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Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters: Defending the Earth with Ultraman, Godzilla, and Friends in the Golden Age of Japanese Science Fiction Film
Now in paperback! Behind-the-scenes hero to anyone who's thrilled by giant monsters duking it out over Tokyo, Eiji Tsuburaya was the visual effects mastermind behind Godzilla, Ultraman, and numerous Japanese science fiction movies and TV shows beloved around the world. The first book on this legendary film figure in English, this highly visual biography surveys his fascinating life and career, featuring hundreds of film stills, posters, concept art, and delightful on-set photos of Tsuburaya prompting monsters to crush landmark buildings. A must-have for fans, this towering tribute also profiles Tsuburaya's film collaborators, details his key films and shows, and spotlights the enduring popularity of the characters he helped create.
208 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 19, 2020
"My heart and mind are as they were when I was a child. Then I loved to play with toys and to read stories of magic. I still do. My wish is only to make life happier and more beautiful for those who will go and see my films of fantasy"
Without knowing it, both my dad and myself grew up in love with Tsuburaya's work. As a kid (and now as an adult) my mind was filled with giant monsters, space-faring transforming superheroes, and no shortage of excellent miniature cities. Ragones book however, has given me a whole new appreciation for Eiji Tsuburaya. This book is very accessible, but is not endless pages of cringy fanboy worship more fit for a fan blog than a book. Ragone does excellent research and does far more than just detail Eijis creation of fan favorites. His genius is on full display here and the reader learns that Eiji was not just an important figure in tokusatsu, but indeed a very influential person in the history of film itself. Innovation after Innovation in special effects is detailed, and I was stunned by how freethinking Eiji was.
However, as a fanboy, I can also say with confidence that if you are looking for details about Godzilla and Ultraman, than this is a fantastic resource. The fascinating development of the Ultra series and the kaiju genre is given in spades.
What I liked perhaps most about this book was that it is clear that it is a deeply personal tribute by Ragone to Tsuburaya. It gives this nonfiction work an almost storybook quality. To August, thank you for this fascinating book about a magnificent artist. To Eiji Tsuburaya, thank you for bringing so much joy and happiness to my life, even many decades after your death and in a distant country.
Without knowing it, both my dad and myself grew up in love with Tsuburaya's work. As a kid (and now as an adult) my mind was filled with giant monsters, space-faring transforming superheroes, and no shortage of excellent miniature cities. Ragones book however, has given me a whole new appreciation for Eiji Tsuburaya. This book is very accessible, but is not endless pages of cringy fanboy worship more fit for a fan blog than a book. Ragone does excellent research and does far more than just detail Eijis creation of fan favorites. His genius is on full display here and the reader learns that Eiji was not just an important figure in tokusatsu, but indeed a very influential person in the history of film itself. Innovation after Innovation in special effects is detailed, and I was stunned by how freethinking Eiji was.
However, as a fanboy, I can also say with confidence that if you are looking for details about Godzilla and Ultraman, than this is a fantastic resource. The fascinating development of the Ultra series and the kaiju genre is given in spades.
What I liked perhaps most about this book was that it is clear that it is a deeply personal tribute by Ragone to Tsuburaya. It gives this nonfiction work an almost storybook quality. To August, thank you for this fascinating book about a magnificent artist. To Eiji Tsuburaya, thank you for bringing so much joy and happiness to my life, even many decades after your death and in a distant country.
February 17, 2019
Really interesting book about the man who created Godzilla and so many other enduring characters. The pacing and emphasis on certain details sometimes felt a bit off, but overall a good book for anyone intrigued by the Japanese monster wave. Lots of great pictures.
March 7, 2016
I tried getting my hands on this book years ago. At the time, it was long OOP and was going for prices north of $100. Well, it was hard to drop that kind of cash on a used book, so I decided to hold off. I’m glad I did. Now the book is in print again and going for far more reasonable prices.
Among Godzilla fans, August Ragone’s book on Eiji Tsuburaya is considered one of the best books in the English language ever written about the genre and the men who created it. If you don’t know who Eiji Tsuburaya is, he’s the grandfather of Japanese special effects, the man who’s credited for creating suitmation among other techniques. Along with director Ishiro Honda and producer Tomoyuki Tanaka, Tsuburaya helped bring Godzilla to the screen, thus creating the kaiju genre. He also created Ultraman, a superhero who fights kaiju on a weekly basis. The special effects wizard passed away in 1970 at the age of 68 but his legacy lives on in the imagination of fans and in the classic films he helped create.
Ragone’s book Master of Monsters is a great, exhaustive look at the life and work of Eiji Tsuburaya. Full of interesting info and hard-to-find photos (so many great photos!), it’s a well-written biography for an important figure in film. And I always feel like a book that draws more attention to an artist like Tsuburaya is something to celebrate – there will always be books about Scorsese, Welles, Chaplin, Harryhausen, and Hitchcock (as there should be!), but names like Tsuburaya deserve some recognition as well. For Godzilla fans wanting to know more about the series, you should be aware that this book has a laser focus on Tsuburaya, and does not continue to give much insight on the Godzilla films made after his death. Those looking to know more about one of the most important creators of their favorite genre will find lots to like and even more to learn, as Ragone gives info about Tsuburaya’s early beginnings, his rise to fame, and his charming techniques that brought monsters to life. Along with David Kalat’s A Critical History and Filmography of Toho’s Godzilla Series, August Ragone’s book Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters is one of my favorites on the subject of kaiju cinema.
Among Godzilla fans, August Ragone’s book on Eiji Tsuburaya is considered one of the best books in the English language ever written about the genre and the men who created it. If you don’t know who Eiji Tsuburaya is, he’s the grandfather of Japanese special effects, the man who’s credited for creating suitmation among other techniques. Along with director Ishiro Honda and producer Tomoyuki Tanaka, Tsuburaya helped bring Godzilla to the screen, thus creating the kaiju genre. He also created Ultraman, a superhero who fights kaiju on a weekly basis. The special effects wizard passed away in 1970 at the age of 68 but his legacy lives on in the imagination of fans and in the classic films he helped create.
Ragone’s book Master of Monsters is a great, exhaustive look at the life and work of Eiji Tsuburaya. Full of interesting info and hard-to-find photos (so many great photos!), it’s a well-written biography for an important figure in film. And I always feel like a book that draws more attention to an artist like Tsuburaya is something to celebrate – there will always be books about Scorsese, Welles, Chaplin, Harryhausen, and Hitchcock (as there should be!), but names like Tsuburaya deserve some recognition as well. For Godzilla fans wanting to know more about the series, you should be aware that this book has a laser focus on Tsuburaya, and does not continue to give much insight on the Godzilla films made after his death. Those looking to know more about one of the most important creators of their favorite genre will find lots to like and even more to learn, as Ragone gives info about Tsuburaya’s early beginnings, his rise to fame, and his charming techniques that brought monsters to life. Along with David Kalat’s A Critical History and Filmography of Toho’s Godzilla Series, August Ragone’s book Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters is one of my favorites on the subject of kaiju cinema.
August 20, 2017
I spent a large portion of my childhood
Watching "Japanese Monster movies/TV"
I loved Godzilla(gojiro originally)
Mothra, Gamera, SpectraMan, UltraMan
And so many more
The brilliant man
Behind a lot of my child hood
Was Eija Tsubara
Not only a gifted creator
Who masterminded many
Of the staples of "Japanese monster" cinema
But an innovator whose genius changed
Filmmaking forever.
This book makes me 6 again.
I want a big bowl of pop corn
And an Ultra Man marathon.
Watching "Japanese Monster movies/TV"
I loved Godzilla(gojiro originally)
Mothra, Gamera, SpectraMan, UltraMan
And so many more
The brilliant man
Behind a lot of my child hood
Was Eija Tsubara
Not only a gifted creator
Who masterminded many
Of the staples of "Japanese monster" cinema
But an innovator whose genius changed
Filmmaking forever.
This book makes me 6 again.
I want a big bowl of pop corn
And an Ultra Man marathon.
June 30, 2018
My brother and I grew up in the Bay Area with August as we all became Monster Kids together. August was already as a 12 year old kid becoming the authoritarian on Godzilla and Kaiju movies. This book expresses all that passion I have seen boiling up in him since childhood. If you have an interest in the man who formed the "rubber suit" genre in Japan, don't miss this!
August 19, 2018
Excellent look into the life of Eiji Tsuburaya and his legacy.
May 24, 2019
I like having this around as a resource for my Godzilla and Ultraman fandom. It's got great photos and stories from classic movies and their creator. It's good stuff.
August 21, 2020
A well researched and fascinating look into the life of one of the greatest monster creators to ever walk the face of the earth. Rest in Peace Tsuburaya!
May 7, 2021
I really enjoyed this book, despite not having seen more than a couple of these films, and only the Americanized versions. I really want to watch more now--I dig the kooky sci-fi scene!
April 26, 2023
Dude loved monsters
April 4, 2025
Very informative.
May 8, 2025
If you're here reading this, you know who Eiji Tsuburaya was! Therefore, just go get the book. It's excellent!
November 16, 2015
I don't give many books five stars but this one deserves that and more if that were possible. As a fan of Japanese monster movies, this book is the ultimate look inside the world of the man who is considered the father of special effects. August Ragone has produced not only a history of Tsuburaya's work but also an appreciative tribute to his genius. This was a great preparation for my third trip to G-Fest next week. I am now properly psyched and ready to go.
January 21, 2008
As a kid I grew up on a healthy diet of Godzilla movies, the Ultraman t.v. series as well as other Kaiju Eiga(giant monster) flicks. This book is a dream come true. It details the life of Godzilla/Ultraman creator Eiji Tsuburaya and is filled with behind the scenes photos and info on the creation of these classic characters.
A must read.
A must read.
March 18, 2008
Basically a magazine article about the special effects master, Eiji Tsuburaya. The book outlines the major films and tv shows as means of tracing Eiji's distinguished career. Not much detail is given to the process or method. I would have loved to know how the models were built, exploded and such. The behind the scenes photos almost make up for the lack of nerdy detail.
June 15, 2012
Very well researched, and the reverence the author clearly has for the Japanese godfather of special effects (and creator of Godzilla & Co.) helped keep me glued, even when the book went on a few tangents. The tangents were nice, but I feel there were a tad too many, and distracted from Eiji's professional life story, which this is.
February 1, 2015
This comprehensive history of the man behind so many of the classic Toho monster movies is chock full of exceptional behind-the-scenes photos and production stills. A must-read for any fan of classic Godzilla films, Ultraman, and kaiju entertainment in general, it will make you feel ten years old again--in the best way. Now I want to watch all those old Godzilla movies again!
March 12, 2016
I'm very happy this book exists but it is really a nicely packaged info-dump on his career. Definitely enlightening but it moves through his projects at a rapid pace. Some of the aside featured articles are pretty cool. There is a wealth of great pictures from sets but it doesn't really dig deep.
January 5, 2010
Not insanely in-depth; subscribe to G-Fan if you want the down-low nasty nasty behind the scenes stuff - but lovingly designed and full of a ton of handsome photos and materials about THE man behind the monsters.
March 9, 2014
Excellent look at Japanese special effects craftsman Eiji Tsuburaya. Fans of Japanese monster movies will love the smart prose and eye-catching layouts, as well as the author's clear passion for the subject matter. If you're a Godzilla fan, you need to read this book!
May 23, 2022
Great look at the career of the visual effects mind behind Godzilla, Ultraman, etc. loads of pictures, behind the scenes shots, and even toys. It’s a treasure trove for a fan of kaiju or Japanese monster movies.
December 15, 2010
One of the most wonderful books I own...I would've killed somebody to own this book when I was 7. Of course, it didn't exist then, but you understand
Read
August 4, 2011As a huge fan of monster movies this was a definite treat.
December 1, 2016
A great overview of the life of special effects master Eiji Tsuburaya and his amazing contributions to Japanese film and television. Lots of great behind-the-scenes photos and information.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews