Eiji Tsuburaya
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.
Known for
Visual EffectsBirthday
July 7, 1901Deathday
January 25, 1970Gender
MaleKnown Movie Credits
105Place of birth
日本,京都府Also known as
円谷英二, 特撮の神様, 쓰부라야 에이지, 圓谷英二, 円谷英一Cast credits
Crew credits
Frankenstein Conquers the World
Special Effects, Visual Effects DirectorAtragon
Special Effects CoordinatorGhidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
Special EffectsLatitude Zero
Production ManagerThe Last War
Special Effects CoordinatorThe Human Vapor
Special Effects, Visual Effects, Visual Effects DirectorAll Monsters Attack
Special EffectsHalf Human
Special Effects, Visual EffectsInvasion of Astro-Monster
Special Effects, Visual Effects, Visual Effects DirectorMothra vs. Godzilla
Special Effects, Visual EffectsGorath
Special Effects, Visual Effects Director, Visual EffectsColonel Kato's Falcon Squadron
Special EffectsSound of the Mountain
Special EffectsThe Invisible Man Appears
Special Effects Supervisor, Visual EffectsThe Mysterians
Special Effects, Visual EffectsThe Legend of the White Serpent
Special Effects SupervisorMatango
Special Effects Supervisor, Visual Effects, Special EffectsThe Lovers
Special EffectsChorus of a Million People
Director of PhotographyFarewell Rabaul
Special EffectsInvisible Man
Cinematography, Special Effects Supervisor, Visual Effects