Eiji Tsuburaya
Known For: Visual Effects
Gender: Male
Date of Birth: July 7, 1901
Day of Death: January 25, 1970 (69 years old)
Place of Birth: 日本,京都府
Eiji Tsuburaya ranks alongside Willis H. O'Brien and Ray Harryhausen as one of the great visionary SFX masters of twentieth-century fantasy cinema. Best remembered as the amazing special effects genius behind the "Godzilla" series of monster films commencing in 1954, he also contributed effects to a host of other Japanese monster / fantasy / science fiction / drama / propaganda films for over four decades. Eiji Tsuburaya had a keen interest in the cinema from a young age, and legend has it that he acquired a second-hand movie projector when he was only ten years old, and pulled it apart and put it back together with relative ease. He began work as a cinematographer in Kyoto around 1919 and then enhanced his skills to include camera work throughout the 1920s, at which time his eye for detail was in high demand from many studios. Around 1938, he became head of Special Visual Techniques at Toho Studios, and during the Second World War, he was involved in the production of several Japanese propaganda films. He went freelance after the war, and in 1954 he collaborated with director Ishirô Honda on the monster epic Gojira (1954) (aka "Godzilla"). The film was an enormous hit in Japan, and additional scenes were filmed with US actor Raymond Burr and then inserted strategically to give the movie western appeal. "Godzilla, King Of The Monsters" was then released in the USA to strong box office takings, and Godzilla has since appeared in over two dozen films spanning over fifty years, becoming a key cult icon of Japanese culture!! The incredibly talented Tsuburaya went on to be the SFX director behind dozens of Japanese monster & science fiction classics including Sora no daikiju Radon (1956) (aka "Rodan"), Bijo to ekitai ningen (1958) (aka "The H-Man"), Densô ningen (1960) (aka "The Telegian"), Mosura (1961) (aka "Mothra"), Kingu Kongu tai Gojira (1962) (aka "King Kong versus Godzilla"), Varan the Unbelievable (1962), Matango (1963), Furankenshutain tai chitei kaiju Baragon (1965) (aka "Frankenstein Conquers the World"), and Kaiju soshingeki (1968) (aka "Destroy All Monsters" ). Tsuburaya had also established his own production company in 1963 (Tsuburaya Productions), creators of the highly popular "Ultraman" character, and subsequent TV shows and films. On January 25, 1970, while vacationing in Shizuoka Prefecture, Tsuburaya suffered a sudden, fatal heart attack. His incredible film & SFX production company is still active today under the guidance of his grandson, Kazuo Tsuburaya.
2022
2020
2019
2017
1993
1979
1977
1972
1969
1968
1967
1966
1965
1964
1963
1962
1961
1960
1959
Special Effects Supervisor
The Adventures of Sun Wu Kung
Special Effects
The Three Treasures
Special Effects Supervisor
Submarine I-57 Will Not Surrender
Visual Effects
The Three Treasures
Visual Effects
Battle in Outer Space
Special Effects
Gigantis, the Fire Monster
Visual Effects
Gigantis, the Fire Monster
Special Effects
Battle in Outer Space
Visual Effects Director
Battle in Outer Space
1958
Special Effects
Song for a Bride
Visual Effects
Song for a Bride
Visual Effects
Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman
Visual Effects
The Tale of the White Serpent
Visual Effects
The H-Man
Visual Effects
Varan
Visual Effects
The Hidden Fortress
Special Effects
Varan
Special Effects
Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman
1957
Special Effects
The Mysterians
Visual Effects
Throne of Blood
Visual Effects
The Paradise Island Story
Visual Effects
The Mysterians
Visual Effects
Godzilla, the Monster of the Pacific Ocean
Story
Godzilla, the Monster of the Pacific Ocean
Special Effects
Godzilla, the Monster of the Pacific Ocean
Visual Effects
Rodan! The Flying Monster!
Visual Effects Director
Godzilla, the Monster of the Pacific Ocean
