Toho

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Toho Company, Limited
The Japanese Toho logo

Type Film/theater company
Status Active
Led by Yoshishige Shimatani
Founder(s) Ichizo Kobayashi
Founded August 12, 1932[note 1]
Head-
quarters
1-2-2 Yuraku, Chiyoda
Tokyo, Japan 100-8415
Also known as Toho Eiga Co., Ltd. (1937-1943)
Subsidiary companies
Preceded by
  • Tokyo-Takarazuka Theater Company
  • Photo Chemical Laboratory Co., Ltd.
  • JO Studio
  • Toho Film Distribution Co., Ltd.

Toho Company, Limited (東宝株式会社,   Tōhō Kabushiki Gaisha), officially stylized TOHO, is a major Japanese film studio. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group. In the West, it is best known as the producer of many kaiju and tokusatsu movies, the films of Akira Kurosawa, and the anime films of Studio Ghibli, as well as the Pokémon movies.

The company's most famous creation, Godzilla, was co-created by producer Tomoyuki Tanaka.

History

The classic TohoScope logo, used for Toho's widescreen movies from 1957 to 1964, and once more in 2004's Godzilla Final Wars
The current Toho logo
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Toho was founded by the Hankyu Railway in 1932 as the Tokyo-Takarazuka Theater Company. It managed much of the kabuki in Tokyo and, among other properties, the Tokyo Takarazuka Theater and the Imperial Garden Theater in Tokyo; Toho and Shochiku enjoyed a duopoly over theaters in Tokyo for many years.

After several successful film exports to the United States during the 1950s, Toho opened the La Brea Theatre in Los Angeles to show its own films without selling to a distributor. It was known as the Toho Theatre from the late 1960s until the 1970s.[1] Toho also had a theater in San Francisco and opened a theater in New York in 1963.[2]

An offshoot of Toho called Shintoho was established in 1947 due to labor turmoil at Toho. The studio went on to produce a slew of films during its short lifespan before it declared bankruptcy in 1961.[3]

Toho has contributed to the production of some American films, including Sam Raimi's film A Simple Plan (1998).

Selected filmography

Films

Presentation/production and distribution

Year Title Funded by Produced by Distributed by
1940s Ramayana Toho Film Distribution Corp.
1954 Godzilla Toho
Invisible Man
1955 Godzilla Raids Again
Half Human
1956 Rodan
1957 The Mysterians
1958 The H-Man
Varan
1959 The Three Treasures
Battle in Outer Space
1960 The Secret of the Telegian
The Human Vapor
1961 Mothra
The Last War
1962 Gorath
King Kong vs. Godzilla
1963 Matango
Atragon
1964 Mothra vs. Godzilla
Dogora
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
1965 Frankenstein vs. Baragon Toho, Benedict Pictures Toho
Invasion of Astro-Monster
1966 The War of the Gargantuas
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep Toho
1967 The Killing Bottle Toho, Takarazuka Eiga Toho
King Kong Escapes Toho
Son of Godzilla
1968 Destroy All Monsters
1969 Latitude Zero
All Monsters Attack
Konto 55: The Great Outer Space Adventure
1970 Space Amoeba
1971 Godzilla vs. Hedorah
1972 Godzilla vs. Gigan Toho Toho, Toho Eizo Toho
Daigoro vs. Goliath Toho, Tsuburaya Productions Tsuburaya Productions
1989 Gunhed Gunhed Production Committee (Toho et al.) Toho Pictures, Sunrise
2000 Pyrokinesis Toho, TBS Toho Pictures
2005 Super Fleet Sazer-X the Movie Sazer-X Movie Project (Toho et al.) General Entertainment, Dream Planet Japan
2006 Sinking of Japan Sinking of Japan Production Committee (Toho et al.) Sedic International
2008 Go! Godman Toho Tokyo Laboratory Toho Visual Entertainment
Paco and the Magical Book Paco and the Magical Book Production Committee (Toho et al.) Licri Toho
2015 Attack on Titan the Movie: Part 1 Attack on Titan Movie Production Committee (Toho et al.) Toho Pictures
Attack on Titan the Movie: Part 2
2016 Shin Godzilla Toho Toho Pictures, Cine Bazar
2017 GODZILLA: Planet of the Monsters Polygon Pictures Toho Visual Entertainment
2018 GODZILLA: City on the Edge of Battle
GODZILLA: The Planet Eater
2020 Monster Hunter Constantin Film, Tencent Pictures, Toho Constantin Film, AB2 Pictures Towa Pictures
2021 The Great Yokai War: Guardians The Great Yokai War: Guardians Production Committee (Toho et al.) OLM Toho, Kadokawa
Godzilla vs. Hedorah Toho Visual Entertainment Cine Bazar Toho
2022 Shin Ultraman Shin Ultraman Production Committee (Toho et al.) TOHO Studios, Cine Bazar
yokaipedia "GHOSTBOOK" Film Partners (Toho et al.) ROBOT
Godzilla vs. Gigan Rex Toho Shirogumi
Fest Godzilla 3: Gigan Attacks Toho Visual Entertainment Episcope
Godziban Toho Studio Koganemushi Toho Visual Entertainment
2023 Blockbuster Monster Movie (working title) ROBOT Toho

Distribution only

Year Title Funded by Produced by Notes
1967 Ultraman Tsuburaya Productions
1971 Return of Ultraman Tsuburaya Productions
Return of Ultraman: Terror of the Tornado Monster
1972 Mirror Man
Return of Ultraman: Jiro Rides a Monster
Mirror Man: Dinosaur Aroza Reanimated
1973 Godzilla vs. Megalon Toho Eizo
Submersion of Japan Toho Eizo, Toho Pictures
1974 Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla Toho Eizo
Prophecies of Nostradamus Toho Eizo, Toho Pictures
ESPY Toho Eizo
1975 Terror of Mechagodzilla
1977 The War in Space Toho Pictures, Toho Eizo
1980 Magnitude 7.9 Toho Pictures Toho Pictures, Toho Eizo
1984 Bye-Bye Jupiter Toho Pictures, Io
The Return of Godzilla Toho Pictures Toho Pictures, Toho Eizo
1987 Princess from the Moon
1989 Godzilla vs. Biollante
1991 Reiko, the Psyche Resurrected Toho Pictures
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah Toho Pictures Toho Pictures, Toho Eizo
1992 Godzilla vs. Mothra
1993 Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II
1994 Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon
Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla
1995 Gamera the Guardian of the Universe Daiei, Nippon Television Network, Hakuhodo Daiei
Godzilla vs. Destoroyah Toho Pictures Toho Pictures, Toho Eizo
1996 Gamera 2: Attack of Legion Daiei, Nippon Television Network, Hakuhodo, Fujitsu, Nippan Group Holdings Daiei
Rebirth of Mothra Toho Pictures Toho Pictures, Toho Eizo
1997 Rebirth of Mothra 2
1998 GODZILLA TriStar Pictures, Fried Films, Independent Pictures Centropolis Entertainment Japanese distributor.
Rebirth of Mothra 3 Toho Pictures Toho Pictures, Toho Eizo
1999 Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris Daiei, Tokuma Shoten, Nippon Television Network, Hakuhodo, Nippan Group Holdings Daiei
Godzilla 2000: Millennium Toho Pictures
2000 Godzilla vs. Megaguirus
2001 Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack
2002 Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla
2003 Godzilla: Tokyo SOS
2004 Godzilla Final Wars
2014 Godzilla Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary Pictures Legendary Pictures Japanese distributor.
2019 Godzilla: King of the Monsters
2021 Godzilla vs. Kong
2023 GRIDMAN UNIVERSE GRIDMAN UNIVERSE Production Committee Studio Trigger Distributed by Toho Visual Entertainment.
2024 Origins (working title) Legendary Pictures Japanese distributor.[4]

Cancelled films

Main article: Category:Unmade Films.

Television

Year(s) Title Funded by Produced by Network
1967 He of the Sun Toho, TBS Toho TBS
1972-1973 Warrior of Love Rainbowman NET, Toho NET
1973-1974 Diamond Eye
1976-1977 Flying Saucer War Bankid Toho, Nippon TV Nippon TV
1978-1979 Godzilla Hanna-Barbera Productions, Toho, Benedict Pictures Hanna-Barbera Productions NBC
1979-1980 Megaloman Toho, Fuji TV Toho, Toho Eizo Fuji TV
1985-1986 Forbidden Mariko Toho, TBS Toho TBS
1992-1993 Adventure! Godzilland Toho, TV Tokyo TV Tokyo
1996 Guyferd
1996-1997 Godzilla Kingdom Toho
1997-1998 Godzilla Island
1999-2000 Godzilla TV
2000-2001 Star Bows TBS, Toho, Layup Tsuburaya Eizo BS-i
2003-2004 The Gransazers TV Tokyo, Yomiko Advertising, Toho General Entertainment TV Tokyo
2004 The Vampire Gigolo TV Tokyo, Toho Office Crescendo
2004-2005 The Justirisers TV Tokyo, Yomiko Advertising, Toho General Entertainment
2005-2006 Super Fleet Sazer-X
2007 Kawaii! JeNny Toho, Takara Tomy Dream Planet Japan Chiba TV
2008 The Always Selfish Prince Gama The Always Selfish Prince Gama Production Committee (Toho et al.) DLE TV Tokyo
2019- Godziban Toho Studio Koganemushi YouTube (Godzilla Channel)
2021 Godzilla Singular Point Bones, Orange Tokyo MX
2022 Shin Ultra Fight Tsuburaya Productions, Toho, khara Cine Bazar Tsuburaya Imagination
2024 Kaiju No. 8 Toho Production I.G Unknown
TBA Hourglass (working title) Legendary Television, Safehouse Pictures, Toho[5] Legendary Television Apple TV+

Selected staff

Producers

Directors

Writers

  • Akira Kurosawa
  • Hayao Miyazaki
  • Ikuma Dam
  • Ishiro Honda
  • Jun Fukuda
  • Kinji Fukasaku
  • Masaaki Tezuka
  • Nobuhiko Obayashi
  • Seishi Yokomizo
  • Shogo Tomiyama
  • Shusuke Kaneko
  • Takao Okawara
  • Tomoyuki Tanaka
  • Wataru Mimura

Composers

Special effects crew

Musical artists

  • Asami Abe
  • Masatoh Eve
  • U-Ya Asaoka

Editors

  • Akira Kurosawa
  • Nobuhiko Obayashi

Cinematographers

Sound department

  • Ichiro Minawa
  • Sadamasa Nishimoto
  • Hideyo Sasaki
  • Yuji Tan
  • Hiromi Ogawa
  • Akihiko Okase
  • Naoko Asari
  • Tatsuhiko Sasaki
  • Yoichi Nishimura
  • Kimiko Asakura
  • Haru Yamada
  • Toru Noguchi
  • Satoshi Motoyama

Gallery

See also

External links

Notes

  1. While Toho is officially said to have been founded on August 12, 1932, this is in fact the date on which its predecessor company Tokyo-Takarazuka Theater Company was founded. Toho Eiga Co., Ltd. was founded on August 26, 1937 through the merging of Tokyo-Takarazuka, Photo Chemical Laboratory, JO Studio, and Toho Film Distribution. Its name was changed to Toho Co., Ltd. on December 10, 1943.

References

This is a list of references for Toho. 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. "Toho La Brea Theatre in Los Angeles, CA". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  2. "Toho" Far East Film News December 25, 1963.
  3. "Nudes! Guns! Ghosts! The Sensational Cinema of Shintoho". The Cinematheque. Archived from the original on 6 August 2019.
  4. "東宝2023年のラインナップ発表 宮崎駿監督の新作、「キングダム3」、山田尚子監督のアニメーションなど". Eiga.com. 13 December 2022.
  5. Kroll, Justin (20 January 2022). "Apple TV+ Lands Godzilla & Titans Series Based On Legendary's Monsterverse". Deadline.

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