Tachibana Masaaki

Name: Tachibana Masaaki
Native name: 橘正晃
Also Known as: たちばなまさあき
Nationality: Japanese
Gender: Male
Born: March 18, 1925
Age: 99

Ubiquitous, well-liked, Toho-exclusive actor, nicknamed “Bana” on set. Tachibana joined Toho in 1950 and remained until the contract system collapsed in 1970. He appeared in numerous sci-fi films and is perhaps best known as the unintentionally funny, doomed reporter going down with Tokyo Tower in the original Godzilla (1954). Tachibana reportedly covered his face in olive oil so he appeared hot and sweating during his takes. He based his performance on similar news coverage of the Fukui earthquake a decade earlier when reporters continued reporting from the scene at great personal risk.

Tachibana’s date of death is unknown, although comments made by suit actor Nakajima Haruo indicate he may have passed away in 2007 or 2008 (at approximately 82 or 83 years of age).

(Source: Godzilla Cineaste) Edit Biography

Year	Title	#	Role	Rating
1968	Mighty Jack Japanese Drama, 1968, 13 eps (Guest Role)	13	Guest Role	7.5
1966	Kaijuu Booska Japanese Drama, 1966, 47 eps (Guest Role)	47	Guest Role	2.0
1966	Ultraman Japanese Drama, 1966, 39 eps (Guest Role)	39	Guest Role	7.5
1966	Ultra Q Japanese Drama, 1966, 28 eps [The Reporter] (Guest Role)	28	[The Reporter] Guest Role	7.1

Year	Title	Role	Rating
1969	Latitude Zero Japanese Movie, 1969, [Reporter] (Bit part)	[Reporter] Bit part	7.0
1968	Japan's Betrayal Man Japanese Movie, 1968, [Opposition representative] (Bit part)	[Opposition representative] Bit part	5.0
1968	Admiral Yamamoto Japanese Movie, 1968, Chief of Staff Officer Arima Torai (Bit part)	Chief of Staff Officer Arima Torai Bit part	6.4
1967	The Age of Assassins Japanese Movie, 1967, [Bartender] (Bit part)	[Bartender] Bit part	7.0
1966	The War of the Gargantuas Japanese Movie, 1966, [Reporter 6] (Bit part)	[Reporter 6] Bit part	7.0
1965	Invasion of the Astro-Monster Japanese Movie, 1965, [Scientist] (Unknown)	[Scientist] Unknown	6.9
1965	Ironfinger Japanese Movie, 1965, [Detective] (Bit part)	[Detective] Bit part	7.1
1965	Beast Alley Japanese Movie, 1965, [Reporter] (Unknown)	[Reporter] Unknown	7.0
1965	Frankenstein Conquers the World Japanese Movie, 1965, [ Reporter C] (Bit part)	[ Reporter C] Bit part	6.8
1964	You Can Succeed, Too Japanese Movie, 1964, [Towa Tourism Employee] (Bit part)	[Towa Tourism Employee] Bit part	7.5
1964	Mothra vs. Godzilla Japanese Movie, 1964, [Kuratahama][Self-Defense Forces member][hotel guest running away] (Bit part)	[Kuratahama][Self-Defense Forces member][hotel guest running away] Bit part	7.1
1963	Atragon Japanese Movie, 1963, [Mu Empire person][Soldier] (Bit part)	[Mu Empire person][Soldier] Bit part	6.6
1963	High and Low Japanese Movie, 1963, [ Yokohama station crew ] (Bit part)	[ Yokohama station crew ] Bit part	8.0
1962	King Kong vs. Godzilla Japanese Movie, 1962, [Newspaper reporter] (Bit part)	[Newspaper reporter] Bit part	6.7
1962	Dobunezumi Sakusen Japanese Movie, 1962, [ Escapee] (Bit part)	[ Escapee] Bit part	0.0
1962	Woman of Design Japanese Movie, 1962, [Employee B] (Bit part)	[Employee B] Bit part	6.0
1961	Mothra Japanese Movie, 1961, [Newspaper reporter] (Bit part)	[Newspaper reporter] Bit part	7.4
1961	Boss Fights to the Death at Dawn Japanese Movie, 1961, [bartender] (Bit part)	[bartender] Bit part	0.0
1960	The Human Vapor Japanese Movie, 1960, [Reporter] (Bit part)	[Reporter] Bit part	6.9
1960	A Woman of Tokyo Japanese Movie, 1960, [Cameraman] (Bit part)	[Cameraman] Bit part	6.0
1960	Evening Stream Japanese Movie, 1960, (Unknown)	Unknown	6.2
1960	The Secret of the Telegian Japanese Movie, 1960, [ Forensics] (Bit part)	[ Forensics] Bit part	6.2
1960	Three Dolls and Three Guys Japanese Movie, 1960, "Nouvelle" bartender (Bit part)	"Nouvelle" bartender Bit part	0.0
1960	The Last Gunfight Japanese Movie, 1960, [Postman ][ Kojin police officer] (Bit part)	[Postman ][ Kojin police officer] Bit part	8.0
1959	The Three Treasures Japanese Movie, 1959, [Yamato Province person 4] (Bit part)	[Yamato Province person 4] Bit part	6.2
1959	Oku-sama Sanbagarasu Japanese Movie, 1959, Tanigawa Tsuyoshi (Bit part)	Tanigawa Tsuyoshi Bit part	0.0
1959	Kotan no Kuchibue Japanese Movie, 1959, (Unknown)	Unknown	6.5
1958	The Naked General Japanese Movie, 1958, [Bus passenger] (Bit part)	[Bus passenger] Bit part	0.0
1958	H-Man Japanese Movie, 1958, [Nightclub manager] (Bit part)	[Nightclub manager] Bit part	6.8
1957	The Mysterians Japanese Movie, 1957, [Scholar] \| [Refugee] \| [SDF personnel] (Bit part)	[Scholar] \| [Refugee] \| [SDF personnel] Bit part	6.9
1956	Rodan Japanese Movie, 1956, [Police officer] (Bit part)	[Police officer] Bit part	7.0
1956	Barefoot Youth Japanese Movie, 1956, (Unknown)	Unknown	0.0
1955	Half Human Japanese Movie, 1955, [Village Man] (Bit part)	[Village Man] Bit part	5.9
1955	Godzilla Raids Again Japanese Movie, 1955, {Policeman] (Bit part)	{Policeman] Bit part	6.4
1954	Invisible Man Japanese Movie, 1954, [A man ][ reporter watching street TV] (Bit part)	[A man ][ reporter watching street TV] Bit part	6.2
1954	Seven Samurai Japanese Movie, 1954, [Bandit] (Bit part)	[Bandit] Bit part	8.6
1954	Godzilla Japanese Movie, 1954, [ Announcer A] (Bit part)	[ Announcer A] Bit part	7.8
1953	Eagle of the Pacific Japanese Movie, 1953, [Test flight staff] (Bit part)	[Test flight staff] Bit part	6.9
1952	The Man Who Came to Port Japanese Movie, 1952, (Unknown)	Unknown	4.0
1952	Yonju Hachininme no Otoko Japanese Movie, 1952, Oto [ Kira's Samurai] (Bit part)	Oto [ Kira's Samurai] Bit part	0.0
1951	Wakai Musumetachi Japanese Movie, 1951, [Postman] (Bit part)	[Postman] Bit part	0.0
1951	Beyond Love and Hate Japanese Movie, 1951, (Unknown)	Unknown	2.0