91-502: Daimajin Kanon ( 大魔神カノン ) is a Japanese tokusatsu television drama produced by Kadokawa Pictures and broadcast on TV Tokyo . The series premiered on April 2, 2010. The series retells the story of the original Daimajin film in a modern Japanese setting. Consisting of 26 episodes, the series was prefaced by a manga by Seijuro Mizu ( jp ) in Young Ace magazine. Writing for the series
182-418: A culture where pederasty was pervasive among samurai, her decision didn't significantly harm the theater's popularity. In fact, it may have even benefited Kabuki, as it caught the attention of the third shogun , Iemitsu , known for his interest in pederasty. He even arranged special performances. However, after Iemitsu's death in 1651 and with samurai now fighting for the attention of boys rather than girls,
273-475: A difficult time for kabuki; besides the war's physical impact and devastation upon the country, some schools of thought chose to reject both the styles and artforms of pre-war Japan, kabuki amongst them. Director Tetsuji Takechi 's popular and innovative productions of kabuki classics at this time are credited with sparking new interest in kabuki in the Kansai region. Of the many popular young stars who performed with
364-565: A kabuki drama each year since 1976, the longest regular kabuki performance outside Japan. In November 2002, a statue was erected in honor of kabuki's founder, Izumo no Okuni and to commemorate 400 years of kabuki's existence. Diagonally across from the Minami-za, the last remaining kabuki theater in Kyoto, it stands at the east end of a bridge (Shijō Ōhashi) crossing the Kamo River in Kyoto. Kabuki
455-433: A key aspect of kabuki tradition, such as conventional character tropes. Kabuki theater and ningyō jōruri , an elaborate form of puppet theater later known as bunraku , became closely associated with each other, mutually influencing the other's further development. The famous playwright Chikamatsu Monzaemon , one of the first professional kabuki playwrights, produced several influential works during this time, though
546-893: A mature late-night tokusatsu drama, was released, starting a franchise composed of several television series and films. Other mature late-night series followed, including a revival of Lion-Maru in Lion-Maru G , the Daimajin Kanon television series (based on the Daimajin film series), and Shougeki Gouraigan!! (also created by Amemiya). Various movies classified as tokusatsu can include disaster movies and science fiction films . These include Warning from Space ( 宇宙人東京に現わる , Uchūjin Tōkyō ni arawaru , Spacemen Appear in Tokyo) (1956), The Three Treasures ( 日本誕生 , Nippon Tanjō ) , Invasion of
637-475: A number of shops selling kabuki souvenirs. After performances, women performers would offer sexual services for those who could afford it. Since fights would usually erupt among the young samurai patrons, shogunal authorities, who wanted to maintain order, banned women from performing on stage. Following this ban, Okuni replaced the women with boys in Kabuki performances. During the early seventeenth century, within
728-500: A performance as a way to feature the fashion trends. As an art-form, kabuki also provided inventive new forms of entertainment, featuring new musical styles played on the shamisen , clothes and fashion often dramatic in appearance, famous actors and stories often intended to mirror current events. Performances typically lasted from morning until sunset, with surrounding teahouses providing meals, refreshments and place to socialise. The area surrounding kabuki theatres also featured
819-500: A shift in popularity that favored masked heroes over giant monsters called the "Henshin Boom" started by Kamen Rider in 1971, though giant monsters, aliens and humanoid creatures dubbed lit. ' strange person" ' or ' 怪人 ' or ' kaijin ' remained an integral part of the genre. Along with the anime Astro Boy , the Super Giant serials had a profound effect on
910-428: A steady diet of cinematic junk food of which Rodan and Godzilla are only the best-known examples." In 1998, a Brazilian webcomic inspired by both Power Rangers and Super Sentai entitled Combo Rangers was published on the internet, created by Japanese-Brazilian author Fábio Yabu. The webcomic's popularity allowed the webcomic to become a print comic book until 2004 and having a reboot through Graphic Novels in
1001-421: A striking resemblance to Ultraman. In March 2024, Oxford English Dictionary included the word Tokusatsu as a loanword along with others from Japanese culture . Kabuki Kabuki ( 歌舞伎, かぶき ) is a classical form of Japanese theatre , mixing dramatic performance with traditional dance . Kabuki theatre is known for its heavily stylised performances, its glamorous, highly decorated costumes, and for
SECTION 10
#17328511825221092-402: A wheeled platform. Also common are stagehands rushing onto the stage adding and removing props, backdrops and other scenery; these kuroko ( 黒子 ) are always dressed entirely in black and are traditionally considered invisible. Stagehands also assist in a variety of quick costume changes known as hayagawari ("quick change technique"). When a character's true nature is suddenly revealed,
1183-576: Is Gerald Vizenor 's Hiroshima Bugi (2004). Writer Yukio Mishima pioneered and popularised the use of kabuki in modern settings and revived other traditional arts, such as Noh , adapting them to modern contexts. There have even been kabuki troupes established in countries outside Japan. For instance, in Australia, the Za Kabuki troupe at the Australian National University has performed
1274-516: Is a Japanese term for live-action films or television programs that make heavy use of practical special effects . Credited to special effects director Eiji Tsuburaya , tokusatsu mainly refers to science fiction , war , fantasy , or horror media featuring such technology but is also occasionally dubbed a genre itself. Its contemporary use originated in the Japanese mass media around 1958 to explain special effects in an easy-to-understand manner and
1365-420: Is a technique, which appeared toward the middle of the 19th century, by which an actor's costume is attached to wires and he is made to "fly" over the stage or certain parts of the auditorium. This is similar to the wire trick in the stage musical Peter Pan , in which Peter launches himself into the air. It is still one of the most popular keren (visual tricks) in kabuki today; major kabuki theaters, such as
1456-544: Is often referred to as the "Saruwaka-machi period", and is well known for having produced some of the most exaggerated kabuki in Japanese history. Saruwaka-machi became the new theatre district for the Nakamura-za, Ichimura-za and Kawarazaki-za theatres. The district was located on the main street of Asakusa, which ran through the middle of the small city. The street was renamed after Saruwaka Kanzaburo, who initiated Edo kabuki in
1547-461: Is often translated into English as 'strange things' or 'the crazy ones', and referred to the style of dress worn by gangs of samurai . The history of kabuki began in 1603 during the Edo period when former shrine maiden Izumo no Okuni , possibly a miko of Izumo-taisha , began performing with a troupe of young female dancers a new, simple style of dance drama in pantomime , on a makeshift stage in
1638-477: Is pulled back to one side by a staff member by hand. An additional outer curtain called doncho was not introduced until the Meiji era following the introduction of western influence. These are more ornate in their appearance and are woven. They depict the season in which the performance is taking place, often designed by renowned Nihonga artists. Since feudal laws in 17th century Japan prohibited replicating
1729-469: Is recognized for its heavy use of miniature sets, especially in the Kyodai Hero subgenre. Miniatures are placed from the camera's perspective to create the illusion that the characters are larger than they are. Suitmation ( スーツメーション , Sūtsumēshon ) is the term used to describe the process in tokusatsu movies and television programs used to portray a monster using suit acting. The exact origin of
1820-449: Is shared by Shinji Ōishi and Naruhisa Arakawa . Each episode of the series has its own unique kanji, but they are all read as "Kanon". In the early stage of production, Noriaki Yuasa known for his involvements in various tokusatsu productions especially the Gamera franchise, was appointed for the director of Daimajin Kanon . Other previously appointed staffs include Mamoru Sasaki as
1911-568: Is therefore sometimes translated as 'the art of singing and dancing'. These are, however, ateji characters which do not reflect actual etymology , being used for pronunciation. The kanji of 'skill' generally refers to a performer in kabuki theatre. Since the word kabuki is believed to derive from the verb kabuku , meaning 'to lean' or 'to be out of the ordinary', the word kabuki can also be interpreted as 'avant-garde' or 'bizarre' theatre. The expression kabukimono ( 歌舞伎者 ) referred originally to those who were bizarrely dressed. It
SECTION 20
#17328511825222002-467: The Gamera series, the Daimajin series, and films such as Mothra , The War of the Gargantuas , and The X from Outer Space ( 宇宙大怪獣ギララ , Uchu Daikaijū Girara ) . Kaijin ( 怪人 , literally "mysterious person") productions primarily feature supervillains as their central character. This includes films such as The Invisible Avenger , Half Human , The H-Man , The Secret of
2093-799: The Super Sentai series. Tokusatsu is one of the most popular forms of Japanese entertainment, but only a small proportion of tokusatsu 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 broadcast internationally beginning in 1993. Tokusatsu has origins in early Japanese theater , specifically in kabuki (with its action and fight scenes) and in bunraku , which utilized some of
2184-580: The Meiji era to follow. Kawatake Mokuami commonly wrote plays that depicted the common lives of the people of Edo. He introduced shichigo-cho (seven-and-five syllable meter) dialogue and music such as kiyomoto . His kabuki performances became quite popular once the Saruwaka-machi period ended and theatre returned to Edo; many of his works are still performed. In 1868, the Tokugawa ceased to exist, with
2275-464: The National Theatre , Kabuki-za and Minami-za , are all equipped with chūnori installations. Scenery changes are sometimes made mid-scene, while the actors remain on stage and the curtain stays open. This is sometimes accomplished by using a Hiki Dōgu , or "small wagon stage". This technique originated at the beginning of the 18th century, where scenery or actors move on or off stage on
2366-530: The Philippines ' Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan (itself a sanctioned spinoff of Toei's Space Sheriff Shaider ) in 2007; China 's Armor Hero ( Chinese : 铠甲勇士 ; pinyin : Kǎi Jiǎ Yǒng Shì ) in 2008, Battle Strike Team: Giant Saver ( Chinese : 巨神战击队 ; pinyin : Jùshén zhàn jí duì ) in 2012, Metal Kaiser ( Chinese : 五龙奇剑士 ; pinyin : Wǔ Lóng Qí Jiàn Shì ); and Indonesia 's Bima Satria Garuda which began in 2013. On July
2457-567: The restoration of the Emperor . Emperor Meiji was restored to power and moved from Kyoto to the new capital of Edo, or Tokyo, beginning the Meiji period. Kabuki once again returned to the pleasure quarters of Edo, and throughout the Meiji period became increasingly more radical, as modern styles of kabuki plays and performances emerged. Playwrights experimented with the introduction of new genres to kabuki, and introduced twists on traditional stories. Beginning in 1868, enormous cultural changes, such as
2548-429: The 1960s. In the 1990s, Haim Saban acquired the distribution rights for the Super Sentai series from Toei Company and combined the original Japanese action footage with new footage featuring American actors, resulting in the Power Rangers franchise which has continued since then into sequel TV series (with Power Rangers Beast Morphers premiering in 2019 and Power Rangers Cosmic Fury premiered in 2023;
2639-607: The 1st, 2019, Vietnam 's Transform Studio co-operating with Dive Into Eden announced their own original tokusatsu series, Mighty Guardian ( Vietnamese : Chiến Thần ). The first season in the series is Mighty Guardian: Lost Avian ( Vietnamese : Chiến Thần Lạc Hồng ), using Vietnamese Mythologies as the main concept. Kaiju and tokusatsu films, notably Warning from Space (1956), sparked Stanley Kubrick 's interest in science fiction films and influenced 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). According to his biographer John Baxter , despite their "clumsy model sequences,
2730-570: The 2010s. In 2001, Buki X-1 Productions, a French fan-based production company, produced its own series, Jushi Sentai France Five (now called Shin Kenjushi France Five ), a tribute to Toei's long running Super Sentai series. The low-budget television series Kaiju Big Battel directly parodies monster and Kyodai Hero films and series by immersing their own costumed characters in professional wrestling matches among cardboard buildings. In 2006, Mighty Moshin' Emo Rangers premiered on
2821-564: The American film King Kong , formulated many of the techniques that would become staples of the genre, such as so-called suitmation —the use of a human actor in a costume to play a giant monster—combined with the use of miniatures and scaled-down city sets. Godzilla forever changed the landscape of Japanese science fiction, fantasy, and cinema by creating a uniquely Japanese vision in a genre typically dominated by American cinema. This film also helped Tsuburaya's employer Toho establish itself as
Daimajin Kanon - Misplaced Pages Continue
2912-500: The Emperor sponsoring a kabuki performance on 21 April 1887. After World War II , the occupying forces briefly banned kabuki, which had formed a strong base of support for Japan's war efforts since 1931. This ban was in conjunction with broader restrictions on media and art forms that the American military occupation instituted after WWII. However, by 1947 the ban on kabuki was rescinded, but censorship rules lingered. The ensuing period of occupation following World War II posited
3003-479: The Genroku period was the development of the mie style of posing, credited to kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjūrō I , alongside the development of the mask-like kumadori makeup worn by kabuki actors in some plays. In the mid-18th century, kabuki fell out of favor for a time, with bunraku taking its place as the premier form of stage entertainment among the lower social classes. This occurred partly because of
3094-591: The Godzilla-style film, Gorgo , which used the same situation technique as the Godzilla films. That same year, Saga Studios in Denmark made another Godzilla-style giant monster film, Reptilicus , bringing its monster to life using a marionette on a miniature set. In 1967, South Korea produced its monster movie titled Yonggary . In 1975, Shaw Brothers produced a superhero film called The Super Inframan , based on
3185-502: The IHI Stage Around Tokyo from March 4 to April 12, 2023. The kabuki stage features a projection called a hanamichi ( 花道 , "flower path") , a walkway which extends into the audience and via which dramatic entrances and exits are made. Okuni also performed on a hanamichi stage with her entourage. The stage is used not only as a walkway or path to get to and from the main stage, but important scenes are also played on
3276-438: The Nakamura-za in 1624. European artists began noticing Japanese theatrical performances and artwork, and many artists, such as Claude Monet , were inspired by Japanese woodblock prints. This Western interest prompted Japanese artists to increase their depictions of daily life, including the depiction of theatres, brothels, main streets and so on. One artist, Utagawa Hiroshige , produced a series of prints based on Saruwaka from
3367-411: The Nakamura-za was completely destroyed in 1841, the shōgun refused to allow the theatre to be rebuilt, saying that it was against fire code. The shogunate, mostly disapproving of the socialisation and trade that occurred in kabuki theatres between merchants, actors and prostitutes, took advantage of the fire crisis in the following year, forcing the Nakamura-za, Ichimura-za and Kawarazaki-za out of
3458-677: The Nakamura-za, Ichimura-za and Kawarazaki-za theatres became the most widely known and popular kabuki theatres, where some of the most successful kabuki performances were and still are held. During the time period of 1628–1673, the modern version of all-male kabuki actors, a style of kabuki known as yarō-kabuki (lit., "young man kabuki"), was established, following the ban on women and young boys. Cross-dressing male actors, known as " onnagata " (lit., "woman role") or " oyama " took over previously female- or wakashu -acted roles. Young (adolescent) men were still preferred for women's roles due to their less obviously masculine appearance and
3549-1598: The Neptune Men ( 宇宙快速船 , Uchū Kaisokusen , High Speed Spaceship) , The Last War ( 世界大戦争 , Sekai Daisensō , The Great World War) , The Green Slime ( ガンマー第3号 宇宙大作戦 , Ganmā daisan gō: uchū daisakusen , Ganma 3 Space Mission) , Submersion of Japan ( 日本沈没 , Nihon Chinbotsu , Japan Sinks) , The War in Space ( 惑星大戦争 , Wakusei Daisensō , War of the Planets) , Virus ( 復活の日 , Fukkatsu no Hi , Day of Resurrection) , Bye-Bye Jupiter ( さよならジュピター , Sayonara Jupitā ) , and Samurai Commando: Mission 1549 ( 戦国自衛隊1549 , Sengoku Jieitai 1549 , Sengoku Self-Defense Forces 1549) . Non-traditional tokusatsu films and television programs may not use conventional special effects or may not star human actors. Though suitmation typifies tokusatsu , some productions may use stop-motion to animate their monsters instead, for example Majin Hunter Mitsurugi in 1973. TV shows may use traditional tokusatsu techniques, but are cast with puppets or marionettes: Uchuusen Silica (1960); Ginga Shonen Tai (1963); Kuchuu Toshi 008 (1969); and Go Nagai 's X Bomber (1980). Some tokusatsu may employ animation in addition to its live-action components: Tsuburaya Productions ' Dinosaur Expedition Team Bornfree (1976), Dinosaur War Izenborg (1977) and Pro-Wrestling Star Aztekaiser (1976). As
3640-500: The Saruwaka-machi period in Asakusa. Despite the revival of kabuki in another location, the relocation diminished the tradition's most abundant inspirations for costuming, make-up, and storylines. Ichikawa Kodanji IV was considered one of the most active and successful actors during the Saruwaka-machi period. Deemed unattractive, he mainly performed buyō , or dancing, in dramas written by Kawatake Mokuami , who also wrote during
3731-765: The Syndicated Big Wolf on Campus and Nickelodeon's Animorphs are also described as "American Tokusatsu" due to the techniques they employed. Fujiyama Ichiban is a 2013 web series shot in Los Angeles . All the other Tokusatsu shows in YTV's Monster Warriors were shot in Barrie , Ontario , Canada. They used CGI for the monsters. In the 2000s, production companies in other East Asian countries began producing their own original tokusatsu -inspired television series: Thailand 's Sport Ranger and South Korea 's Erexion in 2006;
Daimajin Kanon - Misplaced Pages Continue
3822-601: The Takechi Kabuki, Nakamura Ganjiro III (b. 1931) was the leading figure, first known as Nakamura Senjaku before taking his current name. It was this period of kabuki in Osaka that became known as the "Age of Senjaku" in his honor. Today, kabuki is the most popular of the traditional styles of Japanese drama, with its star actors often appearing in television or film roles. Well-known onnagata actor Bandō Tamasaburō V has appeared in several non-kabuki plays and movies, often in
3913-715: The Telegian , and The Human Vapor . Since about 1960, several long-running television series have combined various other themes. Tsuburaya Productions has had the Ultraman Series starting with Ultra Q and Ultraman in 1966. P Productions began their foray into tokusatsu in 1966 with the series Ambassador Magma . They also had involvement in the Lion-Maru series which concluded in November 2006. Toei Company has several series that fall under their Toei Superheroes category of programming, starting in 1958 with
4004-461: The appeal of kabuki in this era was due to the ribald, suggestive themes featured by many troupes; this appeal was further augmented by the fact that many performers were also involved in prostitution . For this reason, kabuki was also known as 'prostitute kabuki' ( 遊女歌舞妓 ) during this period. Kabuki became a common form of entertainment in the red-light districts of Japan, especially in Yoshiwara ,
4095-455: The art form. Rice powder is used to create the white oshiroi base for the characteristic stage makeup, and kumadori enhances or exaggerates facial lines to produce dramatic animal or supernatural masks . The colour of the kumadori is an expression of the character's nature: red lines are used to indicate passion, heroism, righteousness, and other positive traits; blue or black, villainy, jealousy, and other negative traits; green,
4186-406: The city limits and into Asakusa , a northern suburb of Edo. This was part of the larger Tenpō Reforms that the shogunate instituted starting in 1842 to restrict the overindulgence of pleasures. Actors, stagehands, and others associated with the performances were also forced to move as a result of the death of their livelihood; despite the move of everyone involved in kabuki performance, and many in
4277-421: The country, including anime-based productions such as Naruto or One Piece starting from 2014. Super Kabuki has sparked controversy within the Japanese population regarding the extent of modification of the traditional art form. Some say that it has lost its 400-year history, while others consider the adaptations necessary for contemporary relevance. Regardless, since incorporating more advanced technology in
4368-420: The devices of hikinuki and bukkaeri are often used. This involves layering one costume over another and having a stagehand pull the outer one off in front of the audience. The curtain that shields the stage before the performance and during the breaks is in the traditional colours of black, red and green, in various order, or white instead of green, vertical stripes. The curtain consists of one piece and
4459-572: The dry bed of the Kamo River in Kyoto In the earliest forms of kabuki, female performers played both men and women in comic playlets about ordinary life. It did not take long for the style to become popular, and Okuni was asked to perform before the Imperial Court. In the wake of such success, rival troupes quickly formed, and kabuki was born as ensemble dance and drama performed by women. Much of
4550-525: The earliest forms of special effects, specifically puppetry . Japanese cinema pioneer Shōzō Makino is credited as the founding father of tokusatsu techniques, having directed several jidaigeki films starring Matsunosuke Onoe that featured special effects . Makino's effects work inspired filmmaker Yoshirō Edamasa to employ such technology in his own movies, notably Journey to the West (1917) and The Great Buddha Arrival (1934). After researching
4641-599: The elaborate kumadori make-up worn by some of its performers. The term kabuki originates from a verb that was used to describe young samurai patrons, meaning "being weird" or "offbeat." Kabuki is thought to have originated in the early Edo period , when the art's founder, Izumo no Okuni , formed a female dance troupe that performed dances and light sketches in Kyoto . The art form later developed into its present all-male theatrical form after women were banned from performing in kabuki theatre in 1629. Kabuki developed throughout
SECTION 50
#17328511825224732-417: The emergence of several skilled bunraku playwrights in that time. Little of note would occur in the further development of kabuki until the end of the century, when it began to reemerge in popularity. In the 1840s, repeated periods of drought led to a series of fires affecting Edo, with kabuki theatres—traditionally made of wood—frequently burning down, forcing many to relocate. When the area that housed
4823-399: The fall of the Tokugawa shogunate, the elimination of the samurai class, and the opening of Japan to the West, helped to spark kabuki's re-emergence. Both actors and playwrights strove to improve the reputation of kabuki in the face of new foreign influence and amongst the upper classes, partially through adapting traditional styles to modern tastes. This endeavour would prove successful, with
4914-458: The favors of a particularly popular or handsome actor, leading the shogunate to ban first onnagata and then wakashū roles for a short period of time; both bans were rescinded by 1652. During the Genroku period, kabuki thrived, with the structure of kabuki plays formalising into the structure they are performed in today, alongside many other elements which eventually came to be recognised as
5005-624: The film series, Moonlight Mask . Then, they produced several other long-running series, starting with Shotaro Ishinomori 's Kamen Rider Series in 1971, the Super Sentai series in 1975, the Metal Hero Series in 1982, and the Toei Fushigi Comedy Series in 1981. Toei also produced several other television series based on Ishinomori's works, including Android Kikaider and Kikaider 01 , Robot Detective , Inazuman and Inazuman Flash , and Kaiketsu Zubat . Toei
5096-489: The films were often well-photographed in colour ... and their dismal dialogue was delivered in well-designed and well-lit sets." Steven Spielberg cited Godzilla as an inspiration for Jurassic Park (1993), specifically Godzilla, King of the Monsters! (1956), which he grew up watching. During its production, Spielberg described Godzilla as "the most masterful of all the dinosaur movies because it made you believe it
5187-451: The first Daytime Emmy for "Outstanding Stunt Coordination" for its original scenes. In 2023, GMA Network released Voltes V: Legacy , an adaptation of the original Voltes V , which has used special effects and CGI heavily reminiscent of those found in traditional tokusatsu shows, with some western influences added. In 2006, YTV Monster Warriors used CGI for the monsters with humor in the show. In 1961, England-based filmmakers produced
5278-491: The first color-television tokusatsu series, Ambassador Magma and Ultraman , which heralded the Kyodai Hero subgenre, wherein a regular-sized protagonist grows to larger proportions to fight equally large monsters. Popular tokusatsu superhero shows in the 1970s included Kamen Rider (1971), Warrior of Love Rainbowman (1972), Super Sentai (1975, trademarked in 1979) and Spider-Man (1978). Tokusatsu
5369-429: The franchise is rebooted in 2025), comic books, video games, and three feature films, with a further cinematic universe planned. Following from the success of Power Rangers , Saban acquired the rights to more of Toei's library, creating VR Troopers and Big Bad Beetleborgs from several Metal Hero Series shows and Masked Rider from Kamen Rider Series footage. DIC Entertainment joined this boom by acquiring
5460-459: The gallery", is sometimes used as a catch-all for these tricks. The hanamichi , and several innovations including revolving stage, seri and chunori have all contributed to kabuki. The hanamichi creates depth and both seri and chunori provide a vertical dimension. Mawari-butai (revolving stage) developed in the Kyōhō era (1716–1735). The trick was originally accomplished by
5551-579: The higher pitch of their voices. The roles of adolescent men in kabuki, known as wakashu , were also played by young men, often selected for their attractiveness; this became a common practice, and wakashu were often presented in an erotic context. The focus of kabuki performances also increasingly began to emphasise drama alongside dance. However, the ribald nature of kabuki performances continued, with male actors also engaging in sex work for both female and male customers. Audiences frequently became rowdy, and brawls occasionally broke out, sometimes over
SECTION 60
#17328511825225642-525: The huge success of Ultraman and Kamen Rider there. The film starred Danny Lee in the title role. Although there were several similar superhero productions in Hong Kong, The Super Inframan came first. With help from Japanese special effects artists under Sadamasa Arikawa, they also produced a Japanese-styled monster movie, The Mighty Peking Man , in 1977. Concurrent with their work on Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad , DIC attempted an original concept based on
5733-603: The internet as a Power Rangers spoof, but was quickly picked up by MTV UK for broadcast. The popularity of tokusatsus in Brazil in the 90s provided many fans in the country who even tried to make indie series, the most notable being Insector Sun (a low-budget tribute to Kamen Rider ) and TimerMan . Peyton Reed , the director of the Ant-Man films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , said that Ant-Man 's costume design
5824-428: The kabuki industry for generations. The kimono the actors wear for their costumes are typically made with vibrant colours and multiple layers. Both otoko and onnagata wear hakama - pleated trousers – in some plays, and both use padding underneath their costumes to create the correct body shape for the outfit. Kabuki makeup provides an element of style easily recognizable even by those unfamiliar with
5915-572: The late 17th century and reached its zenith in the mid-18th century. In 2005, kabuki theatre was proclaimed by UNESCO as an intangible heritage possessing outstanding universal value. In 2008, it was inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity . The individual kanji that make up the word kabuki can be read as 'sing' ( 歌 ) , 'dance' ( 舞 ) , and 'skill' ( 伎 ) . Kabuki
6006-428: The looks of samurai or nobility and the use of luxurious fabrics, the kabuki costumes were groundbreaking new designs to the general public, even setting trends that still exist today. Although the earliest kabuki costumes have not been preserved, separate otoko and onnagata kabuki costumes today are made based on written records called ukiyo-e and in collaboration with those whose families have been in
6097-657: The majority of kabuki troupes have remained entirely-male. The introduction of earphone guides in 1975, including an English version in 1982, helped broaden the artform's appeal. As a result, in 1991 the Kabuki-za, one of Tokyo's best known kabuki theaters, began year-round performances and, in 2005, began marketing kabuki cinema films. Kabuki troupes regularly tour Asia, Europe and America, and there have been several kabuki-themed productions of Western plays such as those of Shakespeare . Western playwrights and novelists have also experimented with kabuki themes, an example of which
6188-456: The most successful effects company in the world. Godzilla kickstarted the kaiju genre in Japan, creating the "Monster Boom", which remained extremely popular for several decades, with characters such as the aforementioned Godzilla, Gamera and King Ghidorah leading the market. However, in 1957 Shintoho produced the first film serial featuring the superhero character Super Giant , signaling
6279-483: The new stage sets, costumes, and lighting, Super Kabuki has regained interest from the young demographic. In addition, Square Enix announced a Super Kabuki adaptation of Final Fantasy X collaborating with Tokyo Broadcasting System in 2022. Entitled Kinoshita Group presents New Kabuki Final Fantasy X and part of celebrations of the Final Fantasy franchise's 35th anniversary, it is scheduled to be performed at
6370-422: The on-stage pushing of a round, wheeled platform. Later a circular platform was embedded in the stage with wheels beneath it facilitating movement. The kuraten ("darkened revolve") technique involves lowering the stage lights during this transition. More commonly the lights are left on for akaten ("lighted revolve"), sometimes simultaneously performing the transitioning scenes for dramatic effect. This stage
6461-418: The piece usually acknowledged as his most significant, Sonezaki Shinjū ( The Love Suicides at Sonezaki ), was originally written for bunraku . Like many bunraku plays, it was adapted for kabuki, eventually becoming popular enough to reportedly inspire a number of real-life "copycat" suicides, and leading to a government ban on shinju mono (plays about love suicides) in 1723. Also during
6552-682: The popularity of tokusatsu increased in Japan, several fan film projects have been produced over the years. Hideaki Anno , Yoshiyuki Sadamoto , Takami Akai , and Shinji Higuchi set up a fan-based group called Daicon Film, which they renamed Gainax in 1985 and turned into an animation studio. Besides anime sequences, they also produced a series of tokusatsu shorts parodying monster movies and superhero shows. These productions include Swift Hero Noutenki (1982), Patriotic Squadron Dai-Nippon (1983), Return of Ultraman (1983) and The Eight-Headed Giant Serpent Strikes Back (1985). Tokusatsu techniques have spread outside Japan due to
6643-536: The popularity of Godzilla films. Godzilla, King of the Monsters! first appeared in English in 1956. Rather than a simple dub of the Japanese-language original, this work represented an entirely re-edited version that restructured the plot to incorporate a new character played by a native English-speaking actor, Raymond Burr . Ultraman gained popularity when United Artists dubbed it for American audiences in
6734-479: The popularity of Power Rangers in 1994's Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills . In 1998, a video from an attempted Power Rangers -styled adaptation of Sailor Moon surfaced, combining original footage of American actresses with original animated sequences. Saban also attempted to make their own unique tokusatsu series entitled Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog , set in medieval Ireland and featured four, later five knights who transform using
6825-550: The power of the elements (for the most part) at they protected their kingdom from evil. Saban had also produced the live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation , which was known in the turtles' fandom for introducing a female turtle exclusive to that series called Venus de Milo and eliminating the fact that the other turtles were brothers. The show mostly featured actors in costumes, but featured similar choreographed fights like other tokusatsu shows. Also, like other Tokusatsu Productions,
6916-494: The registered red-light district in Edo. The widespread appeal of kabuki often meant that a diverse crowd of different social classes gathered to watch performances, a unique occurrence that happened nowhere else in the city of Edo. Kabuki theatres became well known as a place to both see and be seen in terms of fashion and style, as the audience—commonly comprising a number of socially low but economically wealthy merchants —typically used
7007-528: The rights to Gridman the Hyper Agent and turning it into Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad . In 2002, 4Kids Entertainment bought the rights to Ultraman Tiga , but simply produced a dub of the Japanese footage, broadcast on the FoxBox . And in 2009, Adness Entertainment took 2002's Kamen Rider Ryuki and turned it into Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight , which began broadcast on The CW4Kids in 2009. It won
7098-608: The role of a woman. Kabuki also appears in works of Japanese popular culture such as anime . In addition to the handful of major theatres in Tokyo and Kyoto, there are many smaller theatres in Osaka and throughout the countryside. The Ōshika Kabuki ( 大鹿歌舞伎 ) troupe, based in Ōshika , Nagano Prefecture, is one example. Some local kabuki troupes today use female actors in onnagata roles. The Ichikawa Shōjo Kabuki Gekidan, an all-female troupe, debuted in 1953 to significant acclaim, though
7189-405: The shogunate imposed further restrictions, allowing only males over 15 to perform on stage. Kabuki switched to adult male actors, called yaro-kabuki , in the mid-1600s. Adult male actors, however, continued to play both female and male characters, and kabuki retained its popularity, remaining a key element of the Edo period urban life-style. Although kabuki was performed widely across Japan,
7280-503: The special effects featured in King Kong (1933), Eiji Tsuburaya began to develop tokusatsu and had his breakthrough on Princess Kaguya (1935) and The Daughter of the Samurai (1937). Modern tokusatsu , however, did not begin to take shape until the late 1940s. Tsuburaya and the director Ishirō Honda became the driving forces behind 1954's Godzilla . Tsuburaya, inspired by
7371-511: The stage. Kabuki stages and theaters have steadily become more technologically sophisticated, and innovations including revolving stages and trap doors were introduced during the 18th century. A driving force has been the desire to manifest one frequent theme of kabuki theater, that of the sudden, dramatic revelation or transformation. A number of stage tricks, including actors' rapid appearance and disappearance, employ these innovations. The term keren ( 外連 ) , often translated as "playing to
7462-409: The surrounding areas, to the new location of the theatres, the inconvenience of the distance led to a reduction in attendance. These factors, along with strict regulations, pushed much of kabuki "underground" in Edo, with performances changing locations to avoid the authorities. The theatres' new location was called Saruwaka-chō, or Saruwaka-machi; the last thirty years of the Tokugawa shogunate's rule
7553-476: The term remains unknown. At the least, it was used to promote the Godzilla suit from The Return of Godzilla . The many productions of tokusatsu series have general themes common throughout different groups. Kaiju ( 怪獣 , kaijū , literally "mysterious beast") productions primarily feature monsters, or giant monsters ( 大怪獣 , daikaijū ) . Such series include Ultraman , the Godzilla film series,
7644-431: The world of tokusatsu . The following year, Moonlight Mask premiered, the first of numerous televised superhero dramas that would make up one of the most popular tokusatsu subgenres. Created by Kōhan Kawauchi , he followed up its success with the tokusatsu superhero shows Seven Color Mask (1959) and Messenger of Allah (1960), both starring a young Sonny Chiba . These original productions preceded
7735-538: The writer, and multiple crews who have participated in Toei 's Kamen Rider franchise. Yuasa and Sasaki, along with Yoji Hashimoto , once attempted to produce a television series of Daimajin in 1960s, however it was cancelled due to budgetary problem and predictable storyline of the franchise. All songs were written by Shoko Fujibayashi and composed by Toshihiko Sahashi . Tokusatsu Tokusatsu ( 特撮 （ とくさつ ） , lit. ' special filming ' )
7826-681: Was also involved in the Spider-Man television series, which influenced their subsequent Super Sentai series. In 2003, TV Asahi began broadcasting the Super Sentai and Kamen Rider series in a one-hour block airing each week known as Super Hero Time . Toho , the creators of Godzilla , also had their hands in creating the Chouseishin Series of programs from 2003 to 2006 and the Zone Fighter franchise. In 2006, Keita Amemiya 's Garo ,
7917-447: Was first built in Japan in the early 18th century. Seri refers to the stage "traps" that have been commonly employed in kabuki since the middle of the 18th century. These traps raise and lower actors or sets to the stage. Seridashi or seriage refers to trap(s) moving upward and serisage or serioroshi to traps descending. This technique is often used to lift an entire scene at once. Chūnori (riding in mid-air)
8008-443: Was influenced by two tokusatsu superheroes, Ultraman and Inframan . In 2015, Brazilian indie game studio, Behold Studios, developed a Power Ranger and Super Sentai inspired game, Chroma Squad . Tokusatsu has also had a large influence on western animation. Artist Thomas Perkins has delved into work that makes reference to tokusatsu. This is most notable in the design of the character Way Big from Ben 10 , who bears
8099-571: Was inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists in 2005. While still maintaining most of the historical practices of kabuki, Ichikawa En-ō ( 市川猿翁 ) aimed to broaden its appeal by creating a new genre of kabuki productions called "Super Kabuki" ( スーパー歌舞伎 ) . With Yamato Takeru ( ヤマトタケル ) as the first Super Kabuki production to premiere in 1986, remakes of traditional plays and new contemporary creations have been brought to local theaters throughout
8190-750: Was popularized during the " first monster boom " (1966–1968). Prior to the monster boom, it was known in Japan as tokushu gijutsu ( 特殊技術 , lit. ' special technology ' ) or shortened tokugi ( 特技 , lit. ' special technique ' ) . Subgenres of tokusatsu include kaiju such as the Godzilla and Gamera series; superhero such as the Kamen Rider and Metal Hero series; Kyodai Hero like Ultraman , and Denkou Choujin Gridman ; and mecha like Giant Robo and Super Robot Red Baron . Some tokusatsu television programs combine several of these subgenres, for example,
8281-504: Was really happening." Godzilla also influenced the Spielberg film Jaws (1975). Japanese tokusatsu movies also influenced one of the first video games , Spacewar! (1961), inspiring its science fiction theme. According to the game's programmer Martin Graetz, "we would be off to one of Boston 's seedier cinemas to view the latest trash from Toho " as Japanese studios "churned out
#521478