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|image            =E246119d6eb9456a80a2922efc6891c2.jpg
|image            =E246119d6eb9456a80a2922efc6891c2.jpg
|caption          =Akira Ifukube
|caption          =Akira Ifukube
|occupation      =Musical Composer
|occupation      =[[:Category:Composers|Musical composer]]
|birthday        =May 31, 1914
|birthday        =May 31, [[1914]]
|death            =February 8, 2006
|birthplace      =[[wikipedia:Kushiro|Kushiro]], [[Hokkaido]], [[Japan]]
|birthplace       =[[Hokkaido]], [[Japan]]
|death            =February 8, [[2006]] (aged 91)
|first            =''Ginrei no hate'' (1947)
|deathplace       =Meguro Hospital, [[Tokyo]], [[Japan]]
|notable          =[[Godzilla (1954 film)|''Godzilla'']] (1954)
|first            =''[[wikipedia:Snow Trail|Snow Trail]]'' (1947)
|notable          =''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]'' (1954)
|imdb            =http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006136/
|imdb            =http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006136/
|wikipedia       =https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akira_Ifukube
|wikipedia-en    =https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akira_Ifukube
|wikipedia-ja    =https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/伊福部昭
}}
}}
{{Quote|The Ainu, with their improvisational style of both composing music and dancing, greatly influenced me. I became very different from the other music students, who had been raised with European pieces, because of this. They had been taught that composition is very difficult, but to me, it seemed relatively easy because of the freedom allowed for by the improvisational style of the Ainu.|Akira Ifukube, as quoted by David Milner and translated by Yoshihiko Shibata, [http://www.davmil.org/www.kaijuconversations.com/ifukub.htm "Akira Ifukube Interview I"], Kaiju Conversations (December 1992)}}
{{Quote|The Ainu, with their improvisational style of both composing music and dancing, greatly influenced me. I became very different from the other music students, who had been raised with European pieces, because of this. They had been taught that composition is very difficult, but to me, it seemed relatively easy because of the freedom allowed for by the improvisational style of the Ainu.|Akira Ifukube, as quoted by David Milner and translated by Yoshihiko Shibata<ref name="Milner">{{Cite web|url=http://www.davmil.org/www.kaijuconversations.com/ifukub.htm|title=Akira Ifukube Interview I|author=Milner, David|work=Kaiju Conversations|date=December 1992|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518101951/http://www.davmil.org/www.kaijuconversations.com/ifukub.htm|archivedate=18 May 2021}}</ref>}}
{{Quote|Unlike American film score composers, Japanese film score composers are given only three or four days in which to write the music for a movie. Because of this, I have almost always been very frustrated while writing a score. I therefore can't select any of my scores as favorites.|Akira Ifukube, as quoted by David Milner and translated by Yoshihiko Shibata, [http://www.davmil.org/www.kaijuconversations.com/ifukub.htm "Akira Ifukube Interview I"], Kaiju Conversations (December 1992)}}
{{Quote|Unlike American film score composers, Japanese film score composers are given only three or four days in which to write the music for a movie. Because of this, I have almost always been very frustrated while writing a score. I therefore can't select any of my scores as favorites.|Akira Ifukube, as quoted by David Milner and translated by Yoshihiko Shibata{{R|Milner}}}}
'''Akira Ifukube''' {{Nihongo|伊福部昭|Ifukube Akira}} was a [[Japan]]ese musician who was born in 1914 and died in 2006. He is considered to be one of Japan's most revered classical composers.
'''Akira Ifukube''' {{Nihongo|伊福部 昭|Ifukube Akira}} was a [[Japan]]ese musician who was born in 1914 and died in 2006. He is considered to be one of Japan's most revered classical composers.


During World War II, Ifukube was asked to compose nationalistic themes for the islands liberated by Japan. One such theme, ''Kishi Mai'', played when Japan officially surrendered to the United States in 1945.<ref name="Biography4">[http://www.akiraifukube.org/biography_part_four.htm AkiraIfukube.org - Biography - Part IV]</ref> Starting in 1947 with the film ''Snow Trail'', Ifukube became prominent in film composition. In 1954, he worked on ''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]''. After that, he scored 11 more Godzilla films (and his themes were added to many others), as well as 13 other sci-fi/ fantasy films. In total, Ifukube scored 43 films in his entire career.
During World War II, Ifukube was asked to compose nationalistic themes for the islands liberated by Japan. One such theme, ''Kishi Mai'', played when Japan officially surrendered to the United States in 1945.<ref name="Biography4">{{cite web|url=https://www.akiraifukube.org/biography_part_four.htm|title=Biography: Part IV - The War Years|author=Homenick, Erik|work=AKIRAIFUKUBE.ORG|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729114925/https://www.akiraifukube.org/biography_part_four.htm|archivedate=29 July 2018}}</ref> Starting in 1947 with the film ''Snow Trail'', Ifukube became prominent in film composition. He worked on the first ''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]'' in 1954, and went on to score 11 more ''[[Godzilla (franchise)|Godzilla]]'' films as well as 13 of [[Toho]]'s other sci-fi and fantasy films. His final ''Godzilla'' film was ''[[Godzilla vs. Destoroyah]]'', and although he never composed the scores of any of the subsequent movies, his famous [[Godzilla's Theme|theme]] for [[Godzilla]] has been used countless times in the series, and many other pieces of his music were remixed in ''[[Godzilla Final Wars]]''. He passed away on February 8th, 2006 from multiple organ failure, composing a total of 43 films during his lifetime.
 
His final Godzilla film was ''[[Godzilla vs. Destoroyah]]'', and although he never composed the scores of any of the subsequent movies, his most famous theme, Godzilla's theme, was used in some capacity in most of the subsequent films, and many other pieces of his music were remixed in ''[[Godzilla: Final Wars]]''.
 
He died on February 8th, 2006, from multiple organ failure. However, he left behind a legacy that will always be remembered in the form of his music.
{{TOC}}
{{TOC}}
==Selected Filmography==
==Selected filmography==
===Composer===
===Composer===
*''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]'' (1954)
*''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]'' (1954)
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*''[[The Three Treasures]]'' (1959)
*''[[The Three Treasures]]'' (1959)
*''[[Battle in Outer Space]]'' (1959)
*''[[Battle in Outer Space]]'' (1959)
*''[[Kujira Gami (film)|Kujira Gami]]'' (1962)
*''[[Killer Whale (film)|Killer Whale]]'' (1962)
*''[[King Kong vs. Godzilla]]'' (1962)
*''[[King Kong vs. Godzilla]]'' (1962)
*''[[Atragon (film)|Atragon]]'' (1963)
*''[[Atragon]]'' (1963)
*''[[Mothra vs. Godzilla]]'' (1964)
*''[[Mothra vs. Godzilla]]'' (1964)
*''[[Dogora (film)|Dogora]]'' (1964)
*''[[Dogora (film)|Dogora]]'' (1964)
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*''[[Destroy All Monsters]]'' (1968)
*''[[Destroy All Monsters]]'' (1968)
*''[[Latitude Zero]]'' (1969)
*''[[Latitude Zero]]'' (1969)
*''The Nature of Japan and the Dreams of Japanese'' (1970)
*''[[Space Amoeba]]'' (1970)
*''[[Space Amoeba]]'' (1970)
*''[[Godzilla vs. Gigan]]'' (1972) [selected music from ''The Big Boss'', ''Mothra vs. Godzilla'', ''Battle in Outer Space'', ''Will to Conquer'', ''Destroy All Monsters'', ''Atragon'', ''Frankenstein vs. Baragon'', ''Latitude Zero'', ''Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster'', ''King Kong Escapes'', and the [[wikipedia:Expo '70|Expo '70]] Mitsubishi Pavilion]
*''[[Godzilla vs. Gigan]]'' (1972)<ref group="note">Selected stock music from ''The Big Boss'', ''Mothra vs. Godzilla'', ''Battle in Outer Space'', ''Will to Conquer'', ''Destroy All Monsters'', ''Atragon'', ''Frankenstein vs. Baragon'', ''Latitude Zero'', ''Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster'', ''King Kong Escapes'', and the [[wikipedia:Expo '70|Expo '70]] Mitsubishi Pavilion.</ref>
*''[[Terror of Mechagodzilla]]'' (1975)
*''[[Terror of Mechagodzilla]]'' (1975)
*''[[Godzilla vs. Biollante]]'' (1989) [selected tracks from the album ''[[Ostinato]]'']
*''[[Toho Unused Special Effects Complete Collection]]'' (1986)
*''[[Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah]]'' (1991)
*''[[Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah]]'' (1991)
*''[[Geharha: The Dark and Long Haired Monster]]'' (2009) [posthumous]<ref group="note">Stock music from King Records' "Artistry of Akira Ifukube" CDs.</ref>
*''[[Shin Godzilla]]'' (2016) [posthumous; with [[Shiro Sagisu]]]<ref group="note">"Godzilla Comes Ashore" and "Godzilla Title" from ''Godzilla'' (1954), "Battle in Outer Space" from ''Battle in Outer Space'', "Return of Godzilla" from ''King Kong vs. Godzilla'', "Main Title" from ''Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster'', "Main Title" from ''Invasion of Astro-Monster'', "Godzilla Appears" from ''Terror of Mechagodzilla'', "Main Title" from ''Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II''.</ref>
*''[[Godzilla Minus One]]'' (2023) [posthumous; with [[Naoki Sato]]]
===Music supervisor===
*''[[Godzilla vs. Mothra]]'' (1992)
*''[[Godzilla vs. Mothra]]'' (1992)
*''[[Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II]]'' (1993)
*''[[Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II]]'' (1993)
*''[[Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla]]'' (1994) ["Godzilla's Theme"]
*''[[Monster Planet of Godzilla]]'' (1994) [uncredited]
*''[[Godzilla vs. Destoroyah]]'' (1995)
*''[[Godzilla vs. Destoroyah]]'' (1995)
*''[[Godzilla Island (Series)|Godzilla Island]]'' (TV 1997-1998) [stock music]
===Miscellaneous===
*''[[Godzilla 2000: Millennium]]'' (1999) ["Godzilla's Theme"]
*''[[Godzilla, King of the Monsters (documentary)|Godzilla, King of the Monsters]]'' (1998) as himself, interviewee
*''[[Godzilla vs. Megaguirus]]'' (2000) ["Godzilla's Theme"]
*''[[Godzilla vs. Biollante]]'' (1989) - [[Godzilla's Theme|Godzilla theme]] song<ref group="note">The piece "Bio Wars" from Koichi Sugiyama's score incorporates portions of "Godzilla's Theme." "Godzilla Title," "Godzilla vs. the Tank Corps," and "Monster Zero March" are also taken from ''[[OSTINATO]]''.</ref>
*''[[Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack]]'' (2001) ["Godzilla's Theme," "Great Monster March"]
*''[[Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla]]'' (1994) - Godzilla theme composer
*''[[Godzilla: Final Wars]]'' (2004) ["Godzilla's Theme"]
*''[[Godzilla Island (series)|Godzilla Island]]'' (TV 1997-1998) - "[[The Theme of GODZILLA]]" composer
*''[[Geharha: The Dark and Long Hair Monster]]'' (2009) [from King Records’ "Artistry of Akira Ifukube" CDs]
*''[[Godzilla 2000: Millennium]]'' (1999) - "Godzilla's Theme" writer [uncredited]
*''[[Shin Godzilla]]'' (2016) ["Godzilla Comes Ashore" and "Godzilla Title" from ''Godzilla'' (1954), "Battle in Outer Space" from ''Battle in Outer Space'', "Return of Godzilla" from ''King Kong vs. Godzilla'', "Main Title" from ''Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster'', "Main Title" from ''Invasion of Astro-Monster'', "Godzilla Appears" from ''Terror of Mechagodzilla'', "Main Title" from ''Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II'']
*''[[Godzilla vs. Megaguirus]]'' (2000) - Godzilla theme composer
*''[[wikipedia:Ready Player One (film)|Ready Player One]]'' (2018) ["Godzilla Title"]
*''[[Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack]]'' (2001) - Godzilla theme, Monster Zero March<ref group="note">"Monster Zero March" is taken from ''OSTINATO''.</ref>
*''[[Godzilla: King of the Monsters]]'' (2019) [original themes]<ref name="KotM">[https://twitter.com/Mike_Dougherty/status/1022206801545064448 "DECLASSIFIED. Welcome to MONARCH, @bearmccreary." - Michael Dougherty on Twitter]</ref>
*''[[Godzilla Final Wars]]'' (2004) - Godzilla main theme
*''[[wikipedia:Always: Sunset on Third Street 2|Always: Sunset on Third Street 2]]'' (2007) - "Godzilla Title" composer
*''[[wikipedia:Ready Player One (film)|Ready Player One]]'' (2018) - "Godzilla Main Title" writer [posthumous]
*''[[Godzilla: King of the Monsters]]'' (2019) - "Godzilla Main Title" writer [posthumous]
*''[[Godzilla Singular Point]]'' (TV 2021) - "Godzilla's Theme" writer [posthumous; uncredited]
*''[[Godzilla vs. Gigan Rex]]'' (2022) - Godzilla Title, ''Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah'' BGM, ''Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II'' BGM, ''Godzilla vs. Destoroyah'' BGM composer [posthumous]
*''[[Chibi Godzilla Raids Again]]'' (2023) - "Godzilla's Theme" and "Battle in Outer Space" composer [posthumous]
*''[[Godzilla vs. Megalon (short film)|Godzilla vs. Megalon]]'' (2023) - "Godzilla Appearance Theme" and "Godzilla's Theme" composer [posthumous]
==Selected video games==
*''[[Godzilla Voxel Wars]]'' (2023) - Godzilla theme music [posthumous]
==Gallery==
==Gallery==
<gallery widths='120' position='center' captionalign='center' spacing='small'>
<gallery widths='120' position='center' captionalign='center' spacing='small'>
Akira Ifukube.jpg
Akira Ifukube.jpg
Sei Ikeno and Akira Ifukube.jpg|Ifukube (left) with [[Sei Ikeno]]
G84withIK.JPG|Akira Ifukube with a [[84Goji|Godzilla 1984]] maquette
G84withIK.JPG|Akira Ifukube with a [[84Goji|Godzilla 1984]] maquette
Deja_vu.jpg|Akira Ifukube with [[Godzilla]]
Deja_vu.jpg|Akira Ifukube with [[Godzilla]]
Godzilladireting.JPG
Godzilladireting.JPG
KiryuGoji with Akira Ifukube in 2004.jpg|Akira Ifukube with the [[KiryuGoji]] suit to celebrate his 90th birthday
KiryuGoji with Akira Ifukube in 2004.jpg|Akira Ifukube with the [[KiryuGoji]] suit to celebrate his 90th birthday
Ifukube and Ryfle.jpg|Ifukube (left) with film historian [[Steve Ryfle]] (right) in 1996
</gallery>
</gallery>
==Trivia==
==External links==
*Ifukube is credited as one of the composers of the [[Shin Godzilla (Soundtrack)|score]] for ''[[Shin Godzilla]]'', despite passing away a decade before the film's release.
==External Links==
*[http://www.akiraifukube.org/ Official English-language website]
*[http://www.akiraifukube.org/ Official English-language website]
*[https://mobile.twitter.com/AKIRAIFUKUBEORG Official English Twitter]
*[https://mobile.twitter.com/AKIRAIFUKUBEORG Official English Twitter]
*[http://www.davmil.org/www.kaijuconversations.com/ifukub.htm Interview by David Milner (December 1992)]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20210518101951/http://www.davmil.org/www.kaijuconversations.com/ifukub.htm Interview by David Milner (December 1992)]
*[http://www.davmil.org/www.kaijuconversations.com/ifukub2.htm Interview by David Milner (December 1993)]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20200806014138/http://www.davmil.org/www.kaijuconversations.com/ifukub2.htm Interview by David Milner (December 1993)]
*[http://www.davmil.org/www.kaijuconversations.com/ifukub3.htm Interview by David Milner (December 1995)]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20190808210647/http://www.davmil.org/www.kaijuconversations.com/ifukub3.htm Interview by David Milner (December 1995)]
==Notes==
{{Notelist}}
==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Real People}}
{{Real People|tab=Music}}
{{Godzilla 1954}}
{{Daimajin Strikes Again}}
{{Daimajin}}
{{Comments}}
{{Comments}}
{{Era|REL}}
{{Era|REL}}

Latest revision as of 05:07, 6 April 2024

Akira Ifukube
Akira Ifukube
Born May 31, 1914
Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan
Died February 8, 2006 (aged 91)
Meguro Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
Occupation Musical composer
First work Snow Trail (1947)
Notable work Godzilla (1954)
Imdb.pngWp EN.pngWp JA.png
“
The Ainu, with their improvisational style of both composing music and dancing, greatly influenced me. I became very different from the other music students, who had been raised with European pieces, because of this. They had been taught that composition is very difficult, but to me, it seemed relatively easy because of the freedom allowed for by the improvisational style of the Ainu.
„ 

— Akira Ifukube, as quoted by David Milner and translated by Yoshihiko Shibata[1]
“
Unlike American film score composers, Japanese film score composers are given only three or four days in which to write the music for a movie. Because of this, I have almost always been very frustrated while writing a score. I therefore can't select any of my scores as favorites.
„ 

— Akira Ifukube, as quoted by David Milner and translated by Yoshihiko Shibata[1]

Akira Ifukube (伊福部 昭,   Ifukube Akira) was a Japanese musician who was born in 1914 and died in 2006. He is considered to be one of Japan's most revered classical composers.

During World War II, Ifukube was asked to compose nationalistic themes for the islands liberated by Japan. One such theme, Kishi Mai, played when Japan officially surrendered to the United States in 1945.[2] Starting in 1947 with the film Snow Trail, Ifukube became prominent in film composition. He worked on the first Godzilla in 1954, and went on to score 11 more Godzilla films as well as 13 of Toho's other sci-fi and fantasy films. His final Godzilla film was Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, and although he never composed the scores of any of the subsequent movies, his famous theme for Godzilla has been used countless times in the series, and many other pieces of his music were remixed in Godzilla Final Wars. He passed away on February 8th, 2006 from multiple organ failure, composing a total of 43 films during his lifetime.

Selected filmography

Composer

Music supervisor

Miscellaneous

Selected video games

Gallery

External links

Notes

  1. ↑ Selected stock music from The Big Boss, Mothra vs. Godzilla, Battle in Outer Space, Will to Conquer, Destroy All Monsters, Atragon, Frankenstein vs. Baragon, Latitude Zero, Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, King Kong Escapes, and the Expo '70 Mitsubishi Pavilion.
  2. ↑ Stock music from King Records' "Artistry of Akira Ifukube" CDs.
  3. ↑ "Godzilla Comes Ashore" and "Godzilla Title" from Godzilla (1954), "Battle in Outer Space" from Battle in Outer Space, "Return of Godzilla" from King Kong vs. Godzilla, "Main Title" from Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, "Main Title" from Invasion of Astro-Monster, "Godzilla Appears" from Terror of Mechagodzilla, "Main Title" from Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II.
  4. ↑ The piece "Bio Wars" from Koichi Sugiyama's score incorporates portions of "Godzilla's Theme." "Godzilla Title," "Godzilla vs. the Tank Corps," and "Monster Zero March" are also taken from OSTINATO.
  5. ↑ "Monster Zero March" is taken from OSTINATO.

References

This is a list of references for Akira Ifukube. These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: [1]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Milner, David (December 1992). "Akira Ifukube Interview I". Kaiju Conversations. Archived from the original on 18 May 2021.
  2. ↑ Homenick, Erik. "Biography: Part IV - The War Years". AKIRAIFUKUBE.ORG. Archived from the original on 29 July 2018.

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Adam Wingard • Daisuke Sato • Ernest Schoedsack • Eugène Lourié • Gareth Edwards • Hideaki Anno • Hirochika Muraishi • Hiroto Yokokawa • Hiroyuki Seshita • Ishiro Honda • John Guillermin • Jordan Vogt-Roberts • Jun Fukuda • Kazuhiro Nakagawa • Kazuki Omori • Kensho Yamashita • Kimiyoshi Yasuda • Kiyotaka Taguchi‎‎ • Kobun Shizuno • Koji Hashimoto • Kunio Miyoshi • Masaaki Hisamatsu • Masaaki Tezuka • Masaji Nonagase • Merian C. Cooper • Michael Dougherty • Minoru Kawasaki • Motoyoshi Oda • Noriaki Yuasa • Okihiro Yoneda • Peter Jackson • Roland Emmerich • Ryuhei Kitamura • Ryuichi Ichino • Shinji Higuchi • Shinpei Hayashiya • Shizuo Nakajima • Shusuke Kaneko • Takao Okawara • Takashi Miike • Takashi Yamazaki • Takeshi Yagi • Takuya Uenishi • Tomoo Haraguchi • Tokuzo Tanaka • Willis O'Brien • Yoshikazu Ishii • Yoshimitsu Banno • Yusuke Ishida
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