Saturday, December 11, 2004
12/11: Today in G-History
1910: DAVID McMAHON, who played Capt. Frank Carver in "The Deadly Mantis", is born in New York City.
1923: CHRIS DRAKE, who played trooper Ed Blackburn in "Them!", is born in Richmond, Vir.
1930: TATSUHEI SHIMOKAWA, who was in "The Last Days of Planet Earth", is born in Fukuoka.
1943: MARIKO KAGA, who played Captain Tokushima's wife Taeko in "Mount Hakkoda", is born in Tokyo.
1959: "The H-Man" is released in Finland.
1960: "Gas ningen dai ichigo" ("Gas Human Being No. 1") a.k.a. "The Human Vapor" is released in Japan.
1966: Episode 22 of "Ultraman", "Plot to Destroy the Surface World", debuts on Japanese TV.
1971: Episode 37 of "Kamen Rider", "Poisonous Gas Demon’s Torigubti’s G Tactics", debuts on Japanese TV.
1973: Episode 11 of "Inazuman" debuts on Japanese TV.
1976: Episode 72 of "Secret Task Force Goranger" debuts on Japanese TV.
1978: ASBJORN ANDERSEN, who played Professor Martens in "Reptilicus", dies in Denmark.
1988: Episode 8 of "Kamen Rider Black RX", "Papa’s and Mama's Secret", debuts on Japanese TV.
1992: Episode 42 of "Dinosaur Task Force Zyuranger", "Burai Dies", debuts on Japanese TV.
1993: "Gojira tai Mekagojira" a.k.a. "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II" is released in Japan.
Episode 36 of "Electronic Superhuman Gridman", "For You! Baby", debuts on Japanese TV.
1999: "Gojira ni-sen mireniamu" ("Godzilla 2000: Millenium") a.k.a. "Godzilla 2000" is released in Japan.
Episode 130 of "Godzilla: The Series", "Freak Show", premieres on Fox.
2000: Episode 8 of "Kikaider: The Animation", "Friends", debuts on Japanese TV.
posted by Jay | permalink
Friday, December 10, 2004
12/10: Today in G-History
1960: KOICHI SATO, who played Mitsuo Ando in "The Spiral", is born in Tokyo.
1966: "Dai Majin gyakushu" ("The Great Majin's Counterattack") a.k.a. "Majin Strikes Again" a.k.a. "Wrath of Daimajin" is released in Japan.
1967: Episode 11 of "Ultra Seven", "Fly to Devil's Mountain" (a.k.a. "Captured in Living Color"), premieres on Japanese TV.
1971: "Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster" is released in West Germany.
1972: JAMES H. NICHOLSON, executive producer of "The Amazing Colosal Man", "War of the Colossal Beast", and "Earth vs. the Spider", as well as the U.S. releases of "Atragon", "Attack of the Mushroom People", and "Frankenstein Conquers the World", dies of a brain tumor in Los Angeles.
1977: Episode 33 of "JAKQ Blitzkrieg Squad" debuts on Japanese TV.
1982: Episode 35 of "Space Sheriff Gavan", "Lion of Makuul Son Dolva’s Ambition", debuts on Japanese TV.
1984: TOM HERN, who plays Devin Fong on "Power Rangers Dino Thunder", is born.
1987: DON ORLANDO, who played Mondello the fisherman in "20 Million Miles to Earth", dies of a heart attack while playing golf in Glendale, Calif.
1993: Episode 42 of "Five Star Task Force Dairanger" debuts on Japanese TV.
1994: "Gojira tai Supesugojira" a.k.a. "Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla" is released in Japan.
2000: Episode 43 of "Kamen Rider Kuuga", "Actuality", debuts on Japanese TV.
posted by Jay | permalink
Thursday, December 09, 2004
12/9: Today in G-History
1902: OLIVER EMERT, set decorator on "The Deadly Mantis", is born.
1955: HIROYUKI WATANABE, who played Commander Akio Ishimuro on "Ultraman Gaia" and "Ultraman Gaia: The Battle in Hyperspace", Hayatsu in "Ringu", and Yutaka Hirose in "Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack", is born in Mito, Ibaraki, Japan.
TAKESHI MASU, who played Toru Kawai on the "Ringu" TV series, is born in Tokyo.
1968: YUKO MORIYAMA, who played Iria in "Zeram" and "Zeram 2", is born in Tokyo. She also played Marien, Abira, and Kuzto in "Moon Over Tao".
1969: Wallflowers lead singer JAKOB DYLAN, who covered David Bowie's "Heroes" for the "Godzilla" soundtrack, is born in New York City. He is the son of folk-rock legend Bob Dylan.
1972: Episode 22 of "Kikaida", "White Saw Shark the Twelve Nightmarish Hours", premieres on Japanese TV.
Drummer TRE COOL of Green Day, who performed "Brain Stew" on the "Godzilla" soundtrack, is born Frank Edwin Wright III in Berkeley, Calif.
Episode 89 of "Kamen Rider", "Fear's Pet Strategy (1) — Drop Rider into Hell!", debuts on Japanese TV.
1977: The Last Dinosaur" is released in Finland.
1980: HARRIS ASHBURN, co-music supervisor on "The Deadly Mantis", dies in Granada Hills, Calif.
1982: AYA OKAMOTO: who played Tomoko Ooishi on "Ringu: The Final Chapter" and was in "Sky High", is born in Tokyo.
1984: JULIA JORDAN, who played Young Katherine on "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers", is born.
1992: "Godzilla vs. Biollante" is released on home video in the U.S.
1994: Terry Rossio and Ted Elliott complete their second draft for "Godzilla".
TETSUKO KOBAYASHI, who played the Empress of Mu in "Atragon", dies of leukemia in Kobe.
1995: "Gojira tai Desutoroia" ("Godzilla vs. Destroyer") a.k.a. "Godzilla vs. Destoroyah" is released in Japan.
1997: BANG-HO CHO, who played Satoru Kuroi in "Misa the Dark Angel", dies of cancer in Tokyo.
posted by Jay | permalink
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
Toho goes all out for Godzilla Final Wars
TOKYO - It won't be immediately clear if "Godzilla: Final Wars," which opened in Japan last week, has broken any box office records. But the giant radioactive reptile's 28th film already has set the bar higher in one way - its cost. Toho Co. executive producer Shogo Tomiyama said Wednesday that the studio shelled out an unprecedented $19.3 million - small by Hollywood standards, but twice that of any of Toho's past Godzilla movies. "We wanted to make the best Godzilla movie ever," Tomiyama explained at a news conference. Read the full article at the Miami Herald web site.
posted by Christopher | permalink
12/8: Today in G-History
1930: AKIRA NAGOYA, who was the narrator on "Return of Ultraman" and played ZAT Commander Yutaro Asahina on "Ultraman Taro" and D-2 security in "Tidal Wave", is born in Tokyo.
1934: SHUNJI FUJIMURA, who played Professor Kinomoto in "Ultraman Cosmos: First Contact", is born in Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan.
1950: Makeup artist and special effects technician RICK BAKER, who played "King Kong" in the 1976 remake, is born in Binghamton, N.Y. He also worked on "Star Wars", "An American Werewolf in London", Michael Jackson's "Thriller", "Harry and the Hendersons", "Ed Wood", "The Nutty Professor", "Men in Black", and "Mighty Joe Young".
1954: SUMI SHIMAMOTO, who was the voice of Ginrei on the "Giant Robo" anime, is born in Kochi, Japan.
1958: YUTAKA IZUBUCHI, character designer on "Science Task Force Dynaman", "Super Electron Bioman", "Blitzkrieg Task Force Changeman", and "Super Nova Flashman", is born in Tokyo.
1967: KOTONO MITSUISHI, who played Kayako Miyanoshita on the "School of Ghosts" TV series, is born in Toda, Saitama, Japan.
1971: "Godzilla’s Revenge" is released in the U.S.
1972: Episode 10 of "Warrior of Love Rainbowman", "Kill the Intruders!", debuts on Japanese TV.
Episode 36 of "Transforming Ninja Arashi", "Cover Your Ears! The Voice of Hell Beckons!!", debuts on Japanese TV.
Episode 36 of "Ultraman Ace", "A 10,000mhz Superbeast?", debuts on Japanese TV.
1973: Episode 30 of "Kikaida 01", "Devil? Angel? Enter Bijinder!", premieres on Japanese TV.
Episode 43 of "Kamen Rider V3", "Friend or Foe? The Mysterious Riderman", debuts on Japanese TV.
Episode 47 of "Jumborg Ace", "Death Match! Ace vs. Nine?", debuts on Japanese TV.
Episode 10 of "Ironman Tiger-Seven", "Explosion!! Tsuchinoko Primordial", debuts on Japanese TV.
GORO INAGAKI, who played Tatsuro Ono in "Parasite Eve", is born in Tokyo.
1976: Episode 36 of "Ninja Captor", "The Seven Faced Monster Is the Grim Reaper", debuts on Japanese TV.
CATHY DOWNS, who played Carol Forrest in "The Amazing Colossal Man", dies in Los Angeles.
1978: Episode 23 of "Dinosaur Task Force: Koseidon", "Explosion: Confrontation in the Terrorbeast Graveyard", debuts on Japanese TV.
1979: Episode 45 of "Battle Fever J", "Heart Ceases in Five Minutes", debuts on Japanese TV.
1984: Episode 45 of "Super Electron Bioman", "Jun the Human Bomb!", debuts on Japanese TV.
1986: Episode 32 of "Hyper-Dimension Warrior: Spielban", "Restore My Mother! The Terrifying Green Panic", debuts on Japanese TV.
1989: Episode 41 of "High Speed Task Force Turboranger", "I Am a Star!", debuts on Japanese TV.
1993: CARLOTTA MONTI, who played a girl in "King Kong", dies in Woodland Hills, Calif.
1995: Episode 39 of "Superpower Task Force Ohranger", "A Prince Dies in a Duel", debuts on Japanese TV.
posted by Jay | permalink
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
12/7: Today in G-History
1895: JACK PENNICK, who played Jacob Bowman in "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms", is born in Portland, Ore. He worked on most of John Ford's pictures.
1901: JACK DIETZ, who co-produced "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms", is born.
1962: "Varan the Unbelievable" is released in the U.S.
1963: KATSUYA TERADA, costume designer on "Moon Over Tao" and designer of Monster X on "Godzilla: Final Wars", is born in Tamano City, Okayama Prefecture, Japan.
1968: Episode 23 of "Fight! Mighty Jack!", "The Murderess Changes Her Mark!", debuts on Japanese TV.
1970: YASUFUMI HAYASHI, who played Kenkichi Yamane in "Godzilla vs. Destoroyah", is born in Tokyo.
1973: Episode 36 of "Ultraman Taro", "Coward! The Bride Is Weeping", debuts on Japanese TV.
Episode 10 of "Diamond Eye: Warrior of Light", "Mojingar's Great Counterattack", debuts on Japanese TV.
MARTY MOSS, assistant director and production supervisor on "Earth vs. the Spider", dies iin Los Angeles.
1974: Episode 8 of "Kamen Rider Amazon", "Crocodile Beastman Attacks the Kindergarten", debuts on Japanese TV.
1976: Episode 21 of "Super Divine Bibyuun" debuts on Japanese TV.
1979: AYAKO FUJITANI, who played Asagi Kusanagi in "Gamera, the Guardian of the Universe", "Gamera 2: Attack of Legion", and "Gamera 3: Revenge of Irys", is born in Osaka. The daughter of Steven Seagal, she also played a waitress in "Pyrokinesis".
Episode 10 of "Sky Rider", "See! The Secret of Kaningajin", debuts on Japanese TV.
1984: Episode 37 of "Space Sheriff Shaider", "The Roaring Beam Gun", debuts on Japanese TV.
1985: Episode 35 of "Blitzkrieg Task Force Changeman", "Aira: The Rainbow-Colored Girl", debuts on Japanese TV.
1990: Episode 41 of "Earth Task Force Fiveman" debuts on Japanese TV.
1996: Episode 14 of "Ultraman Tiga", "The Released Targets", debuts on Japanese TV.
1997: Episode 42 of "Digital Task Force Megaranger", debuts on Japanese TV.
2001: SHIGERU KOMATSUZAKI, who did production designs and storyboards for "The Mysterians", "Battle in Outer Space", "Mothra", "The Last War", "Attack of the Mushroom People", "Atragon", and "Dogora, the Space Monster", dies from heart failure at 86.
posted by Jay | permalink
Monday, December 06, 2004
12/6: Today in G-History
1924: KOJI TSURUTA is born in Shizuoka, Japan. He played younger Kumaso in "The Three Treasures" and reporter Kirioka in "The Secret of the Telegian", and appeared in "Samurai II" and "Samurai III".
1933: JO SHISHIDO, who played Captain Joe on "Star Wolf" (turned into the films "Fugitive Alien" and "Star Force: Fugitive Alien II") and Dr. Tani in "8 Man", is born in Osaka. He also starred in the films "Tokyo Drifter" and "Branded to Kill".
1943: YURIKO HOSHI is born in Tokyo. She starred in "The Last War", and played photographer Junko Nakanishi in "Godzilla vs. the Thing", reporter Naoko Shindo in "Ghidrah — the Three-Headed Monster", and Dr. Yoshino Yoshizawa in "Godzilla x Megagiras: The G-Annihilation Command". The wholesome actress starred in Toho romances, especially Yumo Kayama’s girlfriend in the "Young Guy" series, as well as credits in "Daredevil in the Castle", "Chushingura", "It's Crazy! I Can't Explain It Way Out There", and "Kojiro".
1957: "The Deadly Mantis" is released in Finland.
1965: "20 Million Miles to Earth" is released in Denmark.
TOSHIHIDE WAKAMATSU, who played Guy Yuki a.k.a. Black Condor on "Icarus Task Force Jetman", is born.
1967: Episode 9 of "Johnny Sokko and His Giant Robot", "Spaaki: The Electric Current Monster", debuts on Japanese TV.
1974: Episode 36 of "Electroid Zaborger", "Flying Cannon: Dorcannon", debuts on Japanese TV.
Episode 35 of "Ultraman Leo", "I Am the Monster General!", debuts on Japanese TV.
1975: Episode 33 of "Secret Task Force Goranger", "Red Target! Appearance of the Fake Gorangers", debuts on Japanese TV.
Episode 36 of "Kamen Rider Stronger", "The Three Riders vs. the Mighty Delzer Army", debuts on Japanese TV.
1976: "Variety" reports that "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla" will be released in the U.S. as "Godzilla vs. the Bionic Monster".
1978: Episode 30 of Toei's "Spiderman", "Keep Up the Good Work, Beautiful Cop!", debuts on Japanese TV.
1980: Episode 44 of "Electronic Task Force Denziman", "Story of the Wondrous Lamp", debuts on Japanese TV.
1985: Episode 30 of "Monster Investigator: Juspion" debuts on Japanese TV.
1987: Episode 10 of "Kamen Rider Black", "Where Is Nobuhiko?", debuts on Japanese TV.
Episode 35 of "Super Manchine: Metalder" debuts on Japanese TV.
1991: Episode 43 of "Icarus Task Force Jetman", "Infiltrate the Commander’s Body!", debuts on Japanese TV.
1997: Episode 14 of "Ultraman Dyna", "A Conqueror Sleeps on the Moon", debuts on Japanese TV.
1998: Episode 40 of "Star Beast Task Force Gingaman", "The Melancholy Demon", debuts on Japanese TV.
2002: "Kamen Rider V3" and volumes 1 and 2 of "Space Sheriff Sharivan" are released on DVD in Japan.
posted by Jay | permalink
Sunday, December 05, 2004
12/5: Today in G-History
1931: KYOKO KAGAWA is born Kyoko Ikebe in Ibaragi, Japan. She played Princess Miyazu in "The Three Treasures" and photographer Michi Hanamura in "Mothra". Kagawa was in many Japanese classic films — "Tokyo Story", "Sansho the Bailiff", "The Story of Chikamatsu", "The Lower Depths", "The Bad Sleep Well", "High and Low", "Red Beard", "Tora-san's Dream of Spring", and "Mandalayo".
1942: KOICHI KAWAKITA, former head of Toho’s special effects department, is born. He began his career as assistant special effects cameraman on "Gorath", "King Kong vs. Godzilla", "Attack of the Mushroom People", "The Lost World of Sinbad", "Atragon", "Godzilla vs. the Thing", "Dogora the Space Monster", and "Ghidrah the Three-Headed Monster", then doing optical camera synthesis on "Frankenstein Conquers the World", "Godzilla vs. Monster Zero", "Ultra Q", "War of the Gargantuas", "Godzilla versus the Sea Monster", "Ultraman", "King Kong Escapes", "Son of Godzilla", Destroy All Monsters", "Latitude Zero", "Godzilla’s Revenge", and "Yog — Monster from Space", then assistant director on "Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster", "Return of Ultraman", "Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster", and "Last Days of Planet Earth", "Tidal Wave", "The War in Space", and "The Mighty Peking Man", and finally special effects director on "Zone Fighter", "Ultraman Taro", "Megaloman", "Ultraman 80", "Sayonara Jupiter", "Gunhed", "Godzilla vs. Biollante", "Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah", "Godzilla vs. Mothra: Battle for the Earth", "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II", "Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla", "Godzilla vs. Destoroyah", "Rebirth of Mothra", "Rebirth of Mothra 2" and "Super Star God Granseizar". He also had a cameo as an SDF army officer in "Godzilla — Mothra — King Ghidorah".
1947: STAN LEE, co-creator of "Spiderman" which was turned into a live-action series by Toei and publisher of Marvel’s "Godzilla" comic book, marries his wife Joan.
1948: SABURO SHINODA, who played Professor Shigeki Fukazawa in "Godzilla vs. Mothra: Battle for the Earth" and "Godzilla vs. Destoroyah", is born in Tokyo.
1963: TOM LONDON, who played Jeff the first tramp in "Tarantula", dies in North Hollywood, Calif.
1966: Episode 23 of "The Space Giants", "The Wrathful Monster Stopgon" a.k.a. "The Wild Creature", debuts on Japanese TV.
1971: Episode 2 of "Silver Mask", "Earthmen Are the Enemies of Space", debuts on Japanese TV.
"Miraaman" ("Mirrorman") premieres on Japanese TV with Episode 1, "Mirrorman is Born".
1972: Episode 10 of "Thunder Mask", "Dorodoron! Turn the Humans Into Bones", debuts on Japanese TV.
1973: Episode 23 of "Super Robot: Red Baron", "A Letter of Challenge From Space", debuts on Japanese TV.
1976: ARISA MIZUKI, who played the title character in "Supergirl Reiko", is born in Tokyo.
1979: "Sengoku jieitai" a.k.a. "Time Slip" is released in Japan.
1980: Episode 8 of "Kamen Rider Super-1", debuts on Japanese TV.
1981: Episode 43 of "Solar Task Force Sunvulcan", "You Will Become a Genius", debuts on Japanese TV.
1987: Episode 40 of "Psi Task Force Maskman", "Haruka and Momoko — the Powerful Female Thieves", premieres on Japanese TV.
1993: Episode 44 of "Investigation Robo: Janperson", "Burn Honorable Queen!!", debuts on Japanese TV.
1995: A Godzilla statue is erected in the Hibiya cinema district in Tokyo.
1998: Episode 110 of "Godzilla: The Series", "Bird of Paradise", premieres on Fox.
Episode 14 of "Ultraman Gaia", "The Challenge of Anti-Space", debuts on Japanese TV.
1999: MASARU SATO dies in Tokyo. He composed the music for "Godzilla Raids Again", "The Lost World of Sinbad", "Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster", "Son of Godzilla", "Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster", and many Akira Kurosawa classics.
Episode 41 of "Rescue Task Force Go-Go V" debuts on Japanese TV.
2003: The "Kamen Rider: The Movie" collection is released on DVD in Japan.
"Dark Water" is released in Turkey.
"Sky High" is released in Japan.
Reaper "And that's the way it was" G
posted by Jay | permalink
|
