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Gorō Mutsumi
was a Japanese actor with more than 30 films to his credit. He has also appeared in numerous television shows, especially ''jidaigeki'', in which he specializes in villains, and in ''tokusatsu''. In addition, he is a stage and voice actor with prominent roles in narration, dubbing, and anime. Career Mutsumi's film debut was in the 1955 film ''Saranohanano Tōge''. Another early film appearance was in the 1963 Kōji Wakamatsu sex film ''Amai Wana'', in which he co-starred with Tamaki Katori. The 1965 ''Ken Ki'' with ''jidaigeki'' superstar Raizo Ichikawa was a move to the mainstream. Mutsumi had a voice role in the 1966 ''War of the Gargantuas''. Films that received attention outside Japan include ''Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla'' (1974), ''Terror of Mechagodzilla'' (1975) and ''The War in Space'' (1977). He also appeared in the 1992 Toho film ''Minbo''. Mutsumi was a frequent guest star on television dramas and he often played villain roles. He has appeared in ''Key Hunter'', ''Migh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jidaigeki
is a genre of film, television, video game, and theatre in Japan. Literally meaning "period dramas", they are most often set during the Edo period of Japanese history, from 1603 to 1868. Some, however, are set much earlier—''Portrait of Hell'', for example, is set during the late Heian period—and the early Meiji era is also a popular setting. ''Jidaigeki'' show the lives of the samurai, farmers, craftsmen, and merchants of their time. ''Jidaigeki'' films are sometimes referred to as chambara movies, a word meaning "sword fight", though chambara is more accurately a subgenre of ''jidaigeki''. ''Jidaigeki'' rely on an established set of dramatic conventions including the use of makeup, language, catchphrases, and plotlines. Types Many ''jidaigeki'' take place in Edo, the military capital. Others show the adventures of people wandering from place to place. The long-running television series ''Zenigata Heiji'' and ''Abarenbō Shōgun'' typify the Edo ''jidaigeki''. ''Mito ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fireman (TV Series)
, known as ''Magma Man'' in some markets, is a Japanese tokusatsu television series about the titular superhero who fights kaiju and other villains. Produced by Tsuburaya Productions, the show was broadcast on Nippon Television from January 7 to July 31, 1973, with a total of 30 episodes. This was also one of several shows Tsuburaya did to celebrate the company's 10th anniversary (the other two being ''Ultraman Taro'' and ''Jumborg Ace''). Plot A strange phenomenon happened throughout the world, causing giant, mutant dinosaurs to suddenly appear. The people of the ''Aban'' continent, living underground for the last 12,000 years sends a courageous young man named Misaki to live as an archeologist and SAF (Scientific Attack Force) agent Daisuke Misaki. Whenever monsters and space aliens attack the world, Misaki transforms into Fireman by using the fire-stick, and defends the human race against them. Cast * Naoya Makoto as Daisuke Misaki / Fireman * Goro Mutsumi as Dr. Gunpachi Umino ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mirrorman (TV Series)
is a Japanese ''tokusatsu'' science fiction television series produced by Tsuburaya Productions, the series aired on Fuji TV from December 5, 1971 to November 26, 1972, with a total of 51 episodes. This was Tsuburaya Productions' first non-Ultra superhero (even though there were concepts that were similar to ''Ultraman'', which became Tsuburaya trademarks). Like ''Ultraseven'', ''Mirrorman'' was more of a dark and brooding science fiction drama than most other shows of its ilk, but by Episode 26, after major changes were forced upon the series by the network (making the action lighter and the hero more like Ultraman), it became a typical action-oriented superhero adventure of its era. A short spinoff series titled ''Mirror Fight'' was broadcast on TV Tokyo from April 1, 1974 to September 27, 1974, with a total of 65 short episodes. It was similar in concept to the earlier ''Ultra Fight''. After years of sequel series rumors, the 2005 straight-to-DVD series ''Mirrorman REFLEX'' w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Abarenbō Shōgun
(Abarenbō Shōgun) was a Japanese television program on the TV Asahi network. Set in the eighteenth century, it showed fictitious events in the life of Yoshimune, the eighth Tokugawa ''shōgun''. The program started in 1978 under the title ''Yoshimune Hyobanki: Abarenbo Shogun'' (''Chronicle in Praise of Yoshimune: The Unfettered Shogun'') who went after rogue councillors and ''daimyō'' who were abusing their power. After a few seasons, they shortened the first two words and the show ran for two decades under the shorter title until the series ended in 2003; a two-hour special aired in 2004. The earliest scripts occasionally wove stories around historic events such as the establishment of firefighting companies of commoners in Edo, but eventually the series adopted a routine of strictly fiction. Along with Zenigata Heiji and Mito Kōmon, it ranks among the longest-running series in the jidaigeki genre. Like many other jidaigeki, it falls in the category of ''kanzen-chōaku ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mito Kōmon
is a Japanese ''jidaigeki'' or period drama that was on prime-time television from 1969 to 2011, making it the longest-running ''jidaigeki'' in Japanese television history. The title character is the historic Tokugawa Mitsukuni, former vice-''shōgun'' and retired second ''daimyō'' of the Mito Domain. In the guise of Mitsuemon, a retired crepe merchant from Echigo, he roams Japan with two samurai retainers, fun-loving Sasaki Sukesaburō (Suke-san) and studious Atsumi Kakunoshin (Kaku-san). An episode typically starts with some injustice perpetrated by a corrupt official, a wealthy merchant or a gangster. The travelers arrive incognito, discover the injustice and quietly investigate it. The episode concludes with a brawl in which the unarmed, disguised protagonists defeat a crowd of samurai and gangsters, culminating in the presentation of the '' inrō'' that reveals the hero's identity. Afterwards, the hero passes judgement on the villains, sets things straight with comments and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tokusatsu Saizensen
is a Japanese term for live action film or television drama that makes heavy use of practical special effects. ''Tokusatsu'' entertainment mainly refers to science fiction, war, fantasy, or horror media featuring such technology but is sometimes dubbed a genre itself. The most popular subgenres of include ''kaiju'' such as the ''Godzilla'' and ''Gamera'' series; superhero such as the ''Kamen Rider'' and ''Metal Hero'' series; and mecha like ''Giant Robo'' and ''Super Robot Red Baron''. Some television programs combine several of these subgenres, for example the ''Ultraman'' and ''Super Sentai'' series. is one of the most popular forms of Japanese entertainment, but only a small proportion of films and television programs are widely known outside of Japan. Nevertheless, certain properties have attained popularity outside of Japan; ''Godzilla'' is featured in popular American-made movies, and the ''Super Sentai Series'' was adapted into the ''Power Rangers'' series and broa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Taiyō Ni Hoero!
, literally ''Roar at the Sun!'', was a long-running prime-time television detective series in Japan, which ran from 1972 to 1986 for a total of 718 episodes. The lead star was Yujiro Ishihara. It also helped further the career of actors such as Yūsaku Matsuda and Kenichi Hagiwara as well as Hiroshi Katsuno and Masaya Oki. It was a police procedural set mostly in a police station. It was one of the most popular and iconic detective dramas in Japanese television history. A sequel was aired from 1986 to 1987, airing for 12 episodes. Setting The series takes place in the fictional Nanamagari police station in Shinjuku and portrays the investigations of Nanamagari's detective squad. Headed by Superintendent Shunsuke "Boss" Todo, it initially consists of Inspector Seiichi "Yama-san" Yamamura with Detectives Makoto "Gori-san" Ishizuka, Kimiyuki "His Highness" Shima, Taro "Chosan" Nozaki, and Policewoman Shinko "Shinko-san" Uchida. In the first episode they were joined by Detective ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Moeyo Ken
is a novel by Japanese author Ryōtarō Shiba. It dramatizes the life of Hijikata Toshizō, a member of the Shinsengumi, active in Japan during the ''bakumatsu'' (the end of the Tokugawa shogunate). The novel was initially serialized from 1962 to 1964 in the Bungeishunjū weekly magazine ''Shūkan Bunshun''. Shinchosha published the complete novel in two volumes. The action takes place in the Ōkunitama Shrine in Fuchū, along the Asa River in and near Hachiōji, in the Mibu area of Kyoto, and in Hokkaidō. Shochiku released a 1966 film of the same title. Asahi Kurizuka played Hijikata. He repeated the role in the prime-time television ''jidaigeki'' on NET. Movie and TV adaptations Cast (1966 film) *Asahi Kurizuka as Hijikata Toshizō *Shun'ya Wazaki as Kondō Isami *Hidehiko Ishikura as Okita Sōji *Tetsuko Kobayashi as Sae *Keiji Takamiya as Niimi Nishiki Cast (1966 TV series) *Ryōhei Uchida as Hijikata Toshizō *Asao Koike as Kondō Isami *Ryōtarō Sugi as Okita Sōj ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sanbiki Ga Kiru!
or ''Three for the Kill!'' is a group of seven television ''jidaigeki'' series broadcast by TV Asahi in Japan. The show aired in the Thursday evening eight o'clock time slot. Characters The title characters are three men who wander throughout Japan in the late Edo period. In each episode they encounter antagonists, and in the final ''tachimawari'' (fight scene) kill them. The characters traveled sometimes together, sometimes separately. When they arrived in a town they might settle in the same lodging, but sometimes take up with rival factions. In the end, they work together to overcome evil. For the first five series, these characters were the same. Yasaka Heishirō, nicknamed "Tono-sama" ("Lord") is a refined, disciplined ''rōnin'' played by Hideki Takahashi. The other characters occasionally speculate that he is a second son of a ''daimyō'' but his identity is never revealed. He is the informal leader of the group. Yasaka uses the Onoha Ittō-ryū style of sword fighting. He ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ōoka Echizen
is a prime-time television ''jidaigeki'' in Japan. From March 16, 1970 to March 15, 1999, 402 episodes and 15 seasons were broadcast. Also, a two-hour special aired on March 20, 2006, commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the '' National Gekijō'', which occupies the Monday evening 8:00–8:54 pm time slot on the TBS network, sponsored by Matsushita. It alternated, seasonally, with '' Mito Kōmon'' and ''Edo o Kiru''. The title character is Ōoka Tadasuke, a historical person who was a magistrate in the city of Edo (the forerunner of modern Tokyo) during the time of Tokugawa Yoshimune in the eighteenth century. The magistrate acted as chief of police, judge and jury. The show was a detective-courtroom program. Actor Gō Katō created the title character and played him throughout the life of the series. Sōgen Asahina did the title calligraphy. Takeo Yamashita did the music. The series was produced by C.A.L. It has been widely rerun on terrestrial and pay satellite televis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shadow Warriors (TV Series)
is a Japanese television ''jidaigeki'' show featuring Sonny Chiba that ran for four seasons in the early 1980s. The first season was a reimagining of the film ''Kage no Gundan: Hattori Hanzō'' directed by Eiichi Kudo which was released in 1980. Chiba played different ninja characters in each series. In the first series he played Hattori Hanzō III, in the second he played Tsuge Shinpachi, in the third he played Tarao Hanzō, and in the fourth series and in ''Bakumatsu Hen'' he played Hattori Hanzō XV. In the 2003 direct-to-DVD series ''Shin Kage no Gundan'' (''New Shadow Warriors'') he played Hattori Hanzō I. Seasons *''Hattori Hanzō: Kage no Gundan'' (1980) - 27 episodes *''Kage no Gundan II'' (1981 - 1982) - 26 episodes *''Kage no Gundan III'' (1982) - 26 episodes *''Kage no Gundan IV'' (1985) - 27 episodes *''Kage no Gundan Bakumatsu Hen'' (1985) - 13 episodes *''Shin Kage no Gundan'' (2003 - 2005) - 6 direct to video episodes (not part of the TV series) DVD release ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Uchuu Keiji Sharivan
is the second installment in Toei's Metal Hero Series franchise and aired on TV Asahi from March 4, 1983 to February 24, 1984. It served as a direct sequel to its predecessor, ''Space Sheriff Gavan'' and featured many of the same characters. It was aired in the Philippines on RPN from 1986 to 1987. For distribution purposes, Toei refers to this television series as ''Space Guardian Shariban''. Plot Initially appearing in ''Space Sheriff Gavan'', Den Iga is attacked by a monster called Buffalo Doubler, member of the Space Mafia Makuu. Den is seriously injured in the attack when he is found by Gavan, who takes him to Planet Bird for medical assistance. Qom, leader of the , is impressed by Den's courage. Den returns in the final episode of Gavan, saving Gavan himself in his newly acquired form of Space Sheriff Sharivan during Gavan's final battle. After Don Horror is defeated, Sharivan is assigned to Earth and is partnered together with Lily from the planet Bird as he deals wit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
