Tokusatsu Graveyard
Found this ever-so-depressing page yesterday that chronicled the writer’s trip to the the Toho tokusatsu studios backlots. This page was made in November 2001, and noted that the pictures were taken over a decade before that (1988 or 1989). Translated below:
Over a decade ago, while Kamen Rider Black RX was on the air, I visited the Toho tokusatsu studio. All obsolete vehicles from past shows were carelessly placed outside the studios. (They were literally carelessly dumped there.)
I just found the photos I took so I’ll post them for all the tokusatsu fans out there.
The first photo is the outdoor parking lot.
The buggy with the word “MASKMAN” on it is the “Spin Cruiser” from Hikari Sentai Maskman. To the left is the “Live Cougar” from Choujuu Sentai Liveman. Perhaps exposed to too much rain and wind, they were in pretty bad shape. The Spin Cruiser’s bumper was bent and looked like it was about to fall off. I’m sure a fan would scream “what a waste!” if they saw this.
The second photo is to the side of the storage building.
The yellow bike is the “Moto Lion” that Yellow Lion rode in Liveman. I’m not sure what the red one in the back is. Red Falcon’s “Moto Falcon”? (If you know, please tell me.) The pink one in the back is most likely a “Mask Roader” from Maskman. They just left these between storage buildings like pieces of scrap.
The third photo is of a special bike.
The green bike in the front is “Battle Hopper” from Kamen Rider Black. This was still in good condition. The pink and yellow vehicles behind it are the “Flash Hawk” bikes from Choushinsei Flashman.
Finally, the most impacting photo was taken in the corner of the parking lot.
There I found the trashed “Ginkron” from Brothers Fist Bricrosser, a very minor tokusatsu show. In the show Bicrosser Ken would lift the bike onto his shoulder while Bicrosser Gin was riding it and used the bike as a cannon [note: observe this oddity here]. I wanted to see how heavy the bike was but it was covered in rust so I didn’t attempt to lift it. The one I can’t figure out is the colorful one in the corner. It might be the colorful vehicle from Himitsu Sentai Goranger, the “Barikikyuun”. The Barikikyuun is the only air balloon machine in all of sentai history. With all their supposed technology in the show they somehow make a low-tech air balloon. Basically it’s a stupid machine. I can’t believe these still exist…
Most likely the Toho tokusatsu studio has treasures like these still carelessly thrown away like this. Definitely a place to visit if you’re a tokusatsu fan.
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It looks like he’s missing the engine though, probably took it out to use on another bike.
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