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Atragon
is a 1963 Japanese tokusatsu science fiction film produced and distributed by Toho. It is based on ''The Undersea Warship: A Fantastic Tale of Island Adventure'' by Shunrō Oshikawa and ''The Undersea Kingdom'' by Shigeru Komatsuzaki. The film is directed by Ishirō Honda, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya and stars Jun Tazaki, Tadao Takashima, Yōko Fujiyama, Yū Fujiki, and Ken Uehara. The film was released in Japan on December 22, 1963, and in the United States in 1965 via American International Pictures. A two-episode anime OVA titled ''Super Atragon'', based on the same novels, was produced by Phoenix Entertainment in 1995. Plot The legendary empire of the lost continent of Mu reappears to threaten the world with domination. While countries unite to resist, an isolated World War II captain has created the greatest warship ever seen, and possibly the surface world's only defense. While on a magazine photo shoot one night, photographers Susumu and Yoshito witness a car ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Atragon Rising
is a 1963 Japanese tokusatsu science fiction film produced and distributed by Toho. It is based on ''The Undersea Warship: A Fantastic Tale of Island Adventure'' by Shunrō Oshikawa and ''The Undersea Kingdom'' by Shigeru Komatsuzaki. The film is directed by Ishirō Honda, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya and stars Jun Tazaki, Tadao Takashima, Yōko Fujiyama, Yū Fujiki, and Ken Uehara. The film was released in Japan on December 22, 1963, and in the United States in 1965 via American International Pictures. A two-episode anime OVA titled ''Super Atragon'', based on the same novels, was produced by Phoenix Entertainment in 1995. Plot The legendary empire of the lost continent of Mu reappears to threaten the world with domination. While countries unite to resist, an isolated World War II captain has created the greatest warship ever seen, and possibly the surface world's only defense. While on a magazine photo shoot one night, photographers Susumu and Yoshito witness a car ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Manda (kaiju)
is a fictional monster, or ''kaiju'', which first appeared in Ishirō Honda's 1963 film ''Atragon'', produced and distributed by Toho. Manda is based on a Japanese dragon, and is depicted as a giant sea-dwelling serpent which can survive on land. Manda's roars were created through recordings of lions bellowing. Overview Manda is a giant sea dragon about 150 meters (492.126 feet) long and weighs 30,000 metric tons (33069.339 short tons) in the Shōwa period, and 300 meters (984.252 feet) long & weighs 60,000 metric tons (66138.679 short tons) in '' Godzilla: Final Wars''. Most of Manda’s designs for its appearances are based on a Japanese dragon, except for the ‘Second Generation’ individual seen in ''Destroy All Monsters'', who lacks a mane, horns and whiskers, looking more serpentine as a result. Shōwa period In ''Atragon'', Manda is a sea-dwelling dragon that is the guardian of Mu, an underwater kingdom. Manda is one of the primary antagonists along with the Empress. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shunrō Oshikawa
was a Japanese author, journalist and editor, best known as a pioneer of science fiction. Education and early career While studying law at Tōkyō Senmon Gakkō (present day Waseda University) at the turn of the century, Oshikawa published ''Kaitō Bōken Kidan: Kaitei Gunkan'' (海島冒険奇譚 海底軍艦 lit. "Undersea Warship: A Fantastic Tale of Island Adventure"), the story of an armoured, ram-armed submarine in a future history of war between Japan and Russia. The novel reflects the imperialist ambitions of Japan at the time, and foreshadowed the Russo-Japanese War that followed in 1904, driven by much the same motivation. Oshikawa's father was Masayoshi Oshikawa, evangelist, political activist and founder and first president of Tohoku Gakuin University and his brother was Kiyoshi Oshikawa, founder of the first professional baseball team in Japan. While at Waseda, Oshikawa played on the baseball team under Abe Isoo, along with his brother. He wrote a prologue for a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jun Tazaki
, born Minoru Tanaka, was a Japanese actor best known for his various roles in kaiju films produced by Toho, often portraying scientists or military personnel. Career Tanaka began his career as a traveling stage actor in the 1930s, performing under both his birth name and various stage names. In 1950, he changed his name to Jun Tazaki when he appeared in Shintoho's film ''Sasameyuki''. After initially holding only small film roles, Tazaki gradually gained popularity and began playing larger roles in films produced by Toho in the 1960s. Akira Kurosawa frequently cast Tazaki in his films, but Ishirō Honda also considered him a favorite. Toho's science fiction films, particularly those directed by Honda, featured him throughout the 1960s as an authority figure with a moustache. As well as playing stern but benevolent father figures, Tazaki played villains with a ruthless streak. His defining role came in Honda's ''Atragon'', in which he portrayed the embittered World War II ve ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tadao Takashima
(27 July 1930 – 26 June 2019) was a Japanese actor and jazz musician. He appeared in more than 100 films, including the Toho productions ''King Kong vs. Godzilla'', ''Atragon'', and '' Frankenstein vs. Baragon''. He also performed in stage musicals such as ''My Fair Lady'' and appeared in several television shows. Career Takashima began participating in a jazz band while a student at Kwansei Gakuin University. He left the university before graduating when he joined the Shintoho studio, debuting as an actor in 1952. He starred in the 1962 film ''King Kong vs. Godzilla'' alongside Yū Fujiki, and subsequently acted with Fujiki in several comedy films about salarymen, which were popular in Japan at that time. Takashima also appeared in ''Son of Godzilla'' and '' Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II''. He gained popularity as a romantic lead who could also sing, which led to roles in stage musicals, including the role of Professor Henry Higgins in a 1963 production of ''My Fair Lady' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ishirō Honda
was a Japanese filmmaker who directed 44 feature films in a career spanning 59 years. The most internationally successful Japanese filmmaker prior to Hayao Miyazaki, his films have had a significant influence on the film industry. Honda entered the Japanese film industry in 1934, working as the third assistant director on Sotoji Kimura's ''The Elderly Commoner's Life Study''. After 15 years of working on numerous films as an assistant director, he made his directorial debut with the short documentary film ''Ise-Shima'' (1949). Honda's first feature film, ''Aoi Shinju, The Blue Pearl'' (1952), was a critical success in Japan at the time and would lead him to direct three subsequent drama films. In 1954, Honda directed and co-wrote ''Godzilla (1954 film), Godzilla'', which became a box office success in Japan, and was nominated for two Japanese Movie Association awards. Because of the film's commercial success in Japan, it spawned a Godzilla (franchise), multimedia franchise, re ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eiji Tsuburaya
was a Japanese special effects director and cinematographer. Known as the he worked on 250 feature films in a career spanning 50 years. He is regarded as one of the co-creators of the ''Godzilla'' series, as well as the main creator of the ''Ultra'' series. During his rise to post-war fame in the wake of ''Godzilla'' (1954), it was widely reported that Tsuburaya was born on July 7, which is the high day of Tanabata (star festival), a sign of good fortune. Biography 1901–1919: Early life Tsuburaya was born on July 7, 1901, in Sukagawa, Iwase, Fukushima Prefecture (present-day Sukagawa, Fukushima), to a merchant family that manufactured malted rice. He was the first son of Isamu and Sei Tsumuraya, with a large extended family. He described his childhood as filled with "mixed emotions." When he was three, his mother died, at the age of 19, after giving birth to her second son. His father, who had been adopted into the family through marriage, subsequently left the family, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kenji Sahara
Kenji Sahara (佐原 健二 ''Sahara Kenji'') (born 14 May 1932) is a Japanese actor. He was born in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa. His birth name is Masayoshi Kato (加藤 正好 ''Katō Masayoshi''). Initially he used the name Tadashi Ishihara before changing it when he secured the lead role in ''Rodan'' (1956). Selected filmography Sahara did a lot of work for the Toho Company, the studio that so far has produced 28 ''Godzilla'' movies. He appeared in more of the ''Godzilla'' series than any other actor. Also, he is the actor who was often relied on in most of the films by Directors Ishiro Honda and Eiji Tsuburaya. He has appeared in many supporting roles. Sahara is famous as a mainstay of Toho special-effects movies and the ''Ultraman'' series. * '' Farewell Rabaul'' (1954) * ''Godzilla'' (1954) – as Young Lover on the Sound * '' Yuki No Koi'' (1955) – (credited as Tadashi Ishihara) * ''Seifuku No Otome Tachi'' (1955) – as Hideya Fujiwara (credited as Tadashi Ishihara) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tomoyuki Tanaka
was a Japanese film producer. He is best known for co-creating the ''Godzilla'' franchise and its associated spin-offs. Early life Tanaka was born on April 26, 1910, in Kashiwara, Osaka. As a child, he would often walk miles to the nearest theater to watch silent adventure and ninja films in the afternoons. At the age of 14, Tanaka saw the silent Western film ''The Covered Wagon'' and was so enamored by its cinematography that it remained his all-time favorite film. In his youth, Tanaka was once disowned by his parents because he focused more on his interests, films and acting, than on his studies. Career Soon after graduating from Kansai University in 1940, Tanaka joined Taisho Studios which merged with Toho Studios in 1941. After four years with the company, he began producing his own films, and his first effort, '' Three Women of the North'', was released in 1945. In his 60-year career with Toho, Tanaka produced more than 200 films. He is best known as the creator, wit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
American International Pictures
American International Pictures (AIP) is an American motion picture production label of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In its original operating period, AIP was an independent film production and distribution company known for producing and releasing films from 1955 until 1980, a year after its acquisition by Filmways in 1979. It was formed on April 2, 1954 as American Releasing Corporation (ARC) by former Realart Pictures Inc. sales manager James H. Nicholson and entertainment lawyer Samuel Z. Arkoff and their first release was the 1953 UK documentary film ''Operation Malaya''. It was dedicated to releasing low-budget films packaged as double features, primarily of interest to the teenagers of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. The company eventually became a part of Orion Pictures, which in turn, became a division of MGM. On October 7, 2020, four decades after the original closure, MGM revived AIP as a label for acquired films for digital and theatrical releases, with MGM overseeing ac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ken Uehara
was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1935 and 1990. He starred in ''Entotsu no mieru basho'', which was entered in the 3rd Berlin International Film Festival. His son is the singer and actor Yūzō Kayama. Selected filmography * ''Mr. Thank You'' (1936) * '' What Did the Lady Forget?'' (1937) * ''The Munekata Sisters'' (1950) * '' Repast'' (1951) * ''Entotsu no mieru basho'' (1953) * '' Husband and Wife'' (1953) * ''Sound of the Mountain'' (1954) * ''Late Chrysanthemums'' (1954) * '' Untamed'' (1957) * ''A Rainbow Plays in My Heart'' (1957) * (1958) * ''Daughters, Wives and a Mother'' (1960) * ''Mothra'' (1961) * '' Chūshingura: Hana no Maki, Yuki no Maki'' (1962) * ''Gorath'' (1962) * ''Atragon'' (1963) * ''Shin Hissatsu Shiokinin'' (1977, TV) * ''Edo no Kaze'' (1980, TV) * ''The Girl Who Leapt Through Time'' (1983) * ''Film Actress'' (1987), Himself * ''Choujinki Metalder is the sixth and shortest entry of the Metal Hero Series franch ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hiroshi Koizumi
(12 August 1926 – 31 May 2015) was a Japanese actor, best known for his starring role in the 1955 film ''Godzilla Raids Again'' as well as other Toho Studios monster movies. He was born in Japan. He is a graduate of Keio University in Tokyo. In a 1999 interview with Steve Ryfle, Koizumi laments that while he stated he has easy parts to play, he felt he could have done more in his performances. Despite his roles where he usually plays a scientist, he plays a powerful role in ''Late Chrysanthemums'', playing a young man that married an older wealthy woman to escape from the slums. On 31 May 2015, Koizumi died at a hospital in Tokyo from pneumonia at the age of 88. Filmography Film * ''Seishun kaigi'' (1952) - Shôgo Murase * ''Rakki-san'' (1952) * ''Kin no tamago: Golden girl'' (1952) * ''Wakai hito'' (1952) * ''Tôkyô no koibito'' (1952) - Shôtarô * ''Kekkon annai'' (1952) * ''Minato e kita otoko'' (1952) - Shingo Nishizawa * ''Itou shain-santô jyûyaku kyodaihen'' (1953) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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