DEEP DIVE: Godzilla (1985) Redacted?

The cover of the script for the Toho-produced PR film The Sea, Wings, and Tomorrow (1977).

For those interested in the history of the cooperation between Toho and the Japan Self-Defense Forces, one of the most intriguing examples is The Sea, Wings, and Tomorrow (1977), a 26-minute Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force PR film produced by Toho Eizo Co., Ltd. (It should be noted that the script is dated 1976, but most sources state the movie is a 1977 production.)

The Sea, Wings, and Tomorrow was directed by Hideyuki Inoue (born on September 4, 1947), who joined Toho in 1969. Prior to helming this film, Mr. Inoue worked as an assistant director on Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973) and went on to work as chief assistant director under Masato Harada on Gunhed (1989) and Kazuki Omori on Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989). 

The SFX, to the extent there are any, were directed by Teruyoshi Nakano, the longtime special effects director at the studio. In addition, the music was composed by Akira Ifukube ... well, sort of. The music is all stock music, just like in Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972). Some of the stock cues heard in the film are the Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965) march (which was also used in Gigan), the Monster Zero (1965) march, and a few others.

So what does this have to do with the Godzilla series? Several shots from this movie were used as stock footage in Godzilla 1985 (1984) during the scene in which the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is searching for Godzilla. While researching this topic, I also discovered on Japanese Wikipedia that stock footage was also used in Godzilla vs. Biollante during the Uraga Channel scene. 

I saw the film in June 2020 at a fan gathering shortly after actor Shigeo Kato passed away. In the film, Mr. Kato plays the part of a fisherman thrown overboard during a storm, who gets rescued by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, so this rarity was shown in honor of his life and career.

Most of the movie plays more like an NHK documentary than a scripted drama. It's really not flashy or exciting -- except during the sea rescue scene with Mr. Kato. 

So there you have it. Another piece of the puzzle in the history of Toho's working relationship with the Japan Self-Defense Forces.

Sadao Iizuka, the Animator of Godzilla's Ray, Passes Away at 88

Sadao Iizuka in May 2019. Photo by Brett Homenick.

 

The Anime Tokusatsu Archive Centre (ATAC) has announced today that legendary tokusatsu animator Sadao Iizuka, who animated the beams of Godzilla, King Ghidorah, and Ultraman during the 1960s, passed away on March 24 at 9:10 a.m. due to aspiration pneumonia after being hospitalized in January. He was 88. The news was confirmed by Mr. Iizuka's friend and manager Tabata Kei.

Mr. Iizuka was born on December 26, 1934, and went on to join Toho as a part-time employee in 1954 and worked on Godzilla (1954) in the tokusatsu art department. He would also work on the productions of Godzilla Raids Again (1955), Half Human (1955), and Rodan (1956) in similar capacities until being recruited by Eiji Tsuburaya to work on optical effects for The Mysterians (1957).

Sadao Iizuka in February 2018. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Mr. Iizuka would work tirelessly throughout the 1960s on a variety of effects, including the stop-motion animation used in King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) and the animation used to depict the fiery birth of King Ghidorah in Ghidrah the Three-Headed Monster (1964). 

Sadao Iizuka in December 2021. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Mr. Iizuka's beam effects for Godzilla, King Ghidorah, and Ultraman would help define Showa-era tokusatsu, but by the end of the '60s he would go leave Toho and eventually start his own company, Den Film Effect. (Mr. Iizuka's longtime nickname was Den-san.)

Sadao Iizuka with Toho SFX director Teruyoshi Nakano in March 2016. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I was privileged to interview Mr. Iizuka twice about his career in his home. It was only intended to be one session, but Mr. Iizuka had so much to say that we scheduled a second session for a couple of weeks later. Those interviews can be found here and here.

Sadao Iizuka draws Godzilla's beam in December 2021. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Mr. Iizuka was certainly outspoken about his true feelings and opinions, rarely holding back when you asked him what he thought about something. That quality made him one of the more endearing guests you would meet at such events.

Sadao Iizuka in between Tsuburaya Productions director Toshihiro Iijima (left) and kaiju suitmaker Keizo Murase in March 2016. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I first met him in August 2015, and he became one of my favorite folks to meet at events. Even then, he was one of the last remaining individuals who had worked on the original Godzilla and had many memories of working with Eiji Tsuburaya.

Sadao Iizuka poses with Toho SFX director Eiichi Asada in December 2022. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Pre-COVID, he always seemed in great health, especially for his age, and that seemed to be the case when I interviewed him in December 2020 and January 2021. However, when I met him again at an event on December 26, 2021, he seemed noticeably more frail. He seemed the same the last time I would ever see him, Christmas Day 2022. He was scheduled to attend another event in January, which was canceled due to his poor health. 

With Sadao Iizuka in December 2022.

Rest in peace, Iizuka-san.

UPDATE: I'd also like to mention that I was proud that this photo I took was used on Mr. Iizuka's official website for years.

It was truly an honor.

DEEP DIVE: Did Teruyoshi Nakano Work on the Bloodthirsty Series?

Teruyoshi Nakano in May 2017. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I was browsing Wikizilla the other day and noticed that one of the editors removed the Bloodthirsty trilogy -- consisting of The Vampire Doll (1970), Lake of Dracula (1971), and Evil of Dracula (1974), all of which were directed by Michio Yamamoto -- from Toho special effects director Teruyoshi Nakano's filmography, due to a lack of proper citation.

I thought that was rather interesting, as I didn't realize Nakano-san's involvement was that poorly documented. But it did remind me of the time I asked Nakano-san about it in person. Thankfully, I took contemporaneous notes of his comments, and, after doing some digging for them, I finally found them and had a chance to look at them for the first time in a long time.

My notes are below, slightly edited for clarity:

5/27/2017 - Teruyoshi Nakano worked on the Bloodthirsty trilogy for free and no credit because he was friends with Fumio Tanaka. 

Fumio Tanaka, of course, produced the Bloodthirsty trilogy. And there you have it, straight from the source.

Vantage Point Interviews Hosted on 'The Monster Report'!

Check out my recent appearance on The Monster Report, hosted by Nick Adam. The subject of the conversation is the late tokusatsu director Teruyoshi Nakano. Many thanks to Nick for having me on. Enjoy the show!

A Special Tribute to Teruyoshi Nakano

Stephen Mark Rainey with Teruyoshi Nakano in July 2004. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Horror fiction author and longtime Godzilla fan Stephen Mark Rainey has penned a tribute to the late Toho SFX director Teruyoshi Nakano. It's well worth checking out, so I would encourage you to head on over to his blog to read it.

The passing of Nakano-san seems to have hit many Godzilla quite hard, so seeing the outpouring of love has softened the blow a bit. I'm glad his work has meant so much to so many others.

Former Godzilla Series SFX Director Teruyoshi Nakano Passes Away at Age 86

Teruyoshi Nakano in August 2017. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The Japanese news media are reporting that longtime Toho special effects director Teruyoshi Nakano passed away on June 27 of sepsis. He was 86.

Teruyoshi Nakano with director Kazuki Omori in October 2017. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

Born in what is now Dandong, China, on October 9, 1935, Mr. Nakano repatriated to Japan shortly after the war and attended Nihon University College of Art's film department. He later joined Toho in 1959, intending to become a film director. However, he was moved over to the tokusatsu side of filmmaking and quickly moved up the ranks, becoming chief assistant director under Eiji Tsuburaya by 1963.

SFX directors Teruyoshi Nakano and Eiichi Asada team up to sing "Godzilla and Jet Jaguar: Punch! Punch! Punch!" from Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973) in October 2015. Photo by Brett Homenick.

In 1969, Mr. Nakano would serve as special effects director on his first film, The Crazy Cats’ Big Explosion. Mr. Nakano would direct the special effects on every Godzilla film between Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster (1971) and Godzilla 1985 (1984). He earned critical acclaim for his special effects work in Submersion of Japan (1973).

Teruyoshi Nakano poses with the posters of two of his most famous works in April 2015. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I really can't find the words to express what a devastating loss this is. It might even be possible to say I've visited him in the last 10 years more than any other Toho figure. He was always very approachable and friendly at any gathering he attended.

Teruyoshi Nakano strikes a familiar pose in June 2017. Photo by Brett Homenick.

While he started using a cane in recent years, he still seemed completely healthy, especially for a gentleman his age. That all seemed to change this year. Earlier this year, one of my Japanese friends showed me a photo taken of Mr. Nakano in his hospital bed.

Two heroes for the price of one: Teruyoshi Nakano in August 2017. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Apparently, he had just spent about a month there but had recently been discharged. Despite the shocking photo, I was assured that he was doing much better, so there was no need to worry. But I did.

Teruyoshi Nakano poses for a photo at a memorial event for Koichi Kawakita at Toho Studios in February 2015. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I wanted to believe it, but I couldn't. And now I know there was good reason not to believe it. I'll really miss Mr. Nakano's presence at future events. I tried my best to interview him in recent years, but he told me that he wanted to wait until after COVID to do it.

Teruyoshi Nakano plays around with his old colleague Zone Fighter in September 2017. Photo by Brett Homenick.

While I had the privilege of interviewing him twice in 2004 (which, strangely, I believe turned out to be his final appearance in the U.S.), I felt those interviews never did Mr. Nakano justice and wanted to do something much more in-depth. I wish it could have worked out.

Teruyoshi Nakano, Takashi Naganuma, and director Kensho Yamashita pose with a poster for Battle of Okinawa (1971) in July 2016. Photo by Brett Homenick.

There's so much to say, but I'll end with this. A few years ago, as Nakano-san and I were posing for a photo, we shook hands, and he said (in English), "Family." That's certainly how I felt.

Rest in peace, Mr. Nakano. Thank you so much for your work, your time, and your kindness.

Shibuya Parco Pays Tribute to Hedorah on His 50th Anniversary!

Signage welcoming you to Shibuya Parco's Hedorah 50th anniversary exhibit. Photo by Brett Homenick.

From November 12 until November 23, Shibuya Parco's Gallery X is hosting a special 50th anniversary salute to Hedorah. Shibuya Parco and a pollution monster seem like an odd pairing, but it works for me, especially because the highlight was the diorama of Hedorah filming suit from Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) -- complete with psychedelic lighting.

Another cool aspect was seeing a bevy of production stills on display, many of which showed Yoshimitsu Banno directing a variety of scenes. Most of these shots were new to me, but, unfortunately, photography of these stills was not allowed. There's also a gift shop with some Hedorah goods, but I kept my wallet closed this time. After, the GFW Hedorah suit was the main attraction for me. Anyway, here's what I saw.

DEEP DIVE: Did Tomoyuki Tanaka Tell Yoshimitsu Banno He 'Ruined' Godzilla?

Yoshimitsu Banno in July 2016. Photo by Brett Homenick.

It's a story that just won't go away. For decades, it's been repeated countless times that, during the production of Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster (1971), producer Tomoyuki Tanaka, furious at Godzilla's flying scene, told writer-director Yoshimitsu Banno that he "ruined" Godzilla. 

But is that how it really happened? The yarn still gets spun to this day, but sources are rarely cited. In order to shed some much-needed light on this situation, let's take a look at what Yoshimitsu Banno and special effects director Teruyoshi Nakano have actually said about it. 

In an unpublished manuscript about his film career that Banno sent to me in November 2012, he described Tanaka's reaction after seeing Smog Monster in Japanese:

「ゴジラ対ヘドラ」の完成試写会が終わってから病院を出てこられた田中プロデューサーは、作品を観た後、私に向って不機嫌な顔で一言。「性格を変えられては困るんだよな」

In the English-language version of the manuscript Banno sent me to proofread, Banno described Tanaka's reaction this way (which is presented exactly as Banno sent it to me in November 2012):

Tanaka producer who came out the hospital after the completion film preview of “Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster” told me with an ill-humored face, "It is no good to change the character."

Banno has consistently told the story this way since I first met and interviewed him in July 2005. I've never heard or read Banno tell the story any other way, except when other Americans have purportedly quoted him on the matter. 

In my July 2005 interview with him, Banno states that he was unaware Tanaka was supposedly angry over the situation until he read about it in a book sometime after Tanaka's passing in 1997. 

According to another account recently told online, Tanaka was more upset at Banno for going around him to get approval for Godzilla's flying scene than he was over the flying scene itself, but, as demonstrated by the quotes above, this version is also false.

In 1978, Banno became director of Toho Eizo's planning section. In 1989, he became managing director of Toho Eizo Bijutsu, retiring from that position in 1994. Suffice it to say, this seems like an unusual career trajectory for someone who "ruined" one of Toho's most profitable franchises and was on the outs with a powerful producer like Tomoyuki Tanaka. 

Teruyoshi Nakano in June 2015. Photo by Brett Homenick.

We can safely rule out Banno as the source of the oft-repeated anecdote that he was told he "ruined" Godzilla. But I have also read that, while Banno himself may not have said it, SFX director Teruyoshi Nakano has been quoted as saying that Tanaka was angry and told Banno that Banno did indeed ruin Godzilla. 

On the evening of October 9, I was privileged to spend an evening with Mr. Nakano on his birthday. During the evening, I had an opportunity to ask him about the Smog Monster controversy. I made sure to specify the two different accounts that have been told and asked him which one was correct. Mr. Nakano recounted his memory of the events, which matched Banno's version completely. Mr. Nakano went even further to suggest that newspapers may have exaggerated the story.

Given all the above, it is more than a little difficult to believe that Tanaka furiously told Banno he ruined Godzilla. We may never know exactly what happened after Tomoyuki Tanaka saw Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster. But, when two of the principals directly involved corroborate each other, you have to lend that version some credence. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TERUYOSHI NAKANO! The SFX Legend Turns 86!

Saturday, October 9, marked former Toho SFX director Teruyoshi Nakano's birthday, and on the day of his birthday a special party was held for the director, which included two of his former Toho colleagues. In the above picture, Nakano-san uses a fan to "blow out" the candles on his birthday cake.

One of the birthday cakes made for Nakano-san on his special day.

Another birthday cake made for the legendary SFX director.

Teruyoshi Nakano on his 86th birthday.

Posing with Nakano-san on his special day.

Former Toho SFX crew member Takashi Naganuma.

Yours truly with Naganuma-san.

Former Toho SFX director Eiichi Asada.

Yours truly with Asada-san.

Asada-san watches as Nakano-san open his birthday present.

It was truly a special night with many special people. I've attended several birthday parties for Nakano-san (dating back to 2012), but this was made extra special due to the fact that it took place on his actual birthday. What an evening it was.

Happy birthday, Nakano-san!

Tadaaki Watanabe, Toho's Gunpowder Guru, Passes Away at 81

Tadaaki Watanabe in April 2015. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Veteran Toho special effects crew member Tadaaki Watanabe passed away on September 16 after a long illness. He was 81. Mr. Watanabe, known affectionately as Nabe-san to his colleagues, was born on August 9, 1940, in Fukushima Prefecture. As a 14-year-old boy, he was impressed by Godzilla (1954) and would eventually join Toho in 1959.

Tadaaki Watanabe holds a photo of himself in the Angilas suit on the set of Destroy All Monsters (1968). Photo by Brett Homenick.

In the beginning of his career, Mr. Watanabe wanted to become a cameraman, but due to his background in pyrotechnics, he ultimately would work on the special effects side of films, specializing in explosions. His first works at Toho were the all-star epic The Three Treasures (1959) and the war film Submarine I-57 Will Not Surrender (1959). Mr. Watanabe would work continuously on Toho tokusatsu films all the way through Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000). 

SFX director Teruyoshi Nakano (left) and Tadaaki Watanabe. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Mr. Watanabe would even don the Angilas suit for Destroy All Monsters (1968) during the climactic kaiju battle in the shadow of Mount Fuji. However, there is some dispute about whether he actually appears in the film as Angilas. According to special effects director Teruyoshi Nakano, Mr. Watanabe wouldn't have appeared in the film as a suit actor because he wasn't a professional in that capacity; he simply would have been a stand-in who wore the suit during a camera test.

For what it's worth, though, Mr. Watanabe's Japanese Wikipedia page does mention that he plays Angilas in some scenes in the movie, and it should be noted that Mr. Nakano doesn't have any firsthand knowledge about whether Mr. Watanabe wore the Angilas suit at any point in the film.

I was lucky enough to meet Mr. Watanabe in April 2015, an event which Mr. Nakano joined. Mr. Watanabe, like most Toho tokusatsu veterans was quite friendly, and I was quite surprised that he never turned up at another event. I'd been pursuing an interview with him for a while but was told that he was unavailable to his illness. 

Rest in peace, Mr. Watanabe.

Tokusatsu Nights in June!

Between Teruyoshi Nakano and Takashi Naganuma.

On Saturday, June 26, I attended another special event with Teruyoshi Nakano and Takashi Naganuma.

 I think you know the drill by now, so I'll leave it there. It was a nice time!

Tokusatsu Time!

Teruyoshi Nakano. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Last night, I attended a special event with former Toho SFX director Teruyoshi Nakano and Toho SFX technician Takashi Naganuma. As always, it was a great event.

Given the Japanese government slow rollout of the vaccines, extra safety precautions were exercised. Hopefully, once the government finally gets its act together, things can start returning to normal.

But the camaraderie was just as good as always. I feel fortunate that these get-togethers can still happen at all, given the situation. Let's hope they can continue!