Turnin' Japanese

Well, at least some of my current interests are. I just got the symphonic orchestration of Inu-Yasha's "Wind" soundtrack. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but-- wow! Inspirational. Uplifting. Free. This has instantly become one of my favorite orchestral soundtracks.

I have also been engrossed in an ancient Japanese live-action hero show (precursors of the "Power Rangers"). "Shiro-Shige Kamen" is a *very* obscure Japanese television program. There were only thirteen episodes made; this show had only one airing in one area of Japan; the hero dies at the end. I'd seen stills of the show in the comprehensive TV "encyclopedias" that are published and it looked really neat. Taking place at the beginning of the Meiji Era of Japan: samurai and ninja still existed, with some modern inventions starting to appear. The hero is a "policeman" of the era (they use the weapons that look like hand-held pitchforks) who gains supernatural powers to fight supernatural lawbreakers.

Filled with wolf-headed ninjas, fox women and demons of many shapes and flavors, this show did not seem to exist anywhere in any form. There was also a rights issue between two "owners" and neither could find any prints anyway. Still, I looked for any information I could about it over the course of 18 years. Out of the blue, Toei announces that they've found good prints and are releasing the entire series as a deluxe boxed set. I had to be revived with multiple slappings of a good-sized mochi.

Shiro-Shige Kamen is everything I hoped for: fantastic photography, interesting plots, period costumes and demons, demons, demons!



( More Shiro-shige Kamen pics- about 550K )

Turnin' Japanese

Well, at least some of my current interests are. I just got the symphonic orchestration of Inu-Yasha's "Wind" soundtrack. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but-- wow! Inspirational. Uplifting. Free. This has instantly become one of my favorite orchestral soundtracks.

I have also been engrossed in an ancient Japanese live-action hero show (precursors of the "Power Rangers"). "Shiro-Shige Kamen" is a *very* obscure Japanese television program. There were only thirteen episodes made; this show had only one airing in one area of Japan; the hero dies at the end. I'd seen stills of the show in the comprehensive TV "encyclopedias" that are published and it looked really neat. Taking place at the beginning of the Meiji Era of Japan: samurai and ninja still existed, with some modern inventions starting to appear. The hero is a "policeman" of the era (they use the weapons that look like hand-held pitchforks) who gains supernatural powers to fight supernatural lawbreakers.

Filled with wolf-headed ninjas, fox women and demons of many shapes and flavors, this show did not seem to exist anywhere in any form. There was also a rights issue between two "owners" and neither could find any prints anyway. Still, I looked for any information I could about it over the course of 18 years. Out of the blue, Toei announces that they've found good prints and are releasing the entire series as a deluxe boxed set. I had to be revived with multiple slappings of a good-sized mochi.

Shiro-Shige Kamen is everything I hoped for: fantastic photography, interesting plots, period costumes and demons, demons, demons!



( More Shiro-shige Kamen pics- about 550K )

Turnin' Japanese

Well, at least some of my current interests are. I just got the symphonic orchestration of Inu-Yasha's "Wind" soundtrack. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but-- wow! Inspirational. Uplifting. Free. This has instantly become one of my favorite orchestral soundtracks.

I have also been engrossed in an ancient Japanese live-action hero show (precursors of the "Power Rangers"). "Shiro-Shige Kamen" is a *very* obscure Japanese television program. There were only thirteen episodes made; this show had only one airing in one area of Japan; the hero dies at the end. I'd seen stills of the show in the comprehensive TV "encyclopedias" that are published and it looked really neat. Taking place at the beginning of the Meiji Era of Japan: samurai and ninja still existed, with some modern inventions starting to appear. The hero is a "policeman" of the era (they use the weapons that look like hand-held pitchforks) who gains supernatural powers to fight supernatural lawbreakers.

Filled with wolf-headed ninjas, fox women and demons of many shapes and flavors, this show did not seem to exist anywhere in any form. There was also a rights issue between two "owners" and neither could find any prints anyway. Still, I looked for any information I could about it over the course of 18 years. Out of the blue, Toei announces that they've found good prints and are releasing the entire series as a deluxe boxed set. I had to be revived with multiple slappings of a good-sized mochi.

Shiro-Shige Kamen is everything I hoped for: fantastic photography, interesting plots, period costumes and demons, demons, demons!



( More Shiro-shige Kamen pics- about 550K )