5.2.15

It’s been a few weeks since my last box day. It was worth the wait and anticipation of a cool addition to my Godzilla book collection. When I found out that a book about Managing Godzilla was forthcoming, it went on my must-get list. Normally I would place an order on Amazon.jp, but I decided to order the book through Kinokuniya at the Mitsuwa shoppping center in Edgewater, NJ.

Managing Godzilla
Managing Godzilla (ゴジラのマネジメント プロデューサーとスタッフ25人の証言: 平成ゴジラのプロデューサーが初めて明かす製作の秘訣! 物言わぬ大スター、怪獣王ゴジラはいかにして世界一のメイド・イン・ジャパンになったのか? 予算管理、自衛隊との交渉、ファンとの連携などゴジラ12作品プロデューサーのマネジメント術。)

ゴジラのマネジメント (Managing Godzilla) is written by Shōgo Tomiyama (富山省吾), producer of the Heisei and Millenniun films. He documents the business of “Managing Godzilla” from in six chapters: 1 Shaping the concept, 2 Planning and Development, 3 The Producer’s Job, 4 Team Godzilla, 5 Building Links, 6 Managing Godzilla. The book includes the testimony of 25 producers and staff. The book dust cover jokingly says,「ゴジラが全部教えてくれた‼︎」 “Godzilla told me all!!” It goes on to say,「平成ゴジラプロデューサーが初めて明かす製作の秘訣」”The producer reveals the secret of making the Heisei Godzilla for the first time.” It also declares,「2016年ゴジラ復活への提言!」”Recommendations for the 2016 Godzilla resurrection!” The book cost ¥ 2,484 about $20.

Shōgo Tomiyama 富山省吾
Shōgo Tomiyama 平成ゴジラのプロデューサー富山省吾

For a book about the behind the scenes work at producing Godzilla films it has a good number of photos and chronicles his years as producer. The Japanese is not overwhelming (relatively speaking) compared to what a book like this could have been. It’s not as text-heavy as it could be. I think select passages could be translated to give a good gist of the book. In post on the facebook Godzilla Collectors page, Bob Eggleton said a picture of him and Tomiyama-san had been published in the book (pictured below).

Managing GodzillaManaging GodzillaManaging GodzillaManaging Godzilla

Amazon.jp