Family, friends, and fans mourn the loss of a man notable for his entertaining performances and bright personality that put smiles on peoples' faces. On December 16th, 2023, beloved actor and stunt performer Kenpachiro Satsuma passed away at the age of 76 following a battle with interstitial pneumonia. Multiple news outlets have reported on his passing. Nikkan Sports says the following on the website Yahoo! JAPAN: “Kenpachiro Satsuma, the second generation suit actor in the “Godzilla” movie series, died of interstitial pneumonia on March 16 at the age of 76″ Satsuma's family confirmed the news to be true on social media. His passing has been met with an outpour of tributes, including from individuals who knew Satsuma personally, people who worked with him, and those who admired his work.
Kenpachiro Satsuma, born Yasuaki Maeda, was a major player in the tokusatsu performance art known as suitmation, in which a fictional character is brought to life by an actor portrayed through a detailed costume. On top of his tall posture, he could pull off so much thanks to his healthy lifestyle, which he maintained even in his later years. Satsuma's most recognizable role was playing the iconic cinema character Godzilla throughout the Heisei “Godzilla” era, a series of films that began in 1984 with Koji Hashimoto's “The Return of Godzilla” and concluded in 1995 with Takao Okawara's “Godzilla vs. Destoroyah.” As actor Haruo Nakajima did with the character early in the franchise, Satsuma created an imposing presence in his portrayal of Godzilla while adding personality to the creature through body language on top of what the title monster metaphorically stands for. Following years of the more light-hearted campiness of the later Showa films, he brought the behemoth back to a more grounded animalistic portrayal, invoking intimidation and fear while still injecting a level of tragedy into the monster's existence.
Yet, Godzilla wasn't the only character Kenpachiro Satsuma notably played. Beforehand, he portrayed some of the kaiju's most iconic foes, including the grotesque abomination Hedorah in Yoshimitsu Banno's “Godzilla vs. Hedorah” and the bionic monstrosity Gigan in Jun Fukuda's “Godzilla vs. Gigan” and “Godzilla vs. Megalon.” Much like when he played Godzilla, he did something unique with each monster he was tasked with playing. Hedorah is a slower-moving, otherworldly behemoth, while Gigan is a more animated and chaotic cyborg.
Kenpachiro Satsuma's trials as a suit actor led to some wild behind-the-scenes stories throughout his career. This was largely due to a combination of the heavy creature suits he had to work within and often hot temperatures on the sets, not to mention the miniature set pieces, water pools, and explosives he interacted with. Yet, he was always driven to get the job done no matter how difficult.
Beyond the lengths he went to entertain audiences, Kenpachiro Satsuma was known for his bright and positive personality. On top of the people he worked with, family and friends of the late actor can attest to his colorful character, including actress Megumi Odaka, who starred in six of the seven films of the Heisei “Godzilla” series. He lived his life driven by positive energy and living each day to the fullest. Additionally, he had a great sense of humor, often known for his humorous storytelling when recounting experiences as a suit actor to tokusatsu fans. His legacy will continue as people remember the talented and kind-hearted person he was, who entertained so many audiences through his determined dedication.
