Kenpachiro Satsuma

Kenpachiro Satsuma Kenpachiro Satsuma Born May 27, 1947 Izumi, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan Occupation Suit Actor Notable role(s) Hedorah, Gigan, Godzilla, Pulgasari, Yamata no Orochi First work Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971) Notable work The Return of Godzilla (1984)

Kenpachiro Satsuma (薩摩剣八郎,   Satsuma Kenpachirō), originally known as Kengo Nakayama (中山剣吾,   Nakayama Kengo), is a Japanese actor. Satsuma worked as a suit actor in the Godzilla films of the 1970's, starring as the villainous monsters Hedorah and Gigan alongside his friend and mentor, Haruo Nakajima, who portrayed Godzilla. Satsuma returned to play Godzilla himself in the 1984 film The Return of Godzilla, and would reprise the role through the rest of the Heisei series, with his final portrayal of the character coming in 1995's Godzilla vs. Destoroyah.

Selected Filmography

• Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971) as Hedorah
• Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972) as Gigan
• Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973) as Gigan
• The Return of Godzilla (1984) as Godzilla
• Pulgasari (1985) as Pulgasari
• Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989) - Godzilla
• Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991) - Godzilla
• Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992) - Godzilla
• Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993) - Godzilla
• Yamato Takeru (1994) - Yamata no Orochi
• Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994) - Godzilla
• Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995) - Godzilla

Gallery

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  Satsuma as Hedorah and Haruo Nakajima as Godzilla

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  Satsuma as Gigan

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  Satsuma shakes hands with Hurricane Ryu Hariken on the set of Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah

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  Satsuma as Godzilla in Godzilla vs. Mothra

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  Kenpachiro Satsuma collapses during filming of Godzilla vs. Destoroyah

Videos

Interview with Kenpachiro Satsuma

Trivia

• While playing Hedorah, Satsuma was struck with appendicitis during the production. The doctors were forced to perform the appendectomy while he was still wearing the Hedorah suit, due to the length of time it took to take off. During the operation, Satsuma learned that painkillers have no effect on him.^{[citation needed]}
• Satsuma reported that while playing Godzilla in Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, the smoke given off by the suit was concentrated Carbon Monoxide. This would lead to him passing out multiple times during production.
• Satsuma's surname is given to the Satsuma, a JSDF-operated submarine which appears in Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack.

External Links

• Interview by David Milner (December 1993)
• Interview by David Milner (July 1994)
• Interview by David Milner (December 1995)
• Interview by John Rocco Roberto (1999)
• Interview by Kyle Yount (May 2014)