The Ono Kenyukai's current honcho as Kamen Rider No. 2 circa 1971.
Showing posts with label Inazuman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Inazuman. Show all posts
Monday, May 8, 2017
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MASARU OKADA: MAY 8, 1950 Movie & Television Stunt Coordinator Turns 67
大野剣友会代表の岡田勝先生、お誕生日おめでとう！
The Ono Kenyukai's current honcho as Kamen Rider No. 2 circa 1971.
The Ono Kenyukai's current honcho as Kamen Rider No. 2 circa 1971.
Saturday, August 9, 2014
"KIKAIDER: REBOOT" IS COMING TO THE US!
Honolulu Theatrical Premiere: October 10th
10月に『キカイダーREBOOT』がアメリカで上陸！
English herald for the North American Premiere in Honolulu.
SCOOP: It's official — this morning I was notified by the CEO of JN Productions/Generation Kikaida, Joanne Ninomiya, that we could finally announce that her Honolulu-based company has finalized their licensing deal with Toei for the recent feature film, KIKAIDER: THE ULTIMATE HUMAN ROBOT (Kikaida Reboot, 2014), a remake of the original 1972 series, directed by Ten Shimozawa. While more details on this will be forthcoming from JNP/GK in September, we are able to announce that the film will receive its North American Premiere in "Titan XC" at the Ward Stadium 16 in Honolulu, October 10th through October 16th.
JN Productions/Generation Kikaida have released several beloved vintage tokusatsu series on DVD in the US (complete with English Subtitles), such as KIKAIDA, KAMEN RIDER V3, KIKAIDA 01, and INAZUMAN.
Stay tuned for more details as they develop! Or check out the Generation Kikaida website!
English herald for the North American Premiere in Honolulu.
SCOOP: It's official — this morning I was notified by the CEO of JN Productions/Generation Kikaida, Joanne Ninomiya, that we could finally announce that her Honolulu-based company has finalized their licensing deal with Toei for the recent feature film, KIKAIDER: THE ULTIMATE HUMAN ROBOT (Kikaida Reboot, 2014), a remake of the original 1972 series, directed by Ten Shimozawa. While more details on this will be forthcoming from JNP/GK in September, we are able to announce that the film will receive its North American Premiere in "Titan XC" at the Ward Stadium 16 in Honolulu, October 10th through October 16th.
JN Productions/Generation Kikaida have released several beloved vintage tokusatsu series on DVD in the US (complete with English Subtitles), such as KIKAIDA, KAMEN RIDER V3, KIKAIDA 01, and INAZUMAN.
Stay tuned for more details as they develop! Or check out the Generation Kikaida website!
Friday, March 28, 2014
KIKAIDA KNOWS THE WAY TO SAN JOSE!
Actor Daisuke Ban at Big Wow!: May 17 & 18
キカイダー＝伴大介がサンノゼに登場！5月17・18日 !
Beloved KIKAIDA star Daisuke "Jiro" Ban returns to California!
This spring, Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine brings Kikaida to San Jose's Big Wow! Comic Fest on May 17th & 18th! Actor DAISUKE BAN will be joining Godzilla suit actor Kenpachiro Satsuma and Ultraman suit actor Satoshi Furuya at this year's Famous Monsters Pavilion! Mr. Ban, who played the lead role of "Jiro" in Toei's benchmark 1972 superhero series, KIKAIDA: THE ANDROID OF JUSTICE, will be meeting with fans and signing autographs all weekend! Back in 1975, KIKAIDA captured the imaginations of San Francisco Bay Area kids every Sunday night on KEMO-20 (now KOFY-20) — and we never forgot it!
Medicom backing card art for their Toei Retro Sofubi Collection!
Daisuke Ban also played the lead characters in other Henshin Hero television series for Toei Studios, such as INAZUMAN (1973), NINJA CAPTOR (1976), and BATTLE FEVER J (1979). He also had a recurring role in the RING films and is appearing in the upcoming feature film KIKAIDER: REBOOT (2014)! I will be moderating and hosting the presentations of our Japanese guests (to be announced), as well as signing the new paperback edition of my book, "Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters" (Chronicle Books) at the San Jose Convention Center! Please come down and welcome Mr. Ban back to the San Francisco Bay Area for the first time in over ten years — don't miss this event or it will be the Denji End!
Read more about Mr. Ban's career, here!
Stay tuned for more details on the show, guests, and more by checking out their website: Big Wow! Comics Fest!
Beloved KIKAIDA star Daisuke "Jiro" Ban returns to California!
This spring, Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine brings Kikaida to San Jose's Big Wow! Comic Fest on May 17th & 18th! Actor DAISUKE BAN will be joining Godzilla suit actor Kenpachiro Satsuma and Ultraman suit actor Satoshi Furuya at this year's Famous Monsters Pavilion! Mr. Ban, who played the lead role of "Jiro" in Toei's benchmark 1972 superhero series, KIKAIDA: THE ANDROID OF JUSTICE, will be meeting with fans and signing autographs all weekend! Back in 1975, KIKAIDA captured the imaginations of San Francisco Bay Area kids every Sunday night on KEMO-20 (now KOFY-20) — and we never forgot it!
Medicom backing card art for their Toei Retro Sofubi Collection!
Daisuke Ban also played the lead characters in other Henshin Hero television series for Toei Studios, such as INAZUMAN (1973), NINJA CAPTOR (1976), and BATTLE FEVER J (1979). He also had a recurring role in the RING films and is appearing in the upcoming feature film KIKAIDER: REBOOT (2014)! I will be moderating and hosting the presentations of our Japanese guests (to be announced), as well as signing the new paperback edition of my book, "Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters" (Chronicle Books) at the San Jose Convention Center! Please come down and welcome Mr. Ban back to the San Francisco Bay Area for the first time in over ten years — don't miss this event or it will be the Denji End!
Read more about Mr. Ban's career, here!
Stay tuned for more details on the show, guests, and more by checking out their website: Big Wow! Comics Fest!
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Thursday, May 5, 2011
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.
Monday, December 15, 2008
LIGHTNING STRIKES! INAZUMAN IS HERE!!
The Complete 25-Episode Series DVD Box Set
’７０年代変身ヒーロー『イナズマン』のアメリカDVDに新発売！
Dynamic cover packaging by Erwin Baracao & Billy Ching of JNP.
The colorful and action-packed INAZUMAN (1973) was one of many live-action superhero series produced in the early 1970s, during an unprecedented boom of such programs on Japanese television, lead out of the gate by P-Productions' SPECTREMAN (1971-72), Tsuburaya Productions' RETURN OF ULTRAMAN (1971-72), and Toei's KAMEN RIDER (1971-73). Developed for television by the KAMEN RIDER team of creative producer Tohru Hirayama (JOHNNY SOKKO) and manga author Shotaro Ishimori (CYBORG 009), INAZUMAN featured the key elements of Toei's popular progenitor, but unlike KAMEN RIDER and KIKAIDA, the hero was nether a cyborg nor an android, but rather an metamorphosing mutant with psionic powers. From it's funk-based score by Michiaki "Chumei" Watanabe to its bizarre creatures and non-stop action, INAZUMAN is pure '70s superhero gold!
Bold back cover design for JNP's release of INAZUMAN.
Goro Watari (Daisuke Ban), a seemingly normal university student, saves two youngsters from the clutches of the Neo-Human Empire, a secret society of mutants who plot to subjugate the world with their Fantom Army. The children bring him to the headquarters of the Youth League, a group of pure-hearted young mutants with psionic powers, led by Captain Sarra (Hideo Murota). Goro is awakened to his own extrasensory abilities, allowing him to transform — first into a pupal form, Sanagiman, and then — into the mighty, Inazuman. Drawing from symbolic powers of moth, like the Greek god Pysche, Inazuman wields lightning bolts against his enemies, and with the aid of the amazing flying car with a mind of its own, Raijingo, he challenges the evil minions of Emperor Bamba to liberate mankind.
The fantastic jacket and disc art for INAZUMAN.
Starring Daisuke Ban of KIKAIDA fame, INAZUMAN follows a string of fantastic classic tokusatsu releases on R1 DVD, KIKAIDA (1972-73), KIKAIDA 01 (1973-74) and KAMEN RIDER V3 (1973-74), beautifully produced and released by Honolulu-based JN Productions. Packaged in a glossy four-disc box set, INAZUMAN is digitally remastered (and superior to Toei Video's R2 release), completely unedited and uncut, and fully subtitled in English for the first time. This electrifying set also includes interviews with actor Daisuke Ban and Japanese and Hawaiian fans, Inazuman Karaoke, and more — I provided Character Profiles and Series Factoids, which feature exhaustive details on the guest stars and other behind-the-scenes minutia. With cool animated menus, superior image quality, and wonderfully produced extras, INAZUMAN comes highly recommended.
During its original run, INAZUMAN was an extremely popular series, and remains one of the pillars of the Henshin Hero genre to this day. If that's so, one might ask, why are there only 25 episodes? When INAZUMAN was originally broadcast, the saga was told in two parts, totaling 48 episodes. This DVD release features the first 25-episode "chapter", which then dovetailed into an immediate — and much darker — sequel, INAZUMAN FLASH (1974), for an additional 23 episodes. I'm hoping that — fingers crossed — INAZUMAN FLASH will be scheduled as the next release on the roster from JN Productions & Generation Kikaida for 2009. Meanwhile, the INAZUMAN Complete Series Box Set is available through the Generation Kikaida website for $99.95 (plus $7.00 Shipping & Handling).
Region Code 1 • NTSC • 4:3 Original Aspect Ratio • Japanese with English Subtitles • Dolby Digital • 10 hours 27 minutes • Unrated
Dynamic cover packaging by Erwin Baracao & Billy Ching of JNP.
The colorful and action-packed INAZUMAN (1973) was one of many live-action superhero series produced in the early 1970s, during an unprecedented boom of such programs on Japanese television, lead out of the gate by P-Productions' SPECTREMAN (1971-72), Tsuburaya Productions' RETURN OF ULTRAMAN (1971-72), and Toei's KAMEN RIDER (1971-73). Developed for television by the KAMEN RIDER team of creative producer Tohru Hirayama (JOHNNY SOKKO) and manga author Shotaro Ishimori (CYBORG 009), INAZUMAN featured the key elements of Toei's popular progenitor, but unlike KAMEN RIDER and KIKAIDA, the hero was nether a cyborg nor an android, but rather an metamorphosing mutant with psionic powers. From it's funk-based score by Michiaki "Chumei" Watanabe to its bizarre creatures and non-stop action, INAZUMAN is pure '70s superhero gold!
Bold back cover design for JNP's release of INAZUMAN.
Goro Watari (Daisuke Ban), a seemingly normal university student, saves two youngsters from the clutches of the Neo-Human Empire, a secret society of mutants who plot to subjugate the world with their Fantom Army. The children bring him to the headquarters of the Youth League, a group of pure-hearted young mutants with psionic powers, led by Captain Sarra (Hideo Murota). Goro is awakened to his own extrasensory abilities, allowing him to transform — first into a pupal form, Sanagiman, and then — into the mighty, Inazuman. Drawing from symbolic powers of moth, like the Greek god Pysche, Inazuman wields lightning bolts against his enemies, and with the aid of the amazing flying car with a mind of its own, Raijingo, he challenges the evil minions of Emperor Bamba to liberate mankind.
The fantastic jacket and disc art for INAZUMAN.
Starring Daisuke Ban of KIKAIDA fame, INAZUMAN follows a string of fantastic classic tokusatsu releases on R1 DVD, KIKAIDA (1972-73), KIKAIDA 01 (1973-74) and KAMEN RIDER V3 (1973-74), beautifully produced and released by Honolulu-based JN Productions. Packaged in a glossy four-disc box set, INAZUMAN is digitally remastered (and superior to Toei Video's R2 release), completely unedited and uncut, and fully subtitled in English for the first time. This electrifying set also includes interviews with actor Daisuke Ban and Japanese and Hawaiian fans, Inazuman Karaoke, and more — I provided Character Profiles and Series Factoids, which feature exhaustive details on the guest stars and other behind-the-scenes minutia. With cool animated menus, superior image quality, and wonderfully produced extras, INAZUMAN comes highly recommended.
During its original run, INAZUMAN was an extremely popular series, and remains one of the pillars of the Henshin Hero genre to this day. If that's so, one might ask, why are there only 25 episodes? When INAZUMAN was originally broadcast, the saga was told in two parts, totaling 48 episodes. This DVD release features the first 25-episode "chapter", which then dovetailed into an immediate — and much darker — sequel, INAZUMAN FLASH (1974), for an additional 23 episodes. I'm hoping that — fingers crossed — INAZUMAN FLASH will be scheduled as the next release on the roster from JN Productions & Generation Kikaida for 2009. Meanwhile, the INAZUMAN Complete Series Box Set is available through the Generation Kikaida website for $99.95 (plus $7.00 Shipping & Handling).
Region Code 1 • NTSC • 4:3 Original Aspect Ratio • Japanese with English Subtitles • Dolby Digital • 10 hours 27 minutes • Unrated
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