Eiji Tsuburaya: Difference between revisions

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|type1          =Machine
|type1          =Machine
|type2          =Black
|type2          =Black
|header          ={{Toho}}{{slash}}{{Tsuburaya}} {{Director}}
|image          =Tsuburaya Smile.jpg
|image          =3297054060 4dd8ccf51c1.jpg
|caption        =Eiji Tsuburaya on the set of The Three Treasures (1959)
|caption        =Eiji Tsuburaya with the DaisensoGoji suit on the set of "Invasion of Astro-Monster"
|name            =Eiji Tsuburaya
|name            =Eiji Tsuburaya
|occupation      =Director, cinematographer,<br>director of special effects
|occupation      =Director of special effects
|birthday        =July 10, 1901
|birthday        =July 7, [[1901]]{{#tag:ref|While Eiji Tsuburaya's family registry says that he was born on July 10,<ref>{{Cite web|title=すかがわ市M78光の町|url=http://m78-sukagawa.jp/person/|accessdate=23 August 2021}}</ref> he, his family, and Tsuburaya Productions give his birthdate as July 7.<ref name="Birthday">{{cite web|url=https://en.tsuburaya-prod.co.jp/company/founder|title=The Founder - Eiji Tsuburaya|work=Tsuburaya Productions|accessdate=4 May 2021}}</ref> The latter date has special significance, as it is the high day of the Japanese star festival [[wikipedia:Tanabata|Tanabata]]. Still other sources give a birth date of July 5.{{R|Birthday}}|name="Birth"|group="lower-alpha"}}
|death          =January 25, 1970
|birthplace      =[[wikipedia:Sukagawa, Fukushima|Sukagawa, Fukushima]], [[Japan]]
|birthplace     =Sukagawa, Fukushima, [[Japan]]
|death          =January 25, [[1970]] (aged 68)
|first          =''A Page of Madness'' (1926)
|deathplace     =[[wikipedia:Itō, Shizuoka|Ito, Shizuoka]], [[Japan]]{{sfn|Ragone|2014|p=175}}
|notable        =[[Godzilla (1954 film)|''Godzilla'']] (1954)
|first          =''A Tune of Pity'' (1919){{sfn|Ragone|2014|p=21}}
|notable        =''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]'' (1954)
|imdb            =http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0875212/
|imdb            =http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0875212/
|wikipedia       =https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiji_Tsuburaya
|wikipedia-en    =https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiji_Tsuburaya
|wikipedia-ja    =https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/円谷英二
}}
}}
'''Eiji Tsuburaya''' {{Nihongo|円谷 英二|Tsuburaya Eiji}}, born '''Eiichi Tsumuraya''' {{Nihongo|圓谷 英一|Tsumuraya Eiichi}} and occasionally credited as '''Eiji Tsumuraya''' {{Nihongo|圓谷 英二|Tsumuraya Eiji}}, was a [[Japan]]ese special effects director, cameraman and producer. Tsuburaya rose to fame primarily due to his work as a cinematographer and special effects director on [[Toho]]'s [[kaiju]] films during the 1950's and 1960's, when he pioneered the techniques of [[tokusatsu]] and [[suitmation]]. Tsuburaya was one of the creators of [[Godzilla]], who would go on to become Toho's most famous creation and an international icon.
{{Quote|My heart and mind are as they were when I was a child. Then I loved to play with toys and to read stories of magic. I still do. My wish is only to make life happier and more beautiful for those who will go and see my films of fantasy.|Eiji Tsuburaya in ''Caper Magazine'', 1962{{sfn|Ryfle|1998|p=47}}}}
'''Eiji Tsuburaya''' {{Nihongo|{{tt|円谷|Occasionally spelled 圓谷}} 英二|Tsuburaya Eiji}}, born '''Eiichi Tsumuraya''' {{Nihongo|圓谷 英一|Tsumuraya Eiichi}}, was a [[Japan]]ese special effects director and cameraman. Tsuburaya rose to fame primarily due to his work on [[Toho]]'s war, [[kaiju]], and science fiction films between the 1940s and 60s, when he pioneered various [[tokusatsu]] (special effects) techniques such as [[suitmation]]. Tsuburaya was one of the creators of [[Godzilla]], who would go on to become Toho's most famous creation and an international icon.


In 1963, Tsuburaya founded his own special effects studio, [[Tsuburaya Productions]], which would become known for producing the [[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultra Series|''Ultra'' series]]. Tsuburaya himself served as supervisor for several of the studio's early tokusatsu television series, including ''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultra Q|Ultra Q]]'', ''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultraman (series)|Ultraman]]'' and ''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultraseven (series)|Ultraseven]]''. Toward the end of his life, Tsuburaya continued to receive honorary credit for supervising and directing the special effects in Toho's kaiju films, even though his responsibilities with his own company and eventually his declining health prevented him from actually working on the films. Tsuburaya's understudy [[Teruyoshi Nakano]] would take over as Toho's primary special effects director following Tsuburaya's death of a heart attack on January 25, 1970. Tsuburaya's company, Tsuburaya Productions, continued operating under his family until 2007, when it was acquired by TYO Inc. On January 11, 2019, the Eiji Tsuburaya Museum opened in his hometown of Sukagawa, commemorating his life and films.<ref name="SFJ">{{Cite web|url=http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2019/02/19/tribute-to-legendary-director-eiji-tsuburaya-opens-in-fukushima/|title=Tribute to Legendary Director Eiji Tsuburaya Opens in Fukushima|work=SciFi Japan|author=Holland, Edward L.|date=19 February 2019}}</ref>
In 1963, Tsuburaya founded his own special effects studio, [[Tsuburaya Productions]], which would become known for producing the ''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultraman Series|Ultra Series]]''. Tsuburaya himself served as supervisor for several of the studio's early tokusatsu television series, including ''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultra Q|Ultra Q]]'', ''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultraman (series)|Ultraman]]'' and ''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultraseven (series)|Ultraseven]]''. Toward the end of his life, Tsuburaya received honorary credit for directing or supervising the special effects on some of Toho's kaiju films, even though his responsibilities with his own company and later declining health limited his involvement. Tsuburaya's duties at Toho would be taken up by his understudies [[Sadamasa Arikawa]] and [[Teruyoshi Nakano]] following his death from a heart attack on January 25, [[1970]].{{sfn|Ragone|2014|p=175}} Tsuburaya Productions continued operating under his family until 2007, when it was acquired by TYO Inc. On January 11, [[2019]], the Eiji Tsuburaya Museum opened in his hometown of Sukagawa, commemorating his life and films.<ref name="SFJ">{{Cite web|url=http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2019/02/19/tribute-to-legendary-director-eiji-tsuburaya-opens-in-fukushima/|title=Tribute to Legendary Director Eiji Tsuburaya Opens in Fukushima|work=[[SciFi Japan]]|author=Holland, Edward L.|date=19 February 2019|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524014114/http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2019/02/19/tribute-to-legendary-director-eiji-tsuburaya-opens-in-fukushima/|archivedate=24 May 2019}}</ref>
{{TOC}}
{{TOC}}
==Selected filmography==
==Selected filmography==
*''Enoken's Sun Wukong'' (1940) - Special effects cinematographer
{{Col-begin}}
*''[[Ramayana]]'' (1942) - Director of special effects [uncredited]
{{col-2}}
*''[[The Invisible Man Appears]]'' (1949) - Special effects cinematographer
===Director of special effects===
*''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]'' (1954) - Special effects [with [[Akira Watanabe]], [[Hiroshi Mukoyama]], [[Kuichiro Kishida]]; as Eiji Tsumuraya]
*''[[jawp:白髪鬼#映画|The White-Haired Fiend]]'' (1949) [uncredited]<ref name="Visual">{{harvnb|Takeuchi|Yamamoto|2001|p=348}}</ref>
*''[[Invisible Man (film)|Invisible Man]]'' (1954) - Cinematographer / special effects advisor
*''[[jawp:花くらべ狸御殿|Flowers of Raccoon Palace]]'' (1949){{R|Visual}}
*''[[Godzilla Raids Again]]'' (1955) - Director of special effects
*''[[jawp:虹男#映画版|The Rainbow Man]]'' (1949) [uncredited]{{R|Visual}}
*''[[Half Human]]'' (1955) - Special effects [with Akira Watanabe, Hiroshi Mukoyama, Masao Shirota]
*''The Ghost Train'' (1949) [uncredited]{{R|Visual}}
*''[[Rodan (film)|Rodan]]'' (1956) - Special effects [with Akira Watanabe, Masao Shirota, Hiroshi Mukoyama]
*''[[The Invisible Man Appears]]'' (1949){{R|Visual}}
*''[[The Mysterians]]'' (1957) - Director of special effects [as Eiji Tsumuraya]
*''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]'' (1954)<ref group="lower-alpha">Individually crediting special effects staff did not become consistent in Toho's movies until ''[[The Mysterians]]'' (1957); Tsuburaya was simply credited for "special technology" alongside [[Akira Watanabe]], [[Hiroshi Mukoyama]], and [[Kuichiro Kishida]].</ref>
*''[[The H-Man]]'' (1958) - Director of special effects
*''[[Invisible Man (film)|Invisible Man]]'' (1954)<ref group="lower-alpha">Credited as "special effects advisor," though the poster and other promotional materials call him special effects director.</ref>
*''[[Varan (film)|Varan]]'' (1958) - Director of special effects [as Eiji Tsumuraya]
*''[[Godzilla Raids Again]]'' (1955)
*''[[Monkey Sun]]'' (1959) - Director of special effects
*''[[Half Human]]'' (1955)<ref group="lower-alpha" name="w/ Tsuburaya">Credited for "special technology" alongside Akira Watanabe, Masao Shirota, and Hiroshi Mukoyama; see the [[#cite_note-7|second note]].</ref>
*''[[The Three Treasures]]'' (1959) - Director of special effects
*''[[wikipedia:The Legend of the White Serpent (film)|The Legend of the White Serpent]]'' (1956)
*''[[Battle in Outer Space]]'' (1959) - Director of special effects
*''[[Rodan (film)|Rodan]]'' (1956)<ref group="lower-alpha" name="w/ Tsuburaya"/>
*''[[The Secret of the Telegian]]'' (1960) - Director of special effects
*''[[wikipedia:Throne of Blood|Throne of Blood]]'' (1957) [uncredited]{{sfn|Ragone|2014|p=196}}
*''[[The Human Vapor]]'' (1960) - Director of special effects
*''[[The Mysterians]]'' (1957)
*''[[Mothra (film)|Mothra]]'' (1961) - Director of special effects
*''[[The H-Man]]'' (1958)
*''[[The Last War]]'' (1961) - Director of special effects
*''[[Varan (film)|Varan]]'' (1958)
*''[[Gorath (film)|Gorath]]'' (1962) - Director of special effects
*''[[wikipedia:Monkey Sun|Monkey Sun]]'' (1959)
*''[[King Kong vs. Godzilla]]'' (1962) - Director of special effects
*''[[The Three Treasures]]'' (1959)
*''[[Matango (film)|Matango]]'' (1963) - Director of special effects
*''[[Battle in Outer Space]]'' (1959)
*''[[Atragon (film)|Atragon]]'' (1963) - Director of special effects
*''[[The Secret of the Telegian]]'' (1960)
*''[[Mothra vs. Godzilla]]'' (1964) - Director of special effects
*''[[The Human Vapor]]'' (1960)
*''[[Dogora (film)|Dogora]]'' (1964) - Director of special effects
*''[[Mothra (film)|Mothra]]'' (1961)
*''[[Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster]]'' (1964) - Director of special effects
*''[[jawp:ゲンと不動明王#映画版|The Youth and His Amulet]]'' (1961)
*''[[Frankenstein vs. Baragon]]'' (1965) - Director of special effects
*''[[The Last War]]'' (1961)
*''[[Invasion of Astro-Monster]]'' (1965) - Director of special effects
*''[[Gorath (film)|Gorath]]'' (1962)
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultra Q|Ultra Q]]'' (TV 1966) - Supervisor
*''[[King Kong vs. Godzilla]]'' (1962)
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultraman (series)|Ultraman]]'' (TV 1966-1967) - Supervisor
*''[[Matango (film)|Matango]]'' (1963)
*''[[The War of the Gargantuas]]'' (1966) - Director of special effects
*''[[wikipedia:The Lost World of Sinbad|Samurai Pirate]]'' (1963)
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Kaiju Booksa|Monster Booska]]'' (TV 1966-1967) - Supervisor
*''[[Atragon]]'' (1963)
*''[[Ebirah, Horror of the Deep]]'' (1966) - Director of special effects [ceremonial title]
*''[[Mothra vs. Godzilla]]'' (1964)
*''[[King Kong Escapes]]'' (1967) - Director of special effects
*''[[Dogora (film)|Dogora]]'' (1964)
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultraman: Monster Movie Feature|Ultraman]]'' (1967) - Supervisor [compilation film]
*''[[Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster]]'' (1964)
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultraseven (series)|Ultraseven]]'' (TV 1967-1968) - Supervisor
*''[[Frankenstein vs. Baragon]]'' (1965)
*''[[Son of Godzilla]]'' (1967) - Special effects supervisor
*''[[Invasion of Astro-Monster]]'' (1965)
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Mighty Jack (series)|Mighty Jack]]'' (TV 1968) - Supervisor / editor
*''[[jawp:奇巌城の冒険|The Adventures of Takla Makan]]'' (1966) [uncredited]{{sfn|Ragone|2014|p=198}}
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Fight! Mighty Jack|Fight! Mighty Jack]]'' (TV 1968) - Supervisor / editor
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultraman (series)|Ultraman]]'' (TV 1966-1967) [episodes 18-19, uncredited]{{sfn|Matsuda|2001|pp=138-139}}
*''[[Destroy All Monsters]]'' (1968) - Special effects supervisor
*''[[The War of the Gargantuas]]'' (1966)
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Operation: Mystery|Operation: Mystery]]'' (TV 1968-1969) - Supervisor
*''[[Ebirah, Horror of the Deep]]'' (1966) [ceremonial title]
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultraman, Ultraseven: Great Violent Monster Fight|Ultraman, Ultraseven: Great Violent Monster Fight]]'' (1969) - Supervisor [compilation film]
*''[[King Kong Escapes]]'' (1967)
*''[[Latitude Zero]]'' (1969) - Director of special effects
*''[[Latitude Zero]]'' (1969)
*''[[All Monsters Attack]]'' (1969) - Special effects supervisor [ceremonial title]
*''The Nature of Japan and the Dreams of Japanese'' (1970)
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Chibira-kun|Chibira-kun]]'' (TV 1970-1971) - Supervisor [posthumous]
{{col-2}}
*''[[Space Amoeba]]'' (1970) - Special effects supervisor [posthumous; ceremonial title; only in promotional materials]
===Supervisor===
*''[[wikipedia:Horror Theater Unbalance|Horror Theater Unbalance]]'' (TV 1973) - Supervisor [posthumous]
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultra Q|Ultra Q]]'' (TV 1966)
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Terror on Route 87|Ultraman: Terror on Route 87]]'' (1989) - Supervisor [posthumous; compilation film]
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultraman (series)|Ultraman]]'' (TV 1966-1967)
*''[[Monster Seafood Wars]]'' (2020) - Original story [posthumous; uncredited]
*''[[Monster Booska]]'' (TV 1966-1967)
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultraman: Monster Movie Feature|Ultraman]]'' (1967) [compilation film]
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultraseven (series)|Ultraseven]]'' (TV 1967-1968)
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Mighty Jack (series)|Mighty Jack]]'' (TV 1968)
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Fight! Mighty Jack|Fight! Mighty Jack]]'' (TV 1968)
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Escape Dimension X|Ultraseven]]'' (1968) [theatrical episode]{{sfn|Takeuchi|Yamamoto|2001|p=352}}
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Operation: Mystery|Operation: Mystery]]'' (TV 1968-1969)
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultraman, Ultraseven: Great Violent Monster Fight|Ultraman, Ultraseven: Great Violent Monster Fight]]'' (1969) [compilation film]
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Chibira-kun|Chibira-kun]]'' (TV 1970-1971) [posthumous]
*''[[wikipedia:Horror Theater Unbalance|Horror Theater Unbalance]]'' (TV 1973) [posthumous]
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Terror on Route 87|Ultraman: Terror on Route 87]]'' (1989) [posthumous; theatrical episode]
===Special effects supervisor===
*''[[Son of Godzilla]]'' (1967)
*''[[Destroy All Monsters]]'' (1968)
*''[[All Monsters Attack]]'' (1969)
*''[[Space Amoeba]]'' (1970) [posthumous; ceremonial title in promotional materials]
===Miscellaneous===
*''[[wikipedia:Princess Kaguya (1935 film)|Princess Kaguya]]'' (1935) - Cinematographer{{#tag:ref|Also participated in the miniature effects.{{sfn|Ragone|2014|pp=26, 193}}|group="lower-alpha"}}
*[[jawp:孫悟空 (1940年の映画)|''Sun Wukong: Part 1'' and ''Part 2'']] (1940) - Special effects cinematographer [with Bunshiro Okuno]{{sfn|Takeuchi|Yamamoto|2001|p=345}}
*''[[Ramayana]]'' (circa 1943-1945) - Screenplay advisor [uncredited]{{sfn|Ishibashi|2013|p=?}}
*''[[Invisible Man (film)|Invisible Man]]'' (1954) - Cinematographer
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultra Q|Ultra Q]]'' (TV 1966) - Producer [with Takashi Kakoi, Hitoshi Shibusawa]
*''[[Monster Seafood Wars]]'' (2020) - Original story [posthumous; uncredited]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scifijapan.com/kaiju-monsters/monster-seafood-wars-first-look-at-upcoming-kaiju-movie|title=MONSTER SEAFOOD WARS -- First Look at Upcoming Kaiju Movie|date=16 September 2019|work=[[SciFi Japan]]}}</ref>
{{col-end}}
==Selected bibliography==
*''[[Revised Edition: Eiji Tsuburaya Essays and Critiques Collection]]'' (2010) - Author [posthumous]
==Family tree==
{{Tree chart/start|align=left}}
{{Tree chart| | | | | | | MOM |y| DAD | | |MOM=Sei Tsumuraya|DAD=Isamu Tsumuraya}}
{{Tree chart| |,|-|-|-|.| | | |!| | | | | |}}
{{Tree chart| BiL | | WIF |y| EIJ | | | | |BiL=[[Shuzaburo Araki]]|WIF=Masano Tsuburaya|EIJ='''Eiji Tsuburaya'''}}
{{Tree chart| | | |,|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|.| | | |}}
{{Tree chart| | | NOB | | HAJ | | AKI | | |HAJ=[[Hajime Tsuburaya]]|NOB=Noboru Tsuburaya|AKI=Akira Tsuburaya}}
{{Tree chart| |,|-|'| |,|-|+|-|.| |`|-|.| |}}
{{Tree chart| KAZ | | MAS |!| HID | | YUK |KAZ=Kazuo Tsuburaya|MAS=Masahiro Tsuburaya|HID=Hideaki Tsuburaya|YUK=Yuko Tsuburaya}}
{{Tree chart| | | | | |,|-|^|-|.| | | | | |}}
{{Tree chart| | | | | HIR | | HIT | | | | |HIR=Hiroshi Tsuburaya|HIT=Hitomi Tsuburaya}}
{{Tree chart/end}}
==Gallery==
==Gallery==
===Production===
===Production===
====''[[Mothra (film)|Mothra]]''====
<gallery widths="120" position="center" captionalign="center" spacing="small">
2974k.jpg|Tsuburaya with the [[Mothra]] larva [[Mothra/First Generation|puppet]]
</gallery>
====''[[King Kong vs. Godzilla]]''====
<gallery widths="120" position="center" captionalign="center" spacing="small">
<gallery widths="120" position="center" captionalign="center" spacing="small">
Ishiro Honda and Godzilla.jpg|Tsuburaya (center) and [[Ishiro Honda]] examine a [[ShodaiGoji|Godzilla]] hand puppet on the set of ''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]''
Untitled (20).jpg|Tsuburaya on the set of ''[[Invisible Man (film)|Invisible Man]]''
Orochi_bts6.jpg|Tsuburaya with the [[Yamata no Orochi]] puppet on the set of ''[[The Three Treasures]]''
2974k.jpg|Tsuburaya with the [[Mothra (First Generation)|Mothra larva]] suit
Eiji1.jpg|Tsuburaya with the [[KingGoji]] suit
Eiji1.jpg|Tsuburaya with the [[KingGoji]] suit
Screen-shot-2015-07-06-at-10-19-24-am.jpg|Tsuburaya with the [[Godzilla/Showa|Godzilla]] stop motion puppet
Screen-shot-2015-07-06-at-10-19-24-am.jpg|Tsuburaya with the [[Godzilla (Second Generation)|Godzilla]] stop motion puppet
Image559bdc3d7e8d13.83410996.jpg|Tsuburaya with the [[KingGoji|Godzilla]] and [[King Kong/1962|King Kong]] suits
Image559bdc3d7e8d13.83410996.jpg|Tsuburaya with the [[KingGoji|Godzilla]] and [[King Kong (King Kong vs. Godzilla)|King Kong]] suits
Frankenstein production photo.jpg|Eiji Tsuburaya with [[Koji Furuhata]] on the set of ''[[Frankenstein vs. Baragon]]''
3297054060 4dd8ccf51c1.jpg|Eiji Tsuburaya with the [[DaisensoGoji]] suit on the set of ''[[Invasion of Astro-Monster]]''
War of the Gargantuas bts2.jpg|Eiji Tsuburaya with the [[Gaira]] suit
Tumblr oe7ybjT0gk1qm3rsfo9 540.jpg|Eiji Tsuburaya with the [[Sanda]] suit
Bartender, another round.jpg|Eiji Tsuburaya with the [[Mechani-Kong]] and [[King Kong (King Kong Escapes)|King Kong]] suits  
</gallery>
</gallery>
===Merchandise===
===Merchandise===
Line 86: Line 129:
tsuburyaBozAEiji.jpg|[[Tsuburaya Productions]] Eiji Tsubaraya Commemorative Set (Box A)
tsuburyaBozAEiji.jpg|[[Tsuburaya Productions]] Eiji Tsubaraya Commemorative Set (Box A)
9079751993_87f8183138_b.jpg|[[Tsuburaya Productions]] Eiji Tsubaraya Commemorative Set (Box B)
9079751993_87f8183138_b.jpg|[[Tsuburaya Productions]] Eiji Tsubaraya Commemorative Set (Box B)
yutakaTsubSD2001.jpg|[[Bandai|Bandai Japan]] commemorative SD set
yutakaTsubSD2001.jpg|[[Bandai]] commemorative SD set
</gallery>
</gallery>
===Miscellaneous===
===Miscellaneous===
<gallery>
<gallery widths="120" position="center" captionalign="center" spacing="small">
File:Honda and Eiji.jpg|Tsuburaya with [[Ishiro Honda]]
Honda and Eiji.jpg|Tsuburaya with [[Ishiro Honda]]
File:EijiTa.jpg
EijiTa.jpg
</gallery>
</gallery>
==Videos==
{{Videos|
{{vid|<archiveorg dimensions="300x169">EijiTsuburaya</archiveorg>|Eiji Tsuburaya in "The Father of Ultra Q,"<br>a documentary directed by [[wikia:w:c:ultra:Akio Jissoji|Akio Jissoji]]}}
}}
==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*Tsuburaya appears as a character in episode 49 of ''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman Tiga (series)|Ultraman Tiga]]'', "[[w:c:ultra:The Ultra Star|The Ultra Star]]", played by Yusuke Takita.
*Tsuburaya appears as a character in episode 49 of ''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultraman Tiga (series)|Ultraman Tiga]]'', "[[wikia:w:c:ultra:The Ultra Star|The Ultra Star]]" (1997), played by [[wikipedia:Yūsuke Takita|Yusuke Takita]]. [[Bin Furuya]], the original [[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultraman (character)|Ultraman]] suit actor, portrays a character based on him in ''[[Nezura 1964]]'' (2021).
*Dr. [[Ishiro Serizawa]]'s costume from his first scene in ''[[Godzilla (2014 film)|Godzilla]]'' is a reference to Tsuburaya's typical work outfit.<ref name="Legendary TWT">{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/Legendary/status/1248401070449025024|title=The costume for @Watanabe in this scene is based on Eiji Tsuburaya’s outfits (the special effects director on the early Godzilla films). #MonsterverseWatchalong|author=Legendary|date=9 April 2020|work=Twitter}}</ref>
*Dr. [[Ishiro Serizawa]]'s costume from his first scene in ''[[Godzilla (2014 film)|Godzilla]]'' (2014) is a reference to Tsuburaya's typical work outfit.<ref name="Legendary TWT">{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/Legendary/status/1248401070449025024|title=The costume for @Watanabe in this scene is based on Eiji Tsuburaya’s outfits (the special effects director on the early Godzilla films). #MonsterverseWatchalong|author=Legendary|date=9 April 2020|work=Twitter}}</ref> [[Godzilla-kun]] also wears this outfit in the first special episode of ''[[Godziban]]'', "[[Film the Dream!]]"
*In [[1962]], Tsuburaya made preparations for a film adaptation of ''[[wikipedia:The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter|The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter]]'', the same story upon which his special effects debut ''[[wikipedia:Princess Kaguya (1935 film)|Princess Kaguya]]'' (1935) was based. Though he shelved the project to work on ''[[King Kong vs. Godzilla]]'' that year,{{sfn|Ichikawa|1996|pp=48–53}} he penned a script for "''Princess Kaguya''" years later while in hospice in Izu, but passed away soon after.{{R|Birthday}} His first son [[Hajime Tsuburaya|Hajime]] attempted to realize the idea in his stead,{{sfn|Yamaura|1972|loc=preface}} recruiting [[Hiroyasu Yamaura]] to write a screenplay and [[Yoshiyuki Kuroda]] to direct, but this too fell through after Hajime's own death in [[1973]] on the same day that the film was scheduled to begin shooting.{{sfn|Shiraishi|2006|p=299}} [[TOHO Studios|Toho Pictures]] would ultimately produce an unrelated movie adaptation of ''The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter'' with Fuji TV, entitled ''[[Princess from the Moon]]'' (1987), which featured effects by Tsuburaya's protégé [[Teruyoshi Nakano]].
==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.eiji-tsuburaya.gr.jp/ Official Eiji Tsuburaya site (Japanese and English)]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050805012913/http://www.eiji-tsuburaya.gr.jp/ Official Eiji Tsuburaya site (Japanese and English)]
*[http://www.m-78.jp/ Official Tsuburaya Productions site]
*[http://www.m-78.jp/ Official Tsuburaya Productions site]
==Notes==
{{Notelist|lower-alpha}}
==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Real People}}
===Bibliography===
{{Godzilla 1954}}
*{{cite book|title=[[Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters]]|edition=paperback|last=Ragone|first=August|authorlink=August Ragone|date=6 May 2014|publisher=Chronicle Books|isbn=978-1-4521-3539-7}}
*{{cite book|last=Ryfle|first=Steve|authorlink=Steve Ryfle|title=[[Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of "The Big G"]]|publisher=ECW Press|date=1 April 1998|isbn=1550223488}}
*{{cite book|title=[[The Visual World of Eiji Tsuburaya]]|edition=Complete Extended|editor-first=Hiroshi|editor-last=Takeuchi|editor-first2=Shingo|editor-last2=Yamamoto|date=11 July 2001|publisher=Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha|isbn=4-408-39474-2}}
*{{cite book|title=[[Eiji Tsuburaya's Special Effects World]]|editor-last=Matsuda|editor-first=Takehisa|publisher=Keibunsha|date=10 August 2001|isbn=4-7669-3848-8}}
*{{cite book|last=Ishibashi|first=Harumi|title='60s Showa Special Effects Heroes Revived|date=22 October 2013|publisher=‎Cosmic Publishing|isbn=978-4774758534}}
*{{cite book|last=Ichikawa|first=Shinichi|title=[[Eiji Tsuburaya: The Film Director Who Created Ultraman]]|date=13 September 1996|publisher=[[Shogakukan]]|isbn=978-4092701076}}
*{{cite book|last=Yamaura|first=Hiroyasu|authorlink=Hiroyasu Yamaura|title=Princess Kaguya: From the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter|type=screenplay|year=1972|publisher=[[Tsuburaya Productions]]}}
*{{cite book|last=Shiraishi|first=Masahiko|title=Hajime Tsuburaya: Ultra Q and the era of "TV Movies"|publisher=[[Futabasha]]|date=20 July 2006|isbn=978-4-5752-9907-6}}
{{Real People|tab=Director}}
{{Comments}}
{{Comments}}
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{{Era|REL}}

Latest revision as of 03:39, 2 February 2024

Eiji Tsuburaya
Eiji Tsuburaya on the set of The Three Treasures (1959)
Born July 7, 1901[a]
Sukagawa, Fukushima, Japan
Died January 25, 1970 (aged 68)
Ito, Shizuoka, Japan[3]
Occupation Director of special effects
First work A Tune of Pity (1919)[4]
Notable work Godzilla (1954)
Imdb.pngWp EN.pngWp JA.png
My heart and mind are as they were when I was a child. Then I loved to play with toys and to read stories of magic. I still do. My wish is only to make life happier and more beautiful for those who will go and see my films of fantasy.
„ 

— Eiji Tsuburaya in Caper Magazine, 1962[5]

Eiji Tsuburaya (円谷 英二,   Tsuburaya Eiji), born Eiichi Tsumuraya (圓谷 英一,   Tsumuraya Eiichi), was a Japanese special effects director and cameraman. Tsuburaya rose to fame primarily due to his work on Toho's war, kaiju, and science fiction films between the 1940s and 60s, when he pioneered various tokusatsu (special effects) techniques such as suitmation. Tsuburaya was one of the creators of Godzilla, who would go on to become Toho's most famous creation and an international icon.

In 1963, Tsuburaya founded his own special effects studio, Tsuburaya Productions, which would become known for producing the Ultra Series. Tsuburaya himself served as supervisor for several of the studio's early tokusatsu television series, including Ultra Q, Ultraman and Ultraseven. Toward the end of his life, Tsuburaya received honorary credit for directing or supervising the special effects on some of Toho's kaiju films, even though his responsibilities with his own company and later declining health limited his involvement. Tsuburaya's duties at Toho would be taken up by his understudies Sadamasa Arikawa and Teruyoshi Nakano following his death from a heart attack on January 25, 1970.[3] Tsuburaya Productions continued operating under his family until 2007, when it was acquired by TYO Inc. On January 11, 2019, the Eiji Tsuburaya Museum opened in his hometown of Sukagawa, commemorating his life and films.[6]

Selected filmography

Director of special effects

Supervisor

Special effects supervisor

Miscellaneous

Selected bibliography

Family tree

Sei TsumurayaIsamu Tsumuraya
Shuzaburo ArakiMasano TsuburayaEiji Tsuburaya
Noboru TsuburayaHajime TsuburayaAkira Tsuburaya
Kazuo TsuburayaMasahiro TsuburayaHideaki TsuburayaYuko Tsuburaya
Hiroshi TsuburayaHitomi Tsuburaya


Gallery

Production

Merchandise

Toys

Miscellaneous

Videos

Eiji Tsuburaya in "The Father of Ultra Q,"
a documentary directed by Akio Jissoji

Trivia

External links

Notes

  1. While Eiji Tsuburaya's family registry says that he was born on July 10,[1] he, his family, and Tsuburaya Productions give his birthdate as July 7.[2] The latter date has special significance, as it is the high day of the Japanese star festival Tanabata. Still other sources give a birth date of July 5.[2]
  2. Individually crediting special effects staff did not become consistent in Toho's movies until The Mysterians (1957); Tsuburaya was simply credited for "special technology" alongside Akira Watanabe, Hiroshi Mukoyama, and Kuichiro Kishida.
  3. Credited as "special effects advisor," though the poster and other promotional materials call him special effects director.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Credited for "special technology" alongside Akira Watanabe, Masao Shirota, and Hiroshi Mukoyama; see the second note.
  5. Also participated in the miniature effects.[12]

References

This is a list of references for Eiji Tsuburaya. 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. "すかがわ市M78光の町". Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 "The Founder - Eiji Tsuburaya". Tsuburaya Productions. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Ragone 2014, p. 175.
  4. Ragone 2014, p. 21.
  5. Ryfle 1998, p. 47.
  6. Holland, Edward L. (19 February 2019). "Tribute to Legendary Director Eiji Tsuburaya Opens in Fukushima". SciFi Japan. Archived from the original on 24 May 2019.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Takeuchi & Yamamoto 2001, p. 348
  8. Ragone 2014, p. 196.
  9. Ragone 2014, p. 198.
  10. Matsuda 2001, pp. 138-139.
  11. Takeuchi & Yamamoto 2001, p. 352.
  12. Ragone 2014, pp. 26, 193.
  13. Takeuchi & Yamamoto 2001, p. 345.
  14. Ishibashi 2013, p. ?.
  15. "MONSTER SEAFOOD WARS -- First Look at Upcoming Kaiju Movie". SciFi Japan. 16 September 2019.
  16. Legendary (9 April 2020). "The costume for @Watanabe in this scene is based on Eiji Tsuburaya's outfits (the special effects director on the early Godzilla films). #MonsterverseWatchalong". Twitter.
  17. Ichikawa 1996, pp. 48–53.
  18. Yamaura 1972, preface.
  19. Shiraishi 2006, p. 299.

Bibliography

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