Eiji Tsuburaya Photo

Eiji Tsuburaya

Visual Effects

2.0 Popularity Jul 07, 1901 (68 years old) 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 ...

Biography

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.

Filmography 209

2022
Shin Ultraman Movie

Original Story

2020
Monster SeaFood Wars Movie

Original Story

2019
Dragon Force: Rise of Ultraman Movie

Original Concept

2018
Ultraman R/B TV

Creator

2017
Dragon Force: So Long Ultraman Movie

Original Concept

2013
Neo Ultra Q TV

Creator

1993
Ultraman - The Alien Invasion Movie

Original Story

1979
Akio Jissoji's Ultraman Movie

Executive Producer

1977
Godzilla Movie

Visual Effects Director

1977
Godzilla Movie

Special Effects

1977
Godzilla Movie

Story

1977
Godzilla Movie

Visual Effects

1972
Daigoro vs. Goliath Movie

Producer

1970
Space Amoeba Movie

Special Effects

1970
Space Amoeba Movie

Special Effects Supervisor

1969
All Monsters Attack Movie

Special Effects Supervisor

1969
All Monsters Attack Movie

Special Effects

1969
All Monsters Attack Movie

Editorial Consultant

1969
Latitude Zero Movie

Production Manager

1969
Crazy Big Explosion Movie

Special Effects

Photos 1

Eiji Tsuburaya Photo

Personal Details

Known For Visual Effects
Gender Not specified
Birthday July 07, 1901 (68 years old)
Died January 25, 1970
Place of Birth 日本,京都府
Also Known As 特撮の神様, 쓰부라야 에이지, 圓谷英二 and 7 more
Years Active 1926 - 2022
Popularity 2.0
Career Stats
209 Total Credits
1 Movie Roles
1 Photos