Godzilla 1954 History

10.6.2021

I found another great piece of Godzilla history. This is the November 1954 edition of Gakkan Heibon (月刊平凡, 昭和29年11月号), a popular monthly publication first published in 1945. The Heibon was a popular general magazine for literary arts, but in 1948 it became the main entertainment magazine covering entertainers in movies and music. At one time the Heibon boasted the highest number of copies for an entertainment magazine. The magazine published its last edition in December of 1987. The Gakken Heibon was published by Heibon Publishing Co., now called Magazine House, Ltd. (マガジンハウス), which publishes numerous magazines such as “Popeye” and “Brutas.” Inside there is a wonderful three-page spread covering Gojira (1954).

平凡 Heibon

歌と映画の娯楽雑誌 Song and movie entertainment magazine
別冊 Separate Volume
豪華付録 Luxury appendix
3つの歌 3 songs
歌謡アルバム Song album
お持ちかねの…9集 Do you have … 9th collection

特集 Special feature
新しい「男性美」と「女性美」
New “male beauty” and “female beauty”
11

江利チェミさん Chiemi Eri

[Chiemi Eri, was a Japanese popular singer and actress. Eri was born as Chiemi Kubo on January 11, 1937 in Tokyo, Japan. She started her singing career at the age of 14 with her version of “Tennessee Waltz.]

新連載映画化小説
New serialized movie novel

ここに泉あり水木洋子
There is a fountain here Yoko Mizuki

P 1

ゴジラ大暴れ！
Godzilla rampage!

「ゴジラ東京に現る！」の警報に自衛隊の精鋭スワ！とばかりに出動　バズーカ砲 • 戦車 • ジェット機と近代兵器を総動員して　空陸から一齊に襲撃を開始しました　ところが　ああ！ごらんの通りの有る様です　ノッシノッシと砲兵陣地にあらわれた怪物のために　精鋭をほこるさすがの自衛隊も一たまりもありません　東京都全滅寸前の鬼気せまるシーンです

The elite SDF of the Self-Defense Forces is alerted that “Godzilla had appeared in Tokyo!” They are dispatched as soon as possible. Bazooka guns • Tanks • all jets and modern weapons are mobilized. They started the assault from the air and land, but oh no! Look, there seems to be a street. With a lumbering walk, the monster appears where the artillery is positioned. There is no self-defense force that is truly elite. It’s a horrifying scene, Tokyo is on the verge of annihilation.

これは東宝映画「ゴジラ」の一場面です二百万年前に地球上に棲息したといわれる怪物ゴジラが、水爆実験に驚いて海底から東京湾に上陸するという空想怪奇映画です近代設備と特殊技術を使って製作中の「ゴジラ」は一体なんな具合に撮影されるのでしょうか？その種明しは次のページをごらん下さい

This is a scene from the Toho movie “Godzilla”. It is a fantasy and mysterious movie in which Godzilla, a monster that was said to have lived on the earth two million years ago, landed in Tokyo Bay from the seabed after being surprised by the hydrogen bomb test. How is “Godzilla” being produced using modern equipment and special technology photographed? Please see the next page for the details.

ゴジラの襲撃に難船した乗粗員SOS!の瞬間水平線の彼方からニューッと怪物の首が…

At the moment of SOS from the crew members who were wrecked by Godzilla’s attack, the neck of a monster suddenly came from beyond the horizon …

At the moment of the crew member SOS!

ここは東京の眞中・銀座ゴジラのロから恐ろしい放射能の焔が…デパートがメラメラ燃える

Here is a terrifying flame of radioactivity from Godzilla in Ginza, in the middle of Tokyo … The department store bursts into flames

P 2

ゴジラの中に入る人が暑くてたまらないので
足だけの撮影の時はにこれで行います
宝田明さがちょっとゴジラの真似を…

Because people who enter Godzilla are hot,
When shooting only the legs, they will do this
Akira Takarada imitates Godzilla a little …

テレビ塔に迫るゴジラの足が　あッ！あぶない家を踏みうぶします

Godzilla’s feet approaching the TV tower! He steps on a house in danger.

うぬ！　鞍馬天狗の刀の斬れ味を見せてくれん　アレ斬れないよこんな怪物見たことない突いても押しても斬れないよ

Hey you! Show me the sharpness of Kurama Tengu’s sword. He can’t cut it. I’ve never seen such a monster. I can’t cut it even if I poke it or push it.

[Kurama-tengu (鞍馬天狗) is a Noh play from the fifteenth century, concerned with the childhood experiences of the samurai hero Minamoto no Yoshitsune. The play is notable for its swordplay.]

家もテレビ塔も踏みにじって進むゴジラのものすごさ！

Godzilla’s awesomeness is trampling on both the house and the TV tower!

撮影用のゴジラは身長約二米特殊ブラスチックを材料に作られたものです　この中に人間が入って動がす訳ですが重さが十二貫もあるので入る人も楽じゃありません口・眼玉・尾も特別な装置で自由に動くようになっていますこのゴジラに踏みつぷされる建物はベニヤ板や石青で銀座通り・数寄屋橋・議事堂等が本物そっくりに出来ています　戦車やジエット機は電機仕掛で動く模型です

For filming is made from a special plastic with a height of about two meters.

Humans enter and move in this, but it is not easy for people to enter because it weighs twelve kan [unit of weight about 3.75 kg, 8.3 lbs]. The mouth, eyeballs, and tail are also designed to move freely with special devices.

The building that is trampled by this Godzilla, Ginza-dori, Sukiyabashi, Capitol, etc., are made of plywood and stone to look like the real thing. Tanks and jet machines are models that move with electric devices.

[Sukiyabashi (数寄屋橋, すきやばし) is a bridge built over the outer moat of Edo Castle in 1629 (Kanei 6), and is the name of the surrounding area.]

オーエス！オーエス！ゴジラと押しくらまんじゅうをしてあそぶ宝田明さんと河内挨子きんは　この映画で主役する新スタアです

Lift! Lift! Akira Takarada and Kouchi Kawauchi, who play Oshikura Manju with Godzilla. They are the new stars who will play the leading roles in this movie.

[Oshikura Manju (おしくらまんじゅう) is a simple Japanese singing game that is played on cold days in order to get warm. The game is played with at least three players, but it is better if there are more. The players first gather around in a circle, as close to each other as possible. Source: Wikipedia]

これは撮影の合間にゴジラさん　二傘をさして河内桃子さんと散歩の図「だれだい　“美女と野獣”　だなんて笑うのは………

This is Godzilla’s two umbrellas and a walk with Momoko Kochi between shoots. “Who is the Beauty and the Beast?” (Laughing)

P 3

どなりのステージでは「新 • 鞍馬天狗」の撮影中そこへヒョッコリ遊びにゴジラがでかけました　小堀明男さんと岡田茉莉子さんがピックリ仰天！

On the stage of “New • Kurama Tengu,” Godzilla went suddenly out to play while shooting. Akio Kobori and Mariko Okada are astonished!

ウオー Oh

「ゴジラ」のセット風景　尾だけのお芝居なのでゴジラには人が入らずに棒で支えてあるだけ　後は日劇を朝日新聞社中央はゴジラの生みの親　円谷技師です

On the “Godzilla” set, because they are only playing with his tail, there are no people in Godzilla, which is only supported by a stick. The rest is a Japanese drama. In the middle of Asahi Shimbun Company is Godzilla’s creator, Tsuburaya technicians.

数人でゴジラを支えてこの中に一人が入ります　いま入ろうとしているのは　中島さんという演技部の精幌な若者です

A few people support Godzilla and one person enters. The one who is about to enter is Mr. Nakajima, a young man in the acting department.

キャーッ！助けてエ!!「ゴジラ」のステージはおとなりよ　イヤーン！うすきみがわるいわよ……天狗さまア　助けてエ！

Oh! Help me !! The stage of “Godzilla” is next door! Oh no! Hideous … Tengu-sama. Help me!

[Tengu (天狗) are a type of legendary creature found in Japanese folk religion. They are considered a type of yōkai or Shinto kami. The tengu were originally thought to take the forms of birds of prey and monkey deity, they are traditionally depicted with human, monkey and avian characteristics. Source: Wikipedia]

国会備事堂の上にゴジラがのしかかつて来ました　これでは代議はさんたちも乱闘どころの騒ぎじゃありませんね

Godzilla once came over the Diet Building. With this, the members of congress aren’t fighting.