Atsushi Hagiwara during the making of Sayonara Jupiter. Photo © Atsushi Hagiwara. Atsushi Hagiwara got his start as a tokusatsu modelmaker working on the ambitious Toho production Sayonara Jupiter (1984), which features some of the best special effects in Japanese film history. That experience led to a variety of other film and television projects on … Continue reading MAKING MINIATURES IN JAPANESE SFX FILMS! Atsushi Hagiwara on Creating Tokusatsu Models in the 1980s and Beyond!
Godzilla vs. Biollante
BECOMING MIKI SAEGUSA! Godzilla Series Star Megumi Odaka on Her Early Life and Start at Toho!
Megumi Odaka in July 2020. Photo © Brett Homenick. Megumi Odaka is a Japanese actress who accomplished a remarkable and unprecedented feat -- she starred in six consecutive Godzilla movies, playing the same character in each film. That character, the young psychic Miki Saegusa, would go on to become one of the series' most iconic … Continue reading BECOMING MIKI SAEGUSA! Godzilla Series Star Megumi Odaka on Her Early Life and Start at Toho!
CARRYING ON GODZILLA’S LEGACY: Producer Shogo Tomiyama on Guiding the Godzilla Series into the New Millennium!
Shogo Tomiyama in March 2021. Photo © Brett Homenick. Born on February 27, 1952, Shogo Tomiyama rose to prominence in the Japanese movie industry by becoming a producer at Toho Pictures. Internationally, Mr. Tomiyama is well-known for producing the Godzilla series from Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989) through Godzilla: Final Wars (2004). Mr. Tomiyama officially joined … Continue reading CARRYING ON GODZILLA’S LEGACY: Producer Shogo Tomiyama on Guiding the Godzilla Series into the New Millennium!
PRODUCING GODZILLA: Former Toho Pictures President Shogo Tomiyama Reflects on the Godzilla Series!
Photo © Brett Homenick. Born on February 27, 1952, Shogo Tomiyama rose to prominence in the Japanese movie industry by becoming a producer at Toho Pictures. Internationally, Mr. Tomiyama is well-known for producing the Godzilla series from Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989) through Godzilla: Final Wars (2004). Mr. Tomiyama officially joined Toho in 1975. After working … Continue reading PRODUCING GODZILLA: Former Toho Pictures President Shogo Tomiyama Reflects on the Godzilla Series!
INVENTING A BRILLIANT ACTING CAREER! Katsuhiko Sasaki on His Toho Roles and Tokusatsu Legacy!
Katsuhiko Sasaki in April 2013. Photo © Brett Homenick. Katsuhiko Sasaki is a third-generation movie actor whose credits in the Godzilla series are among the most popular. Born on December 24, 1944, in Tokyo, Mr. Sasaki’s father (Minoru Chiaki) and grandfather (Takamaru Sasaki) were not only actors themselves, but also appeared in Godzilla movies (Godzilla … Continue reading INVENTING A BRILLIANT ACTING CAREER! Katsuhiko Sasaki on His Toho Roles and Tokusatsu Legacy!
THE GODZILLA SERIES’ ROVING REPORTER! Actress Beth Blatt Shares Her Memories from the Set of ‘Godzilla vs. Biollante’!
Beth Blatt in a Japanese print ad. Photo © Beth Blatt. In Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989), American actress Beth Blatt delivers the first words the audience hears in the movie. Ms. Blatt plays television reporter Susan Horn, who describes the devastation Tokyo faces in the wake of Godzilla's rampage. In this November 2020 interview with … Continue reading THE GODZILLA SERIES’ ROVING REPORTER! Actress Beth Blatt Shares Her Memories from the Set of ‘Godzilla vs. Biollante’!
TOKUSATSU THE TOHO WAY! Takashi Naganuma on Creating SFX for the Godzilla Series!
Born on July 20, 1947, in Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture, Takashi Naganuma began his career in special effects in the early 1970s and lent his talents to many Toho tokusatsu productions through the early 1990s. In May 2019, Mr Naganuma was interviewed by Brett Homenick about his work on the Godzilla series and beyond. The … Continue reading TOKUSATSU THE TOHO WAY! Takashi Naganuma on Creating SFX for the Godzilla Series!
GODZILLA’S LEADING MAN OF THE 1970S! Katsuhiko Sasaki Discusses His Life and Career in Film!
Katsuhiko Sasaki is a third-generation movie actor whose credits in the Godzilla series are among the most popular. Born on December 24, 1944, in Tokyo, Mr. Sasaki’s father (Minoru Chiaki) and grandfather (Takamaru Sasaki) were not only actors themselves, but also appeared in Godzilla movies (Godzilla Raids Again and Monster Zero, respectively). Mr. Sasaki joined Toho … Continue reading GODZILLA’S LEADING MAN OF THE 1970S! Katsuhiko Sasaki Discusses His Life and Career in Film!
REIMAGINING GODZILLA FOR THE HEISEI ERA! Kazuki Omori on Updating Godzilla for a New Generation!
As a writer-director, no one shaped the Heisei Godzilla series more than Kazuki Omori. Mr. Omori wrote and directed Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989) and Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991), and wrote the screenplays for Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992) and Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995). In May 2019, Mr. Omori spoke to Brett Homenick about his work … Continue reading REIMAGINING GODZILLA FOR THE HEISEI ERA! Kazuki Omori on Updating Godzilla for a New Generation!
BIOMAJOR’S BEST! Derrick Michael Holmes on ‘Godzilla vs. Biollante’!
Derrick Michael Holmes (1958-2012) is known to Godzilla fans around the world as Biomajor spy Michael Low in Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989). But before he ever appeared in a Godzilla film, Mr. Holmes came to Japan in 1979 and worked as a dancer and DJ and later as a model. Mr. Holmes’ acting career began … Continue reading BIOMAJOR’S BEST! Derrick Michael Holmes on ‘Godzilla vs. Biollante’!
Vantage Point Interviews 