Beloved actor Hikaru Kurosaki died on Thursday, July 2, at the age of 64. The news was confirmed by colleagues in the diving industry, which he had worked in since retiring from screen. No cause of death was revealed, but they shared he had been suffering with an undisclosed illness.
Career Beginnings and Iconic Roles
Kurosaki began his career in the late 1970s at the Japan Action Club, performing stunts and playing foot soldiers in shows like the 1978 Toei Spider-Man, a Japanese live-action tokusatsu superhero TV series produced by Toei Company, loosely based on the Marvel Comics character through a contract negotiated by producer Gene Pelc.
He was best known for his role as Mega Beast Investigator Juspion in the iconic 1985 series Kyoju Tokusou Juspion, part of the Metal Heroes franchise. He also played Shota Yamamori in the Super Sentai series Chodenshi Bioman.
Final TV Role and Retirement
His last TV role came in 1993 in the mini-series Furikaereba yatsu ga iru. He stepped away from acting to become a diving instructor, although he continued to appear at conventions and give interviews about his iconic roles.
Personal Life and Loss
He was predeceased by his wife, actress Yoko Asuka, whom he met when she portrayed Fara in Bioman. The couple were married from 1987 until her death in 2011.
Death Follows Co-Star Kenji Ohba
His death comes just two months after actor Kenji Ohba, who died on May 6 at the age of 72. Ohba played the protagonist Space Sheriff Gavan in the 1982 Toei tokusatsu series, launching the entire Metal Hero Series franchise, of which Kurosaki became a part.
Tributes from Fans
Tributes flooded in for the beloved star. One fan wrote on Facebook: 'Rest in peace, Hikaru Kurosaki. Thank you for the memories, the courage and the inspiration that will never be forgotten.'
On Reddit, another added: 'First, we lost our first Metal Hero and now we lost our first Post-Space Sheriff. R.I.P Juspion, you're 64 and gone way too soon. Thankfully you are reunited with your wife from Bioman.'
A third chimed in: 'We lost another great Metal Hero.' A fourth commented: 'D**n, another one? So soon after Kenji Ohba?! This hits hard... Also, 64? The guy was pretty young for today's life expectancy standards. Really, really sad news.'
A fifth wrote: 'Rest in Peace, I remember watching Juspion yesterday.' A sixth reflected: 'Megabeast Investigator Juspion is one of my favorite Metal Heroes and he is brilliant in it. RIP.'
