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Koichi Sakamoto
Koichi Sakamoto
坂本浩一
Born	September 29, 1970 (age 54); Tokyo, Japan
Occupations	Director; producer; stunt performer; stunt coordinator; fight choreographer;
Years active	1991—present

Koichi Sakamoto (Japanese: 坂本浩一, Hepburn: Sakamoto Kōichi, born September 29, 1970) is a Japanese film and television director, stunt performer and coordinator, fight choreographer and producer. He is best known for his work in the tokusatsu genre, particularly for the Power Rangers, Super Sentai and Kamen Rider franchises.

Biography

Early life and career

Sakamoto was born in Tokyo in 1970. As a child, he was an avid fan of early tokusatsu shows, which led him to take an interest in martial arts. In 1979, he saw the Jackie Chan film Drunken Master, which led him to take a particular interest in kung fu and gymnastics, though he did not get to learn kung fu until he was older.^[1]

Sakamoto graduated from Higashiayase junior high and high school in Adachi, Tokyo, and went on to graduate from Matsudo Senshu University. Sakamoto studied under Yasuaki Kurata,^[1] and 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 on to marry stuntwoman and suit actor Motoko Nagino in 2002.

Power Rangers

Sakamoto had also formed Alpha Stunts Production and was enlisted as 2nd Unit Director for the "battle grid" scenes from Saban Entertainment syndicated live-action children's series VR Troopers. This led him to eventually replacing Jeff Pruitt as stunt coordinator 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 role of 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).

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. Sakamoto was replaced as stunt coordinator by Mark Harris, although continued directing through Ninja Storm and thereafter stayed on as executive producer, no longer choreographing or directing. Disney stopped producing new seasons following Power Rangers RPM, eventually selling the franchise to Saban Brands in 2010.

Other works

In 2006, Sakamoto served as action unit director and choreographer in Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior^[2] He 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 the reality TV series Tankboy TV.

After leaving Power Rangers, Sakamoto went to Japan to direct 2010's Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy Legend, which led to a new career directing tokusatsu TV shows and films for Toei and Tsuburaya, including Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger, Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger, Kamen Rider Fourze, Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Mega Max, Kamen Rider W Forever: A to Z/The Gaia Memories of Fate, Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy and Travelers: Jigen Keisatsu. Sakamoto is known for adding elements of Hong Kong-style martial arts and stunts into traditional tokusatsu weapons battles and effects. Sakamoto has also made a guest appearance in Season 2 of Unofficial Sentai Akibaranger.