Chiba returns to vintage ‘Kamen’ role, preps ‘Bushido’

Japanese action superstar Sonny Chiba, aged 69, previously announced his retirement from action roles last year but that won’t stop him from staying in front of the camera at least long enough to honor a promise made to Kohan Kawauchu, creator of the early Tokusatsu TV series NANAIRO KAMEN (SEVEN-COLOR MASK) who died last month at the age of 88.

Chiba will reprise his role in the groundbreaking series, which ran from 1959-60, in an update to the franchise. NANAIRO KAMEN provided Chiba with his first starring role. He went on to become Japan’s top action star in film and television with international hits that included THE STREET FIGHTER and SHADOW WARRIORS.

Chiba is also celebrating 50 years in the entertainment business this year. As part of the festivities, Super Museum Time Machine in Otsu is displaying his 100,000 piece collection of entertainment memorabilia from now through August. The collection, which includes a gun owned by Steve McQueen is valued at $100 million.

At the exhibit opening on May 10th, Chiba suggested that the collection might be sold off to fund the making of BUSHIDO, an action film he plans to make in Hollywood.

Along with his retirement from acting, Chiba had announced plans to begin directing under the name of “Rindo Wachinaga.” BUSHIDO is the first project he hopes to shoot. It depicts the life of Nitobe Inazo, author of “Bushido: The Soul of Japan.”

The second film Chiba plans to direct is KEY HUNTER, a big-screen adaptation of an action TV series he starred in from 1968-73.

NANAIRO KAMEN (Original series opening)

KEY HUNTER (Original series opening/closing)

Sources: Twitch, Variety