Haruo Nakajima sucker punches Gaira (the monster he played in WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS) during the publishing party for his autobiography Kaiju Jinsei.
Photo courtesy of Daisuke Ishizuka.

Godzilla Suit Actor Celebrates Launch of New Book
Author: Daisuke Ishizuka
Source: Yosensha Co., Ltd.

Cover art for Kaiju Jinsei, courtesy of Yosensha Co.
© 2010 Yosensha Co., Ltd.

A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE

Today a publishing party was held for the autobiography Kaiju Jinsei (Kaiju Life) by Mr. Haruo Nakajima. Mr. Haruo Nakajima is a pioneer of monster suit acting who is well known as the suit actor who played Godzilla and various Toho monsters. He has often been invited to conventions in America; Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, etc. and he is familiar with Tokusatsu fans in the U.S. I attended the G-Fest convention in Hollywood in 2000 and it was my first time to see him. I had chance to hear about his career at that time. In 2010, we now have a chance to know about him more deeply because his autobiography was published in July by Yosensha Co., Ltd.

In Kaiju Jinsei, Mr. Nakajima details his life, from his youth to the present day. Needles to say, he focuses on his career as suit actor. In addition, he talks about Mr. Eiji Tsuburaya as well as the filmmakers and his friend and co-workers at Toho. The book is valuable resource for Tokusatsu fans.
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Source: Madman Entertainment
Special Thanks to Ben Pollock and Philippa Lamb

DVD cover art for 20TH CENTURY BOYS Trilogy. Photo
courtesy of Madman Entertainment. © 1999, 2006 Naoki
Urasawa, Studio Nuts/ Shogakukan. © 2009 “20th Century
Boys” Film Partners

The Australian distributor Madman Entertainment is releasing a mix of anime and Asian live action titles on Region 4 DVD in September, 2010. The selection includes:

FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST: BROTHERHOOD Collection 2
ONE PIECE (Uncut) Collection
MY BRIDE IS A MERMAID Collection 1
BAKUGAN: NEW VESTROIA Collection 2
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Collection 3
JYU-OH-SEI (PLANET OF THE BEAST KING) Collection
NANA Collection 2
INITIAL D FOURTH STAGE Collection 2
KUROKAMI Collection 1
BLEACH Vol 26
20TH CENTURY BOYS Trilogy
and MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM 00 Second Season Vol 1

Read on for plot descriptions, DVD specs, cover art, and more.
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Akira Takarada, star of GODZILLA and several sequels, takes to the stage in New York this weekend for the Japanese musical FREDDIE THE LEAF.
© Freddie Company

U.S. Premiere Opens August 13, 2010
Source: TKO Entertainment press release
Official Site: freddie.co.jp (Japanese)

Japanese advertisement for FREDDIE THE LEAF. © Freddie Company

FREDDIE THE LEAF
An all ages Japanese musical about the importance of every life, narrated by legendary Godzilla film actor Akira Takarada.
Fri 8/13 at 7pm, Sat 8/14 at 2pm and 7pm, Sun 8/15 at 2pm

New York, NY – Freddie Company in association with TKO Entertainment proudly presents the U.S. Premiere of the Japanese musical FREDDIE THE LEAF, written and directed by Takashi Inuishi, conceived by Dr. Shigeaki Hinohara, with music and lyrics by Shoichi Tama and starring popular Japanese film actor, Akira Takarada, and a cast of 21 Japanese teens and children.

FREDDIE THE LEAF runs from August 13 – 15, 2010 in a limited engagement at John Jay College’s Gerald W. Lynch Theater, located at 899 Tenth Avenue, between 58 and 59 Streets, in NYC.
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After numerous false starts, the YAMATO saga is successfully revived with the feature film SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO: RESURRECTION.
© 2009 Space Battleship Yamato Film Partners

Author: Ed Godziszewski
Official Site: yamato2009

English language sales flier for SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO:
RESURRECTION. © 2009 Space Battleship Yamato Film
Partners

SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO: RESURRECTION marks the return of the YAMATO saga to the big screen after nearly 30 years. Arguably the biggest animation franchise at the time that Japanese animation made its mark on the world, YAMATO has been conspicuous by its absence for all these years. Never mind that the ship was destroyed in FINAL YAMATO… Yamato has been rebuilt before, and besides, no one and no thing is ever REALLY dead in science fiction. The lack of new YAMATO stories during this time was probably for the best– you just can’t keep threatening earth with calamity, then destroying and reviving the ship every year– not without eventually losing even the most devoted fans. After FINAL YAMATO, the series needed a break, and a long one.

But with all the advancements in technology that have occurred since Yamato last flew a mission, the idea of bringing it back to the big screen had fans of the original intrigued about the possibilities. The original films and TV series were made when technique was limited and the animation almost primitive by today’s standards. And, every bit as important, with the passing of series composer Hiroshi Miyagawa, what would the producers do for a musical score? Miyagawa’s distinctive sounds are almost as completely entwined with YAMATO as Akira Ifukube has been with Godzilla. How would YAMATO make the transition to the 21st century?
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Yuji Koseki’s soundtrack to the original MOTHRA is being re-issued in a new 2 CD collection. © 1961 Toho Co., Ltd.

Classic Toho Soundtrack Re-mastered in a Deluxe Edition
Author: John “Dutch” DeSentis
Source: Toho Music Store
Special Thanks to Mike Temple and Ed Godziszewski

Over the last two years, Toho Music has begun reissuing some of their non-Godzilla related special effects film scores in deluxe packaging with re-mastered sound. Joining the already re-released soundtracks to THE THREE TREAURES (Nippon Tanjo, 1959) and THE MYSTERIANS/BATTLE IN OUTER SPACE (Chikyu Boeigun, 1957/Uchu Daisenso, 1959) is Yuji Koseki’s score to MOTHRA (Mosura, 1961), released as a dual disc set at the end of July.
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DVD and Blu-ray cover art for The Criterion Collection’s upcoming release of director Nobuhiko Obayashi’s cult classic horror film HOUSE.
Photo courtesy of Image Entertainment. © 1977 Toho Co., Ltd.

Source: Image Entertainment
Official Movie Site: janusfilms.com/house, criterion.com/house
Special Thanks to Marsha Altmark

The Criterion Collection is proud to present Toho’s stunningly bizarre horror movie HOUSE (Hausu, 1977) on Region 1 DVD and Blu-ray. Directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi, this is a must have for any Japanese cult horror film fan.

HOUSE will be released on October 26th, 2010. Both the Criterion DVD and Blu-ray are now available for pre-order on Amazon.com.
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Innocent wannabe pop musician Soichi Negishi (Kenichi Matsuyama) becomes the death metal star Johannes Krauser II in DETROIT METAL CITY, Toho’s live action
movie based on the international best-selling manga series. © 2008 Toho Co., Ltd. /Horipro Inc. / Hakusensha, Inc. /Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc. / Dentsu Inc. /d-rings Inc. /Parco Co., Ltd. /SDP, Inc. /Tokyo FM Broadcasting Co., Ltd. /Yahoo Japan Corporation /Nippon Shuppan Hanbai Inc. /Tsutaya Group.

Source: VIZ Pictures, MediaLab press releases
Official Site: go-to-dmc (Japan), DMCtheMovie.com (US)
Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen

VIZ Pictures, an affiliate of VIZ Media, LLC that focuses on Japanese live-action film distribution, has announced that it has licensed from Toho Company, Ltd the North American theatrical and DVD distribution rights to the heavy metal live-action comedy, DETROIT METAL CITY. The DVD is scheduled for release later in the fall of this year.

DETROIT METAL CITY takes the zany rock antics inspired by films like THIS IS SPINAL TAP to hilarious new extremes in this film directed by Toshio Lee and based on the popular manga comic created by Kiminori Wakasugi. It features notable appearances by Gene Simmons from the legendary band, KISS, and Marty Friedman of Megadeth, and stars Kenichi Matsuyama, one of the most adored actors in Japan today and known widely for his role as ‘L’ in the DEATH NOTE films.
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Disney/Pixar and Toho characters are the focus of the next two waves of figures in Kayodo’s Sci-Fi Revoltech line.
Mogera and Mothra © Toho Co., Ltd. Buzz Lightyear and Woody © Disney/Pixar. © 2010 Kaiyodo Co., Ltd.

The Latest Series Brings Two more Characters from Toho’s Tokusatsu Universe Plus an Exclusive
Author: John “Dutch” DeSentis
Official Site: kaiyodo.co.jp/revoltech

The Kaiyodo Company’s Sci-Fi Revoltech series continues to bring great, super-articulated figures of popular science fiction characters to the hands of collectors. Thus far, the only Toho character represented has been the monster Baragon from Wave 2. Thankfully, that will change on September 1st, as a figure based on Mothra (1961 style) will join Mogera (1957 style). The previous month sees Buzz Lightyear and Woody from the Disney/Pixar TOY STORY movies. Reportedly the Tyrannosaurus Rex from JURASSIC PARK, Jason Vorhees from the FRIDAY THE 13TH series, and a Type-1966 Maser Tank from WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS will follow in the next few months.
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Author: Bob Johnson

Peter Fernandez at the 2008 premiere of SPEED RACER
during the Tribeca Film Festival.

On Thursday July 15, 2010, the television and movie industry lost one of its truly unsung heroes. Peter Fernandez passed away after a battle with cancer at the age of 83. Although fans of international films and TV know his name and his contributions, Hollywood as a whole has passed over a little-known industry that made it possible to import many foreign efforts that we would have never otherwise seen.

The dubbing of international product was a thankless chore and an underpaid one in the 1960s and 1970s. However, Peter Fernandez was a tireless pioneer and turned out some of the most memorable and highest quality dub tracks of a generation.
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Legendary Voice Actor and Director Has Died
Source: Bill Winckler

Writer, director, and voice actor Peter Fernandez died today.

SciFi Japan was just informed that Peter Fernandez passed away this morning from lung cancer. Long acknowledged as one of the best in the business, Fernandez was a voice actor and dubbing director for the American versions of dozens of films and television series… his long list of credits include such favorites as ULTRAMAN, ASTRO BOY, GODZILLA VS THE SEA MONSTER, THE SPACE GIANTS, SON OF GODZILLA, GIGANTOR, STAR BLAZERS, the Sergio Leone/Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns… and even a “clean version” of George Romero’s DAY OF THE DEAD. He may be best known for his work on SPEED RACER, in which he voiced both Speed and Racer X and also wrote the English lyrics for the show’s theme song.

Our condolences to Peter’s family and friends. SciFi Japan will be following with a full tribute soon, but in the meantime please see our 2009 interview with Peter in which he discusses his life and career, and our overview of Peter’s work on SPEED RACER.

Minya, the Son of Godzilla, confronts the giant mantis Kamakiras in SON OF GODZILLA, playing this month at The Colonial Theatre in New Hampshire.
© 1967 Toho Co., Ltd.

The Colonial Theatre Presents Its Fourth SPOOKTACULAR
Source: The Colonial Theatre press release
Official Site: Spooktacular IV
Special Thanks to Mark Nelson

Advertisement for SPOOKTACULAR IV, courtesy of Mark
Nelson. SON OF GODZILLA © 1967 Toho Co., Ltd.

Giant monsters once again return to Keene, New Hampshire at The Colonial Theatre’s SPOOKTACULAR, Saturday, July 31st 2010 at 2PM. Curated by SATURDAY FRIGHT SPECIAL, New Hampshire’s first home-grown horror host TV show, the event features a rare 35mm screening of the 1967 Japanese monster melee SON OF GODZILLA (English dubbed version). In addition to the main feature, vintage monster movie previews, a cartoon, and snack bar ads will precede the film, along with prize giveaways and on-stage appearances by Scarewolf and other SATURDAY FRIGHT SPECIAL characters. The event will be the finale of the Colonial’s annual Family Film Series, and will be an all-ages event, bringing back the feel of an old-time kiddie matinee.

“We’re thrilled to be able to present a Godzilla film to the Colonial audience on a Saturday afternoon, the same way that so many kids in the 70s first saw these films, both in the theater and on TV,” said Mark Nelson, SATURDAY FRIGHT SPECIAL curator for the event. “In fact, we’re giving fans an opportunity they never had back then to see SON OF GODZILLA on the big screen, as the film was released directly to television in the US.”
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Former Godzilla FX director Koichi Kawakita has been promoting a slew of new Toho-themed collectibles. © 2010 Toho Co., Ltd.

Author: Ed Godziszewski
Official Site: KK DeAgostini Japan

Enjoy some Godzilla Wine. © 1954/2010 Toho Co., Ltd.

Although retired from filmmaking, Koichi Kawakita (FX director of the Godzilla series from 1989-1995) has managed to find a new way to stay in the public eye these days, promoting a series of products related to Toho special effects films. In January he appeared at Super Festival, introducing two new books concerning the Godzilla films, the DVD of ZERO FIGHTER (Ozora no Samurai, 1976), and some miscellaneous goods. Then in February he was at Wonder Festival promoting a garage kit replica of the Oxygen Destroyer from GODZILLA (Gojira, 1954).

And since late last year, he has been doing interviews in the booklets for each of DeAgostini’s DVD book releases of Toho special effects films. In Volume 18 of this Toho SFX DVD Collection series (DESTROY ALL MONSTERS), issued during May, Kawakita appears promoting even more goods related to Toho films.
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EVANGELION 2.0: YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE is just one of fifty Asian films playing this month at Fantasia. Photo courtesy of EIN’s M&M. © 2009 Khara

Montreal Genre Movie Festival Runs July 8-28
Source: Fantasia press release
Official Site: Fantasia 2010

The organizers of Fantasia International Film Festival— North America’s largest genre film festival— have once again pulled together an amazing lineup of movies to screen in Montreal. From July 8 to 28, Fantasia 2010 will showcase 120 feature films and several hundred shorts from all over the world, including a number of North American and international premieres.

Please visit Fantasia’s official website for their complete film list and schedule, venues and directions, ticket information, and other details. SciFi Japan readers may be particularly interested in the fest’s Asian movie schedule, detailed in the following press release.
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The Final Box Set in the Series is Released
Author: John “Dutch” DeSentis
Source: Toho Music Store
Official Website: Toho Music

Advertisement for the GODZILLA SOUNDTRACK PERFECT
COLLECTION, including the newly released sixth and
final volume. © 2010 Toho Co., Ltd.

Back in 2004, during Godzilla’s 50th Anniversary, Toho Music Announced they would be reissuing all the Godzilla soundtracks remastered in a series of box sets, each limited to 1,954 pressings of each (to commemorate the year of the original Godzilla). What fans didn’t know was just how long it would take for them to be released. The first set went on sale September 20th, 2004 and was highly regarded for its improved sonics, especially on the 1954 disc. Box 2 came a short few months later in December, during the release of GODZILLA FINAL WARS. Box 3 followed in April of 2005, around the same time as the release of the GODZILLA FINAL BOX which contained all 28 movies on DVD.

What followed then was a wait of nearly a year and a half as the fourth box didn’t hit the streets until October, 2006 and it took only slightly less time for the fifth box to come out in January, 2008. Fan speculation ran high as to whether or not the final set would ever be released at all. But after a wait of over two years (the longest stretch between two sets), Box 6 was finally released in Japan on March 25th, and the collection is now complete.
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A menagerie of Japanese monsters and heroes are on display at Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens’ new KAIJU! MONSTER INVASION Exhibit.
Photo by James Bonney.

Japanese Monster Vinyl Figures on Display at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens
Author: James Bonney
Official Site: Kaiju! Monster Invasion!

Fans of the kaiju tokusatsu, or rather, their plastic counterparts in South Florida are in for a treat. The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens is hosting a brand new exhibit showcasing the various figures from the world of Japanese kaiju film and television entitled KAIJU! MONSTER INVASION!
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Friend comforts Friend (!?) after learning that they did not win VIZ Pictures’ 20TH CENTURY BOYS 3: REDEMPTION Gift Pack.
Photo courtesy of VIZ Pictures. © 1999, 2006 Naoki Urasawa, Studio Nuts/ Shogakukan. © 2009 “20th Century Boys” Film Partners

Source: VIZ Pictures
Official Movie Site: 20thboysfilms.com (US), 20th Boys (Japanese)
Special Thanks to Rieko Fuji

Thank you to everyone who entered VIZ Pictures and SciFi Japan’s contest for a free 20TH CENTURY BOYS 3: REDEMPTION Gift Pack. The winning entry is:

Nathan Bishop

More contests are planned for 2010 so keep checking back with SciFi Japan for more chances to win some cool stuff!
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Source: 4Digital Media, Organic Marketing press release
Official Movie Site: 20th Boys (Japan), 4digitalmedia.com/20cb (UK)
Special Thanks to Alexandra Beedell and Louise Rivers

Three SciFi Japan readers have each won the UK DVD
collection 20TH CENTURY BOYS TRILOGY: THE COMPLETE SAGA!
Photo courtesy of 4Digital Media and Organic Marketing.
©1999, 2006 Naoki Urasawa, Studio Nuts/Shogakukan. ©2008
“20th Century Boys” Film Partners

SciFi Japan would like to thank 4Digital Media, Organic Marketing, and everyone who entered our recent “20TH CENTURY BOYS: THE COMPLETE SAGA” giveaway competition. The following randomly drawn entrants correctly answered the contest question:

Steven Sloss
Robert Phillips
Emma Anderson

Congratulations to all the winners! Each of you has won a free copy of the new 20TH CENTURY BOYS TRILOGY: THE COMPLETE SAGA 4 disc box set from 4Digital Media. Organic Marketing has already shipped out the DVDs.
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A new and improved giant robot is unleashed 17 years after the events of the “Bloody New Year’s Eve”. © 1999, 2006 Naoki Urasawa, Studio Nuts/ Shogakukan.
© 2009 “20th Century Boys” Film Partners

Sci-Fi Movie Trilogy Ends on a Strong Note
Author: Elliot Gay
Official Movie Site: 20thboysfilms.com (US), 20th Boys (Japanese)

For those of you who would rather avoid any and all spoilers concerning the third film in the 20TH CENTURY BOYS series, let me state here and now: if you at all enjoyed the first two movies you will enjoy the third and final film just as much as– if not more than– the previous. Director Yukihiko Tsutsumi provides a satisfying and all-encompassing finale to a trilogy that had a great deal of sub-plots and loose ends to tie up. Against all odds, Tsutsumi manages to provide the sort of closure that few manga adaptations are granted. So let out a big sigh of relief; 20Th CENTURY BOYS 3: REDEMPTION (20-Seiki Shonen: Saishusho-Bokura no Hata, 2009) does not disappoint.
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Get a Bundle of 20TH CENTURY BOYS Goodies for Free, Courtesy of VIZ Pictures and SciFi Japan
Source: VIZ Pictures
Official Movie Site: 20thboysfilms.com (US), 20th Boys (Japanese)
Special Thanks to Rieko Fuji

VIZ Pictures is offering SciFi Japan readers the chance to win
a free 20TH CENTURY BOYS 3: REDEMPTION Gift Pack. Photo
courtesy of VIZ Pictures. © 1999, 2006 Naoki Urasawa, Studio
Nuts /Shogakukan © 2008 “20th Century Boys” Film Partners

A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE

20TH CENTURY BOYS 3: REDEMPTION is the third and final chapter of the mega hit 20TH CENTURY BOYS sci-fi action film trilogy from Japan. Attracting attention as the biggest film project of the century in the Japanese film industry, the production of the trilogy cost over $60 million, stars over 300 all-star cast members, with shooting taking place for an entire year.

To celebrate the new Region 1 DVD release of this film, VIZ Pictures is giving SciFi Japan readers in the United States and Canada a chance to win a free 20TH CENTURY BOYS 3 Gift Pack. The pack includes a 20TH CENTURY BOYS 3: REDEMPTION US theatrical poster, a ‘Tomodachi’ T-shirt featuring the infamous Friend symbol, a mini-flag, and a 20TH CENTURY BOYS 3 button.

All three films in the 20TH CENTURY BOYS movie series are now available on DVD in North America from VIZ Pictures. The suggested retail price is $24.92 each.
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Nicely Packaged but Disappointing Volume Fails to Live Up to Its Title
Author: Ed Godziszewski
Official Site: harpercollins.com/books/Killer-Kaiju-Monsters

Drazoran, an original toy creation by Mark Nagata,
graces the cover of the new book Killer Kaiju
Monsters: Strange Beasts of Japanese Film. © 2010
HarperCollins Publishers

A year ago, New York-based publisher HarperCollins announced their upcoming release Godzilla and Friends: The Art of the Japanese Monster. After various delays, the book finally went on sale this past week with the revised title Killer Kaiju Monsters: Strange Beasts of Japanese Film. The hardcover volume was written and edited by Ivan Vartanian (Full Vinyl: The Subversive Art of Designer Toys) and features illustrations by Mark Nagata (Max Toy Company), Shoji Ohtomo (An Anatomical Guide to Monsters), Ryohei Tanaka (Panic Attack!), and a cut-out paper toy by renowned paper engineer Keisuke Saka.

Killer Kaiju Monsters: Strange Beasts of Japanese Film at first looks to be typical of what we come to expect from mainstream published books on Japanese movie monsters. The Japanese studios prohibit the use of the names or any likeness or their characters on the cover (hence the change from Godzilla and Friends), so a more generic title is used and any monster design is by necessity an original one, i.e. not of a movie monster. So ordinarily, the cover belies its contents. However, in the case of Killer Kaiju Monsters, the cover is oddly emblematic of what the rest of the book delivers.
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