Biography
Eiji Tsuburaya stands alongside Willis H. O'Brien and Ray Harryhausen as one of the foremost visionary special effects pioneers of twentieth-century fantasy cinema. Best known as the brilliant special effects mastermind behind the "Godzilla" monster film series beginning in 1954, he also contributed effects to numerous other Japanese monster, fantasy, science fiction, drama, and propaganda films over more than four decades.
From a young age, Eiji Tsuburaya showed a strong interest in cinema. It is said that at just ten years old, he acquired a second-hand movie projector, which he easily disassembled and reassembled. He started working as a cinematographer in Kyoto around 1919 and honed his camera skills throughout the 1920s, becoming highly sought after by studios for his keen eye for detail. By 1938, he was appointed head of Special Visual Techniques at Toho Studios. During World War II, he contributed to several Japanese propaganda films. After the war, he went freelance and in 1954 collaborated with director Ishirô Honda on the monster epic Gojira (1954), also known as "Godzilla." The film was a massive success in Japan, and additional footage featuring American actor Raymond Burr was added to appeal to Western audiences. Released in the USA as "Godzilla, King of the Monsters," it performed strongly at the box office. Godzilla has since appeared in over two dozen films spanning more than fifty years, becoming a major cultural icon in Japan.
The exceptionally talented Tsuburaya continued as the special effects director for many Japanese monster and science fiction classics, including Sora no daikiju Radon (1956) ("Rodan"), Bijo to ekitai ningen (1958) ("The H-Man"), Densô ningen (1960) ("The Telegian"), Mosura (1961) ("Mothra"), Kingu Kongu tai Gojira (1962) ("King Kong versus Godzilla"), Varan the Unbelievable (1962), Matango (1963), Furankenshutain tai chitei kaiju Baragon (1965) ("Frankenstein Conquers the World"), and Kaiju soshingeki (1968) ("Destroy All Monsters"). In 1963, he founded his own production company, Tsuburaya Productions, which created the hugely popular "Ultraman" character along with various TV shows and films.
On January 25, 1970, while vacationing in Shizuoka Prefecture, Tsuburaya suffered a sudden fatal heart attack. His remarkable film and special effects company remains active today, led by his grandson Kazuo Tsuburaya.
