Koichi Sakamoto
| Koichi Sakamoto | |
|---|---|
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| Born | September 29, 1970 Tokyo, Japan |
| Years active | 1991 — present |
Koichi Sakamoto (坂本 浩一 Sakamoto Kōichi, born on September 29, 1970 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese-born stunt actor, and producer for films and television. He is best known for his work as executive producer, as well as fight coordinator and frequent director, for the long running Power Rangers franchise.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Early career
Sakamoto graduated from Adachi ward Higashiayase junior high and high school, and went on to graduate from Matsudo Senshu University. A fan of Jackie Chan and Super Sentai, Sakamoto worked to become a stunt performer for Blue Mask on Hikari Sentai Maskman at live stunt shows, performing at Kōrakuen Stadium and Tokyo Dome.
He came to the United States in 1989 as a foreign student to learn English and became a stunt actor.
His first major stunt role was in 1994 with Guyver: Dark Hero as "Sakai." Sakamoto eventually married the film's unit production manager, Tamara Noland with whom they had one daughter, Matilda, prior to their separating. He went onto marry stuntwoman and suit actor Motoko Nagino in 2002.
[edit] Power Rangers
Sakamoto had also formed Alpha Stunts Production and was enlisted as 2nd Unit Director for the "battle grid" scenes from Saban Entertainment's short-lived syndicated live-action children's series VR Troopers. This led him to eventually replacing Jeff Pruitt and Isaac Florentine as stunt director for the third season of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, along with his Alpha Stunts team. Sakamoto would then go on to become the 2nd Unit Director for the remainder of the Saban-era Power Rangers series, eventually filling the roles of Producer, Executive Producer, even completing the final storyboard for "Countdown to Destruction", the two-part series finale episode of Power Rangers in Space (originally drafted to be three episodes).
He also made an appearance as Tritor (uncredited) in the 2-part Power Rangers: Zeo episode, "King For a Day" (he only moved his lips, however, while character voice over work was performed by an uncredited Paul St. Peter). Sakamoto became one of the few original crew members from MMPR Productions to remain with the production following its move to New Zealand in 2003 when the franchise was transferred from Saban Entertainment to Disney. However, while the Alpha Stunts team were replaced among the few crew member not laid off after the changeover and stayed on, particularly for second unit work, Sakamoto was replaced as stunt coordinator by Mark Harris, although Sakamoto continued directing through Ninja Storm, thereafter, he stayed on as executive producer, no longer choreographing or directing.
Disney dropped the franchise after season 17, selling it back to Saban. In 2011, Sakamoto returned as an action director for Power Rangers Samurai.
[edit] Other works
In 2006, Sakamoto served as action unit director and choreographer in Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior.[1][2] He recently trained The Jonas Brothers for a week and a half, in preparation for filming J.O.N.A.S.
In 2008, Sakamoto and the Alpha Stunts team provided stunt training for Captain Tankboy and the Tankboy Crew for the reality TV series Tankboy TV. Sakamoto also directed fight scenes in Operation Stuntman for Tankboy TV.[3]
Sakamoto would go to do tokusatsu TV shows and films for Toei and Tsuburaya, including Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger, Kamen Rider W Forever: A to Z/The Gaia Memories of Fate and Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy. He will be directing the series Kamen Rider Fourze. Sakamoto is known for adding elements of Hong Kong-style martial arts and stunts into traditional tokusatsu weapons battles and effects.
[edit] References
- ^ Wendy Wu - Full Cast and Crew IMBD.com. Accessed 2008-09-07
- ^ Wendy Wu - Television Shows at Film.com film.com. Accessed 2008-09-07
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1343678/ Tankboy Series on IMDB
[edit] External links
- Koichi Sakamoto at IMDB
- Alpha Stunts - Sakamoto's stunt company
