Book Daze

8.7.2020

Box days are the best days and I’ve been blessed with a few since the covid-19 crisis facing the world. The last couple weeks the postman has brought me boxes full of books. It’s been book daze (book days). When I’m not collecting figures, bring me books and more books. I’ve been stockpiling books for reference and for the archives. I love the Showa era books so I can study them for toy photography. And then there are a few missing from incomplete collections. For example, I thought I had all the Godzilla Magazine issues but I was missing the Godzilla 1998 issue. Mandarake.co.jp is the way to go if you want to build up your book collection and to do it cheaply. Most of these books were under $10 and some as little as $3.

Here are the book from left to right from top to bottom:

ファンタスティックコレクションNo44 SFX•Godzilla ゴジラ特撮のすべて Making of Godzilla
Fantastic Collection No44 SFX•Godzilla All about Godzilla special effects Making of Godzilla

Detailing the making of Godzilla 1984 in full color photography followed by short history chronicle of the Showa Era films (Published by Asahi Sonorama in 1984, 56pp, color and black & white photography) Quality photos with short captions. Recommend for any Godzilla 1984 collection. ★★★☆


東宝SF特撮映画シリーズVOL.1 Godzilla ゴジラ1985
Toho SF special effects movie series VOL.1 Godzilla Godzilla 1985

Containing film story with color photography followed by movie script and storyboards. Sections on the behind the scenes film making process and miniatures. There is a section on the Godzilla movie girls (Published by Toho Publishing 出版業室, printed 1/15/1985, 140pp, color and black & white photography) Highly recommend ★★★★


Godzilla Magazine ケイブンシャの大百科別冊 ゴジラ Magazine
Keibunsha Encyclopedia Separate Volume Godzilla Magazine

Documents the story, cast, making, release of the American Godzilla and more. Includes articles on Raymond Burr and American releases of King Kong vs Godzilla, Godzilla vs The Thing, and Godzilla 1985 (Published by Keibunsha and printed in Japan, 1998, 81pp, color and black & white photography) A must for a complete collection of Godzilla Magazine which is packed with content. ★★★☆


徳間テレビグラフ15 ゴジラ 2000 ミレニアム
Tokuma TV Graph 15 Godzilla 2000 Millennium

Children’s book with accompanying furigana telling the story of Godzilla Millennium. Includes analysis of military weapons used against Godzilla (Published by Tokuma Shoten 徳間書店 in 1/20/2000, 27pp, full color photography). ★★☆☆


Godzilla 2000 ミレニアム program booklet
Godzilla 2000 Millennium program booklet

Introduction to the Godzilla 2000 story, cast, staff and production (Published by Toho in 1999, full color, 24pp). ★★★☆


Godzilla Final Wars program booklet

Introduction to the Godzilla Final Wars story, kaiju, cast, staff and production (Published by Toho in 2004, full color, 28pp). ★★★☆


朝日ジュニアシリーズ 2012年11月25日号 週刊マンガ世界の偉人偉 円谷英二
Asahi Junior Series November 25, 2012 Weekly Manga World Great Man Eiji Tsuburaya

Manga of the work of Eiji Tsuburaya when he brought both Godzilla and Ultraman to life. Includes a set of cards of historical figures (Published by Asahi Sonorama on 11/25/2012, 34pp, oversized). Recommended. ★★★★


円谷英二特撮世界
Eiji Tsuburaya Special Effects World

Chronicles the special effects work of Eiji Tsuburaya from Toho and Godzilla to Ultraman. Full of excellent photography (Published by Keibunsha in 2001, 160pp, black & white photography) Highly recommended. ★★★★


小学館入門百科シリーズ150 ゴジラ
Shogakukan Introduction EncyclopediaSseries 150 Godzilla

Introduction to Godzilla and showa films. Includes foldout mini-poster (Published by Shogakukan in 1984, 175pp, few color photos, predominantly monotone and duotone) ★★★☆


懐かしのヒーロー 大怪獣ゴジラ 99の謎
The Mystery of the Nostalgic Hero Godzilla 99 Mysteries

Revealing 99 Godzilla mysteries. Few pictures and mainly copy (Published by Futami Bunko 二見書房 in 1993, 258pp, pokes-size, black & white photography) Recommended ★★★☆


宇宙船文庫 ゴジラ対モスラ
Uchusen Paperback Godzilla vs. Mothra

Documenting Godzilla vs Mothra 1993 story, characters, models, props, random topics and more (Published by Asahi Sonorama on 11/30/1992, 189pp, color and black & white photography) Good for the collection. ★★★☆


講談社ポケート百科シリーズ2 ゴジラ大怪獣事典
Kodansha Pocket Encyclopedia Series 2 Godzilla Large Kaiju Encyclopedia

Documenting Toho’s Godzilla and kaiju films (Published by Keibunsha in 1979, 290pp, pocket-size, black & white photography) A must for Showa book collection. ★★★★


ゴジラ映画クロニカル 1954-1996 ゴジラ•デイズ
Godzilla Movie Chronical 1954-1996 Godzilla Dies

Documenting Godzilla 1954 to Godzilla vs Destoroyah (Published by Shueisha Library 集英社文庫 on 7/15/1998, 413pp, few color photos and predominantly black & white) Recommended ★★★☆