Eiji Tsuburaya
Visual Effects
Born: July 7, 1901 · 日本,京都府
Died: January 25, 1970 (aged 68)
Highest Rated
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.
Known for
Godzilla
1954
Throne of Blood
1957
The Hidden Fortress
1958
King Kong vs. Godzilla
1962
Mothra vs. Godzilla
1964
Godzilla Raids Again
1955
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
1964
Godzilla, King of the Monsters!
1956
Destroy All Monsters
1968
King Kong vs. Godzilla
1963
The Sword of Doom
1966
Invasion of Astro-Monster
1965
Photos (1)
Movies (1)
Directing (1)
Writing (12)
Godzilla
Story
Shin Ultraman
Original Story
Ultraman Teo
Original Concept
Godzilla, King of the Monsters!
Story
Godzilla
Story
Godzilla, the Monster of the Pacific Ocean
Story
Dragon Force: So Long Ultraman
Original Concept
Ultraman - The Alien Invasion
Original Story
Monster SeaFood Wars
Original Story
Tokyo 1960
Story
Dragon Force: Rise of Ultraman
Original Concept
Ramayana
Screenplay
Producing (16)
Ultraman
Production Supervisor
Ultraman
Producer
Ultraseven
Production Supervisor
Ultraseven
Producer
Ultra Q
Production Supervisor
Ultra Q
Producer
Operation: Mystery
Producer
Operation: Mystery
Production Supervisor
Ultraman: Monster Movie Feature
Production Supervisor
Ultraman: Monster Movie Feature
Producer
Akio Jissoji's Ultraman
Executive Producer
Daigoro vs. Goliath
Producer
Ultraman, Ultraseven: Great Violent Monster Fight
Producer
Ultraman, Ultraseven: Great Violent Monster Fight
Production Supervisor
Ultraman: Terror on Route 87
Producer
Ultraman: Terror on Route 87
Production Supervisor
Other Crew (197)
Ultraman R/B
Creator
Godzilla
Visual Effects Director
Godzilla
Visual Effects
Godzilla
Special Effects
Neo Ultra Q
Creator
Throne of Blood
Visual Effects
Godzilla, King of the Monsters!
Visual Effects Director
Godzilla, King of the Monsters!
Special Effects
Godzilla, King of the Monsters!
Visual Effects
King Kong vs. Godzilla
Special Effects
King Kong vs. Godzilla
Visual Effects Director
King Kong vs. Godzilla
Visual Effects
The Hidden Fortress
Visual Effects
Son of Godzilla
Special Effects
Son of Godzilla
Special Effects Supervisor
Son of Godzilla
Visual Effects Supervisor
Invasion of Astro-Monster
Special Effects
Invasion of Astro-Monster
Visual Effects Director
Invasion of Astro-Monster
Visual Effects
The Sword of Doom
Special Effects
Mothra vs. Godzilla
Special Effects
Mothra vs. Godzilla
Visual Effects Director
Mothra vs. Godzilla
Visual Effects
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
Special Effects
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
Special Effects Supervisor
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
Visual Effects
Destroy All Monsters
Special Effects Supervisor
Godzilla Raids Again
Special Effects
Godzilla Raids Again
Visual Effects Director
Godzilla Raids Again
Visual Effects
Rodan
Visual Effects
Rodan
Visual Effects Director
Rodan
Special Effects
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
Special Effects
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
Visual Effects Director
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
Visual Effects
King Kong vs. Godzilla
Special Effects
King Kong vs. Godzilla
Visual Effects
King Kong vs. Godzilla
Visual Effects Director
Atragon
Special Effects Coordinator
All Monsters Attack
Special Effects Supervisor
All Monsters Attack
Special Effects
All Monsters Attack
Editorial Consultant
Mothra
Visual Effects
Mothra
Visual Effects Director
Mothra
Special Effects
King Kong Escapes
Visual Effects
King Kong Escapes
Special Effects
King Kong Escapes
Visual Effects Director
The Mysterians
Special Effects
The Mysterians
Visual Effects
The Mysterians
Visual Effects Director
Matango
Visual Effects
Matango
Special Effects
Matango
Visual Effects Director
The War of the Gargantuas
Visual Effects
The War of the Gargantuas
Visual Effects Director
The War of the Gargantuas
Special Effects
Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto
Visual Effects
The Tale of the White Serpent
Visual Effects
Latitude Zero
Special Effects
A Page of Madness
Assistant Camera
Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman
Visual Effects
Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman
Special Effects
Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman
Visual Effects Director
Frankenstein Conquers the World
Special Effects
Frankenstein Conquers the World
Visual Effects Director
Godzilla
Visual Effects Director
Godzilla
Special Effects
Godzilla
Visual Effects
Varan the Unbelievable
Visual Effects
Varan the Unbelievable
Special Effects
Mighty Jack
Creator
Space Amoeba
Special Effects Supervisor
Space Amoeba
Special Effects
Gorath
Special Effects
Gorath
Visual Effects Director
Gorath
Visual Effects
The Human Vapor
Special Effects
The Human Vapor
Visual Effects Director
The Human Vapor
Visual Effects
The H-Man
Visual Effects
Gigantis, the Fire Monster
Visual Effects
Gigantis, the Fire Monster
Special Effects
Gigantis, the Fire Monster
Visual Effects Director
Battle in Outer Space
Special Effects
Battle in Outer Space
Visual Effects Director
Battle in Outer Space
Visual Effects
Chûshingura
Special Effects
Godzilla, the Monster of the Pacific Ocean
Visual Effects
Godzilla, the Monster of the Pacific Ocean
Visual Effects Director
Godzilla, the Monster of the Pacific Ocean
Special Effects
Anatahan
Special Effects
Ultraman: Monster Movie Feature
Creator
The Legend of the White Serpent
Special Effects
The Legend of the White Serpent
Visual Effects
The Legend of the White Serpent
Visual Effects Director
The Three Treasures
Special Effects
The Three Treasures
Visual Effects
The Last War
Special Effects
The Last War
Visual Effects
The Last War
Visual Effects Director
Siege of Fort Bismarck
Special Effects
Siege of Fort Bismarck
Visual Effects
Siege of Fort Bismarck
Visual Effects Director
The Man Who Came to Port
Special Effects
The Storm of the Pacific
Special Effects
The Storm of the Pacific
Visual Effects
The Storm of the Pacific
Visual Effects Director
Dogora
Special Effects
Dogora
Visual Effects
Dogora
Visual Effects Director
Marital Relations
Visual Effects
Blood on the Sea
Special Effects
The Retreat from Kiska
Special Effects
Rodan! The Flying Monster
Special Effects
Rodan! The Flying Monster
Visual Effects Director
Sound of the Mountain
Special Effects
Colonel Kato's Falcon Squadron
Special Effects
Colonel Kato's Falcon Squadron
Visual Effects
Colonel Kato's Falcon Squadron
Visual Effects Director
Daredevil in the Castle
Special Effects Supervisor
Bloodthirsty Hawk
Special Effects
Lord for a Night
Special Effects
Valley of the Dragons
Special Effects
The Secret of the Telegian
Visual Effects
The Secret of the Telegian
Visual Effects Director
The Secret of the Telegian
Special Effects
Invisible Man
Director of Photography
Invisible Man
Special Effects
Invisible Man
Visual Effects Director
Farewell Rabaul
Special Effects
The Lady of Musashino
Visual Effects
Varan
Visual Effects
Varan
Special Effects
Varan
Visual Effects Director
The Birth of Ultraman
Creator
Beast Man Snow Man
Special Effects
Beast Man Snow Man
Visual Effects Director
Beast Man Snow Man
Visual Effects
Whirlwind
Special Effects Supervisor
Tokyo 1960
Special Effects
Tokyo 1960
Visual Effects
Tokyo 1960
Visual Effects Director
The Eagle of the Pacific
Special Effects
The Eagle of the Pacific
Visual Effects
The Eagle of the Pacific
Visual Effects Director
Katango's War
Special Effects
Wings of Victory
Special Effects
Wings of Victory
Visual Effects
Wings of Victory
Visual Effects Director
Ultraman, Ultraseven: Great Violent Monster Fight
Creator
The Invisible Man Appears
Visual Effects
The Invisible Man Appears
Special Effects
The Invisible Man Appears
Visual Effects Director
Chorus of a Million People
Director of Photography
Motta, the Flying Dracula Monster
Special Effects
The War at Sea from Hawaii to Malaya
Special Effects
The War at Sea from Hawaii to Malaya
Visual Effects
The War at Sea from Hawaii to Malaya
Visual Effects Director
A Thousand and One Nights with Toho
Special Effects Supervisor
The Lovers
Special Effects
Do Your Best! Godzilla
Special Effects
The Adventures of Sun Wu Kung
Special Effects Supervisor
Escape at Dawn
Special Effects
The Burning Sky
Visual Effects
The Burning Sky
Special Effects
The Burning Sky
Visual Effects Director
Crazy Big Explosion
Special Effects
Crazy Big Explosion
Visual Effects
Submarine I-57 Will Not Surrender
Special Effects Supervisor
Ultraman: Terror on Route 87
Creator
Pure Love
Special Effects Technician
Sinbad, Alibaba and Aladdin
Special Effects
World of Love
Special Effects
A Descendant of Urashima Taro
Special Effects
Tiger Flight
Special Effects
Hyoroku's Dream Tale
Special Effects
White-haired Demon
Special Effects
Castle of Wind and Clouds
Director of Photography
The Skin of the South
Special Effects
Until Victory Day
Special Effects
Song for a Bride
Special Effects
Song for a Bride
Visual Effects
Hanakurabe tanuki-den
Special Effects
Searing Wind
Special Effects
Five Tokyo Men
Special Effects
音楽大進軍
Special Effects
Ramayana
Special Effects
Reimei izen
Cinematography
Bouquet of the South Seas
VFX Director of Photography
Silver Wheel
Special Effects
Zero Fighter
Special Effects
The Paradise Island Story
Visual Effects
The Crazy Adventure
Special Effects
Brilliant! The First Detective: Zenigata Heiji in His Youth
Visual Effects
Kaguya Hime
Director of Photography