Masanari Nihei

Masanari Nihei

Original Name 二瓶 正也
Born December 4, 1940
Nagatacho, Kojimachi, Tokyo, Japan
Died August 21, 2021 (80)

Tall, handsome, square-jawed actor, who is best known for playing Officer Ide in the original Ultraman TV series (1966). He joined Toho in 1961 through the New Face program and debuted in Kihachi Okamoto’s Blueprint of Murder (1961). He appeared frequently in comedies such as the Crazy Cats series, and also appeared on the Mighty Jack TV series (1968, recut into a feature length film featured on MST3K). He continued to appear in Ultra themed events throughout his later life. Nihei passed away in August 2021 due to complications from pneumonia.

Original Name 二瓶 正也
Born December 4, 1940
Nagatacho, Kojimachi, Tokyo, Japan
Died August 21, 2021 (80)

Tall, handsome, square-jawed actor, who is best known for playing Officer Ide in the original Ultraman TV series (1966). He joined Toho in 1961 through the New Face program and debuted in Kihachi Okamoto’s Blueprint of Murder (1961). He appeared frequently in comedies such as the Crazy Cats series, and also appeared on the Mighty Jack TV series (1968, recut into a feature length film featured on MST3K). He continued to appear in Ultra themed events throughout his later life. Nihei passed away in August 2021 due to complications from pneumonia.