6.26.2021
Meet Hajime Tsuburaya! Last weekend was Father’s Day. On Collect All Monsters, to celebrate, each host selected a Toho famous Father and Son team that had representation in our collections. I selected the famous Toho Special Effects Director Eiji Tsuburaya and his not-as-well-known son, Hajime. Growing up in the Showa and post-Showa eras, my entire Godzilla world revolved around Eiji Tsuburaya because many magazines presented him as a central and important figure in bringing Godzilla, Ultraman and other kaiju to life. And indeed he was. We all are familiar with the Father of Japan Tokusatsu. I learned of his son, only after I tracking down Hajime’s book on special effects, 8mmカメラ特撮のタネ本 (8mm Camera Special Effects Book) back in March. Little did I know of his work, role and importance in the history of Toho and Tsuburaya Productions.