[Obituary] Kenji Ohba passes away at age 72 - Career of the Gavan actor and tributes

Actor Kenji Ohba passed away on May 6, 2026, at the age of 72. This article summarizes the news of his death, his career, and tributes to the tokusatsu hero actor known for his roles in "Space Sheriff Gavan" and "Denshi Sentai Denziman."

[Obituary] Kenji Ohba passes away at age 72 - Career of the Gavan actor and tributes

Regarding the death of Kenji Ohba
Kenji Ohba's Profile and Career
Representative work: Space Sheriff Gavan
Summary of appearances in tokusatsu shows, including Denziman.
Tribute comments from Akira Kushida and others
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Regarding the death of Kenji Ohba

▼ Read this first to understand: Summary of Kenji Ohba's Obituary

item	Content
date of death	May 6, 2026
old age	72 years old
Birthplace	Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture
Representative work	Role of Retsu Ichijoji in "Space Sheriff Gavan"
Source	Japan Action Enterprise (JAE)
Announcement date	May 7, 2026

Actor Kenji Ohba passed away on May 6, 2026, at the age of 72. Japan Action Enterprise (JAE), which had a business partnership with Mr. Ohba, announced the news on its official website and X on May 7, 2026.

🔗 Check the official X announcement

[Obituary] Kenji Ohba passes away at age 72 - Career of the Gavan actor and tributes

JAE announced that "Our business partner, actor Kenji Ohba, passed away on May 6, 2026, after a long illness," and stated that the funeral would be held privately with only close relatives in attendance, in accordance with the wishes of the family.

In May 2018, Ms. Ohba suddenly collapsed at home and was hospitalized. Since then, she has not publicly engaged in any activities or revealed her current situation, but it has been intermittently reported through her staff that she has been undergoing rehabilitation while continuing to recover from her illness.

2. Kenji Ohba's Profile and Career

Kenji Ohba (Oba Kenji) Basic Profile

item	Content
Real name	Kenji Takahashi
date of birth	February 5, 1955
Birthplace	Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture
Fields of activity	Actor, director, and businessman
Affiliation	Japan Action Enterprise (Business Partnership)

Inspired by Shinichi Chiba, Ohba joined the Japan Action Club (JAC, now Japan Action Enterprise) as one of its first members in 1972. He participated in numerous special effects productions as a stuntman, quickly making a name for himself with his exceptional action skills and stage presence.

He appeared in the Super Sentai series "Battle Fever J" as Battle Kenya from 1979, and then played the lead role of Denji Blue in "Denshi Sentai Denjiman" (1980-81). In 1982, he was chosen to play the lead role of Retsu Ichijoji in "Space Sheriff Gavan," a pioneer of the Metal Hero series, and instantly became a national hero in Japan.

His film appearances are diverse, including "Igano Kabamaru" and "Satomi Hakkenden" in 1983, as well as his participation in Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill" (2003).

3. Representative work: Space Sheriff Gavan

"Space Sheriff Gavan" is a tokusatsu (special effects) drama that aired on TV Asahi from March 5, 1982 to February 25, 1983. It was the first in Toei's Metal Hero series, and the transformation sequence in which the protagonist, Retsu Ichijoji, "vaporizes" into his suit became very popular among children.

Ohba himself later commented on the weight of being the sole lead actor, saying, "I was doing by myself what we had previously done as a group of five, so my outlook on life changed. I realized I had to become an adult that children could look up to."
The theme song, "Space Sheriff Gavan" (lyrics by Keisuke Yamakawa, music by Chumei Watanabe), was performed by singer Akira Kushida. This song remains widely popular among tokusatsu fans to this day.

In 2012, he also made a comeback as Retsu Ichijoji in the movie "Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger VS Space Sheriff Gavan THE MOVIE," after approximately 30 years. A scene that fans have longed for was realized in which he played three roles—Battle Kenya, Denji Blue, and Gavan—on the same screen.

Currently, TV Asahi is airing "Super Space Sheriff Gavan Infinity," which is a successor to the original series.

4. Summary of appearances in tokusatsu shows, including Denziman.

Work name	Year of broadcast	Role Name
Android Kikaider	1972-73	Stunt participation
Battle Fever J	1979-80	Akebono Shiro / Battle Kenya
"Denshi Sentai Denziman"	1980-81	Daigoro Oume / Denji Blue (starring role)
Space Sheriff Gavan	1982-83	Retsu Ichijoji / Gavan (starring role)
The movie "Satomi Hakkenden"	1983	Appearance
The movie Kill Bill	2003	Appearance
The movie "Gokaiger VS Gavan"	2012	Retsu Ichijoji and 3 other roles

5. Tribute comments from Akira Kushida and others

Upon hearing of Ms. Ohba's passing, many people who knew her offered their condolences.

Toei Company, Ltd. (Official X for "Super Space Sheriff Gavan Infinity")

"We express our deepest gratitude and condolences for your tremendous contributions, including your role as Space Sheriff Gavan, and for the passion you poured into supporting the Toei Tokusatsu series."

Akira Kushida (79 years old / Singer who sang the theme song for Gavan)

"I don't know what's going on or what to do. I can only think it must be a lie. All I can do is cry," she wrote frankly, expressing her speechlessness at the sudden loss. She also said, "I had just said that I would go see Kenji when I felt a little better," revealing that the news of his death came shortly after they had made plans to meet. Kushida herself had suffered from acute pancreatitis in January 2024, and had been hospitalized and undergone surgery. She had recovered after being hospitalized for six months.

Kyoko Nadai (former actress / played Marine in Gavan)

"I am simply shocked and stunned to hear of Ms. Ohba's passing. Memories of that time are flashing before my eyes," she commented. "I wish I could have met her one more time," she added, expressing her sorrow at their parting.

🔗 View full text on X

Naoya Uchida (Actor / Co-star in Denziman)

"I received word yesterday that Kenji Ohba, who played Denji Blue and co-starred with me in Denshi Sentai Denjiman, has passed away. Ken-chan, thank you for the connection you had in my life... Rest in peace," he posted on X.

🔗 View full text on X

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. When did Kenji Ohba pass away?

A. He passed away on May 6, 2026, at the age of 72. Japan Action Enterprise announced, along with the news of his death, that he had been undergoing medical treatment for some time.

Q2. Who sang the theme song for Space Sheriff Gavan?

A. The song was performed by singer Akira Kushida. The lyrics were written by Keisuke Yamakawa and the music was composed by Chumei Watanabe. It was released by Nippon Columbia on March 21, 1982.