Tanba Tetsuro
is probably most familiar to western audiences as the slick
agent "Tiger Tanaka" in the James Bond film "You
Only Live Twice" (UA; 1967). However Tanba's prolific
career has spanned five decades in Japan, and he has starred
in over 300 films. From high production films such as “Seppuku”
(1962) and “Kwaidan (1964)” to such B-Films as
“Riki Oh (1991)” and “Nostradamus No Dai
Yogen” (AKA Last Days of Planet Earth; Toho, 1974),
Tanba has just about done everything. Tanba has also starred
in dozen of long running TV shows and while “KEYHUNTER”
is surely the cult favorite of Japanese audiences, he probably
is best remembered instead as the figurehead for the Police
Crime Drama “G-MEN '75”. Tanba is now the spokesperson
for the Dai Reien Kai (Great Spirit World) cult movement.
He was recently seen in Miike Takashi’s “Gokudo
Kyofu Dai-Gekijo: Gozu” (2003) and Yoji Yamada’s
“Tasogare Seibei” (AKA Twilight Samurai, 2002).
Nogiwa Yoko was a former Newscaster with NHK, who soon was
scouted for movie and TV roles. She also is an accomplished
singer who a couple of albums to her name. Sang the ED theme
song for this series. Soon followed up “KEYHUNTER”
with her own Police Drama series “SUPERGIRL(s) (1980).”
Even today, Nogiwa is very familiar with modern TV audiences
as she has starred in numerous J-Drama (Japanese Drama) projects
such as “Double Kitchen” (1993), “June Bride”
(1995), “Sweet Home” (1994), “Glass No Kamen”
(1997), “Trick” (2000), and “Salary Man
Kintaro” (1999).
Baby faced Tani would soon follow Tanba to star in the two
subsequent “KEYHUNTER “ sequels; “EYEFUL”
and “BIRDIE Daisakusen”. Starred in various other
detective shows and TV dramas after “KEYHUNTER”.
Was last seen as the Aura Power wielding Commander Sugata
Sanjyuro in the Tokusatsu Series “Hikari Sentai Maskman”
(1987).
As a college student at Nippon Taiiku University, Sonnichi
Chiba (Real Name: Maeda Sadao) trained extensively for the
1964 Japanese Olympic Gymnastics Team, but a hip injury from
a part-time construction job cost him his gymnastics career.
It was then that he decided to devote most of his time and
energy into martial arts, training under the renowned World
Karate Grand Master Mas Oyama Koncho, receiving his first
degree judo black belt.
Has the following Martial Arts Degrees: 2nd-Dan Blackbelt
in Judo; 4th-Dan Blackbelt in Ninjutsu; 1st-Dan Blackbelt
in Kendo; 1st-Dan Blackbelt in Shorinji Kenpo.
Before gaining fame in KEYHUNTER, Chiba was more familiar
to audiences as the Tokusatsu Hero “Nanaiiro Kamen”
(1959). He would also play other Tokusatsu heroes such as
“Iron Sharp AKA Space Chief in the serial “Uchu
Kaisoku Sen” (1961) and “Ogon Bat” (AKA
Gold Bat, 1966). He was also in the cult classic “Kaitei
Dai Sensou” (AKA Battle Beneath The Sea; Toei, 1966)
After “KEYHUNTER”, Chiba would go on to star in
a number of movies including the wildly popular “Gekitotsu!
Satsujin Ken” (AKA Street Fighter; Toei, 1974) and its
subsequent sequels. Other movie credits include “Makai
Tensou” (AKA Samurai Reincarnation; Toei, 1981) “Golgo
13: Kuron No Kubi (AKA Golgo 13 Kowloon Assignment; Toei,
1977)”, “Yagyu Ichizoku No Inbo” (The Yagyu
Conspiracy; Toei, 1978), “Uchu Kara No Messaga”
(AKA Message From Space; Toei, 1978) and “Satomi Hakkenden”
(Legend of the Eight Samurai; Toei, 1983).
Founded the seminal Action Stunt Group JAC (Japan Action
Club now Japan Action Enterprise, Inc.) whose members included
Etsuko Shiomi, Oba Kenji and Sanada Hiroyuki.
He is still in demand today, having starred in the Hong Kong
Fantasy, “Storm Riders” (1998) and “Battle
Royale II: Requiem” (2003).
Quention Tarantino was such an avid fan of Chiba that he
not only referenced his “Street Fighter” movies
in his film “True Romance” (1993) but his also
referenced the opening monologue of Chiba's "Karate Kiba"
(1974) in "Pulp Fiction" (1994) -- Jules Winnfield’s
(Samuel L. Jackson) "Ezekiel 25:17 Speech".
Tarantino later got to work with his idol Chiba in the action
thriller “Kill Bill” (Miramax; 2003), where he
portrayed Master Japanese Sword Maker, Hattori Hanzo.
Chiba portrayed another “Hattori Hanzo” in the
popular long running series “Kage No Gundan” (1980).
Young brother Jiro Chiba would follow his brother’s
lead and go on to also become a TV star starring in the Tokusatsu
series “Robot Keiji K” (Toei, 1973) and “Kamen
Rider” (1971).
Daughter Juri Manase would star along with her father in
the movie “Kill Bill” as one of Oren Ishii’s
“Crazy 88” lieutenants. She also helped with some
of the Stunt Coordination.
Chiba was married for a while to fellow KEYHUNTER star Nogiwa
Yoko until their divorce in 1994.
Miyauchi could be said to be one of the most recognizable
faces in Toei TV. He has made his career in starring in some
of Toei's most popular Tokusatsu (Live Action) Series. He
has played every one from Aou (Blue) Ranger in “Go-Ranger”
to Big One in “JAKQ Dengeki Tai” (Electric Blitzkrieg
Force JAKQ) to playing the title character in “Kamen
Rider V3” and the lone hero in “Kaiketsu! ZUBAT”.
His laid back performances, dandy attire and boyish mannerisms
have sometime led to unintentional humor but he is the quintessential
Toei hero. Has done some work outside of Tokusatsu TV (starred
in a couple 70's Japanese Exploitation movies such as “Sukeban
Blues” and “Onna Hissatsu Ken” (AKA Sister
Streetfighter). He would later go on to star in the KEYHUNTER
inspired “G-MEN '75”. Recently returned to playing
Big One in the recent Toei Manga Matsuri Special, “Gao
Ranger vs. Super Sentai”.
Takahisa Susumu has written stories for a number of projects
including “Ogon Bat” (Gold Bat; Toei, 1966), “Captain
Ultra” (TBS, 1967), “Kyuketsuki Gokimidoro”
(AKA Goke, The Body Snatcher; Shochiku, 1968), “Mazinger
Z” (Dynamic Pro, 1973), “Cutey Honey” (Dynamic
Pro, 1974), “Mazinger Z Tai Ankoku Dai Shogun”
(Mazinger Z Vs. Great General Dark; 1974), “Seikimatsu
Kyuseishu Densetsu – Hokutou No Ken” (Legend of
The Savior of the New Century – Fist of the Northstar;
Toei, 1986) and “Chojinki Metalder” (Super Machine
– Metalder; Toei, 1987).
Hori Nakafumi would eventually go on to direct such projects
as “Dengeki Sentai Changeman” (1985) and “Cho
Denshi Bioman” (1984). He also went on the produce projects
such as “Kamen Rider J” (1994), “Kamen Rider
ZO” (1993), “Tokusou Robo Janperson” (Special
Investigator Janperson; Toei, 1993) and “Kamen Rider
Black” (Toei, 1988).
Sato Hajime directed such projects as “Ogon Bat”
(Gold Bat; Toei, 1966), “Captain Ultra” (TBS,
1967), and “Kyuketsuki Gokimidoro” (AKA Goke,
The Body Snatcher; Shochiku, 1968).
Konishi Michio directed installments for “Tokusou Robo
Janperson” (Special Investigator Janperson; Toei, 1993),
“Kido Keiji Jiban” (Mobile Detective Jiban; Toei,
1989) and “Kamen Rider Black” (Toei, 1988).
Takemoto Hirokazu went on to direct episodes for such projects
as “Denshi Sentai Denjiman” (Toei, 1980), “SpiderMan”
(Toei, 1978), and Uchu Tetsujin Kyodain” (Toei, 1978).
KEYHUNTER wasn't your typical detective show. It frequently
mixed heavy doses of slapstick humor with equal helpings of
action, drama and suspense.
Very similar in some ways to “Mission: Impossible”.
Debuting in 1968 as a monochrome TV Drama, KEYHUNTER later
made the transition to color drama in 1970.
Dapper Tanba Tetsuruo made quite a statement with his 40's
style detective attire (the fedora & trench coat), and
would in fact later make this his trademark and dress similarly
in other subsequent detective shows.
KEYHUNTER would spawn two unofficial sequels, similar to
style and look...EYEFUL – Daisakusen and BIRDIE - Daisakusen,
both of which were vastly inferior to its predecessor. |
