This Month In Tokusatsu History
January 1January 2
1926
Amamoto, Eisei is born in Kita-Kyushu, Fukuoka, Japan, played Dr Death
in "Kamen Rider" (1971), Great Devil
Satan
in "Henshin Ninja Arashi" (1972), Dr. Kaidou in "Uchu Tetsujin Kyodain"
(1976) and Professor K in "Seiun
Kamen
Mashinman" (1984). Also appeared in several of Toho's 1960s giant
monster movies
1966 First episode of Urutora Q (Ultra Q), "Defeat Gomess!"
1971
First episode of Spectreman, "Dr. Gori Aims At The Earth!"
1973
Satou Tamao is born, played Maruo Momo/Ohpink in Super Powered Task
Force Ohranger
1974 Super Robot Red Baron episode 27, "Invasion of the Space Robots"
2001 Kamen Rider Kuuga: First Dream (2 hour tv special)
2020 Uehara, Shouzou head writer of Return of Ultraman, Himitsu Sentai Goranger, J.A.K.Q. Dengeki Tai, Toei's Spiderman, Battle Fever J, Denshi Sentai Denjiman,
Taiyo Sentai Sunvulcan, Uchû Keiji Gavan, Uchû Keiji Sharivan, Uchû Keiji Shaider, Kyoju Tokuso Juspion, Jiku Senshi Spielban and Kamen Rider Black, died of lung cancer
January 3
1968
Red Shadow: The Masked Ninja episode 40, "Fûma Clan Ninjas Invasion"
1975 Ultraman Leo episode 39, "The Leo Brothers and the Ultra Brothers, Time of Victory"
1976
TV special "Kamen Rider All Back Again! 7 Riders" brings the 7 Kamen
Riders and Tachibana, Tobei together one
last
time
1984
TV special "Kamen Rider #10'S Birth! Riders Come Together" introduces
Kamen Rider ZX
January 4
1933
Ishibashi, Masashi is born in Hualien, Taiwan, played Iron Claw
& Warrior Iron Claw in "J.A.K.Q. Lightning Strike
Squad"
(1977), Commander Hedda, Psychokinesis Monster and Monster Hedda in
"Battle Fever J" (1979),
General
Kar in "Science Task Force Dynaman" (1983) and Doctor Reida in "High
Speed Task Force Turboranger"
(1989)
also featured in martial arts films with Chiba, Shinichi (aka Sonny
Chiba).
1944
Shimon, Masato (birth name Fujikawa Masaharu) is born in Mekuro-ku,
Tokyo, Japan; one of the most popular
singers
of Japanese tv theme songs ("Rider Action" from Kamen Rider, "Run Hurricane" from Kamen Rider V3,
"Amazon
Rider Is Here", "Amazon Da-Da-Da", "Meteor Man Zone", "Meteor Victory",
"Fight Electroid Zabougâ",
"My
Brother Electroid Zabougâ", "Kikaida 01", "01 Rock", etc.)
1974 Ultraman Taro episode 40 ,"Go Beyond The Ultra Brothers!"
1974
Diamond Eye: Warrior of Light episode 14, "A New Enemy: Princess Cobra"
1975
Kamen Rider Amazon episode 12, "Seen! Geddon's Altered Room"
1977
Super Human Bibyun episode 25, "My Dreams Are Consumed? The Mysterious
Ghost Castle"
1980
New Kamen Rider (Skyrider) episode 14, "Haejigokujin Kamen Rider's
Close Call"
January 5
1973 Ultraman Ace episode 40, "Return the Panda!"
1973
Rainbowman: Warrior Of Love episode 14, "Terror Operation M"
1973
Transforming Ninja Arashi episode 40
1974
Kamen Rider V3 episode 47, "Laying in Wait!! Destron's Chief!!"
1974
Kikaida 01 episode 34, "The Enchanted Big Clock -- Bijinda Danger"
1975
Science Fiction Drama: Army of the Apes episode 14, "New Year's Day in Ape Country?"
1980
Battle Fever J episode 49, "2nd Grade, Glass No. 5 Rebel Army"
January 6
1949
Chiba, Jirou is born, played FBI agent Taki Kazuya in "Kamen Rider"
(1972, Detective Shinjou, Gou in "Robot
Detective"
(1973), Shima, Ippei in "Akumaizer 3" (1975)
1973
Kamen Rider episode 93, "8 Kamen Riders" (guest stars Sasaki, Takeshi
as Ichimonji, Hayato
1973
Swift Hero Lion Maru episode 41
1973
Jinzo Ningen Kikaida episode 26, "Emerald Mammoth Global Freezing Plan"
1976
Akumaizer 3 episode 14, "Why!? Ippei's Double"
1979 Message from Space: Galactic Wars episode 24, "Great Comet Zatan Appear"
1995 Ninja Task Force Kakuranger episode 46, "The New Year's Manga Hell"
2007 Ultraman Mebius episode 38, "Isana of the Ocean"
January 7
1966 Ultra Q episode 2, "Goro and Goroh"
1968 Ultra Seven episode 14: "Westward, Ultra Garrison (Beginning)"
1972 Return of Ultraman episode 39, "Winter of Horror Series - The 20th Century Abominable Snowman"
1973
First episode of Fireman, "Birth of Fireman"
1994
Five Star Task Force Dairanger episode 45 (skipped a week), "The Real
Disbanding!!"
2001
Kamen Rider Kuuga episode 47, "Determination"
January 8
1967 Ulltraman Episode 26, "The Prince of Monsters (Part 1)"
1972
Kamen Rider episode 41, "Magma Demon Goster, Decisive Battle at Cherry
Tree Island" (Fujioka, Hiroshi guest
stars
as Hongo Takeshi)
1973
First episode Majin Hanta Mitsurugi [Demon Hunter Mitsurugi], "Crush
the Scorpion Army Corps' Space Ninjas!"
1974
Inazuman episode 15, "Mother from Whom Shadow Was Eaten"
1977
Secret Task Force Goranger episode 75, "Deep-Red Fire Hell! Conspiracy
of Stove Mask" (skipped a week)
2001
Last episode (12) of Jinzo Ningen Kikaida - The Animation, "The Last
Days Of The Dream"
January 9
1970
Gouda Masashi is born, played Mita Yuuji/Ohblue in Super-Power Task
Force Ohranger
1974 Super Robot Red Baron episode 28, "Goldfinger"
1981
Kamen Rider Super-1 episode 12 (skipped a week)
1982
Solar Task Force Sun Vulcan episode 47, "Rebellion of Machine Empire"
(skipped a week)
January 10
1968
Red Shadow: The Masked Ninja episode 41, "Armored Monster Guron"
1975 Ultraman Leo episode 40, "Terror of the Saucer Race Series: MAC Annihilated! The Flying Saucer was a Living Creature!"
1976
Secret Task Force Goranger episode 36, "Deep-Red Dash Attacking! Moves
the Invincible Battleship Fortress"
(skipped
a week)
1988
Kamen Rider Black episode 14, "Today is the End of Him" (skipped a week)
1988
Super Manchine Metalder episode 38, "Bloody Counterstrike" (skipped a
week)
January 11
1974 Ultraman Taro episode 41 ,"Mother's Wish-A Mid-Winter Cherry Blossom Blizzard"
1974
Diamond Eye: Warrior of Light episode 15, "Devli's Den: Hitode Tsubo's
Fierce Attack"
1975
Kamen Rider Amazon episode 13, "The Fiend With Ten Masks Draws Near!
Danger Amazon!!"
1977
Super Human Bibyun episode 26, "The Ghost Castle In Hell? Gulliver's
Real Form"
1980
New Kamen Rider (Skyrider) episode 15, "Terrifying Aokabijin's Major
Tokyo Earthquake"
January 12
1973 Ultraman Ace episode 41, "Winter Horror Series - Scary Story! Lion Drum"
1973
Rainbowman: Warrior Of Love episode 15, "Murder Professional"
1973
Transforming Ninja Arashi episode 41
1974
Kikaida 01 episode 35, "The Long-Sleeve Kimono Girl -- Bijinda Hell Picture Scroll
1974
Kamen Rider V3 episode 48, "Seen! The Face of Destron's Chief!!"
1975
Science Fiction Drama: Army of the Apes episode 15, "The Discovery of the Time Capsule Buried
by Humans!!"
1980
Battle Fever J episode 50, "The Masked Ogre"
1996
Super-Power Task Force Ohranger episode 42, "The Task Force's Public
Execution!!" (skipped 2 weeks)
January 13
1973
Kamen Rider episode 94, "Gel Shocker - The True Nature of the Leader"
(guest stars Sasaki, Takeshi as
Ichimonji,
Hayato)
1973
Swift Hero Lion Maru episode 42
1973
Jinzo Ningen Kikaida episode 27, "The Violet Top Shell's Evil Passion"
1976
Akumaizer 3 episode 15, "Why!? Ippei The Tengu"
1979 Message from Space: Galactic Wars episode 25, "The End of Planet Belda"
1995 Ninja Task Force Kakuranger episode 47, "The 100-Burst Human Fireworks"
2002
Ban, Daisuke (Jiro/Kikaida, Watari Goro/Inazuman; Izumo, Daisuke/Captor
7, Makoto Jin/Battle Cossack 2) attends
Japanese
Cultural Festival in Honolulu, Hawaii
2007 Ultraman Mebius episode 39, "An Invincible Mother"
January 14
1954
Komaki Lisa,,Peggy Matsuyama/Momo Renjaa in Secret Task Force Goranger
and Miss America (Battle Fever J)
stuntwoman
is born
1968 Ultra Seven episode 15,"Westward, Ultra Garrison (Conclusion)"
1972 Return of Ultraman episode 40, "Winter of Horror Series - Phantom Snow Woman"
1973 Iron King episode 14, "Secret of the Brainwave Robot"
1994
Five Star Task Force Dairanger episode 46, "The Heroes Are Naked"
2001
Kamen Rider Kuuga episode 48, "Kuuga"
January 15
1967 Ulltraman Episode 27, "The Prince of Monsters (Part 2)"
1972
Kamen Rider episode 42, "Devil's Messenger, Mysterious Fly-Man"
1973
Demon Hunter Mitsurugi episode 2, "The Severed Head Laughs From the
Prison Gates"
1974
Inazuman episode 16, "Run Toward the Promise"
1977
Secret Task Force Goranger episode 76, "Deep-Red Disappearance! Did you
look at Iron Spider Mask?"
1989
Kamen Rider Black RX episode 11, "Scrap's Revolt"
January 16
1966 Ultra Q episode 3, "The Gift From Space"
1974 Super Robot Red Baron episode 29, "3 Robot Brothers of the Iron Alliancer"
1981
Kamen Rider Super-1 episode 13
1982
Solar Task Force Sun Vulcan episode 48, "The Enormous Aircraft Carrior
is Taken"
January 17
1968
Red Shadow: The Masked Ninja episode 42, "The Steel Whip Ninja
Technique"
1973
First episode of Jambogu Esu (Jumborg Ace), "The Present From Emerald
Star"
1975 Ultraman Leo episode 41, "Terror of the Saucer Race Series: A Flying Saucer Beast Came from an Evil Planet!"
1976
Secret Task Force Goranger episode 37, "Pure White Spark! The Natural
Shape of Black Cross Führer"
1988
Kamen Rider Black episode 15, "The School Has Been Targeted"
1988
Last episode (39) of Super Manchine Metalder, "Forever Metalder"
2001
Nakamura, Fumiya who played Marshal Armor in "Kamen Rider V3" (1973)
died.
January 18
1974 Ultraman Taro episode 42,"The Phantom Mother Is A Monster User!"
1974
Diamond Eye: Warrior of Light episode 16, "Secret Technique!! Lightning
of Ware Atama"
1975
Kamen Rider Amazon episode 14, "The Fiend With Ten Masks, Finished! And
Then, A New Enemy!?"
1977
Super Human Bibyun episode 27, "Tsukimura Turns Into Noberabo? You Got
It Benijaku"
1980
New Kamen Rider (Skyrider) episode 16, "Immortal
Gokiburijin G Monster's True
Form?"
January 19
1973 Ultraman Ace episode 42, "Winter Horror Series - Mystery! Monster Woo Rises Again"
1973
Rainbowman: Warrior Of Love episode 16, "Murder Pro Garuma's Revenge"
1973
Transforming Ninja Arashi episode 42
1974
Kikaida 01 episode 36, "Mystery Of The Fourth Dimension -- Time Travel Of Fear"
1974
Kamen Rider V3 episode 49, "The Sound of a Gunshot! The Aim of Throwing
Down Kazami Shiro"
1975
Science Fiction Drama: Army of the Apes episode 16, "From the Time Capsule Comes the Voice of
a Child!!"
1980
Battle Fever J episode 51, "The EGOS Rites Of Ressurection"
1996
Super-Power Task Force Ohranger episode 43, "The Trump Card Is Seven Changes"
2010 Mill Creek Entertainment having purchased BCI Eclipse video library rereleases Supa Robot Red Baron (1973)
January 20
1973
Kamen Rider episode 95, "The Sky Flying Car of the Demon Karaokkes"
1973
Swift Hero Lion Maru episode 43
1973
Jinzo Ningen Kikaida episode 28, "Making Babies Cry, Red Devil
Tigerfish"
1976
Akumaizer 3 episode 16, "Why!? Secret of the Red Umbrella"
1979 Message from Space: Galactic Wars episode 26, "The Myster of the Emeralida"
1995 Ninja Task Force Kakuranger episode 48, "The Great Snow Woman's Snowball Fight"
2007 Ultraman Mebius episode 40, "Lonely Paradise"
January 21
1968 Ultra Seven episode 16, "Shining Eyes in the Darkness"
1972 Return of Ultraman episode 41, "The Revenge of Alien Baltan Jr."
1973 Iron King episode 15, "Marathon Monster Capri-Gon"
1994
Five Star Task Force Dairanger episode 47, "Wow...The Truth"
2001
Last episode (49) of Kamen Rider Kuuga, "Yuusuke"
January 22
1967 Ulltraman Episode 28, "Human Specimens 5 & 6"
1972
Kamen Rider episode 43, "Mysterious Demon Bird Pranodon's Attack"
1973
Demon Hunter Mitsurugi episode 3, "Break the Devil's Curse!"
1974
Inazuman episode 17, "Confrontation of Mystery. Two Watari, Goros?"
1977
Secret Task Force Goranger episode 77, "Black Fear! Blood Sucking Snake
Woman"
1989
Kamen Rider Black RX episode 12, "The Assassin in Dreams"
January 23
1939
Maeda Sadao is born in Fukuoka. Using the name Chiba, Shinichi starred
in martial arts films, founded Japan
Action
Club (JAC) which did stunts for Toei (Kikaida, Kikaida 01, Kamen
Riders, etc.) and Toho during the 1970s
1966 Ultra Q episode 4, "Mammoth Flower"
1974 Super Robot Red Baron episode 30, "The Boy Who Controlled Red Baron"
1981
Kamen Rider Super-1 episode 14
1982
Solar Task Force Sun Vulcan episode 49, "The Last Magic Moment of Queen
Hedrian"
January 24
1949
Yoshida, Rihoko is born, provided the voice for Darunia in "Akumaizer 3"
1968
Red Shadow: The Masked Ninja episode 43, "Vampire Monster Gizorun"
1975 Ultraman Leo episode 42, "Terror of the Saucer Race Series: Leo is in Danger! The Assassin is a Flying Saucer Beast!"
1988
Kamen Rider Black episode 16, "Friend! Cross The Sea And Come Here!"
January 25
1938
Ishimori, Shotaro is born in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, comic book
artist who created many of the best Tokusatsu
characters
including the Kamen Riders, Kikaida, Kikaida 01, Zubat and the
Gorangers.
1947
Yamaguchi, Akira is born in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, played Yuki
Joji/Riderman in "Kamen Rider V3 (1974)
and
Daimon Yutaka in "Electroid Zabougâ" (1974-1975). Died April 6, 1986.
1970
Tsuburaya, Eiji died of heart failure in Tokyo. Toho's longtime special
effects director and founder of Tsuburaya
Productions,
and the creator of Godzilla and Ultraman.
1974 Ultraman Taro episode 43,"Pickle The Monster With Salt!"
1974
Diamond Eye: Warrior of Light episode 17, "Kero Cat's Great Game"
1975
Kamen Rider Amazon episode 15, "Came Out! The Terror of Zero Big Sash"
1977
Super Human Bibyun episode 28, "Humans Are Transformed Into Demons? The
Super Strong Zushiin's Demon
Hunting"
1980
New Kamen Rider (Skyrider) episode 17, "At Last! The End Of G Monster"
1993
Kamen Rider-SD (anime featuring "Super Deformed" versions of Kamen
Riders 1 through Black RX fighting
Grandshocker.
Kobayashi Akiji provided the voice for Tachibana Tobei)
January 26
1973 Ultraman Ace episode 43, "Winter Horror Series - Scary Story! Yeti's Cry"
1973
Rainbowman: Warrior Of Love episode 17, "Witchcraft-Human
Petrification!!"
1973
Transforming Ninja Arashi episode 43
1974
Kikaida 01 episode 37, "The Great Swordsman -- In The Midst Of Fog He Came -- Waruda"
1974
Kamen Rider V3 episode 50, "A Small Friendship"
1975
Science Fiction Drama: Army of the Apes episode 17, "The Rescuing of Ape Father and Son From
the Renegade Soldiers!"
1980
Last episode (52) of Battle Fever J, "The Hero's Symphony"
1996
Super-Power Task Force Ohranger episode 44, "The Earth's Most Powerful
Beauty"
January 27
1973
Kamen Rider episode 96, "Hongo Takeshi - Demon Cactus Exposed!!"
1973
Swift Hero Lion Maru episode 44
1973
Jinzo Ningen Kikaida episode 29, "Sponge Green Lives Thrice"
1976
Akumaizer 3 episode 17, "Why!? The Other Zabitan"
1979 Finale episode (27) of Message from Space: Galactic Wars "Farewell Heroes Of the Galaxy""
1995 Ninja Task Force Kakuranger episode 49, "Suddenly!! Poor"
2007 Ultraman Mebius episode 41, "Teacher's Memories"
January 28
1968 Ultra Seven episode 17, "Underground: Go! Go! Go!"
1972 Return of Ultraman episode 42, "The Monster That Stands on Mt. Fuji"
1973 Iron King episode 16, "Destroy Tora-Girasu!"
1994
Five Star Task Force Dairanger episode 48, "Magnificent!! Doushi Dies"
1998
Ishimori, Shoutarou dies of heart failure, Japanese TV will never be
the same
January 29
1967 Ulltraman Episode 29, "Challange To the Underground"
1972
Kamen Rider episode 44, "Graveyard Demon Gabibinga"
1973
Demon Hunter Mitsurugi episode 4, "Gold Apparition! Cain Whale's Magic"
1974
Inazuman episode 18, "Inazuman's Loss of Friendship"
1977
Secret Task Force Goranger episode 78, "Black Jamming! A Primeval Roar"
1989
Kamen Rider Black RX episode 13, "The Evil Devil Girl Aimed At"
January 30
1966 Ultra Q episode 5, "Peguila is Here!"
1974 Super Robot Red Baron episode 31, "The Terryfing Apple Bombs"
1981
Kamen Rider Super-1 episode 15
1982
Last episode (50) of Solar Task Force Sun Vulcan, "Shining North Pole
Aurora"
2000
First episode of Kamen Rider Kuuga, "Rebirth"
January 31
1968
Red Shadow: The Masked Ninja episode 44, " The Ninja Without a Face"
1975 Ultraman Leo episode 43, "Terror of the Saucer Race Series: Challenge! The Terror of the Vampire Saucer"
1976
Secret Task Force Goranger eisode 38, "Blue Precipice! Search for the
Demonic Pirate Treasure"
(skipped
a week)
1988
Kamen Rider Black episode 17, "Kyoko's Unbelievable Dream"