My starting point is “Kurama Tengu”!
When Miyauchi Hiroshi was a child, his hero was “Kurama Tengu” starring Mr. Kanjuro Arashi. The scene that impressed me the most was when Sugisaku was imprisoned in a water prison. The water was rising bit by bit, and he was about to flood the top… At this time, Kurama Tengu appeared handsomely on a white horse, saving people at the critical moment.
I saw that scene in a movie theater, and the audience gave me warm applause. That moment became the starting point in Miyauchi Yo’s heart.
It’s a coincidence that Mr. Kazutoshi Takahashi, the sword fighting action director of “V3”, “Fifth Ranker” and “Kai Jie”, is a disciple of Arashi Kanjuro. It was from him that Miyauchi Hiroshi learned the killing formation (swordsmanship play).
Stage play is the second turning point in my life
The next turning point in his career as an actor was when Hiroshi Miyauchi was invited to try his hand at stage play. The stage is an existence that cannot be replaced by television or movies. After you perform, the audience will respond on the spot. Applause, straight back to you. This touch cannot be felt through the camera. After falling in love with the stage, Miyauchi Hiroshi began to learn Japanese dance and study traditional etiquette and performance. These things make Miyauchi Yo’s body movements more delicate and his character more weighty.
Encountered a major disaster in life in 2004
The three Rider actors from Showa all had to go through hardships in life. Hiroshi Fujioka, No. 1, had a motorcycle accident while filming Kamen Rider and suffered a severe fracture. He had to rest for a long time before he could come back. No. 2 Sasaki Tsuyoshi was disfigured by a fire in 1982, and his life was changed forever… Our protagonist No. 3 in this issue – Miyauchi Hiroshi, suffered from “obliterative arteriosclerosis” at the middle age of 57.
In the summer of 2004, he woke up in the morning and noticed that his legs were unusually cold. He quickly put on socks, but he was still very cold. Wearing many layers did not help! But he thought he was catching a cold and didn’t feel embarrassed. After letting it go for two months, one day at home I suddenly suffered severe pain in my lower back and fell to the ground!
Miyauchi thought it was a hernia and went to see a plastic surgeon. Because no abnormality could be detected, Miyauchi Hiroshi actually suffered from “obliterative arteriosclerosis”, which could not be detected without sophisticated machines. Moreover, Miyauchi Hiroshi has always been confident in his body that keeps exercising, so he did not deal with it further and just relied on painkiller injections to continue working.
Things are getting worse and worse…Miyauchi Hiroshi’s health has become so severe that it is difficult to walk. He is in severe pain after walking six or seven steps…This situation has become frequent.
Two years later, in 2006, after performing in a stage play in Nagoya, Miyauchi Hiroshi returned backstage. His legs were in severe pain, and his muscles had no strength to support him. He lost his balance and fell… and he completely lost the ability to move below the waist. At this time, Miyauchi Yo thought he was suffering from muscle atrophy…
Next~ These situations hit Miyauchi Hiroshi’s life one after another. Once it happened, he could only crawl and move… Miyauchi Hiroshi realized that the situation was serious… and he was sent to the hospital urgently…
After examination with sophisticated machines, Miyauchi Hiroshi finally learned about his disease, which was called Peripheral Arterial Disease.
This symptom usually occurs in people who are over 60 years old and have a smoking habit. Miyanachi Hiroshi is a smoker, and he even smokes three packs a day.
The doctor said: “You must be hospitalized immediately, don’t delay!”
But Miyauchi Hiroshi replied: “No, I will perform a stage play for a whole month starting tomorrow. I will not be hospitalized until the performance is over. I promise you.”
Miyauchi Hiroshi insisted on performing all the stage performances before going to the hospital for surgery.
The operation took a total of four hours to complete, leaving a scar on the abdomen that required 40 vertical stitches. The doctor connected Miyauchi Hiroshi with an artificial blood vessel, which was connected to his heart like a pipe in a washing machine.
Even though Kamen Rider V3 happened decades ago, Miyauchi Hiroshi’s illness and surgery were not disclosed to the public in order to maintain his image as a hero. After the operation, the doctor connected him with an artificial blood vessel, which was connected to his heart like a pipe in a washing machine. In order to continue his career as an actor, Miyauchi Hiroshi worked hard to do rehabilitation and fitness exercises at home. But years of arterial blockage left his waist and feet vulnerable.
Every physical pain made him physically and mentally exhausted, and he doubted whether he could really recover? At this time, the only thing that could give him spiritual support were letters from fans from all over the world. Those letters included people who were touched by Kamen Rider V3 and other special films. In order not to let down his fans, Miyauchi Hiroshi vowed to get well as soon as possible and stand on the stage again! Miyauchi Hiroshi said to himself at the time: “I am a heroic actor! I swore to myself that I must recover and rely on my own efforts to recover!”
Five years after the surgery, in 2011, Miyauchi Hiroshi personally voiced V3 in “OOO Den-O All Riders Let’s Go Kamen Rider” and attended a press conference with Hiroshi Fujioka and Tsuyoshi Sasaki. Miyauchi Hiroshi really fulfilled his promise to himself.
It has been more than ten years since then – Miyauchi Hiroshi can still drink, and drink happily (laughs).
He goes to the gym three days a week, and he never forgets to say that the glass of wine after the workout is the biggest motivation for me to exercise.
The 78-year-old Miyauchi Hiroshi still wants to make another movie
Miyauchi Hiroshi, who is now 78 years old, said with a smile: “The future, Que Sera, Sera – let it take its course.”
But actually, there was one more thing he wanted to accomplish.
“It can’t be made public yet, but I am preparing a new movie project. If there is a chance, I hope to realize it.” (Drink some wine and go with the flow)
Postscript: In addition to Tetsuo Kurata’s steakhouse and Sasaki’s izakaya, Hiroshi Miyauchi’s son runs a bar with the theme of special photography and hero culture called “Bar HERO III” in Nakano District, Tokyo. Showa Knights fans may wish to make a pilgrimage if they have the opportunity.
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