Asao Kobayashi (小林 朝夫 Kobayashi Asao) played Asao Hyou (VulPanther) in Taiyo Sentai Sun Vulcan. On 28 December 1982, less than a year after Sun Vulcan ended, Kobayashi's co-star Shin Kishida (Daizaburou Arashiyama) died of esophageal cancer, aged 43. Asao Kobayashi was so overcome by the shock of Kishida’s sudden death that he took a hiatus from acting and left show business permanently a few years later.