GKA:Thankyou for the long wait folks. But the final chapter of the Raymondl interview has come a close. I`d like to thank Raymondl for taking out his time every week to answer my various questions and I also hope many of you learned something along the way.
-NinjaJack
GKA:How important is the Rider Kick and bike to you?
RL: The Rider Kick and motorcycle are VERY important to the whole character makeup of the franchise. The Rider Kick is the defining signature finishing move that differentiate the character from any other hero in tokusatsu. To NOT have a Rider Kick is like Spider-Man not having his web shooters or sticky powers.
The motorcycle may be either just as vital or even moreso than the Rider Kick. There is a reason he's called "Kamen RIDER" and not "Kamen WAITER" or "Kamen ROWBOATER"--the motorcycle is what gives him the "Rider" name. It's like being called "Batman" and wearing a squirrel suit--he wouldn't be "Bat-
Man". No motorcycle means he's just another hero that should pick another name.Both the Rider Kick and the motorcycle are what defines the role--if he didn't have either one of them, then he's no different than another costumed hero with a mad-on for monsters.
What makes Green Arrow "Green Arrow" is that he uses arrows that are colored green--he's not the Yellow Pole Vaulter. Kamen Rider is a masked hero who rides a motorcycle and has a kick that makes things explode. Both factors to me are incredibly vital to the whole character, and not having them demeans the heroic standard set by Ishinomori and the franchise as a whole.
GKA:The greatest and most beloved Rider of the last decade seems to be RX`s Minami Kotaro, but out of the new gen riders who would you say could give him a good sparing match?
RL: Boy, you're right--RX is not only popular, but he's pretty tough to boot! I can't say who'd give him a good match, but I'll try to see how it goes.
If you're talking about a pure fighting match, then I'd have to say Kamen Rider Kuuga--just to match the fact that both of them have more than one physical form and the fight would be about matching up each other's abilities.If you are talking about angst-ridden origins, I'd probably put Kamen Rider Gills against Minami Kotaro--they both have been given lousy breaks in life, but managed to overcome them, but Kotaro seems to have weathered it a bit better with a more optimistic outlook and he isn't so grim & gritty.
This is a tough question to answer because if I answer it any other way, your readers might take it badly if I went against RX or if I put RX over their current favorite! :)
GKA:Early thoughts on Kabuto`s look and plotline?
RL: Kamen Rider Kabuto's design is really imaginative--way moreso than RYUKI, BLADE, or HIBIKI in terms of following the insectoid design theme that 95% of the Riders use. Blade was insect-like, but mixed in too many other animal aspects while Ryuki & Hibiki didn't even try to follow Ishinomori's concept of the bug-eyed hero.Kabuto's name alone demands that he look more insect-like and he has the mix of both the classic look and the updated "super-technology" feature that KAMEN RIDER FAIZ made popular.
It's important to keep in touch with the current world, but it's also important to honor the forerunners of what came before and was successful for so long. I've said it often that Faiz was about as "radical" as I thought the franchise should get towards--it was new, yet paid homage to the classic mold. Kabuto seems to be following that path design-wise.Concept-wise, it seems to be a mix of many of the recent ideas in the Heisei Rider run.
The idea of ZECT is similar to the concept of BOARD in Blade or TAKESHI in Hibiki where an organization is created for the sole purpose of combatting an evil group--which is a decent idea. The army idea of the ZECT-Troopers supporting the Riders is a new and interesting concept so far.Still, we have to see how the show actually performs before anyone can say if the program works or not. It's a bit too early to tell right now because it usually requires at least 4 episodes to settle in the basis and objectives of the program.
GKA:Again, sorry to poke around in the rumor mill. But if it came to be, what do you think of the idea of a new Metal Hero series after Kabuto is over? And if you don`t mind me asking, ignoring my B-Fighter bias, which previous series would you like to see get a second run?
RL: Well, I normally don't like rumors (as you already stated) and all of that talk about Toei returning to the Metal Hero line after Rider is not only premature, but erroneous because KABUTO hasn't even aired 10% of their episode run yet and already people are yammering about what's coming next.
If people were that accurate, then I'd like to have them predict lottery numbers for me. Rumors only spread lies and unnecessarily builds up peoples' hopes or dashes them. Rumors only start flame wars and can be created to sound real by anyone.
I'm sure a lot of folks would believe me if I tried really hard and made up something out of my brain, but I don't do that because I hate looking like a chump when the real thing comes out and it isn't anything close to what I flapped my mouth about.Still, your question is valid because there can always be a possibility of Toei's return to the independent hero types like the Metal Hero series. It may return not to replace the Rider shows, but it could also air simultaneously with both Rider and Sentai, or it could be something completely new.
I don't think viewers should concern themselves with that idea for now and they should just enjoy what is already being presented and be pleasantly surprised when something fresh comes up.As for which hero series should get another run, I'd probably would like to see a return of the Rescue Police line. The metal suits always work well visually and the concept of the police-oriented heroes obviously worked well with the success of DEKA-RANGER, so that is always an idea I'd like to see return to the airwaves.
Just like you, I liked B-FIGHTER a lot, but not so much B-FIGHTER KABUTO because I thought the first show was so good that having a sequel just would pale in comparison to the first B-FIGHTER series. B-FIGHTER KABUTO was not up to the standards in both design, concept execution, and acting prowess as the first one was.OK--I'll finish up the rest of the interview in my next e-mail to you, hopefully by tomorrow or Monday.
GKA:The Tokusatsu market has seemingly exploded in the last three years. Shows and films like the Gran Sazer series, Garo, Ryukendo, Mirrorman Reflex, Woo and even Koreas new shows seem to have suddenly sprung up adding to the already running Ultraman, Kamen Rider and Super Sentai series. Thats alot to watch, it`s like it`s the late 70s all over again. But why?
RL:I'm glad that you and your readers have noticed the rather large influx of new tokusatsu projects out lately--it has been looking a lot like the 1970s with the proliferation of so many tokusatsu shows and movies.
Now as to why this is happening--I'll be honest...I don't have a clue. It's obvious that tokusatsu SFX has increased in quality, which would lead to a larger SFX budget, and also to hire so many performers, so it logically stands to be that tokusatsu isn't a cost-saving move for any company. It's not Hollywood with their overblown, garish SFX that overshadows the story and acting, but it's not cheap either, so any idea that tokusatsu is cheaper to make than say, an anime program, is wrong.
Might be merchandise selling? I think it may be easier to make action figures of superheroes than say PuffyAmiYumi dolls when it comes down to putting in features & accessories. A Kamen Rider Kabuto toy will do a lot more than a Sailor Moon doll in terms of lights and all kinds of gimmicks, but that certainly can't be the sole main reason why tokusatsu is so abundant these days.
The book industry also are on top of the tokusatsu trend with NEWTYPE THE LIVE and TOKUSATSU ACE, so there is a strong market for tokusatsu books and magazines, but merchandising can't be the main key.Might it be a way to find a new popular performer--to see if he or she becomes the next Shaku Yumiko or Odagiri Joh? Maybe, but there are more people in tokusatsu that don't go on to bigger and better things than there are super-successful ones, but the ones that do become really popular get really skyhigh.
Still, that's not a good enough aspect.Could it be just an influx of imagination and ideas? That's the one I might sort of lean a bit closer to for now--this year's Sentai program (Boukenja) is a new idea that hasn't been overused like the animal teams, or that there is still a goldmine of ideas from the old days that are reaching a new generation (i.e. MIRRORMAN REFLEX and the introduction of Toei Tokusatsu Channel on Japanese cable that's re-airing a lot of old tokusatsu). Even toys have begun to remarket the older heroes like Chojin BAROM-1 for Bandai's Sofubi Tamashi line or SIC doing the AKUMAIZER-3 set.
Even non-superhero stuff like YOKAI DAISENSO or AEGIS turned out to attract moviegoers and there seems to be no stopping of new versions of the main 3 franchises, so maybe it's just a good time to be creative with tokusatsu, especially with offbeat shows like GARO or SHIBUYA 15 that wouldn't have been thought up of even 5 years ago.
I really don't know the answer to why there's so much tokusatsu now, but I am glad that there is so that everyone can find a favorite and enjoy the genre rather than be pigeonholed into only watching the Sentai, Rider, or Ultra programs. With the choices of the Choseishin shows and RYUKENDO as well, it's a good time to be a tokusatsu fan. I might never know the real answer for this, but it seems that its a "mystery" that I don't need solved right now because I hope that everyone is enjoying the vast options.
GKA:Give me a list of the five most important folks in Tokusatsu history
RL:Well, it's only my personal opinion, so I can't say that it's the "be-all, end-all" choices, but here is who I think are the top 5 people in tokusatsu history (in no particular order):
#1--Ishinomori Shotaro.
Not only did he create KAMEN RIDER, he also created the Sentai franchise, put out numerous tokusatsu programs that helped fuel the genre in the 1970s during tokusatsu's "Golden Age", also devoted time to making tokusatsu programs for girls with a positive angle and attitude, and also was a proliferent manga artist & writer whose influence is still being flet today.
#2--Tsuburya Eiji
Tokusatsu didn't get a start without him, because he essentially made Japan think that tokusatsu could work because of 1954's GODZILLA. His visual creativity and imagination brought Godzilla to life and tokusatsu would have been a failure had GODZILLA not been so well done both storywise and visually. The fact that he also created ULTRAMAN and the subsequent sequels is icing on the cake.
Despite what any other creator has done, no other subjects other than ULTRAMAN and GODZILLA have sold more merchandise and have the visual recognition like these two creations have had, and that is due to Tsuburaya's efforts.#3--Tanaka Tomoyuki. While his main claim to fame is that he was the one who thought up the idea for GODZILLA, it was his writing of the script and direction of the film that brought tokusatsu to the masses as a viable entertainment option.
People forget that GODZILLA was Japan's first tokusatsu project, and if he didn't think of such a thing while being bored on a plane flight, there would be no tokusatsu at all today.#4--Kawauchi Kohan. The first man to take advantage of tokusatsu by putting some really imaginative characters on TV when television was first being sold in Japan en masse.
Japan had gotten into TV a bit later than America, and even a few years after World War 2, many families could not afford a television, so there really wasn't a lot of programs on the air. Kawauchi Kohan brought superheroes to Japanese TV with shows like GEKKO KAMEN, NANA-IRO KAMEN, ALLAH NO SEISHA, and other non-superpowered crime fighters who wore masks and defended Japan against evil and injustice.
These characters were very matinee serial styled, but by putting them on TV, he proved that tokusatsu didn't have to be a giant, irradiated monster and that the new entertainment medium could be used fof such a genre. While he didn't produce a lot of shows in general, he brought it to the masses first right in their own homes, so without Kawauchi, there'd be no tokusatsu on TV to influence viewers of that generation, which would have lead to people like us not being impressed with gaudy suited heroes fighting rubber suit wearing bad guys.
#5--A combination of three performers. Naya Goro, Izuka Shozo, and Soga Machiko. These three people put tokusatsu on the map during the 1970s, when tokusatsu had their real big run. All three played villains, and without their performances (for Naya Goro & Izuka Shozo--their voices only), both the Sentai and Rider franchises would have been perceived as a joke if their enemies weren't somewhat formidable.
The struggle between good & bad had to be believable, and since the heroes would always be written better, looked better in costumes, and always righteous, it fell upon these three performers to break out and really put a stamp on the genre by putting either a face or voice to the bad guys, and make it look good. Without these three, half of the villains of the 1970s would have not lasted in fans' memories and the genre would have not been as fondly remembered as being entertaining.
You can compare the Japanese main villains to the ones on POWER RANGERS and you can easily tell the difference between a fearsome villain that could really be a threat to the heroes, and the one that you know is hamming up the dialogue and could have been beaten back in one minute if the script didn't call for them to stick around.
It's like comparing Doctor Doom or the Riddler--who seems like they'd give your hero a run for his or her money? It's just like that with these three performers--cannon fodder types they are not.
GKA:And lastly. give us your thoughts on the Superhero. What does he stand for, why do kids love him and further more why do those kids offten hang on to these heroes long after they`ve grown up
RL:The superhero is a necessary concept for society. Every young person longs to right wrongs done to them (or at least perceived to be done to them), and the escapist fantasy of having powers is an intoxicating idea that we as people have always romanticized.
Even the most "mature" person in the world at one time or another has wished for some superpower to do incredible things.The superhero's main power should always be his or her moral & ethical nature. Kids look up to superheroes because of the concept behind them to help humanity and give aid when those less-fortunate are in trouble.
Every superhero or superheroine, no matter what their powers are, be it super-speed, have a mighty kick, fly, or able to throw fire, uses those powers not for self-motivation, but to devote their efforts & abilities to help those in need.Superheroes stay with us as adults because we are ingrained by society to always give back more than we take.
While this doesn't always hold true to everyone (i.e. supervillains or the jerk across the street), people who were brought up in any society (be it "civilized" with infrastructure, or "less civilized" with little resources) that has cultural norms & beliefs always emphasize the point of helping those who are like them in nature--their fellow human beings and other living creatures.
Superheroes take that norm one step further and have the added abilities to help those who require assistance far more spectacularly than normal people. The fantasy of gaining abilities that exceeds what life has given us further enhances the notion that once you are in the position of being able to give more help than you require from others, then it's your duty to do so selflessly and totally.
That's why I think there are no real differences between American heroes and Japanese heroes--none of them ask for anything in return because it's their intrinsic sense of duty that compels them to help the weak against those that defy society's efforts to keep their denizens happy & safe. There is no difference between Superman and Ultraman--both do the same jobs with different tools, but the goal, the motivation, and the results are the same.
We adults still care for the concept of the superhero that we learned as kids because now we know the lessons superheroes teach us--that there is a sense of obligation to see justice done for the safety of our societies, and that is an idea that never fades away.
GKA:Last word and goodbye to our readers.
RL:Well, I have to admit--I was a bit surprised in being asked to do this interview. I really don't know if I make any impact anywhere other than our board, but from what the good folks here at GKA tell me, I'm some kind of "expert" at tokusatsu & superheroes, and that people on the Net somehow know about me.
Frankly, I'm deeply flattered and a bit embarassed to be given such a nice introduction by the people here at GKA, and I should be one honored rather than them, because I never thought that I was anything more than a tokusatsu fan who paid attention and was in the right place at the right time.
I really don't think that I'm anything more special or better than any of the tokusatsu fans out there right now, so I think my job is to merely relate any information I have about tokusatsu that I've learned over the decades so that everyone can be as knowledgable as they can be about this really unique form of entertainment and art--yes, I think tokusatsu is an art form.
It has its good sides and its bad sides, and no one should ever hesitate to question tokusatsu in any aspects of it because if you spend time watching it and buying stuff related to it, you deserve the best, and if the product isn't good, then you should not watch it and go on to another one--that's the beauty of tokusatsu...there are decades of ideas out there in this field, and I'm just trying to relay to everyone that there's a whole world of information out there of this.
I'm truly grateful to GKA for even considering me a candidate for their pages--I'm no celebrity, I'm not looking to promote any program or project other than our board, and I'm certainly not getting rich from pushing tokusatsu towards people, but I only want everyone to look at a fascinating genre that seems to always be overlooked outside of Japan.
I'm just like every other fan--I just happen to pay attention and not just watch the program at face value and I looked beyond the story & SFX and I wanted to see what made these programs tick--what made them fascinating to me behind the scenes--what propelled the show outside of their scripted fantasy world.
I've been asked why tokusatsu fans find me either perplexing or unorthodox in the way I approach the genre. I think its because I never saw myself as a Japanese hero and I rarely play-acted as one because I saw them as metaphors in life rather than just people in costumes fighting alien armies.
Tokusatsu is more than just fighting heroes to me--they are mirrors of conduct. They are representations of social concepts. They are the culmination of ideas and imagination. They are just plain fun to watch if you don't take things too seriously or they are programs that elicit deep conceptual arguments if you do take them a bit further.
Anyway you slice it, I like tokusatsu, so as long as I remember that they are programs on TV & on the movie screens and only their inherent concepts should be taken in real life, not their abilities to punch out concrete walls.I am honored, I am humbled, and I am overwhelmed that GKA has chosen me as an interview candidate.
I hope to be around for a while so that I can devote more efforts into giving out information about tokusatsu, have logical conversations about the ideas they put forth, and to just enjoy them as I did as a child, and this interview made me look back a bit more introspectively at why I like this stuff so much.
Thank you GKA, and thanks to your readers for taking time out to hear someone whose not really that important in the world of tokusatsu to share his thoughts and opinions with you all. Best wishes to everyone out there and to the GKA staff, especially NinjaJack / King Kodro for all of his hard work and efforts.
I hope that as time progresses, more and more people get to watch all kinds of tokusatsu and find it just as enjoyable as anything else in their lives and pass it on to future generations as a way of sharing what they like and what they stand for.
-Raymond L
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