Yukiko Takayama in January 2016. Photo © Brett Homenick. Born on April 4, 1945, to the famous Japanese painter Tatsuo Takayama (1912-2007), Yukiko Takayama studied screenwriting at the Scenario Center after graduating from Keio University's Faculty of Letters. The Scenario Center was launched in 1970 by prolific scriptwriter Hajime Arai, who was known for penning … Continue reading MECHAGODZILLA’S SEQUEL SECRETS! Yukiko Takayama on Writing the Screenplay for ‘Terror of Mechagodzilla’!
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
MECHAGODZILLA’S FIRST CO-STAR! Masaaki Daimon on His Acting Career in the 1970s!
Masaaki Daimon in April 2021. Photo © Brett Homenick. Born on March 10, 1949, Masaaki Daimon launched his acting career in 1971 with a brief appearance in episode 18 of Return of Ultraman (1971-72). Shortly thereafter, Mr. Daimon was cast as a lead in Yasuzo Masumura's tragic drama Games (1971), which led to work in … Continue reading MECHAGODZILLA’S FIRST CO-STAR! Masaaki Daimon on His Acting Career in the 1970s!
TOKUSATSU BEGINNINGS! Eiichi Asada on Becoming an Assistant Director at Toho in the 1970s!
Eiichi Asada in March 2021. Photo © Brett Homenick. Born on March 13, 1949, Eiichi Asada got his start at Toho Studios in the early 1970s as an assistant director, working on such movies as Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973), Submersion of Japan (1973), Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla (1974), and Espy (1974). In later years, Mr. Asada … Continue reading TOKUSATSU BEGINNINGS! Eiichi Asada on Becoming an Assistant Director at Toho in the 1970s!
INSIDE TOHO’S MIGHTIEST MONSTERS! A Candid Conversation with Nobuyuki Yasumaru About His Kaiju Creations!
Nobuyuki Yasumaru in December 2018. Photo © Brett Homenick. Born on January 24, 1935, in Toyama Prefecture, Nobuyuki Yasumaru is a creator of miniatures and monster suits who has worked on some of Toho's most popular kaiju films. Beginning his career with Toho in the early 1960s, Mr. Yasumaru's credits include Mothra (1961), King Kong … Continue reading INSIDE TOHO’S MIGHTIEST MONSTERS! A Candid Conversation with Nobuyuki Yasumaru About His Kaiju Creations!
TOKUSATSU’S MAN OF LETTERS! Hiroyasu Yamaura on Scripting Godzilla and the Ultra-Series!
Hiroyasu Yamaura is a prolific scriptwriter for both film and television, whose work has crossed many genres. His writing credits include such popular anime titles as Mazinger Z (1972-74), Lupin the Third: Part II (1977-80), and Galaxy Express 999 (1978-81). In the world of tokusatsu, Mr. Yamaura co-wrote the screenplays for Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) and Tokyo Blackout (1987), as … Continue reading TOKUSATSU’S MAN OF LETTERS! Hiroyasu Yamaura on Scripting Godzilla and the Ultra-Series!
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!
A LOOK BACK ON THE GODZILLA SERIES! Toho SFX Director Teruyoshi Nakano Reflects on His Godzilla Film Work!
Teruyoshi Nakano is one of Japan’s masters of special effects. Born in what is now Dandong, China, on October 9, 1935, Mr. Nakano joined Toho in 1959 and quickly moved up the ranks in special effects, becoming chief assistant director under Eiji Tsuburaya by 1963. In 1969, Mr. Nakano would serve as special effects director … Continue reading A LOOK BACK ON THE GODZILLA SERIES! Toho SFX Director Teruyoshi Nakano Reflects on His Godzilla Film Work!
REFLECTIONS OF HIROSHI KOIZUMI! The Toho Star Opens Up About His Career!
Hiroshi Koizumi is one of the Godzilla series' leading men and one of its most popular actors. Mr. Koizumi starred in the second Godzilla film ever made, Godzilla Raids Again (a.k.a. Gigantis the Fire Monster, 1955), and went on to star in countless other kaiju films. Some of these credits include: Mothra (1961), Atragon (1963), … Continue reading REFLECTIONS OF HIROSHI KOIZUMI! The Toho Star Opens Up About His Career!
GORO MUTSUMI REDUX! A Second Interview with the Godzilla Series Villain!
Goro Mutsumi is an actor who is well-known to G-fans as the alien leader in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) and Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975). Mr. Mutsumi's other genre credits include the Toho sci-fi epics The War in Space (as another alien leader!) and Espy (1974). He also co-starred in the Tsuburaya Productions television series Fireman (1973). … Continue reading GORO MUTSUMI REDUX! A Second Interview with the Godzilla Series Villain!
MEMORIES FROM THE BLACK HOLE! Goro Mutsumi Opens Up About His Acting Career!
The Showa-era Mechagodzilla films, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) and Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975), are two of the most popular entries in the Godzilla franchise. One of the main reasons for their widespread popularity is the performance of Mr. Goro Mutsumi, who portrays the alien leader from the third planet in the Black Hole in both … Continue reading MEMORIES FROM THE BLACK HOLE! Goro Mutsumi Opens Up About His Acting Career!
Vantage Point Interviews 