Ask anyone who was in elementary school in Hawaii in the mid-1970s about their childhood and you’ll hear lots of stories about “Kikaida.” The Japanese television show about a noble android’s battles with the monsters of a powerful criminal organization was one of the first tokusatsu (“special effects”) series shown here. It was an instant hit with young viewers and was at least as popular in Hawaii as it was in Japan.
Fifty years later, it still is.
On Jan. 15, Joanne Ninomiya, founder of Generation Kikaida/JN Productions Inc., and her business partner Bob Furukawa will celebrate that cultural legacy with “Kikaida Forever!,” as part of the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii’s New Year’s ‘Ohana Festival. Ban Daisuke, the star of the original “Kikaida” series, will be there to meet fans, pose for photos and sign autographs.
“These kids — they’re like 50 or 60 years old now — but they come to the office, and some of them come with their buddies, and oh my gosh, they laugh. They talk so loud,” said Ninomiya, referring to grown-up “Kikaida” fans. “These guys are just reviving past memories, and it’s really heartwarming to listen to these … men go on as if they were still in the second grade.”
Ban starred as Jiro, the human form of Kikaida, the android superhero created by a brilliant robotics scientist, Dr. Komyoji. Jiro transformed into Kikaida to fight the forces of the evil Professor Gill — android men and women, the cyborg Hakaida and an army of fanciful Destructoids, such as Blue Buffalo and Pink Armadillo, that each possessed unique capabilities and weapons systems.
The original show ran in Japan for 43 episodes in 1972 and 1973. The success of “Kikaida” in Hawaii was followed by numerous similar shows — “Kikaida 01,” “Kamen Rider V3” and “Inazuman” to name a few — that also became popular here.
Ninomiya was there from the beginning.
“We started in 1974 at the old KIKU that is KHNL today,” she said, referring to when the television station began airing the original show. At the time, Ninomiya was the general manager of KIKU; she started her production company in 1981. “We revived (“Kikaida”) in 2001 and we produced the DVDs in 2002, and when we did an event at JCCH (that January) so many of the kids from the ’70s came back to see us. When we brought the older brother (actor Shunsuke Ikeda) in April the same year the crowd was even bigger, and it continued and continued.”
Ikeda starred as Jiro’s older brother, Ichiro, in the sequel, “Kikaida 01.” Ikeda died in 2010.
Ninomiya says that Ban, now 75, has always been a top draw in Hawaii, and is still active in Japan, but she feels that the time has come for Generation Kikaida/JN Productions “to call it quits.”
“Our last appearance was at Shirokiya in 2019, so there’s been a lull. We’ve produced new merchandise … (and) they’re coming back to buy the shirts for our new designs. So that’s very encouraging, but this is our last Kikaida appearance as JN Productions and Generation Kikaida.”
Ban Daisuke recently answered questions in Japanese through email ahead of his appearance; the questions and answers were translated by Ninomiya.
Question: What have you been doing in 2022?
Answer: The last thing I did in December was play the part of a doctor in the stage play “Hitokuzu.” It was a psychosomatic drama about an abused child, and I played the doctor who treated her. A CD was also reissued with my recording of “Haru Kureba,” the song that was played in the last episode of “Kikaida.” Though it only played once in the TV series, the song was a hit in Hawaii.
Q: Do you have a message for the fans who are waiting for you?
A: It never fails to amaze me that “Kikaida” the TV series was so popular in a foreign country, and I get to meet fans, young and old each time. I hope that Kikaida will continue to live in your hearts.
Q: Thinking of all the Destructoids that Jiro fought, is there one or two that are most memorable — for any reason?
A: The episode with Gold Wolf. This is the only time the robot Kikaida shed tears in the series. Gold Wolf’s human form was torn between being good and evil. The human form turns into the destructive Gold Wolf when there is a full moon. In the end, Gold Wolf is reluctantly destroyed by Kikaida when the full moon appears. Knowing that Gold Wolf was capable of being good, Kikaida cries when he had to destroy Gold Wolf.
Q: As I remember it, when the series ended Dr. Komyoji and his children left Japan and Jiro stayed in Japan. What do you think Jiro would do next? What might Jiro be doing now?
A: Jiro set out on this endless journey on his bike in the last episode. He would probably be wandering around on this endless journey.
Q: Do you think Jiro and Mitsuko would ever see each other again?
A: No.
Q: Will you be working on a new project when you return to Japan, or will you be enjoying retirement?
A: Upon returning, I will be working on a movie — the gist of which is a love story between a robot and human being. And I have many fan meetings set up in 2023. Even after 50 years, Kikaida is still popular in Japan, and there are fan meetings throughout Japan.
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‘Kikaida Forever!’
>> Where: Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii, 2454 S. Beretania St.
>> When: Noon Jan. 15; Ban Daisuke will sign autographs from 1-2:30 p.m.
>> Cost: Free, along with free parking and shuttle service from Washington Middle School
>> Info: generationkikaida.com
