Eiji Tsuburaya: Difference between revisions
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|type1 =Machine | |type1 =Machine | ||
|type2 =Black | |type2 =Black | ||
|image =Tsuburaya Smile.jpg | |||
|image = | |caption =Eiji Tsuburaya on the set of The Three Treasures (1959) | ||
|caption =Eiji Tsuburaya | |||
|name =Eiji Tsuburaya | |name =Eiji Tsuburaya | ||
|occupation =Director | |occupation =Director of special effects | ||
|birthday =July 10, | |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]] | ||
| | |death =January 25, [[1970]] (aged 68) | ||
|first =''A | |deathplace =[[wikipedia:Itō, Shizuoka|Ito, Shizuoka]], [[Japan]]{{sfn|Ragone|2014|p=175}} | ||
|notable =[[Godzilla (1954 film)| | |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 | |wikipedia-en =https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eiji_Tsuburaya | ||
|wikipedia-ja =https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/円谷英二 | |||
}} | }} | ||
{{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: | 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== | ||
{{Col-begin}} | |||
*''[[ | {{col-2}} | ||
*''[[ | ===Director of special effects=== | ||
*''[[ | *''[[jawp:白髪鬼#映画|The White-Haired Fiend]]'' (1949) [uncredited]<ref name="Visual">{{harvnb|Takeuchi|Yamamoto|2001|p=348}}</ref> | ||
*''[[Invisible Man | *''[[jawp:花くらべ狸御殿|Flowers of Raccoon Palace]]'' (1949){{R|Visual}} | ||
*''[[Godzilla | *''[[jawp:虹男#映画版|The Rainbow Man]]'' (1949) [uncredited]{{R|Visual}} | ||
*''The Ghost Train'' (1949) [uncredited]{{R|Visual}} | |||
*''[[ | *''[[The Invisible Man Appears]]'' (1949){{R|Visual}} | ||
*''[[ | *''[[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> | ||
*''[[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> | |||
*''[[ | *''[[Godzilla Raids Again]]'' (1955) | ||
*''[[ | *''[[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> | ||
*''[[ | *''[[wikipedia:The Legend of the White Serpent (film)|The Legend of the White Serpent]]'' (1956) | ||
*''[[ | *''[[Rodan (film)|Rodan]]'' (1956)<ref group="lower-alpha" name="w/ Tsuburaya"/> | ||
*''[[The | *''[[wikipedia:Throne of Blood|Throne of Blood]]'' (1957) [uncredited]{{sfn|Ragone|2014|p=196}} | ||
*''[[ | *''[[The Mysterians]]'' (1957) | ||
*''[[ | *''[[The H-Man]]'' (1958) | ||
*''[[The | *''[[Varan (film)|Varan]]'' (1958) | ||
*''[[ | *''[[wikipedia:Monkey Sun|Monkey Sun]]'' (1959) | ||
*''[[ | *''[[The Three Treasures]]'' (1959) | ||
*''[[ | *''[[Battle in Outer Space]]'' (1959) | ||
*''[[ | *''[[The Secret of the Telegian]]'' (1960) | ||
*''[[The Human Vapor]]'' (1960) | |||
*''[[ | *''[[Mothra (film)|Mothra]]'' (1961) | ||
*''[[ | *''[[jawp:ゲンと不動明王#映画版|The Youth and His Amulet]]'' (1961) | ||
*''[[ | *''[[The Last War]]'' (1961) | ||
*''[[ | *''[[Gorath (film)|Gorath]]'' (1962) | ||
*''[[ | *''[[King Kong vs. Godzilla]]'' (1962) | ||
*''[[ | *''[[Matango (film)|Matango]]'' (1963) | ||
*''[[ | *''[[wikipedia:The Lost World of Sinbad|Samurai Pirate]]'' (1963) | ||
*''[[ | *''[[Atragon]]'' (1963) | ||
*''[[ | *''[[Mothra vs. Godzilla]]'' (1964) | ||
*''[[ | *''[[Dogora (film)|Dogora]]'' (1964) | ||
*''[[ | *''[[Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster]]'' (1964) | ||
*''[[ | *''[[Frankenstein vs. Baragon]]'' (1965) | ||
*''[[Invasion of Astro-Monster]]'' (1965) | |||
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra: | *''[[jawp:奇巌城の冒険|The Adventures of Takla Makan]]'' (1966) [uncredited]{{sfn|Ragone|2014|p=198}} | ||
*''[[ | *''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultraman (series)|Ultraman]]'' (TV 1966-1967) [episodes 18-19, uncredited]{{sfn|Matsuda|2001|pp=138-139}} | ||
*''[[ | *''[[The War of the Gargantuas]]'' (1966) | ||
*''[[ | *''[[Ebirah, Horror of the Deep]]'' (1966) [ceremonial title] | ||
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra: | *''[[King Kong Escapes]]'' (1967) | ||
*''[[ | *''[[Latitude Zero]]'' (1969) | ||
*''[[ | *''The Nature of Japan and the Dreams of Japanese'' (1970) | ||
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra: | {{col-2}} | ||
*''[[ | ===Supervisor=== | ||
*''[[ | *''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultra Q|Ultra Q]]'' (TV 1966) | ||
*''[[wikia:w:c:ultra: | *''[[wikia:w:c:ultra:Ultraman (series)|Ultraman]]'' (TV 1966-1967) | ||
*''[[ | *''[[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=== | ||
<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 | 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 | 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 | yutakaTsubSD2001.jpg|[[Bandai]] commemorative SD set | ||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
===Miscellaneous=== | ===Miscellaneous=== | ||
<gallery> | <gallery widths="120" position="center" captionalign="center" spacing="small"> | ||
Honda and Eiji.jpg|Tsuburaya with [[Ishiro Honda]] | |||
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}} | ||
{{ | ===Bibliography=== | ||
{{ | *{{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}} | ||
{{Era|REL}} | {{Era|REL}} |
Latest revision as of 03:39, 2 February 2024
|
“
|
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, born Eiichi Tsumuraya Tsuburaya Eiji) (圓谷 英一, was a Tsumuraya Eiichi)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
- Revised Edition: Eiji Tsuburaya Essays and Critiques Collection (2010) - Author [posthumous]
Family tree
Sei Tsumuraya | Isamu Tsumuraya | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shuzaburo Araki | Masano Tsuburaya | Eiji Tsuburaya | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Noboru Tsuburaya | Hajime Tsuburaya | Akira Tsuburaya | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kazuo Tsuburaya | Masahiro Tsuburaya | Hideaki Tsuburaya | Yuko Tsuburaya | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hiroshi Tsuburaya | Hitomi Tsuburaya | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gallery
Production
Tsuburaya (center) and Ishiro Honda examine a Godzilla hand puppet on the set of Godzilla
Tsuburaya on the set of Invisible Man
Tsuburaya with the Yamata no Orochi puppet on the set of The Three Treasures
Tsuburaya with the Mothra larva suit
Tsuburaya with the KingGoji suit
Tsuburaya with the Godzilla stop motion puppet
Eiji Tsuburaya with Koji Furuhata on the set of Frankenstein vs. Baragon
Eiji Tsuburaya with the DaisensoGoji suit on the set of Invasion of Astro-Monster
Eiji Tsuburaya with the Gaira suit
Eiji Tsuburaya with the Sanda suit
Eiji Tsuburaya with the Mechani-Kong and King Kong suits
Merchandise
Toys
Tsuburaya Productions Eiji Tsubaraya Commemorative Set (Box A)
Tsuburaya Productions Eiji Tsubaraya Commemorative Set (Box B)
Bandai commemorative SD set
Miscellaneous
Tsuburaya with Ishiro Honda
Videos
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Trivia
- Tsuburaya appears as a character in episode 49 of Ultraman Tiga, "The Ultra Star" (1997), played by Yusuke Takita. Bin Furuya, the original 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) is a reference to Tsuburaya's typical work outfit.[16] 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 The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, the same story upon which his special effects debut Princess Kaguya (1935) was based. Though he shelved the project to work on King Kong vs. Godzilla that year,[17] he penned a script for "Princess Kaguya" years later while in hospice in Izu, but passed away soon after.[2] His first son Hajime attempted to realize the idea in his stead,[18] 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.[19] 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
Notes
- ↑ 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]
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Credited as "special effects advisor," though the poster and other promotional materials call him special effects director.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Credited for "special technology" alongside Akira Watanabe, Masao Shirota, and Hiroshi Mukoyama; see the second note.
- ↑ 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]
Bibliography
- Ragone, August (6 May 2014). Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters (paperback ed.). Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-1-4521-3539-7.
- Ryfle, Steve (1 April 1998). Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of "The Big G". ECW Press. ISBN 1550223488.
- Takeuchi, Hiroshi; Yamamoto, Shingo, eds. (11 July 2001). The Visual World of Eiji Tsuburaya (Complete Extended ed.). Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha. ISBN 4-408-39474-2.
- Matsuda, Takehisa, ed. (10 August 2001). Eiji Tsuburaya's Special Effects World. Keibunsha. ISBN 4-7669-3848-8.
- Ishibashi, Harumi (22 October 2013). '60s Showa Special Effects Heroes Revived. Cosmic Publishing. ISBN 978-4774758534.
- Ichikawa, Shinichi (13 September 1996). Eiji Tsuburaya: The Film Director Who Created Ultraman. Shogakukan. ISBN 978-4092701076.
- Yamaura, Hiroyasu (1972). Princess Kaguya: From the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter (screenplay). Tsuburaya Productions.
- Shiraishi, Masahiko (20 July 2006). Hajime Tsuburaya: Ultra Q and the era of "TV Movies". Futabasha. ISBN 978-4-5752-9907-6.
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