This Month In Tokusatsu History

January 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
       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
       2001 Kamen Rider Kuuga: First Dream (2 hour tv special)

January 3
       1968 Red Shadow: The Masked Ninja episode 40, "Fűma Clan Ninjas Invasion"
       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 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 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 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"

January 7
       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
       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
       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"
       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 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 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 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"
       2002 Ban, Daisuke (Jiro/Kikaida, Watari Goro/Inazuman; Izumo, Daisuke/Captor 7, Makoto Jin/Battle Cossack 2) attends
                Japanese Cultural Festival in Honolulu, Hawaii

January 14
       1954 Komaki Lisa, Peggy Matsuyama/Momo Renjaa in Secret Task Force Goranger and Miss America (Battle Fever J)
                stuntwoman is born
       1994 Five Star Task Force Dairanger episode 46, "The Heroes Are Naked"
       2001 Kamen Rider Kuuga episode 48, "Kuuga"

January 15
       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
       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"
       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 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 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 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"

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"

January 21
       1994 Five Star Task Force Dairanger episode 47, "Wow...The Truth"
       2001 Last episode (49) of Kamen Rider Kuuga, "Yuusuke"

January 22
       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
       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"
       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 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 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 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"

January 28
       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
       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
       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"
       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"