Kôhan Kawauchi(1920-2008)

Poet, lyricist, novelist, scriptwriter and comic writer Kawauchi joined Toho Film Company in 1941 as a scene shifter. In 1952 he scripted his first script and from 1955 he collaborated actively with the film industry, firstly for Shin Toho and later for all the six "majors". In February of 1958 his most popular character appeared on TV: "Gekko Kamen" (Moonlight Mask); its success was instantaneous. Kawauchi, who wrote the scripts, also wrote the adaptation in "manga", drawn by Jiro Kuwata and serialized in the magazine "Shonen Club" (Kodansha Publisher) from May of 1958. And shortly after also the films, starting in July of 1958. Although the TV series and film series were canceled in 1959, the comic ran until 1961, and very soon Kawauchi wrote a new similar TV series, starting with "Seven Color Mask" (1959), and "Allah Messenger" (1960). Moonlight Mask would come back to the screen with the animated TV series "Seigi o Aisuru Mono Gekko Kamen" (Moonlight Mask: The Man Who Loves the Justice) in 1972 and later in a live-action film from 1981, which was produced and supervised by Kawauchi himself. Kawauchi wrote many novels which were converted into films. Also composed the music and lyrics of several theme songs for his creations and other popular melodies.