Keiji Takamine , real name Masahiko Takahashi , is a former Japanese actor, most well-known for his role as Seiji Hokuto, the protagonist of Ultraman Ace. He has reprised the role in subsequent Ultraman Series and films. He is also a member of the Ultraman Foundation.
Career[]
Takamine's first known acting role is as the lead role of the 1960 television series Tatsumaki Kotengu, which he played at the age of 14.[1] After the series concluded, he signed a contract with Takarazuka Films and appeared in several television dramas aimed primarily at the Kansai region.
In 1972, while guest-starring in the popular television drama Detective-kun alongside actor Kenichi Sakuragi, TBS producer Yoji Hashimoto showed interest in him for the role of the next Ultraman. Following an invitation from Sakuragi and Kondo, Takamine auditioned and successfully secured the role of Seiji Hokuto in Ultraman Ace, and moved to Tokyo.[2] After Ultraman Ace concluded, Takamine remained active in historical dramas, as well as in two-hour television specials.
Takamine left his agency and retired from the entertainment industry in 1998, but returned to the public eye with the release of Ultraman Ace on DVD in 2004, appearing in Ultraman-related events and interviews with Tsuburaya Productions. In 2006, he reprised his role as Hokuto in Ultraman Mebius and its film alongside other Showa Ultraman leading actors Susumu Kurobe, Kohji Moritsugu, and Jiro Dan, who are collectively nicknamed the "Dandy 4". Additionally, he co-starred alongside Mitsuko Hoshi, marking their first appearance together in 34 years.
In 2020, when Takamine was offered to voice Ace in episode 19 of Ultraman Z, he had recently undergone surgery on his tongue after being diagnosed with tongue cancer in May. He asked his wife to verify if he could still deliver his lines correctly and decided to play the role despite his condition.[3]
Since April 2021, he has been part of the group Ace Channel alongside his Ultraman Ace co-stars Shunichi Okita, Mitsuhiro Sano, Keiko Nishi, and Akinori Umezu. The group conducts lectures, interactive sessions, and meet-and-greet events in various cities across Japan.[4][5][6]
Personal Life[]
Takamine is married and has two sons. His hobbies are feat swimming, reading, horseback riding, skiing.
Roles[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Ultraman Ace | Seiji Hokuto | |
| 1973 | Ultraman Taro | Episode 33 "Five Seconds Before the Great Explosion of the Land of Ultra!" Episode 34 "The Last Day of the Six Ultra Brothers!" | |
| 2006 | Ultraman Mebius & the Ultra Brothers | Seiji Hokuto/Ultraman Ace | Voice (Ultraman Ace) |
| 2007 | Ultraman Mebius | Voice (Ultraman Ace) Episode 44 "Ace's Wish" Episode 50 "Words from the Heart -Final Trilogy III-" | |
| 2008 | Superior 8 Ultra Brothers | Voice (Ultraman Ace) | |
| 2009 | Mega Monster Battle Ultra Galaxy: The Movie | Ultraman Ace | Voice |
| 2010 | Ultraman Zero: The Revenge of Belial | ||
| 2012 | Ultraman Saga | Seiji Hokuto/Ultraman Ace | Voice (Ultraman Ace) |
| 2015 | Ultra Fight Victory | Ultraman Ace | Voice |
| 2020 | Ultraman Z | Voice Episode 19 "The Last Hero" |
Stage[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Ultraman Premier Stage 2 | Ultraman Ace[7] | Voice |
| 2014 | 3 Major Tokusatsu Hero Festival |
Discography[]
- Ultraman Mebius
- Ultraman Mebius (Opening) (with Project DMM, as member of Ultra Defense Force)
Gallery[]
Miscellaneous[]
![Keiji Takamine at an Ultraman Ace 40th anniversary event in 2012[8][9]](/wiki/File:TAC_40s_1.jpeg "TAC 40s 1.jpeg (177 KB)")
![Keiji Takamine (far left) doing his transformation pose with Ryu Manatsu, Jiro Dan, Susumu Kurobe and Kohji Moritsugu at Ultraman Festival 2014[10]](/wiki/File:6777_623729991080196_560273325271993382_n.jpg "6777 623729991080196 560273325271993382 n.jpg (26 KB)")
![[11]](/wiki/File:Keiji_Takamine_2022.png "Keiji Takamine 2022.png (2.04 MB)")
![Takamine and Kohji Moritsugu at the unveiling ceremony of an Ultraseven memorial statue in Soshigaya, Tokyo in 2023.[12][13][14]](/wiki/File:Keiji_Takamine_2023_2.jpg "Keiji Takamine 2023 2.jpg (345 KB)")
Trivia[]
- In a 2014 interview, Takamine said that he did not watch Ace with his two sons as he didn't want them to think of him as Ultraman.[15]
References[]
- ↑ https://x.com/OXvjAl5sfXpfgal/status/1567746511773265920
- ↑ https://www.cinepre.biz/archives/20533
- ↑ https://x.com/qjbJaTPk8u26S0a/status/1361505001009385472
- ↑ https://x.com/tacechannel
- ↑ https://www.s40otoko.com/archives/126257
- ↑ https://hochi.news/articles/20220420-OHT1T51116.html?page=1
- ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/n-2661
- ↑ https://hochi.news/articles/20230122-OHT1T51052.html?page=1
- ↑ https://mantan-web.jp/article/20120430dog00m200002000c.html
- ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/n-2642
- ↑ https://hakabanogarou.jp/archives/28430
- ↑ https://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/25289860/
- ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/post-6909
- ↑ https://www.cinematoday.jp/news/N0139769
- ↑ https://mantan-web.jp/article/20140320dog00m200090000c.html