SciFi Japan » Tribute http://www.scifijapan.com/articles Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:27:16 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 New Book/CD Details the Career of Jim Danforth http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2011/11/10/new-bookcd-details-the-career-of-jim-danforth/ http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2011/11/10/new-bookcd-details-the-career-of-jim-danforth/#comments Fri, 11 Nov 2011 03:51:44 +0000 Bob Johnson http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/?p=26748 Jim Danforth with a jewel dragon from THE WONDERFUL WORLDS OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM. Photo courtesy of Loren Portillo. Dinosaurs, Dragons, & Drama—The Odyssey of a Trickfilmmaker—Volume One —An Illustrated Memoir by Jim Danforth. Author: Loren Portillo Special Thanks to: Ernest Farino Official Website: Archive Editions One of the most anticipated Book/CD on stop motion animation, and the incredible career of special effects genius Jim Danforth, will finally be made available to the public this month, on November 13 2011. To stop motion fans the world over, this memoir (Vol 1) will cover Jim's career from his humble beginnings as young artistic teenager, to his work with Art Clokey on the famed GUMBY series. This book also will cover Jim's early film work such as JACK THE GIANT KILLER and end with his work on WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH. Lavishly produced, the book has an incredible array of never before published photographs from Jim's personal collection. This is a must have for all stop motion aficionados, as well as those who appreciate the artistic genius of one of the greatest Special Effects men ever. Continued...
]]> http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2011/11/10/new-bookcd-details-the-career-of-jim-danforth/feed/ 0 Sakyo Komatsu: 1931-2011 http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2011/08/10/sakyo-komatsu-1931-2011/ http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2011/08/10/sakyo-komatsu-1931-2011/#comments Wed, 10 Aug 2011 22:24:48 +0000 Keith Aiken http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/?p=24498 Author Sakyo Komatsu's novels were adapted into several popular Japanese films. SUBMERSION OF JAPAN and ESPY © Toho Co., Ltd. VIRUS © 1980 Haruki Kadokawa Films. SINKING OF JAPAN © 2006 "Sinking of Japan" Production Committee Prolific Sci-Fi Author Passes Away at Age 80 Authors: Andrew Nguyen and Keith Aiken Source: Nippon 2007, Science Fiction Studies, Mainichi Daily News, various
Sakyo Komatsu, the “King of Japanese SF”.
Japan’s science-fiction community lost one of its grand figures recently with the passing of Sakyo Komatsu on July 26, 2011 from pneumonia. Born January 28, 1931 in Osaka, Komatsu graduated from Kyoto University with a degree in Italian Literature in 1954. In 1961 he entered the Hayakawa Science Fiction Competition, a story contest co-sponsored by Hayakawa Library, publisher of SF Magazine (SF Magajin), and the Toho Motion Picture Company. He received an Honorable Mention and 5000 yen for his entry Peace on Earth (Chi-ni Heiwa), a World War II story set in an alternate timeline where Japan did not surrender in the wake of the atomic bombings. The next year, Komatsu won the contest with his story Memoirs of an Eccentric Time Traveler (Ekisentoriki), which was published in SF Magazine. Sakyo Komatsu soon became one of Japan's most prolific and popular science fiction writers. His most famous novel was Japan Sinks (Nihon Chinbotsu), in which the shifting of the tectonic plates resulted in earthquakes across the entire nation and causes all of Japan to crumble into the sea. The book was published in March, 1973 and was a massive hit, selling over 4 million copies in Japan alone. Continued...
]]> http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2011/08/10/sakyo-komatsu-1931-2011/feed/ 0 Wonderfest 2011 Report http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2011/07/24/wonderfest-2011-report/ http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2011/07/24/wonderfest-2011-report/#comments Sun, 24 Jul 2011 16:31:45 +0000 Bob Johnson http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/?p=24096 The shoulder to shoulder crowds of Wonderfest. Photo courtesy of Clawmark Toys. Clawmark Does Wonderfest Author: Tom Dougherty, Clawmark Toys WONDERFEST! The name says it all! I have had the good fortune to experience many Japanese Toy and Model shows in both Osaka and Tokyo over the years, but nothing quite compares to Wonderfest. An enormous event like Wonderfest is of course held in the enormous complex called Makhuhari Messe. I only had to ride a train for about two and a half hours through Tokyo and past Disneyland to arrive at the station and begin the walk. Continued...
]]> http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2011/07/24/wonderfest-2011-report/feed/ 0 Back to Space-Con: Keeping Nostalgia Alive! http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2011/03/05/back-to-space-con-keeping-nostalgia-alive/ http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2011/03/05/back-to-space-con-keeping-nostalgia-alive/#comments Sun, 06 Mar 2011 06:12:21 +0000 Bob Johnson http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/?p=21461 Garfield Lane Productions
Poster for BACK TO SPACE-CON, an all-new documentary.
People growing up across the country have their own local nostalgia that stays with them a lifetime, embedded in their memories along with other old friends and experiences. Horror hosts, amusement parks, local attractions… some areas are or were overflowing with them, each a unique brand representing the cities and towns they originated from. Most lie only in people’s memories. Long gone, torn down. Making way for more modern attractions like strip malls and business parks. In the San Francisco Bay Area we had a rich history of parks, attractions and our fair share of horror hosts. However, far from distant memories, they are being kept alive and well documented by local fan turned producer/director Tom Wyrsch. His latest film BACK TO SPACE-CON is a look back at a series of STAR TREK/Sci Fi conventions that took place in the 1970s when cons were plentiful and mostly put together through grass-roots efforts, rather than corporate machines charging top dollar for a simple autograph. In honor of this tradition, Tom is premiering the film on March 12 at Auctions by the Bay in Alameda, California as part of a mini Space-Con like convention. We caught up with Tom to talk to him about his films, our memories and how he keeps nostalgia alive and well. Continued...
]]> http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2011/03/05/back-to-space-con-keeping-nostalgia-alive/feed/ 0 Final Farewell to Shunsuke Ikeda http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/12/01/final-farewell-to-shunsuke-ikeda/ http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/12/01/final-farewell-to-shunsuke-ikeda/#comments Wed, 01 Dec 2010 21:31:09 +0000 Keith Aiken http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/?p=19035 Memorial card for Shunsuke Ikeda, star of the 1973 Toei superhero show KIKAIDA 01. Photo courtesy of Tetsu Shiota. © 1972 Ishimori Production Inc. and Toei Co., Ltd. Memorial Service in Hawaii for KIKAIDA 01 Star Source: Anime Jungle, Generation Kikaida Special Thanks to Tetsu Shiota, Daisuke Ishizuka, Joanne Ninomiya and Scott Shinsato
Front page of the schedule for the Shunsuke Ikeda memorial service. Photo courtesy of Tetsu Shiota.
On November 11th, family and friends gathered at Diamond Head, Hawaii to bid a final farewell to actor Shunsuke Ikeda, who died this past June after a long battle with stomach cancer. Ikeda had appeared in a number of television dramas and FX shows during the 1960s and 70s and is best remembered for his starring role in the popular superhero series KIKAIDA 01 (1973). Ikeda had loved Hawaii so deeply that he wished to have his ashes scattered there. At 10:30am on what would have been his 70th birthday, his ashes were scattered at sea. A memorial service was held that same day at the Blaisdell Center. Ikeda's fellow KIKAIDA Ban Daisuke, Joanne Ninomiya of JN Productions, Koji Shiota of Anime Jungle, Steven Fong of Shirokiya Inc., Bert Shibuya of Generation Kikaida Fans, and the Ikeda Family were among the guests who shared their stories and memories of Shunsuke Ikeda. Governor Linda Lingle sent a message to Generation Kikaida and the Ikeda Family, while Mayor Peter Carlisle and Maui Mayor Charmaine Tavares designated the date as "Ikeda Shunsuke Day". Continued...
]]> http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/12/01/final-farewell-to-shunsuke-ikeda/feed/ 0 SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO: Triumph and Tragedy http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/11/24/space-battleship-yamato-triumph-and-tragedy/ http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/11/24/space-battleship-yamato-triumph-and-tragedy/#comments Wed, 24 Nov 2010 11:40:23 +0000 Bob Johnson http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/?p=18604 The Yamato prepares for launch in a massive SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO movie display at the TBS Broadcasting Center in Akasaka, Tokyo. Photo courtesy of Daisuke Ishizuka. © 2010 Space Battleship Yamato Production Committee. Franchise Creator Dies as New Movie Premieres Author: Bob Johnson Official Site: yamato-movie.net Special Thanks to Tokyo Broadcasting System and Daisuke Ishizuka
Cover for the November 6th Daily Variety, advertising the world premiere of the live action SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO. © 2010 Space Battleship Yamato Production Committee. © 2010 Variety
On Saturday November 6th, the feature film SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO (Uchu Senkan Yamato, 2010)— the latest incarnation of the classic YAMATO saga— had its world premiere screening for potential buyers and guests at the American Film Market (AFM) tradeshow in Santa Monica, CA. Directed by the popular Takashi Yamazaki (RETURNER, the ALWAYS- SUNSET ON THIRD STREET films), the new live action adaptation does for SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO what JJ Abrams' update of STAR TREK did last year; launch a long-running franchise to new levels and new audiences. The AFM screening of SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO was hosted by the film's international sales agent, Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS). Among TBS' invited guests were reps from multiple film studios and distributors, a reporter for Variety Japan, VIZ Pictures associate Erik Jansen, Tim Eldred of Starblazers.com, and the editors of SciFi Japan. But, in one of life's tragic ironies, on the day the attendees were sitting in the Criterion 2 theater marveling at the new movie, 75 year old SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO producer and co-creator Yoshinobu Nishizaki died near the Ogasawara Islands off the coast of Japan. Please join SciFi Japan as we honor Nishizaki's legacy and offer an early look at his latest achievement. Continued...
]]> http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/11/24/space-battleship-yamato-triumph-and-tragedy/feed/ 0 Ryo Ikebe: 1918-2010 http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/11/09/ryo-ikebe-1918-2010/ http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/11/09/ryo-ikebe-1918-2010/#comments Tue, 09 Nov 2010 17:20:11 +0000 Keith Aiken http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/?p=18175 Ryo Ikebe (lower right) in an incredible piece of publicity art for Ishiro Honda's GORATH. © 1962 Toho Co., Ltd. Toho Leading Man Dies at 92 Author: Ed Godziszewski Source: Variety, Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan Special Thanks to Daisuke Ishizuka, Stuart Galbraith IV, Mark Schilling, and Georges Baumgartner
Ryo Ikebe in a publicity shot for THE DECOY. © 1957 Toho Co., Ltd.
Ryo Ikebe, well-known to fans of Japanese science fiction and fantasy film, died in Tokyo at 1:55pm on October 8, 2010 from complications of blood poisoning at the age of 92. Born on February 11, 1918 to painter and comic artist Hitoshi Ikebe, he graduated from Rikkyu University and started out his film career in 1940 as a screenwriter at Toho, with his ultimate ambition to be a director. However, his handsome good looks were noticed by director Yasujiro Shimazu who suggested Ikebe try performing in front of the camera, and he made his acting debut in 1941’s FIGHTING FISH (Togyo). Shortly after his debut, Ikebe was drafted into the military and served nearly 5 years in China as an officer. Upon his return to Japan after the war, Ikebe’s acting career resumed, initially taking on several leading roles for director Kajiro Yamamoto. He quickly established himself as a top star and worked with a virtual hall-of-fame roll call of directors… Yasujiro Ozu, Mikio Naruse, Kon Ichikawa, Tadashi Imai, Masahiro Shinoda, Shiro Toyoda. Continued...
]]> http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/11/09/ryo-ikebe-1918-2010/feed/ 0 Satoshi Kon: 1963-2010 http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/26/satoshi-kon-1963-2010/ http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/26/satoshi-kon-1963-2010/#comments Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:20:03 +0000 Keith Aiken http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/?p=16833 Three of the amazing works created by anime director Satoshi Kon. MILLENNIUM ACTRESS image courtesy of The Associates. © 2001 Chiyoko Committee. TOKYO GODFATHERS courtesy of Sony Pictures. © 2003 Satoshi Kon, Madhouse and Tokyo Godfathers Committee. PARANOIA AGENT courtesy of The Associates. © 2004 Satoshi Kon • Madhouse / Paranoia Agent Committee. Internationally Acclaimed Anime Director has Died Author: Kyle Byrd Source: Tokyo Shimbun, Anime News Network, Polymetrica, Sony Pictures Classics, The Associates, various
Satoshi Kon died this past Tuesday.
On Tuesday, August 24, renowned anime director Satoshi Kon passed away from pancreatic cancer at the young age of 46. Along with films like Katsuhiro Otomo's AKIRA (1988) and Mamorou Oshi's GHOST IN THE SHELL (1995), Kon’s films such as PERFECT BLUE (1997) and PAPRIKA (2006) helped popularize mature-themed Japanese animation in the United States by showing the West that animated films didn’t have to be for children. Kon’s films were often subversive, complex, and surreal examinations of the human condition, and he would prove to be an influence on filmmakers the world over. Continued...
]]> http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/08/26/satoshi-kon-1963-2010/feed/ 0 Peter Fernandez: Industry Loses an Unsung Hero http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/07/18/peter-fernandez-industry-loses-an-unsung-hero/ http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/07/18/peter-fernandez-industry-loses-an-unsung-hero/#comments Mon, 19 Jul 2010 02:30:40 +0000 Keith Aiken http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/?p=15888 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. Continued...
]]> http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/07/18/peter-fernandez-industry-loses-an-unsung-hero/feed/ 0 Peter Fernandez (1927-2010) http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/07/15/peter-fernandez-1927-2010/ http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2010/07/15/peter-fernandez-1927-2010/#comments Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:05:28 +0000 Keith Aiken http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/?p=15855 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.
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