Takehiro Murata in July 2023. Photo © Brett Homenick. Born on March 18, 1960, Takehiro Murata became an actor at an early age and would go on to star in movies for some of Japan's most successful directors. In the U.S., Mr. Murata is most famous for his various turns in the Godzilla series. His … Continue reading GODZILLA’S MILLENNIUM MAN! Actor Takehiro Murata on His Memorable Roles in the Godzilla Series!
Godzilla vs. Mothra
GODZILLA IN FOCUS! Tokusatsu Cinematographer Keiichi Sakurai on Toho’s Biggest Kaiju Movies!
Keiichi Sakurai in April 2022. Photo © Brett Homenick. Born on May 9, 1950, Keiichi Sakurai grew up in Hokkaido and became enthralled by tokusatsu movies at a young age. He got his start in special effects as an assistant cameraman apprentice on the Toho TV series Zone Fighter (1973), which eventually led to numerous … Continue reading GODZILLA IN FOCUS! Tokusatsu Cinematographer Keiichi Sakurai on Toho’s Biggest Kaiju Movies!
MAKING MINIATURES IN JAPANESE SFX FILMS! Atsushi Hagiwara on Creating Tokusatsu Models in the 1980s and Beyond!
Atsushi Hagiwara during the making of Sayonara Jupiter. Photo © Atsushi Hagiwara. Atsushi Hagiwara got his start as a tokusatsu modelmaker working on the ambitious Toho production Sayonara Jupiter (1984), which features some of the best special effects in Japanese film history. That experience led to a variety of other film and television projects on … Continue reading MAKING MINIATURES IN JAPANESE SFX FILMS! Atsushi Hagiwara on Creating Tokusatsu Models in the 1980s and Beyond!
PRODUCING GODZILLA: Former Toho Pictures President Shogo Tomiyama Reflects on the Godzilla Series!
Photo © Brett Homenick. Born on February 27, 1952, Shogo Tomiyama rose to prominence in the Japanese movie industry by becoming a producer at Toho Pictures. Internationally, Mr. Tomiyama is well-known for producing the Godzilla series from Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989) through Godzilla: Final Wars (2004). Mr. Tomiyama officially joined Toho in 1975. After working … Continue reading PRODUCING GODZILLA: Former Toho Pictures President Shogo Tomiyama Reflects on the Godzilla Series!
REVISITING JAPAN’S MASTER MONSTER MAKER! Keizo Murase Answers More Questions About Creating Kaiju!
Keizo Murase (with King Ghidorah) in April 2019. Photo © Brett Homenick. Born on October 5, 1935, in Ikeda, Tokachi, Hokkaido (where his family home still is), Keizo Murase is a veteran kaiju suitmaker who began his career at Toho in 1958, leaving an indelible mark on the genre with his work on Varan the … Continue reading REVISITING JAPAN’S MASTER MONSTER MAKER! Keizo Murase Answers More Questions About Creating Kaiju!
UNTOLD TALES OF GODZILLA! Roger Holden on His Unmade Godzilla Projects and Working with Director Yoshimitsu Banno!
It's sometimes said that getting a movie made is a miracle. Nobody knows that better than Roger Holden. For 15 years, Mr. Holden worked with Toho director Yoshimitsu Banno (Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster, 1971) to get a variety of Godzilla projects launched in both Japan and the United States. One of the projects, "Godzilla … Continue reading UNTOLD TALES OF GODZILLA! Roger Holden on His Unmade Godzilla Projects and Working with Director Yoshimitsu Banno!
GODZILLA’S FIRST CO-STAR! Akira Takarada Reminisces About His Famous Classmate, the King of the Monsters!
Born on April 29, 1934, in what is now Chongjin, North Korea, Akira Takarada joined Toho as a member of the studio's sixth New Face class in 1953 and quickly established himself as one of its brightest stars. His big break came with the leading role of Hideto Ogata in Godzilla (1954), which was followed … Continue reading GODZILLA’S FIRST CO-STAR! Akira Takarada Reminisces About His Famous Classmate, the King of the Monsters!
KAZUKI OMORI RECALLS THE HEISEI GODZILLA SERIES! Toho’s Writer-Director Shares His Memories of the King of the Monsters!
Kazuki Omori arguably revived the Godzilla franchise in the late 1980s and the early 1990s. As the director and screenwriter of the popular Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989) and Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991), Mr. Omori helped revitalize the G-series, which had mostly stayed in hibernation since 1975, with bold new ideas and contemporary story lines. … Continue reading KAZUKI OMORI RECALLS THE HEISEI GODZILLA SERIES! Toho’s Writer-Director Shares His Memories of the King of the Monsters!
THE HEISEI GODZILLA SERIES REVISITED! A Conversation with Actor Andrew Smith!
Andrew Smith (1967-2017) is an American-born actor in Japan who appeared in several Godzilla films during the 1990s. His acting credits include parts in: Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991), Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992), Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993), and Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994). Not only has he acted in Godzilla films, but Mr. Smith also wrote … Continue reading THE HEISEI GODZILLA SERIES REVISITED! A Conversation with Actor Andrew Smith!
Vantage Point Interviews 