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Hideyoshi Iwata

Hideyoshi_Iwata_1

When I am acting I think of it as lending my body to Ultraman rather than "moving on my own." Because of this, I can say with confidence that I can "hear" Ultraman's voice more intimately than any other human.Hideyoshi Iwata on portraying Ultraman Blazar[1]

Hideyoshi Iwata (岩田 栄慶, Iwata Hideyoshi) is a Japanese actor, suit actor, and stuntman, known for portraying most of the titular Ultras since Ultraman Nexus. He is a member of Tsuburaya Productions' action team, CASTAFF, and also runs an action training academy called 4ARTS.[2]

Career

In May 1999, at the age of 18, Iwata went to Tokyo from the countryside. After watching a hero stage show at an amusement park, he immediately knew he wanted to be a suit actor, and knocked on the door of the stage show's dressing room.[3][4][5] He would eventually meet Motomi Iguchi, a member of CASTAFF and suit actor at Tsuburaya,[6][7] who helped him enter the industry.[8]

His first Ultraman Series work was Ultraman Tiga: The Final Odyssey in 2000, but his exact role is unknown. Since Ultraman Nexus in 2004, he was one of multiple suit actors for the titular Ultras of each series, but was the sole suit actor for Ultraman Hikari, Victory, X, and Geed onwards. He is also known for playing Zenna's human form in Ultraman Geed.

In addition to suit acting, Iwata has written and supervised scripts for minor Ultraman Series stage shows since 2013, mainly in the Kanto region.[9]

He started a YouTube channel in April 2023, where he talks about his experiences as a suit actor.

Personal Life

Screenwriter Junichiro Ashiki was his junior in college,[10][11] with Iwata eventually inviting him to work on the Ultraman Series.[12][13]

On July 10, 2019, an annual date known as 'Ultraman Day,' Hideyoshi publicly announced his marriage to his Ultraman Geed co-star Mayu Hasegawa, who portrayed Moa Aizaki, via his Twitter account.[14] Hasegawa had earlier announced her retirement from acting on April 30, 2019.[15] On September 8, 2020, Hideyoshi announced that his wife Mayu had given birth to their first child.[16]

Roles

Year Title Role Notes
2000 Ultraman Tiga: The Final Odyssey Action[Note 1]
2002 New Century Ultraman Legend Ones of the 28 Ultra Heroes Suit
2003 New Century 2003 Ultraman Legend: THE KING'S JUBILEE Ultraman Justice
2004 Ultra Q: Dark Fantasy Riot Police Officer Episode 1 "Dancing Garagon"
Ultraman Nexus Ultraman Nexus[17][18] Suit
Dark Faust[19][20]
Dark Mephisto[19][21][20]
Citizen[22] Episode 34 "Blockade - A.D. 2009 -"
Uncredited
Dark Zagi[23][21][20] Suit
Episode 34 "Blockade - A.D. 2009 -"
Episode 37 "Bond - Nexus -"
ULTRAMAN Action[Note 1]
2005 Ultraman Max Ultraman Max[24][25][26] Suit
2006 Ultraman Mebius Ultraman Hikari/Hunter Knight Tsurugi[27][28]
Ultraman Mebius[29][30]
2007 Ultraseven X Alien Vo-Da Suit
Episode 5 "PEACE MAKER"
Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle Reimon[29] Suit
Episode 12 "Reiblood"
Episode 13 "Planet Escape"
Only credited in episode 13
2008 Superior 8 Ultra Brothers Ultraman Tiga[31] Suit
Ultraman Mebius[31]
Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle: Never Ending Odyssey[Note 2] ZAP SPACY Guard Episode 1 "Reionics Hunter"
Uncredited
Alien Hook Voice
Episode 2 "Reionics Battle"
Episode 10 "The New Horizon of War"
2009 Reimon[29] Suit
Episodes 3-5, 9, 12
Mega Monster Battle Ultra Galaxy: The Movie Resident of the Land of Light Both an Ultra and an Ultra in humanoid form[32]
2010 Ultra Galaxy Legend Side Story: Ultraman Zero VS Darklops Zero Ultraman Zero[32] Suit
Ultraman Zero: The Revenge of Belial
2011 Ultraman Retsuden Suit actor Episodes 14-26, 40-104
Ultra Zone Alien Zarab[29] Suit
"THE LOVE" sketch (ep. 6)
Ultraman Zero Side Story: Killer the Beatstar Ultraman Zero[32] Suit
2012 Ultraman Saga
Ultraman Saga[32]
Ultra Zero Fight Ultraman Zero[32][33]
Ultraman Zero Darkness[32] Suit
Part 2 "Shining Zero"
2013 Ultraman Ginga[Note 3] Tiga Dark[34] Suit
Episode 5 "The Dream Destroyers"
Episode 6 "The Dream Battle"
Ultraseven Dark[34] Suit
Episode 9 "The Jet Black Ultra Brothers"
Ultraman Ginga Theater Special Dark Zagi[34] Suit
2014 Ultraman Ginga Theater Special: Ultra Monster ☆ Hero Battle Royale! Suit actor
Ultraman Ginga S Ultraman Victory[35][36] Suit
2015 Ultraman Ginga S The Movie: Showdown! The 10 Ultra Warriors! Ultraman Zero[32]
Ultra Fight Victory Action
Ultraman X Ultraman X Suit
Ultraman Zero Suit
Episode 5 "When the Aegis Shines"
Ultraman Victory Suit
Episode 13 "Sword of Victory"
Episode 14 "The Shining Sky, and the Land Beneath It"
2016 Ultraman X The Movie: Here He Comes! Our Ultraman Ultraman X Suit
Ultraman Orb Ultraman Orb[37] Suit
Spacium Zeperion, Burnmite, Orb Origin[29][38]
Ultraman Orb THE ORIGIN SAGA Suit
2017 Ultraman Orb The Movie: Let Me Borrow the Power of Bonds!
Ultra Fight Orb
Ultraman Geed Ultraman Geed
Alien Shadow Zenna Human form and suit[39]
2018 Ultraman Geed The Movie: Connect the Wishes! Ultraman Geed Suit
Alien Shadow Zenna Human form and suit[39]
Ultraman R/B Ultraman Rosso[40] Suit
Ultraman Ruebe[41] Suit
Uncredited
2019 Ultraman R/B The Movie: Select! The Crystal of Bond Ultraman Rosso Suit
Ultraman Taiga Ultraman Taiga
Ultra Galaxy Fight: New Generation Heroes Action
2020 Ultraman Z Ultraman Z Suit
GAFJ Pilot Episode 22 "Individual Tomorrows"
Ultraman Taiga The Movie: New Generation Climax Ultraman Taiga Suit
Ultraman Reiga[42][43] Suit
Uncredited
2021 Ultraman: A New Power of Singapore Suit actor
Ultraman Trigger: New Generation Tiga Ultraman Trigger Suit
INTO THE STORY: Ultraman Trigger -The Ultra-Ancient Treasure-
2022 Ultraman Real-Time Motion Capture Labo Virtual Hero's Human Host
Ultraman Chronicle D Suit actor
Ultraman Trigger: Episode Z Ultraman Trigger Suit
Ultra Galaxy Fight: The Destined Crossroad Action
Ultraman Decker Ultraman Decker Suit
Windom[44] Suit
Episode 14 "Birth of a Dark God"
Credited as Hideki Sena
TPU Soldier Episode 18 "Invitation from Another Dimension"
2023 Ultraman New Generation Stars Suit actor Season 1, episodes 1, 4-5, 8, 18-22
Ultraman Decker Finale: Journey to Beyond Ultraman Dinas[45] Suit
Uncredited
Ultraman Decker Suit
Ultraman Regulos Action
Ultraman Regulos: First Mission
Ultraman Blazar Ultraman Blazar[1][46] Suit and voice
2024 Ultraman Blazar The Movie: Tokyo Kaiju Showdown
Ultraman Arc Ultraman Arc Suit

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2005 Ultraman Fighting Evolution Rebirth Actor[47]

Stage

Year Title Role Notes
2019 DARKNESS HEELS～THE LIVE～SHINKA Gurego
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Role not specified in credits, but is likely to be an action-related role such as a stunt performer or suit actor based on its placement in the credits.
  2. ↑ Credited under "suit actors" in episodes 2-5, 9-10, 12-13. Credited for voicing Alien Hook in episodes 2 and 10 separately.
  3. ↑ Credited under "suit actors" in episodes 5-6, 9-10, EX.

Other Roles

  • Chouseishin Gransazer - Sazer Gans
  • Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger - Suit actor[48]
  • Kamen Rider Saber - Couple at Wonder World
  • Good Morning, Sleeping Lion 2
  • Ninja vs Shark
  • Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger 20th: The Unforgivable Abare - AbareKiller

Works

Iwata was the writer for the following stage shows:

  • Ultraman Taiga stage show at Mallabu Shoge (2019)[49]
  • Ultra Athletic Original Show (September 2019)[50]
  • Ultra Athletic Original Show (August 2019)[51]
  • Drive-in Ultraman Z Show in Tokyo AEON MALL (November 2020)[52][53]
  • Ultra Athletic Original Show (February 2021)[54]
  • Ultraman Z Show (August 2021)[55][56]
  • Ultra Athletic Original Show (August 2021 and February 2023)[57][58]
  • Ultra Athletic Original Show (March 2022)[59]
  • Ultraman Decker Show (July 2022)[60][61]
  • Ultra Athletic Original Show (August 2022)[62][63]
  • Ultraman Decker stage show (August 2022)[64]
  • Ultra Athletic Original Show (August 2022)
  • Ultraman Decker Show (December 2022)[65][66]
  • Ultra Athletic Original Show (March 2023)[67]
  • Ultraman Decker Special Show: After the Journey (April 2023)[68][69][70]
  • Ultraman Blazar stage show (July 2023)[71]
  • Ultraman Blazar Show (July 2023)[72]
  • Power of the Earth (September 2023)[73][74]
  • Ultraman Blazar Show (March 2024)[75][76]
  • Ultra Hero Show (May 2024)[77][78]
  • Ultraman Blazar Show (June 2024)[79][80][81]
  • Ultraman Arc Show (July 2024 and August 2024)[82][83]
  • Ultraman Arc Show (September 2024)[84][85]
  • Ultraman Arc Special Show (October 2024)[86][87]

Miscellaneous

[88]
[88]
Iwata (right) with Mayu Hasegawa (middle) and Zenna's voice actor, Shintaro Asanuma (left).
Iwata (right) with Mayu Hasegawa (middle) and Zenna's voice actor, Shintaro Asanuma (left).
Hideyoshi Iwata
Off-shoot image of Iwata as Gurego from Masahiro Sugie's Ameblo blog[89]
Off-shoot image of Iwata as Gurego from Masahiro Sugie's Ameblo blog[89]

Trivia

  • On Twitter, director Hideki Oka described Iwata as "Mr. Stoic" (ミスターストイック, Misutā Sutoikku).[33]
  • During the filming of Ultraman Geed, Iwata trained Yuta Ozawa with Zero's fighting skills for scenes where his character was to be possessed by said Ultra.
  • According to a 2021 interview with Iwata and Daisuke Terai:[90]
    • Iwata was unable to appear as Ultraman Z in episode 13 of Z as his wife was giving birth at the time of recording, so Terai had to fill in. Knowing that Iwata was very particular about Z's image, Terai was worried when director Naoyuki Uchida asked him to exaggerate his movements and add ad-libs, with him even apologizing to Iwata afterwards, but was relieved when he learned that his "most reserved" takes had been used in the final edit.
    • Koichi Sakamoto had originally asked Terai to portray the unnamed GAFJ pilot in episode 22, but Terai suggested Iwata play the role as a "baby shower gift".
  • According to both Naoyuki Uchida and Kohshu Hirano, Terai and Iwata's depictions of Ultraman Z are subtly different. Uchida stated Terai's portrayal was more "cute" compared to Iwata's more "deliberate" style, while Hirano described Terai's portrayal as having a "warm aura" compared to Iwata's portrayal having a "divine feel".[91][92]
  • Shimba Tsuchiya was one of Iwata's students at 4ARTS.[93][94][95]
  • Iwata's stage name for portraying Windom in Ultraman Decker is named after Zenna's alias.
  • As both the suit and voice actor for Ultraman Blazar, Iwata simultaneously performed the same on-screen gestures while dubbing for the Ultra, which director Kiyotaka Taguchi commented was "strangely fitting".[96]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://tsuburaya-prod.com/news/6183
  2. ↑ https://x.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1620636026279718912
  3. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1127418555949912064
  4. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1127418557187350528
  5. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1127418565877846017
  6. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1489449652650868736
  7. ↑ https://twitter.com/AtelierGodziban/status/1337749162146713600
  8. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1335798319776366593
  9. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1637367313984004096
  10. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1338776871870205953
  11. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1516997186768150529
  12. ↑ https://twitter.com/ashiki_u40/status/1292451871945195520
  13. ↑ https://twitter.com/ashiki_u40/status/1337686404428513280
  14. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1148937532958076928
  15. ↑ https://twitter.com/HasegawaMayu/status/1123134961932881920?s=19
  16. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1301891875318579206
  17. ↑ TV Magazine Special Issue: Ultraman Nexus & Ultraman Max, pg 12
  18. ↑ Ultra Tokusatsu PERFECT MOOK vol. 17: Ultraman Nexus, pg 10-12
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Uchusen Yearbook 2006, pg 29
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Ultra Tokusatsu PERFECT MOOK vol. 17: Ultraman Nexus, pg 24-25
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 TV Magazine Special Issue: Ultraman Nexus & Ultraman Max, pg 25
  22. ↑ https://twitter.com/jyukkanbo_77/status/1262950292338937856
  23. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named UYB 2006
  24. ↑ Uchusen Yearbook 2006, pg 24
  25. ↑ TV Magazine Special Issue: Ultraman Nexus & Ultraman Max, pg 52
  26. ↑ Ultra Tokusatsu PERFECT MOOK vol. 23: Ultraman Max, pg 6
  27. ↑ Ultra Tokusatsu PERFECT MOOK vol. 05: Ultraman Mebius, pg 10
  28. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1414881923550236676
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 29.3 29.4 Character Land SPECIAL: Ultraman Orb THE ORIGIN SAGA, pg 52-54. Interview with Hideyoshi Iwata, Shinnosuke Ishikawa, Hiroyuki Arai, Daisuke Terai and Satoru Okabe.
  30. ↑ https://x.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1473159671964127234
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 TV Magazine Special Issue: Ultraman Tiga Special, pg 4
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 32.3 32.4 32.5 32.6 Ultraman Official Archive: Zero vs. Belial 10th Anniversary Book, pg 68-70. Interview with Hideyoshi Iwata.
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 https://x.com/hidekiokahideki/status/247727240958312448
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 Ultraman Taiga & New Generation Pia Super Encyclopedia, pg 95
  35. ↑ Uchusen Yearbook 2015, pg 26
  36. ↑ Ultra Tokusatsu PERFECT MOOK vol. 33: Ultraman Ginga / Ultraman Ginga S, pg 19
  37. ↑ Ultra Tokusatsu PERFECT MOOK vol. 12: Ultraman Orb, pg 6-13
  38. ↑ Character Land SPECIAL: Ultraman Orb THE ORIGIN SAGA, pg 55
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 Uchusen Yearbook 2018, pg 24
  40. ↑ https://tamashiiweb.com/t_kokkaku/111/
  41. ↑ Ultra Tokusatsu PERFECT MOOK vol. 25: Ultraman R/B, pg 11
  42. ↑ Uchusen Yearbook 2020, pg 24
  43. ↑ Ultra Tokusatsu PERFECT MOOK vol. 24: Ultraman Taiga, pg 11
  44. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1581640584863051776
  45. ↑ Uchusen Yearbook 2023, pg 25
  46. ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/post-6778
  47. ↑ Ultraman Fighting Evolution Rebirth credits
  48. ↑ https://x.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1792443061295071236
  49. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1149527994492317696
  50. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1165834023320485889
  51. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1177063723753598976
  52. ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/post-5698
  53. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1329766192471371776
  54. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1357905563158339584
  55. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20210816040606/https://www.yomiuriland.com/show/z/index.html
  56. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1428198177245569032
  57. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1431138430172291072
  58. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1628705823525588992
  59. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1485192529922330627
  60. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20220710060602/https://m-78.jp/event/post-114170
  61. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1546012381913817089
  62. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1558313456868020226
  63. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1559428944981401605
  64. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1559036640387280896
  65. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20221201073905/https://www.yomiuriland.com/show/deckerdyna/
  66. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1608091170001014784
  67. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1637367313984004096
  68. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20230330132005/https://www.yomiuriland.com/show/0429ultra/
  69. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1650421816341725184
  70. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1652227176199258112
  71. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1676511481607905280
  72. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1679004857691406337
  73. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1700709372798886183
  74. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1703290558012359155
  75. ↑ https://x.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1773300121717112868
  76. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20240305143236/https://www.yomiuriland.com/show/0330/
  77. ↑ https://x.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1785622703460004176
  78. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20240430044335/https://www.yomiuriland.com/show/0504sp/
  79. ↑ https://x.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1796519186023518287
  80. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20240524000610/https://www.yomiuriland.com/show/ultra0602/
  81. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20240525022215/https://m-78.jp/event/post-122481
  82. ↑ https://x.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1816318657598804179
  83. ↑ https://x.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1821507144526778663
  84. ↑ https://x.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1839223709175001300
  85. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20240923022404/https://www.yomiuriland.com/show/ultra0928/
  86. ↑ https://x.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1844371265173455122
  87. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20240927064630/https://www.yomiuriland.com/show/1014sp/
  88. ↑ https://imagination.m-78.jp/contents/d2ViL1lvbWlfMDE1Nzg%3D
  89. ↑ https://ameblo.jp/masaerioffice/entry-12558084102.html
  90. ↑ Ultraman Z Perfect Super Complete Works, pg 129. Interview with Hideyoshi Iwata and Daisuke Terai.
  91. ↑ Ultra Tokusatsu PERFECT MOOK vol. 40: Ultraman Z, pg 19. Interview with Kohshu Hirano.
  92. ↑ Ultraman Z Perfect Super Complete Works, pg 125. Interview with Naoyuki Uchida.
  93. ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/post-6067
  94. ↑ https://tsuburaya-prod.com/news/2925
  95. ↑ https://twitter.com/iwatahideyoshi/status/1442702180016816129
  96. ↑ https://v-storage.bnarts.jp/talk/210488/

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