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[[File:Tpc11.jpg|thumb|Tsuburaya Productions' current logo]]
[[File:Tpc11.jpg|thumb|Tsuburaya Productions' current logo]]
'''Tsuburaya Productions''' {{Nihongo|円谷プロダクション,|Tsuburaya Purodakushons}} is a production company and special effects studio founded by the late [[tokusatsu]] wizard [[Eiji Tsuburaya]] and is now run by his family.
'''Tsuburaya Productions''' {{Nihongo|円谷プロダクション,|Tsuburaya Purodakushons}} is a production company and special effects studio founded by [[tokusatsu]] pioneer [[Eiji Tsuburaya]] in 1963. It is most famous for creating the giant hero [[Ultraman]] in 1966.
{{TOC}}
{{TOC}}
==History==
==History==
Tsuburaya Productions was formed in [[1963]] by the special-effects wizard [[Eiji Tsuburaya]], so that he was able to work on side projects alongside his special effect work for [[Toho]]. In [[1966]], the company produced its most famous creation, ''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman (Series)|Ultraman]]'', which went on to create an entire franchise that continues to the present day. When Eiji died in 1970, the studio was transferred to his family, who continue to run the studio to this day. [[Bandai]] currently owns several substantial shares in the studio after it fell into financial difficulties in the 1980s, and the toy company is responsible for producing merchandise for each show that the studio makes.
Toho's renowned director of special effects, [[Eiji Tsuburaya]], founded Tsuburaya Productions in 1963 as a means to achieve greater creative freedom. Drawing from both Tsuburaya's staff at Toho and other artists from across Japan, the company's first assignment was the 1963 Ishihara/[[Nikkatsu Corporation|Nikkatsu]] film ''Alone Across the Pacific''. Its first in-house project was ''[[w:c:ultra:Ultra Q|Ultra Q]]'', a black-and-white science fiction TV series about a reporter and two pilots who investigate mysterious events, in 1966. Boasting special effects comparable to Toho and Daiei's kaiju films, it was a tremendous success, and guaranteed a follow-up. Later that year, Tsuburaya debuted the color series ''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman (Series)|Ultraman]]'', starring one of the first ''Kyodai'' (Giant) Heroes, to even greater ratings. ''Ultraman'''s formula of an alien warrior merging with a human host to defend the planet against kaiju and aliens would become the foundation for Tsuburaya's signature Ultra Series, which continues to this day.
==Productions==
 
Following Eiji Tsuburaya's death in 1970, his eldest son Hajime assumed control of the company. Tsuburaya Productions would remain a family business until 2007, when it was sold to TYO Inc. Today, Fields Corporation owns a 51% stake in Tsuburaya, with the other 49% is controlled by the toy company [[Bandai]], whose Ultraman products have been prominently featured in every Ultra Series installment since ''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman Ginga (series)|Ultraman Ginga]]'' in 2013.
 
==Kaiju Television Series==
===1960s===
===1960s===
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultra Q|Ultra Q]]''
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultra Q|Ultra Q]]'' (1966)
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman (series)|Ultraman]]'' (distributed by [[Toho]])
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman (series)|Ultraman]]'' (1966-67)
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraseven (series)|Ultraseven]]''
*''[[w:c:ultra:Kaiju Booska|Monster Booska]]'' (1966-67)
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraseven (series)|Ultra Seven]]'' (1967-68)
===1970s===
===1970s===
*''[[w:c:ultra:Return of Ultraman| Return of Ultraman]]''
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultra Fight|Ultra Fight]]'' (1970-71)
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman Ace (series)| Ultraman Ace]]''
*''[[w:c:ultra:Return of Ultraman|Return of Ultraman]]'' (1971-72)
*''[[w:c:ultra: Mirrorman (series)|Mirrorman]]''
*''[[w:c:ultra: Mirrorman (series)|Mirror Man]]'' (1971-72)
*''[[w:c:ultra: Redman (series)|Redman]]''
*''[[w:c:ultra: Redman (series)|Redman]]'' (1972)
*''[[Daigoro vs. Goliath]]'' (co-produced with Toho)
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman Ace (series)| Ultraman Ace]]'' (1972-73)
*''[[w:c:ultra:Jumborg Ace(series)|Jumborg Ace]]''
*''[[w:c:ultra:Jumborg Ace(series)|Jumborg Ace]]'' (1973)
*''[[w:c:ultra:Fireman (series)|Fireman]]''
*''[[w:c:ultra:Fireman (series)|Fireman]]'' (1973)
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman Taro (series)|Ultraman Taro]]''
*''[[w:c:ultra: Mirror Fight|Mirror Fight]]'' (1974)
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman Leo (series)|Ultraman Leo]]''
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman Taro (series)|Ultraman Taro]]'' (1973-1974)
*''[[w:c:ultra:The☆Ultraman|The☆Ultraman]]''
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman Leo (series)|Ultraman Leo]]'' (1974-1975)
*''[[The Last Dinosaur (1977 film)|The Last Dinosaur]]'' (co-produced with Rankin/Bass and distributed by Toho)
*''[[w:c:ultra:Dinosaur Expedition Born Free|Born Free]]'' (1976-1977)
*''[[w:c:ultra:Dinosaur Great War Izenborg|Aizenborg]]'' (1977-1978)
*''[[w:c:ultra:The☆Ultraman|The☆Ultraman]]'' (1979-1980)
 
===1980's===
===1980's===
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman 80 (series)|Ultraman 80]]''
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman 80 (series)|Ultraman 80]]'' (1980-1981)
*''[[w:c:Andro Melos (series)|Andromelos]]'' (1983)
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman Kids|Ultraman Kids]]'' (1986)
*''Ultra Monster Encyclopedia'' (1988-90)


===1990s===
===1990s===
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*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman Orb (series)| Ultraman Orb]]''
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman Orb (series)| Ultraman Orb]]''
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman Geed (series)|Ultraman Geed]]''
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman Geed (series)|Ultraman Geed]]''
==Kaiju Films==
===1960's===
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman: Monster Movie Feature|Ultraman]]'' (1967) [compilation film]
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman, Ultraseven: Great Violent Monster Fight|Ultraman ・ Ultra Seven: Giant Monster Extreme Battle]]'' (1969) [compilation film]
===1970's===
*''Return of Ultraman'' (1971) [compilation film]
*''Return of Ultraman: Terror of the Tornado Monster'' (1971) [compilation film]
*''[[Daigoro vs. Goliath]]'' (1972) [Toho co-production]
*''[[w:c:ultra:Jumborg Ace & Giant|Jamborg Ace and Giant]]'' (1974) [Chaiyo co-production]
*''[[w:c:ultra:The 6 Ultra Brothers vs. The Monster Army|Hanuman vs. 7 Ultraman]]'' (1974) [Chaiyo co-production]
*''[[The Last Dinosaur (1977 film)|The Last Dinosaur]]'' (1977) [Rankin/Bass co-production]
*''The Bermuda Depths'' (1978) [Rankin/Bass co-production]
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman (1979 film)|Director Akio Jissoji's Ultraman]]'' (1979) [compilation film]
*''Ultraman: Great Monster Battle'' (1979) [compilation film]
===1980's===
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman ZOFFY: Ultra Warriors vs. the Giant Monster Army|Ultraman Zoffy]]'' (1984)
*''Ultraman Kids: The Movie'' (1984)
*''Popular Monster's Parade'' (1984)
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman Story|Ultraman Story]]'' (1984)
*''Anime Chan'' (1984)
*''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman: The Adventure Begins|Ultraman: The Adventure Begins]]'' (1987)


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*Due to the studio's close ties to [[Toho]], numerous ''Ultraman'' episodes were directed by Toho staff. The most famous of these is the first episode of ''[[w:c:ultra:The Return of Ultraman|The Return of Ultraman]]'', ''All Monsters Attack''. This episode was directed by [[Ishiro Honda]], who was also famous for directing many of the [[Showa era]] Toho films.
*Eiji Tsuburaya's ties with Toho allowed props, suits, sound effects, and even footage from the studio's kaiju films to appear in ''[[w:c:ultra:Ultra Q|Ultra Q]]'' and ''[[w:c:ultra:Ultraman (series)|Ultraman]]''. [[MosuGoji|Godzilla]] became [[w:c:ultra:Gomess|Gomess]] and [[w:c:ultra:Jirass|Jirass]], [[Baragon]] became [[w:c:ultra:Pagos|Pagos]], [[w:c:ultra:Neronga|Neronga]], [[w:c:ultra:Magular|Magular]], and [[w:c:ultra:Gabora|Gabora]], [[Maguma]] became [[w:c:ultra:Todora|Todora]], the [[Giant Octopus]] became [[w:c:ultra:Sudar|Sudar]], [[King Kong]] became [[w:c:ultra:Goro|Goro]], and [[Manda]] became [[w:c:ultra:Kai Dragon|Kai Dragon]].
{{Stub}}
*Toho employees who worked on the early Ultra Series installments included [[Ishiro Honda]] (director of several ''Return of Ultraman'' episodes), [[Shinichi Sekizawa]] (writer of the pilot episode of ''Ultraman''), [[Kenji Sahara]] (Jun Manjome in ''Ultra Q''), and [[Akihiko Hirata]] (Chief Hanazawa in ''Ultra Q'', Professor Iwamoto in ''Ultraman'', and Staff Officer Yanagawa in ''Ultra Seven'').
==External Links==
==External Links==
*[https://www.youtube.com/user/tsuburaya Official YouTube Channel]
*[https://www.youtube.com/user/tsuburaya Official YouTube Channel]

Revision as of 13:38, 24 July 2017

Tsuburaya Productions' current logo

Tsuburaya Productions (円谷プロダクション,,   Tsuburaya Purodakushons) is a production company and special effects studio founded by tokusatsu pioneer Eiji Tsuburaya in 1963. It is most famous for creating the giant hero Ultraman in 1966.

History

Toho's renowned director of special effects, Eiji Tsuburaya, founded Tsuburaya Productions in 1963 as a means to achieve greater creative freedom. Drawing from both Tsuburaya's staff at Toho and other artists from across Japan, the company's first assignment was the 1963 Ishihara/Nikkatsu film Alone Across the Pacific. Its first in-house project was Ultra Q, a black-and-white science fiction TV series about a reporter and two pilots who investigate mysterious events, in 1966. Boasting special effects comparable to Toho and Daiei's kaiju films, it was a tremendous success, and guaranteed a follow-up. Later that year, Tsuburaya debuted the color series Ultraman, starring one of the first Kyodai (Giant) Heroes, to even greater ratings. Ultraman's formula of an alien warrior merging with a human host to defend the planet against kaiju and aliens would become the foundation for Tsuburaya's signature Ultra Series, which continues to this day.

Following Eiji Tsuburaya's death in 1970, his eldest son Hajime assumed control of the company. Tsuburaya Productions would remain a family business until 2007, when it was sold to TYO Inc. Today, Fields Corporation owns a 51% stake in Tsuburaya, with the other 49% is controlled by the toy company Bandai, whose Ultraman products have been prominently featured in every Ultra Series installment since Ultraman Ginga in 2013.

Kaiju Television Series

1960s

1970s

1980's

1990s

2000's

2010's

Kaiju Films

1960's

1970's

1980's

Trivia

External Links

Real World


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