful teleplays, the dramatic animation, and the amazing score. CAPTAIN HARLOCK is a classic in every sense of the word — it's an epic, rousing and romantic space opera starring one of the greatest science fiction characters ever created!
In the year 2977, the human race has become apathetic and slothful, akin to the end of the Roman Empire, and have let the great oceans die while the Earth’s resources ran dry. So, Mankind reached out into the void only to keep the machine running, and to keep the coffers of the wealthy full. Opposed to this human decay are individuals who have not lost their human spirit, and branded by the government as outlaws, have proudly taken up the mantle of “Pirates”. They take to the stars to seize wealth from the rich and give to the downtrodden. Chief among these pirates is the stoic Captain Harlock, who sets out to protect the human race from itself. But, after a series of strange incidents and the murder of a noted astronomer, Harlock is lead to uncover an invasion plot by a mysterious feminine alien race. The Mazone, who had explored Earth eons ago, have now returned to claim their prize…
Toei Animation and Funimation are also offering several other classic shows as part of its Streaming and On Demand for English viewers, including Matsumoto's seminal GALAXY EXPRESS 999 and even the epic 1980s sensation, FIST OF THE NORTH STAR! Streaming is available to view immediately on Funimation, Crunchyroll, and Hulu. CAPTAIN HARLOCK, and the other series Toei and Funimation are offering, are also available as downloads from Amazon, with other sites to following with on-demand downloads, such as Direct2Drive, Playstation Store, Vuze, and Joost.
I consider SPACE PIRATE: CAPTAIN HARLOCK to be one of the greatest all-time achievements, not only Anime, but also in Science Fiction for television— so, do yourself a favor and visit one of these sites to join the crew of the Arcadia under their "Flag of Freedom"!
Friday, February 12, 2010
THE COLOSSAL CHELONIAN LIVES!
Shout! Factory Unleashes GAMERA on DVD!
©Kadokawa Pictures/Package design: Shout! Factory
Some of you may have wondered why the frequency of my blog entries have been somewhat sporadic of late, and finally I can share why. Late last summer, I was tapped as the Special Features Producer by Cliff MacMillan at Shout! Factory as they were negotiating with Kadokawa Pictures for the North American DVD rights to the original eight Gamera films. I had previously worked with Cliff over at BCI on the R1 DVD releases of the classic tokusatsu series IRON KING (1972) and SUPER ROBOT: RED BARON (1973). While I can't reveal too many details at this time, I can say that these will be DVDs that any self-respecting kaiju eiga fan shouldn't pass up!
Here's a snippet from Shout!'s press release: From Japan, the country that brought us such mythical movie monsters as Godzilla, Rodan and Mothra, storms Gamera, the titanic terrapin feared by adults and loved by children. On May 18, 2010, Shout! Factory will unleash GAMERA, THE GIANT MONSTER Special Edition on DVD for the first time in its unedited, original version, with English subtitles — in anamorphic widescreen from an all-new HD master. The DVD includes a 12-page booklet with an essay by the late director Noriaki Yuasa, a photo gallery, trailers, and more. The collectible GAMERA, THE GIANT MONSTER Special Edition DVD is priced to own at $19.93.
For Shout's Gamera releases, I've assembled an international rag-tag unit of die-hard fans, known as the "Z Plan Team", who have been working overtime in gathering as much information and materials on the original films as possible for the on-disc Special Features supplements (as well as the corresponding printed booklets), and we have uncovered tons of fascinating facts and trivia about the production of Daiei's beloved series. The Special Features will also include Audio Commentaries, with the first recorded by none other than Yours Truly. I hope that it will be entertaining and informative for new and old fans, alike (and I'm pretty sure that I'll get an earful from many of you once GAMERA streets on May 18th)!
Oh, and I've already seen the proofs of the full jacket design and booklet, and I have to give props to Kerrie Stouffer for some knock-out work! I think that you'll turn over on your shells when you see it! Stay tuned for more titanic terrapin DVD news as it develops...
GAMERA LIVES!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Classic Movie Art: ATRAGON
American International 3-Sheet Poster, 1965
アメリカ版『海底軍艦』の大きな３シートポスター!
Artist, Reynold Brown. Poster size, 41" X 81". Atragon ©1963 Toho
Artist, Reynold Brown. Poster size, 41" X 81". Atragon ©1963 Toho
Friday, January 1, 2010
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KUMI MIZUNO!
Toho's Siren of the 1960s: January 1, 1937
お誕生日おめでとう、水野久美様!
A private 1960 portrait taken by her father when she was 23.
The eternal diva or Toho's fantasy films of the 1960s, or as the Japanese refer to her as the "Madonna", was born as Maya Igarashi in the city of Sanjo, Niigata prefecture where her family ran a photography business. She was a member of the Drama Club while attending Azuma Sanjo High School, and in her Senior year, was the star of their annual stage production. She made her screen debut in the 1957 Shochiku Studios production of Minoru Shibuya's CRAZY SOCIETY.
In 1958, Mizuno was signed by Toho Studios, and a year later, became an alumni of the 8th Graduating Class of Toho's Theatrical Training School. Mizuno went on to appear, and then star in, numerous films at the studio, such as Hiroshi Inagaki's THE THREE TREASURES (1959), Ishiro Honda's SENIORS, JUNIORS AND CO-WORKERS (1959), Kihachi Okamoto's WESTWARD DESPERADO (1960), Okamoto's BIG SHOTS DIE AT DAWN (1961), Hideo Suzuki's WOMAN OF DESIGN (1962), Okamoto's WARRING CLANS (1963), Jun Fukuda's BLOOD AND DIAMONDS (1964), and many others.
But, Ms. Mizuno is perhaps best known outside of Japan for her fantasy film roles, including the Ishiro Honda films, as Takiko Nomura in GORATH (1962), Maimi Sekiguchi in MATANGO (1963), Sueko Togami in FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD (1965), Miss Namikawa in MONSTER ZERO (1965) and Akemi Togawa in THE WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS (1966). Jun Fukuda, who had worked with Mizuno in several crime films, cast her to replace Noriko Takahashi as sarong-clad Dayo in GODZILLA VS. THE SEA MONSTER (1966).
She has continued acting until today, and recently returned to Toho's fantasy films with featured roles in GODZILLA AGAINST MECHAGODZILLA (2002) and GODZILLA FINAL WARS (2005). In October of 2009, she took on the lead role of Dr. Sano in the Toho stage adaption of Honda's 1960 film, THE HUMAN VAPOR. Director Honda said this about the actress in a 1991 interview, "Mizuno was amazing; when she stepped into a role, she actually became the character she was playing!" As an actress, she certainly had it all, and may her eternal, celluloid Je ne sais quoi continue to fascinate future generations of movie fans!
A private 1960 portrait taken by her father when she was 23.
The eternal diva or Toho's fantasy films of the 1960s, or as the Japanese refer to her as the "Madonna", was born as Maya Igarashi in the city of Sanjo, Niigata prefecture where her family ran a photography business. She was a member of the Drama Club while attending Azuma Sanjo High School, and in her Senior year, was the star of their annual stage production. She made her screen debut in the 1957 Shochiku Studios production of Minoru Shibuya's CRAZY SOCIETY.
In 1958, Mizuno was signed by Toho Studios, and a year later, became an alumni of the 8th Graduating Class of Toho's Theatrical Training School. Mizuno went on to appear, and then star in, numerous films at the studio, such as Hiroshi Inagaki's THE THREE TREASURES (1959), Ishiro Honda's SENIORS, JUNIORS AND CO-WORKERS (1959), Kihachi Okamoto's WESTWARD DESPERADO (1960), Okamoto's BIG SHOTS DIE AT DAWN (1961), Hideo Suzuki's WOMAN OF DESIGN (1962), Okamoto's WARRING CLANS (1963), Jun Fukuda's BLOOD AND DIAMONDS (1964), and many others.
But, Ms. Mizuno is perhaps best known outside of Japan for her fantasy film roles, including the Ishiro Honda films, as Takiko Nomura in GORATH (1962), Maimi Sekiguchi in MATANGO (1963), Sueko Togami in FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD (1965), Miss Namikawa in MONSTER ZERO (1965) and Akemi Togawa in THE WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS (1966). Jun Fukuda, who had worked with Mizuno in several crime films, cast her to replace Noriko Takahashi as sarong-clad Dayo in GODZILLA VS. THE SEA MONSTER (1966).
She has continued acting until today, and recently returned to Toho's fantasy films with featured roles in GODZILLA AGAINST MECHAGODZILLA (2002) and GODZILLA FINAL WARS (2005). In October of 2009, she took on the lead role of Dr. Sano in the Toho stage adaption of Honda's 1960 film, THE HUMAN VAPOR. Director Honda said this about the actress in a 1991 interview, "Mizuno was amazing; when she stepped into a role, she actually became the character she was playing!" As an actress, she certainly had it all, and may her eternal, celluloid Je ne sais quoi continue to fascinate future generations of movie fans!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HARUO NAKAJIMA!
The Original Godzilla: January 1, 1929
お誕生日おめでとう ゴジラさん、中島春雄!
Taking a break on the set of GODZILLA VS. HEDORAH (1971) ©Toho
This is the first photo I ever saw of the man who played Godzilla, Haruo Nakajima, in an early '70s issue of Greg Shoemaker's seminal Japanese Fantasy Film Journal (which subsequently appeared in the pages of Randall D. Larson's Cinefan and Forrest J. Ackerman's Famous Monsters of Filmland), and I consider it to be the definitive image of the man (thanks Greg!).
Mr. Nakajima turns a spry 81 today, and wants his fans to know that he is still going strong (check out my 2009 birthday notice for more information on Japan's dean of monster actors)! We cannot thank him enough for his myriad of kaiju roles which started in 1954 with the roar that was heard around the world in GODZILLA. Help us to wish Mr. Nakajima have one of the greatest years ever, by expressing your own personal greetings and sending them to Armand Vaquer, who will officially forward them to Godzilla himself!
Taking a break on the set of GODZILLA VS. HEDORAH (1971) ©Toho
This is the first photo I ever saw of the man who played Godzilla, Haruo Nakajima, in an early '70s issue of Greg Shoemaker's seminal Japanese Fantasy Film Journal (which subsequently appeared in the pages of Randall D. Larson's Cinefan and Forrest J. Ackerman's Famous Monsters of Filmland), and I consider it to be the definitive image of the man (thanks Greg!).
Mr. Nakajima turns a spry 81 today, and wants his fans to know that he is still going strong (check out my 2009 birthday notice for more information on Japan's dean of monster actors)! We cannot thank him enough for his myriad of kaiju roles which started in 1954 with the roar that was heard around the world in GODZILLA. Help us to wish Mr. Nakajima have one of the greatest years ever, by expressing your own personal greetings and sending them to Armand Vaquer, who will officially forward them to Godzilla himself!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
ATLANTA READIES TO DESTROY ALL MONSTERS!
Silver Screen Spookshow on December 26, 2009
Godzilla returns to Atlanta's Plaza Theater with a special Silver Scream Spook Show presentation of Ishiro Honda's DESTROY ALL MONSTERS (1968) on Saturday, December 26th. The Silver Scream Spook Show is a 30-minute live stage presentation "filled with magic tricks, dancing girls, spectacle and frights!", followed by a classic horror movie in 35mm. Admission is $7.00 for the 1:00 pm Matinee (free for kids under 12) and $10 for the 10:00 pm show.
Plaza Theater
1049 Ponce De Leon Avenue
Atlanta, Georgia 30306
404.873.1939
Sunday, December 6, 2009
ULTRAMAN GOES NEO-MID CENTURY '60s POP!
Bob Logan's Amazing "Ultraman" Studies
Episode 1, "Ultra Operation: No. 1". ©1966 Tsuburaya Productions
Episode 5, "Secret of the Milogandar". ©1966 Tsuburaya Productions
Episode 2, "Blast the Invaders". ©1966 Tsuburaya Productions
Back in August, I posted a fantastic Science Patrol recruiting poster created by illustrator and animator Bob Logan. Here, I've posted three of his "Ultraman Studies" taken from scenes in early episodes of the original ULTRAMAN. It goes without saying that Mr. Logan has a keen interest in the 1966 series, and these studies were executed in the style of Neo-'50s pop art; akin to the work of contemporary retro-pop purveyors, Shag and Tim Biskup.
But, who is Bob Logan? For those who don't know, the Annie-award nominee began his career cutting his teeth on The Simpsons in the early 1990s. Since then, has worked as a Story Artist on various animation productions for Walt Disney Studios and DreamWorks Animation, including Powerpuff Girls: The Movie (2002). He recently published his first book, Rocket Town (2008) from Tor Books. I certainly hope to see more of his Ultraman-inspired work in the future!
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