Eiji Tsuburaya
- Visual effects
- July 7, 1901 · 日本,京都府
- January 25, 1970
Biography
Eiji Tsuburaya ranks alongside Willis H. O'Brien and Ray Harryhausen as one of the great visionary SFX masters of twentieth-century fantasy cinema. Best remembered as the amazing special effects genius behind the "Godzilla" series of monster films commencing in 1954, he also contributed effects to a host of other Japanese monster / fantasy / science fiction / drama / propaganda films for over four decades. Eiji Tsuburaya had a keen interest in the cinema from a young age, and legend has it that he acquired a second-hand movie projector when he was only ten years old, and pulled it apart and put it back together with relative ease. He began work as a cinematographer in Kyoto around 1919 and then enhanced his skills to include camera work throughout the 1920s, at which time his eye for detail was in high demand from many studios. Around 1938, he became head of Special Visual Techniques at Toho Studios, and during the Second World War, he was involved in the production of several Japanese propaganda films. He went freelance after the war, and in 1954 he collaborated with director Ishirô Honda on the monster epic Gojira (1954) (aka "Godzilla"). The film was an enormous hit in Japan, and additional scenes were filmed with US actor Raymond Burr and then inserted strategically to give the movie western appeal. "Godzilla, King Of The Monsters" was then released in the USA to strong box office takings, and Godzilla has since appeared in over two dozen films spanning over fifty years, becoming a key cult icon of Japanese culture!! The incredibly talented Tsuburaya went on to be the SFX director behind dozens of Japanese monster & science fiction classics including Sora no daikiju Radon (1956) (aka "Rodan"), Bijo to ekitai ningen (1958) (aka "The H-Man"), Densô ningen (1960) (aka "The Telegian"), Mosura (1961) (aka "Mothra"), Kingu Kongu tai Gojira (1962) (aka "King Kong versus Godzilla"), Varan the Unbelievable (1962), Matango (1963), Furankenshutain tai chitei kaiju Baragon (1965) (aka "Frankenstein Conquers the World"), and Kaiju soshingeki (1968) (aka "Destroy All Monsters" ). Tsuburaya had also established his own production company in 1963 (Tsuburaya Productions), creators of the highly popular "Ultraman" character, and subsequent TV shows and films. On January 25, 1970, while vacationing in Shizuoka Prefecture, Tsuburaya suffered a sudden, fatal heart attack. His incredible film & SFX production company is still active today under the guidance of his grandson, Kazuo Tsuburaya.
Known for
Filmography
- Ultraman Teo · Original Concept
- Shin Ultraman · Story
- Monster SeaFood Wars · Story
- Dragon Force: Rise of Ultraman · Original Concept
- Ultraman R/B · Creator
- Dragon Force: So Long Ultraman · Original Concept
- Neo Ultra Q · Creator
- Ultraman - The Alien Invasion · Story
- Ultraman: Terror on Route 87 · Producer, Production Supervisor
- Akio Jissoji's Ultraman · Executive producer
- Bloodthirsty Hawk · Special Effects
- Godzilla · Visual Effects Director, Special Effects
- Katango's War · Special Effects
- Daigoro vs. Goliath · Producer
- Space Amoeba · Special Effects, Special Effects Supervisor
- All Monsters Attack · Special Effects Supervisor, Special Effects
- Latitude Zero · Special Effects
- Crazy Big Explosion · Special Effects, Visual Effects
- Ultraman, Ultraseven: Great Violent Monster Fight · Producer, Production Supervisor
- Motta, the Flying Dracula Monster · Special Effects
- Operation: Mystery · Producer, Production Supervisor
- Destroy All Monsters · Special Effects Supervisor
- Mighty Jack · Creator
- Son of Godzilla · Special Effects, Special Effects Supervisor
- Ultraseven · Production Supervisor, Producer
- King Kong Escapes · Visual Effects, Special Effects
- Ultraman: Monster Movie Feature · Production Supervisor, Creator
- Do Your Best! Godzilla · Special Effects, Director
- Ebirah, Horror of the Deep · Special Effects, Special Effects Supervisor
- The War of the Gargantuas · Visual Effects, Visual Effects Director
- Ultraman · Production Supervisor, Producer
- Zero Fighter · Special Effects
- The Birth of Ultraman · Creator
- The Father of Ultra Q
- The Sword of Doom · Special Effects
- Ultra Q · Production Supervisor, Producer
- Invasion of Astro-Monster · Special Effects, Visual Effects
- The Crazy Adventure · Special Effects
- Frankenstein Conquers the World · Special Effects, Visual Effects Director
- The Retreat from Kiska · Special Effects
- Sinbad, Alibaba and Aladdin · Special Effects
- None But the Brave · Visual Effects Director
- Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster · Special Effects, Visual Effects
- Dogora · Special Effects, Visual Effects
- Mothra vs. Godzilla · Special Effects, Visual Effects Director
- Tiger Flight · Special Effects
- Whirlwind · Special Effects Supervisor
- Atragon · Special Effects Coordinator
- Matango · Visual Effects, Special Effects
- King Kong vs. Godzilla · Special Effects, Visual Effects
- Siege of Fort Bismarck · Special Effects, Visual Effects
- Varan the Unbelievable · Visual Effects, Special Effects
- Chûshingura · Special Effects
- King Kong vs. Godzilla · Special Effects, Visual Effects Director
- Gorath · Special Effects, Visual Effects Director
- Valley of the Dragons · Special Effects
- The Last War · Special Effects, Visual Effects
- Blood on the Sea · Special Effects
- Mothra · Visual Effects, Visual Effects Director
- Daredevil in the Castle · Special Effects Supervisor
- The Human Vapor · Special Effects, Visual Effects
- The Storm of the Pacific · Special Effects, Visual Effects
- The Secret of the Telegian · Visual Effects, Visual Effects Director
- Battle in Outer Space · Visual Effects Director, Special Effects
- The Three Treasures · Special Effects, Visual Effects
- Submarine I-57 Will Not Surrender · Special Effects Supervisor
- Gigantis, the Fire Monster · Visual Effects, Special Effects
- The Adventures of Sun Wu Kung · Special Effects Supervisor
- The Hidden Fortress · Visual Effects
- Varan · Visual Effects, Special Effects
- The Tale of the White Serpent · Visual Effects
- The H-Man · Visual Effects
- Song for a Bride · Special Effects, Visual Effects
- The Mysterians · Special Effects, Visual Effects
- Tokyo 1960 · Story, Special Effects
- Rodan! The Flying Monster · Special Effects, Visual Effects Director
- Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman · Visual Effects, Special Effects
- Godzilla, the Monster of the Pacific Ocean · Visual Effects, Visual Effects Director
- The Paradise Island Story · Visual Effects
- Throne of Blood · Visual Effects