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Godzilla Radio

7.20.2023

Have you heard Godzilla’s original roar? Did you know Godzilla was on the radio before the big screen? During the summer of 1954, the live radio drama “The Monster Godzilla”『怪獣ゴジラ』aired 11 episodes on Nippon Broadcasting System (NBS) from July 17 to September 25 at 7pm. The original story by Shigeru Kayama was dramatized and directed by Toshi Tatsuno, narrated by Akio Tanaka, and performed by a different cast. Unfortunately, no master tapes of the radio drama exist except for the final episode.1

『ゴジラ』企画から公開後まで
From “Godzilla” Planning to Release

05/27 – Review of Kayama re-draft (considered manuscript) by the above members. Go to draft preparation
06/01? – Teizo Toshimitsu starts making Godzilla clay prototype
06/07 – Preparatory meeting | Around June 10th Preparatory manuscript completed | Around June 20 Pictorial sketch completed
07/01 – The Self-Defense Forces are established, and the National Security Agency is reorganized into the Defense Agency.
07/05 – “Godzilla” production Announcement
07/15 – Nippon Broadcasting Announcement
07/17 – Nippon Broadcasting Radio Drama “The Monster Godzilla broadcast starts every Saturday from 7:00 pm to 7:30 pm
08/01 – Rehearsal meeting
08/02 – Main staff starter
08/06 – Departure of the main unit
08/07 – Honda group crank-in Toba location | Godzilla suit test
09/17 – Completion of the open pool
09/25 – Radio drama “Godzilla” final episode (all 11 episodes)
09/29 – Honda group crank up
10/17 – “The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms” Japan Release
10/23 – In-house test preview
10/25 – Godzilla Festival at Toho Studio Courtyard | Completion preview | Iwatani Shoten publishes “The Monster Godzilla”
10/27 – “Godzilla” Special Screening in Nagoya | Released “Kenfuchin Kenpo”
11/03 – “Godzilla” released
12/29 – “Invisible Man” released

Source: 初代ゴジラ読本, p 23

This rare recording was released on the “Godzilla Sound Memorial” (ゴジラ サウンド メモリアル) compact disc in 2001. It was part of the G Shock Godzilla Premium Collections set (Gの衝撃 ゴジラ・プレミアム・コレクションズ2001) released on Godzilla’s birthday on November 3. The set included: 1) Godzilla Sound Memorial CD; 2) G-SHOCK wristwatch; and 3) M-1 soft vinyl “First Godzilla” clay prototype version figure. A limited edition of 1,000 sets were sold to commemorate the released of Godzilla in 1954.2 This single disc contains two tracks: Godzilla Final Episode (「ゴジラ」最終回, 29:24) and an interview of Toho Producer Tomoyuki Tanaka (田中友幸インタビュー, 20:54) in 1984.3

G Shock Godzilla Premium Collections 2001
G Shock Godzilla Premium Collections 2001 (Photo: お宝Toy's Zoons)

In the final episode, Hideto Ogata (played by Tomoo Nagai) can be heard pressuring Dr. Serizawa (Masahiko Naruse) to use of the oxygen destroyer against Godzilla. Godzilla’s roar (00:16) are unlike anything in the film. His roar has been described as that of a lion.4 And the music is by Keima Hashimoto rather than Akira Ifukube. The “Prayer for Peace” (25:27) is a completely different song.5 This is due to the fact that the movie was still in production at the time of radio broadcast. Where needed scenes were expanded and added.6

After several months of looking, I found and acquired the Godzilla Sound Memorial CD and the last episode of The Monster Godzilla. Let’s go back to September 1954 and hear Godzilla’s first roar.

Left: 1. ラジオドラマ「ゴジラ」最終回 29分24秒 1. The final episode of the radio drama “Godzilla” 29 minutes 24 seconds | 2. 田中友幸インタビュー(抜粋) 20分54秒 2. Interview with Tomoyuki Tanaka (excerpt) 20 minutes 54 seconds | 1、「ゴジラ」最終回 1, “Godzilla” final episode | ラジオドラマ「ゴジラ」は1954年の夏、7月17日から9月25日までニッポン放送より11回シリーズで放送された。ここに収録したのはその最終回の放送分。ニッポン放送にはこの最終回以外のマスターテープは現存しておらず、これがラジオドラマ「ゴジラ」を今に伝える唯一の音源ということになる。In the summer of 1954, the radio drama “Godzilla” was broadcast from July 17th to September 25th as a series of 11 episodes by Nippon Broadcasting System. What was recorded here is the last broadcast. Nippon Broadcasting System has no master tapes other than this final episode, and this is the only sound source that tells the radio drama “Godzilla” to the present. |「ゴジラ」最終回放送データ 放送日時:1954年9月25日(土) 午後7時より30分 放送局:ニッポン放送 “Godzilla” final broadcast data, Broadcast date: Saturday, September 25, 1954, 7:00 pm to 30 minutes, Broadcasting station: Nippon Broadcasting System | 原案 香山滋 Original draft: Shigeru Kayama | 脚色・演出 龍野敏 Screenplay/Direction: Satoshi Tatsuno | 音楽 橋本慶万 Music: Keima Hashimoto | 配役 Casting | 尾形秀人: 永井智雄 Hideto Ogata: Tomoo Nagai | 恵美子: 藤野節子 Emiko: Setsuko Fujino | 山根博士: 村上冬樹 Dr. Yamane: Fuyuki Murakami | 芹沢: 成瀬昌彦 Serizawa: Masahiko Naruse | 萩原: 塩崎紹三 Hagiwara: Shozo Shiozaki | 本部長: 笠間雪雄 General Manager: Yukio Kasama | アナウンサー: 伊藤宏 Announcer: Hiroshi Ito | 乗組員A: 坂田茂 Crew A: Shigeru Sakata | B: 城達也 B: Tatsuya Jo | C: 岩城宏 C: Hiroshi Iwaki | 語り手: 田中明夫 Narrator: Akio Tanaka | 合唱 : シルバースターコーラス Chorus: Silver Star Chorus | なお、実際の放送時には開始時と終了時に、次のアナウンスがはいった。これはスタジオから生のアナウンスで同時に放送されたため、マスターテープには収録されておらず、従って本CDにも収録されていない。The following announcements were made at the start and end of the actual broadcast. Since this was broadcast live from the studio at the same time, it was not recorded on the master tape and is therefore not recorded on this CD.

Right: ★ 終了アナウンス ★ Closing announcement | “連続放送劇「ゴジラ」その最終回。原案香山滋、脚色並びに演出・龍野敏、配役=尾形・永井智雄、恵美子・藤野節子、山根博士・村上冬樹、芹沢・成瀬昌彦、萩原塩崎紹三、対策本部長・笠間雪雄、他に坂田茂、城達也、岩城宏。語り手は田中明夫、以上の皆さんです。” “The final episode of the continuous broadcast drama “Godzilla”. Original plan by Shigeru Kayama, dramatization and direction by Satoshi Tatsuno, cast: Tomoo Nagai by Ogata, Setsuko Fujino by Emiko, Dr. Yamane by Fuyuki Murakami, Masahiko Serizawa by Naruse, Shozo Hagiwara Shiozaki, Head of the Countermeasures Headquarters by Yukio Kasama, Shigeru Sakata, Tatsuya Jo, and Hiroshi Iwaki. The narrator is Akio Tanaka.” | ★ 開始アナウンス ★ Start announcement | “ただ今の出演、尾形秀人・永井智雄、恵美子・藤野節子、山根博士・村上冬樹、芹沢・成瀬昌彦、萩原塩崎紹三、対策本部長・笠間雪雄、かもめ丸の乗組員A・坂田茂、B・城達也、C・岩城宏。アナウンサー・伊藤宏、語り手は田中明夫、以上の皆さんでした。原案・香山滋、脚色並びに演出・龍野敏、音楽・橋本慶万。連続放送劇「ゴジラ」その最終回を終わります。” “Just now, Hideto Ogata / Tomoo Nagai, Emiko / Setsuko Fujino, Dr. Yamane / Fuyuki Murakami, Masahiko Serizawa / Masahiko Naruse, Shozo Hagiwara Shiozaki, Chief of Countermeasures Headquarters / Yukio Kasama, Kamome Maru crew member A / Shigeru Sakata, B / Tatsuya Jo, C / Hiroshi Iwaki. Music by Keima Hashimoto.The final episode of the continuous broadcast drama “Godzilla” ends. ” | 2、田中友幸インタビュー 2. Interview with Tomoyuki Tanaka | 田中友幸氏の当時の肩書きは(株)東宝映画社長。「メカゴジラの逆襲」(75年)を最後にゴジラシリーズをしばらく休止していた東宝は、84年暮れ9年ぶりに新作の「ゴジラ」を復活させる。このインタビューは新「ゴジラ」の公開を控えて東宝の撮影所で行われた。多少聴きづらいところもあるが、氏のゴジラに対する愛着、思い入れが肉声で素直に語られているのでそのまま収録する。冒頭響き渡るサイレンは就業時間の終了を告げる撮影所のタ方5時のサイレンである。Tomoyuki Tanaka’s title at the time was president of Toho Film Co., Ltd. Toho, which had paused the Godzilla series for a while after “Terror of MechaGodzilla” (1975), will revive the new “Godzilla” for the first time in nine years at the end of 1984. This interview was held at Toho’s studio ahead of the release of the new “Godzilla.”It’s a little hard to hear, but his love for Godzilla, he recorded it as it is because his feelings are told honestly in his own voice. The siren that resounds at the beginning is the 5 o’clock siren of the studio that announces the end of working hours. | (インタビュー・メモ) (interview notes) |・日時 1984年10月4日・場所 東宝撮影所(東京都世田谷区)社長室 |・Date: October 4, 1984・ Location Toho Studio (Setagaya-ku, Tokyo) President’s office | ■ 田中友幸プロフィール ■ Profile of Tomoyuki Tanaka | 1910年(明治43年)4月26日大阪生まれ。演劇活動に携わった後、40年映画業界へ。-時期東宝を離れるが、52年に東宝に復帰、そこの後プロデューサーとして生涯200本以上の映画を製作する。ゴジラ生みの親として世界中にその名を知られる。代表作はゴジラ、黒澤映画を始め数知れない。97年4月2日、永眠。 Born in Osaka on April 26, 1910 (Meiji 43). After being involved in theater activities, he entered the film industry for 40 years. He left Toho at that time, but returned to Toho in 1952. After that, he made more than 200 movies as a producer in his lifetime. He is known all over the world as the creator of Godzilla. His masterpieces include Godzilla and Kurosawa movies, and countless others. He passed away on April 2, 1997.

References

1 Godzilla Sound Memorial CD jacket, ゴジラ大辞典, p 43
2 Gの衝撃ゴジラ・プレミアム・コレクションズ2001
3 Godzilla Sound Memorial CD jacket
4 GodzillaMonsterMusic.com
5 Gの衝撃ゴジラ・プレミアム・コレクションズ2001
6 Japanese Giants issue #10

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