The Man who set loose the God Godzilla

5.1.2021 (updated 5.25.2021)

In my youth, I was mesmerized by Eiji Tsuburaya. Now in my adulthood, I’m very interested in Toho Producer Tomoyuki Tanaka. This is the first of several books from which I would like to translate portions about his life. Book details from Amazon Japan: Tomoyuki Tanaka, a major producer in the Japanese film industry who worked on “Godzilla” and Kurosawa’s works. Looking back on the movie life of his teacher. This is also the history of postwar Japanese cinema from the perspective of the producer. This book is written by Fumio Tanaka (田中文雄, September 22, 1941 – April 12, 2009), film producer. He was associate producer for “Godzilla” (1984) and also co-produces films with Tomoyuki Tanaka. He was a professional novelist, writing many fantasy, horror, and mystery novels, including the novelization for “Godzilla vs King Ghidorah” (1991). He also goes by the pen names Mitsuru Takihara (滝原満 Takihara Mitsuru) and Keiichiro Kusanagi (草薙圭一郎 Kusanagi Keiichiro).

The translations will be rough at times. Mistakes are my own. The translation will be corrected and improved over time. My apologies. Where needed I’ve provided further details set in brackets [ ].

オール怪獣写真図鑑 ゴジラ神を放った男
映画製作者田中友幸とその時代

The Man who set loose the God Godzilla
Filmmaker Tomoyuki Tanaka and his time

田中文雄 Fumio Tanaka
キネマ旬報社 Kinema Junpo

田中友幸 (たなか ともゆき)

明治四十三年月二十六日生まれ、大阪出身。昭和十五年に東宝映画株式会社入、十七年にプロデューサーデビューして以後、『ゴジラ』『ラドン』『モスラ』『地球防衛軍』『海底軍艦』『日本沈没』などのSF特撮映画、『太平洋の嵐』『キスカ』『山本五十六』『日本海大海戦』『連合艦隊』などの戦争映画、『用心棒』『天国と地獄』『影武者』などの黒澤明監督作品、『銀嶺の果て』『暗黒街の対決』などのアクション映画、『人間革命』『入甲田山』などの超大作といった娯楽作品を、現在に至るまで二〇〇本以上にプロデュースし続けている。最新作は『ゴジラVSメカゴジラ』。現在、株式会社東宝映画取締役会長、日本アカデミー賞協会副会長、日本創造企画株式会社取締役会長。前、日本映画テレビプロデューサー協会会長。五十六年勲三等宝章、平成四年藤本賞受賞。

Inside jacket cover

Tomoyuki Tanaka

Tomoyuki Tanaka was born on the 26th of April, Meiji 43 [1910] in Osaka. He joined Toho Film Co., Ltd. in 1945, and made his debut as a producer in his 17th year. He has produced more than 200 pieces to this day including SF special effects movies such as “Godzilla,” “Radon,” “Mothra,” “The Mysterians,” “Atragon,” and “Japan Sinks”; war movies such as “Pacific Storm,” “Kisuka,” “Isoroku Yamamoto,” “Battle of the Japan Sea,” and “Imperial Navy,” “Yojimbo,” “Heaven and Hell,” and Akira Kurosawa’s works such as “Kagemusha,” and “Snow Trail”; action movies such as “The Last Gunfight,” entertainment works such as “The Human Revolution” and “Hakodasan.” His latest work is “Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla.” Currently, he is the Chairman of the Board of Toho Pictures, Inc., Vice Chairman of the Japan Academy Prize Association, and Chairman of the Board of Japan Creative Planning Co., Ltd. He was formerly the chairman of the All Nippon Producers Association of Japan. He received the Order of the Sacred Treasure in 56 and the Fujimoto Award in 1992.

この本を笠原良三氏に捧げます
Dedicate this book to Mr. Ryozo Kasahara

[Ryozo Kasahara (d. 6/22/2002) was a screenwriter and actor known for “Blind Fury” (1989), “Zatoichi Challenged” (1967) and “Nippon ichi no iro otoko” (1963). Source: IMBd]

第三章: 特撮映画の開拓
Chapter 3: Pioneering special effects movies

映画は黄金時代を迎え、田中友幸は今や押しも押されぬ東宝製作の第一人者だった。そしてその中に『さらばラバウル』と――『ゴジラ』ががった。

The movies have entered the golden age, and Tomoyuki Tanaka is now a leading figure in Toho production. And “Farewell Rabaul” and “Godzilla” were in it.

[Farewell Rabaul is a black-and-white 1954 Japanese film directed by Ishirō Honda]

1 (P. 60)

平成五年五月七日、監督の福田純、特撮監督の中野昭氏とともに大井智婚の慶両パーティーに出席した。大井はいま円谷プロで働いている。新婦のサンはイラストレーター志望。絵に書いたようなオタクのカップルである。

On May 7, 1993, I attended the Keio party of Tomomi Oi with director Jun Fukuda and special effects director Teruyoshi Nakano. Oi is currently working at Tsuburaya Productions. The bride, Sun, wants to be an illustrator. She is a couple of nerds like the one in the picture.

大井は特撮映画ファンの集まり「日東新聞」の自称〝記者〟である。「日東新聞」とは『モスラ』(昭和三十六年公開)に登場する新聞社、かつて、『モスラ対ゴジラ』(三十九)に登場する「毎朝新聞」の名前を冠したグループもあったような気がする。

Oi is a self-proclaimed “reporter” of the “Nitto Shimbun”, a gathering of special effects movie fans. “Nitto Shimbun” is a newspaper company that appears in “Mothra” (published in 1958), and I there was also a group that once named “Mainichi Shimbun” that appears in “Mothra vs. Godzilla” (39).

パーティーを仕切ったひとりキンタこと大村光男が同じ「日東新聞」の発行人兼説委員といったところ。大村は年長のためもあってグループのリーダー格。ギターを弾きながら歌う『エンケンのとび助冒険旅行』の主題歌は絶品である。飲み屋の親父からテキヤまでやったこともあり、市川市で現在は「地球屋」という有機野菜の八百屋を経営、その商売用の軽トラックの名は『海底軍艦』(三十八)からとった「轟天号」である。

Mitsuo Omura, who is the one who managed the party, is the publisher and theorist of the same “Nitto Shimbun.” Omura is the leader of the group, partly because he is older. The theme song of “Enken’s Tobisuke Adventure Travel”, which he sings while playing the guitar, is excellent. Having worked from the father of a bar to Tekiya, he currently runs a greengrocer called “Earth shop” in Ichikawa City, and the name of the light truck for business is “Gotengo” taken from “Undersea Warship” (38).

大村が音頭をとった形で、毎年夏と冬、いくつかの特撮映画ファンクラブが連合したにぎやかな酒のみ集会が持たれる。東十条の和田屋という居酒屋の二階か、小岩の狭店だが食通に知られた揚州飯店が会場である。

With Omura taking the lead, every summer and winter, there is a lively sake-only rally in which several special effects movie fan clubs are united. The venue is the second floor of an izakaya called Wadaya in Higashijujo, or the Yangshu restaurant, which is a small restaurant in Koiwa but is known to foodies.

[Izakaya is a type of informal Japanese bar that serves alcoholic drinks and snacks. Izakaya are casual places for after-work drinking, similar to a British or Irish pub, Spanish tapas bar, and American saloon and tavern. Source: Wikipedia]

ぼくがまだ復活『ゴジラ』(五十九)の製作にかかわっていた頃、大井だったかがファンのひとりとして撮影所に材に来たり、田中友幸も渋谷での彼らの集まりに出席したりしていた。そんなことが何度か続いて、中野昭慶特技監督が、そしてぼくが、その内に福田純監督が、復活『ゴジラ』の監督をしていた橋本幸治(現在株式会社東宝映画取締役)が集まりに呼ばれるようになった。楽しい集まりで、いつも『惑星大戦争』(五十二)のテーマでぼくたちを迎えてくれる。同映画はぼくも製作に参加しており、監督福田純、特撮監督中野昭慶のコンビ作品だったからだ。

When I was still involved in the production of the resurrection “Godzilla” (59), Oi came to the studio as one of the fans, and Tomoyuki Tanaka also attended their gathering in Shibuya. Such things continued several times, and Teruyoshi Nakano, Director of Special Effects, and I, Jun Fukuda, and Koji Hashimoto (currently director of Toho Pictures, Inc.) who was the director of the “Godzilla Returns” gathered. Came to be called. It’s a fun gathering and always welcomes us with the theme of “The War in Space” (52). This is because I participated in the production of the movie, which was a combination of director Jun Fukuda and special effects director Teruyoshi Nakano.

余興として『海底軍艦』の発進シーンが演じられたり、灰血を二枚合われた中に煙草の煙を吹き込んで、ミステリアンの円盤が墜落する場面が演じられたりした。平田昭彦がら青大将の瞬間芸を見せる矢崎良昭はゴジラのファンクラブ「Gの会」のメンバーである。モゲさんこと中出知光は、会創立以来のいっき飲み要員とみなされている。今井健了•由香夫妻は仲間同士結ばれた。東村山の石塚大輔は「エスパイ大鑑」「惑星大戦争」などのデータを集めた個人雑誌を出している。アニメ•シナリオライターのあみやまさはるや、「キネマ旬報」のコラムを書いている早川優のように、プロになった者もいる。『仮面ライダー』や『宇宙からのメッセージ』などの元東映プロデュサー平山亨や俳優の潮健次(九月十九日肝硬変のため急逝)も顔を出す。

As a sideshow, the launch scene of “Atragon” was performed, and the scene where a mysterian disk crashed by blowing cigarette smoke into two pieces of ash blood was performed. Akihiko Hirata is a member of Godzilla’s fan club “G Conference,” showing the momentary art of the blue general. Mr. Moge, also known as Tomomitsu Nakade, has been regarded as a drinking staff since the foundation of the association. Kenritsu Imai • Yuka and his wife were connected with each other. Daisuke Ishizuka of Higashimurayama publishes a personal magazine that collects data such as “Espy Encyclopedia” and “The War in Space.” Some have become professionals, such as Masaharu Amiya, an anime scenario writer, and Yu Hayakawa, who writes the “Kinema Junpo” column. Former Toei producer Toru Hirayama and actor Kenji Ushio (who died suddenly due to liver cirrhosis on September 19), such as “Kamen Rider” and “Message from Space,” also appear.

ここでは『ターミネーター』などの外国映画はあまり評価の対とはならず、ガイ•タッカーというアメリカの日本酒大好き特撮フリークスがたどたどしい日本語で旧作のインタヴュ－をとり、帰国してファン雑誌に載せたりする。朝日ソノラマの編集者上岡雅史によれば、ソノラマぁらも写真をたくさんパクッていったという。タッカーは帰国しても、懐かしいのか「タナカさん、元気？」とやたら国際電話をかけてくる。土屋嘉男さんや仲間たちのところにもかけまくっていたちしい。それもトイレに入っていたり、インスタントラーメンを作っていたりするときばかりなので、うっとうしがっていたら、や

Here, foreign films such as “Terminator” are not so much evaluated, and Guy Tucker, an American special effects freak who loves sake, takes an interview of the old work in terrifying Japanese and returns to Japan and publishes it in fan magazines. According to Asahi Sonorama’s editor, Masashi Ueoka, Sonorama also had a lot of photos. Even if Tucker returns to Japan, he makes an international call asking, “Mr. Tanaka, how are you?” He seems to be rushing to Yoshio Tsuchiya and his friends.

じょの楽しい集めりは平成五年で創立十年になる。特撮映画好きのグループが、規約はおろか会長もおらず、会の名前をえ決まっていない自由さで来たことが、これだけ長く続いた理由なのだと思う。はじめ十代だった若者は三十に手が届くし、すでに届いている者もある。集まりの度に新顔も増えている。独身者は結し、子供は大きくなる。こっちの白髮も増えるわけで、日本映画の低迷にかかわらず、過去の特撮映画に浸っているところに、会の存浸由があるのだろう。時の流れは特撮映画、とりわけ東宝特撮映画の記憶をいやましに輝いたものにしてゆく。彼らにとって『ゴジラ』体輝は、青春そのものであったのだ――そしてぼくにとっても。

Jo’s fun gathering will be in 1993, the 10th anniversary of its founding. I think the reason why the group of special effects movie lovers came for so long was that they had no rules, let alone a chairman, and they came with the freedom to decide the name of the society. Young people who were teenagers at the beginning can reach thirty, and some have already reached it. The number of new faces is increasing at each gathering. Singles are united and children grow up. The number of white swords here will increase, and despite the sluggishness of Japanese movies, the reason for the association’s existence may be that it is immersed in past special effects movies. The passage of time makes the memories of special effects movies, especially Toho special effects movies, shine. For them, the “Godzilla” experience was youth itself -— and for me too.

2 (P. 63)

昭和二十九年十一月三日、『ゴジラ』封切初日、田中は渋谷駅を下りたとき、ハチコウの前から宮益坂にかけ長い行列ができているのを目にする。なんだろうと思ってついていくと渋谷東宝につながっていた。「『ゴジラ』を観に来てくれた客さまだと気づき、電撃のような感動の波が身体の中を駆け抜た」と、のちに田中はあちこちのインタヴュ－や記事で話っている。

On November 3, 1945, on the first day of the release of “Godzilla,” Tanaka saw a long line from the front of Hachiko to Miyamasuzaka when he got off Shibuya Station. I wondered what he was and he was connected to Shibuya Toho. “I noticed that the customers who came to see” Godzilla “were still there, and a wave of emotional shock ran through my body,” Tanaka later said in interviews and articles here and there.

この大ヒットがその後の特撮映画の進展と外貨獲得に果たした役割は計り知れないものがあることは、今さらいうまでもない。だが当時は、新聞や識者は映画『ゴジラ』をゲテモノ扱いしていた。ニ十九年七月五日付の「読売新聞」は「ゲテもの、映画界をまかり通る」という見出して「五社一斉に怪奇冒険合戦」のことをとりあげている。

It goes without saying that the role that this blockbuster played in the subsequent development of special effects movies and the acquisition of foreign currency is immeasurable. However, at that time, newspapers and intellectuals treated the movie “Godzilla” as a get-together. The “Yomiuri Shimbun” dated July 5, 19th, under the heading “Getting things, passing through the movie world,” deals with “a mysterious adventure battle all at once.”

[The Yomiuri Shimbun (読売新聞) is a Japanese newspaper published in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and other major Japanese cities.]

海外進出にしても『ゴジラ』一作、二作目にかがっていえば、著作権にまだ日本映画が疎かったことから、歩合制ではなく売り切りになり、さしたる稼ぎとはならなかった。『ゴジラ』のアメリカにおける権利を買ったのはゴールドマンという元コロンビア映画出入りの男で、ヒッチコックの『裏窓』で犯人をやっていたレイモンド•バーを走用して新たな場面を撮り足し、日本優の部分を削って、完全な〝アメリカ映画〟に作り変えてしまった。封いたプリントは百本を越えていたという。おかげで、それまで単館の上映であった日本映画が、アメリカの封切りチェーンにのった。テレビやラジオ、新聞で大々的な宣伝をしておいて、上映は一周間で打ち知った。アメリカでもつまるところキワモノとみなされていたといえる。

Even if I went overseas, if I went to the first or second movie of “Godzilla”, it was sold out instead of a commission system because Japanese movies were still sparse in copyright, and it was not a big profit. The American right to Godzilla was bought by a former Columbia Pictures man named Goldman who used Raymond Burr, who was the culprit in Hitchcock’s Rear Window, to add new scenes. I cut off the part of Japanese actor and made it into a complete “American movie.” It is said that the number of sealed prints exceeded 100. Thanks to this, Japanese movies, which had been screened in a single theater until then, are now on the American release chain. I made big publicity on TV, radio and newspapers, and I knew the screening in a week. It can be said that it was regarded as seasonal goods in the United States.

ゴジラ誕生のいきさつは次のようなものであった。
The history of Godzilla’s birth was as follows.

昭和二十八年製作の『さらばラバウル』は本多猪四郎•円谷英二と初めて組んだ戦争映画であった。特撮はいける、と田中は踏んだ。続いて田中はインドネシアとの合作映画を企面する。『栄光のかげに』という池部良と出口淑子が主演、インドネシア独立運動に身を投じた元日本軍兵士の物語だった。福田純と岡本喜八がまだ組監督だった。ところがスタッフ編成を終え、ロケ隊出発直前で、入国ビザが下りず、製作は中止となった。まだ国交が回復していないため、インドネシア外務省が合作に反対したからであった。

“Farewell Rabaul” produced in 1945 was the first war movie with Ishiro Honda and Eiji Tsuburaya. Tanaka stepped on that special effects could be done. Subsequently, Tanaka plans a collaborative film with Indonesia. It was a story of a former Japanese soldier who devoted himself to the Indonesian independence movement, starring Ryo Ikebe and Yoshiko Deguchi called “Behind the Glory.” Jun Fukuda and Kihachi Okamoto were still group directors. However, after finishing the staff formation, just before the departure of the location team, the entry visa was not issued and the production was canceled. This was because the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs opposed the collaboration because diplomatic relations had not yet recovered.

[“Farewell Rabaul” is a black-and-white 1954 Japanese film directed by Ishiro Honda. Ryo Ikebe (February 1918 – 8 October 2010) was a Japanese actor. He graduated from Rikkyo University and originally wanted to be a director, but ended up debuting as an actor at Tōhō in 1941. Kihachi Okamoto (February 17, 1924 – February 19, 2005) was a Japanese film director who worked in several different genres.]

取り急ぎ、そのスタッフ編成を生かすため代替企面を考えなければならない。無意識のうちに田中の頭の中にはインドネシアの海があった。おりからビキニ岩礁の核実験が新聞をにぎわしている。そこで仮定する。もしも、ビキニ岩礁近くの海底に恐竜が眠っていて、核実験の影響で生き返り異常発表して日本にやってきたらどうなるか。仮題『海底二万哩から来た大怪獣』。(この仮題は前年封切られたユーシン•ルーリー監督のアメリカ映画『原子怪獣現れる』の原題と同じである。無意識のうちに田中の頭にあったのかもしれない)。これを企面会議にかけると、森岩雄製作担当重役の目に止まった。

We must hurry and consider alternative schemes to take advantage of the staffing. Unknowingly, Tanaka had the Indonesian sea in his head. The nuclear test of Bikini Atoll is crowded with newspapers from the cage. So let’s assume. What if a dinosaur is sleeping on the seabed near the Bikini Reef and comes back to Japan due to the effects of a nuclear test and announces an abnormality? Tentative title “The Monster from 20,000 Undersea.” (This tentative title is the same as the original title of the American movie “The Best from 20,000 Fathoms” directed by Eugène Lourié, which was released the previous year. It may have been unknowingly in Tanaka’s head). When I put this on a planning meeting, it caught the eye of the director in charge of production, Iwao Mori.

[Iwao Mori (February 27, 1899–May 14, 1979) was a Japanese film producer.]

子供だましというものも多かったが森岩雄は強力にこの作品を推した。おおまかな設定を作った後、当時怪奇幻想小説で人気のあった作家香山滋に小説化を依頼した。物語ができると、この段階で円谷英二が参加、監督本多猪四郎が決定すると当時助監督であった村田武雄を入れて脚本製作に入った。内容を伏せるため「G作品」と台本に刷って、撮影に入った。当時演劇部にゴリラとクシラの混りあったグジラというニックネームの課長さんがいて、そこからゴジラを思いついた。と田中は語っている。森岩雄は網倉四朗という社員がゴジラというあだ名だったので、これを使わせてもらったという。(斉藤忠『東宝行進曲』より)。

There were many children’s tricks, but Iwao Mori strongly recommended this work. After making a rough setting, I asked Shigeru Kayama, a writer who was popular in mysterious fantasy novels at the time, to make a novel. When the story was completed, Eiji Tsuburaya participated at this stage, and when director Ishiro Honda was decided, Takeo Murata, who was an assistant director at the time, was included in the script production. In order to hide the contents, I printed the script as “G Work” and started shooting. At that time, there was a section chief in the drama club with the nickname of Gujira, which was a mixture of gorillas and kushira, and I came up with Gojira [Godzilla] from there. Tanaka says. Iwao Mori said that an employee named Shiro Amikura was nicknamed Gojira, so he was allowed to use it. (From “Toho March” by Tadashi Saito).

[Takeo Murata (1949) was born in Susaki and is a smith from the Japanese island of Shikoku near Kochi. He belongs to the top of the Japanese knife makers.]

逆算してみると、ぼくは中学一年生の時『ゴジラ』を観ているわけだが、とりたてて驚いた記憶はない。

When I calculate back, I was watching “Gojira” when I was in the first year of junior high school, but I don’t remember being surprised at all.

その頃、字都宮市には映画館ははつ。週替わりだから、毎日一本づつ観ていると一周するわけで、三度の食物のように毎日観続けた一本のなかに『ゴジラ』はあったのである。映画の世界は夢の世界であるのが当然だったわけで、それが特撮であろうと、どんなに苦労したものであろうと、小さな観客であるぼくには関係なかった。面白くで当たり前だった。

Around that time, there were movie theaters in Utsunomiya City. Since [the movie] changes every week, if you watch one by one every day, they will go around, and there was “Godzilla” as one that you watched every day like [eating] food three times [a day]. It was natural that the world of cinema was a dream world, and it didn’t matter to me, a small audience, whether it was a special effect or how hard it was. It was fun and natural.

[Utsunomiya is a city on Japan’s main Honshu island.]

それなのに、いつのまにか『ゴジラ』が頭の中にしのびこんで、その後のぼくの生き方を規定した。

However, before I knew it, “Godzilla” sneaked into my head and defined my way of life after that.

〝オキシジェン•ジェストロイヤー〟と間違いながらも、いかにも胡散臭い名前が頭にこびりつき、宝田明の着た潜水服の継ぎ跡や、水槽で骨になる魚が目に焼きついた。大戸島が、どういうわけか室戸岬という名に転化されて(灯台守の家族を扱った松竹の『喜びも悲しみも幾歳月』を観たせいかもしれない)、ゴジラ上陸の恐ろしい場所として頭の中に登録された。河内桃子は今に至るまでゴジラの可愛に女優さんである。眼帯を見ると今で平田昭彦の顔が浮かんでくる。

Although it was mistaken for “Oxygen Destroyer”, the smoky name stuck to my head, and the traces of the diving clothes worn by Akira Takarada and the fish that became bones in the aquarium burned into my eyes. Odo Island was somehow converted to the name of Cape Muroto (maybe because I saw Shochiku’s “Times of Joy and Sorrow” dealing with the family of the lighthouse keeper), and registered in my head as a terrifying place for Godzilla to land. Momoko Kochi has been a cute actress of Godzilla until now. Looking at his eyepatch, Akihiko Hirata’s face now comes to mind.

[Times of Joy and Sorrow (喜びも悲しみも幾歳月) or The Lighthouse [Yorokobi mo kanashimi mo ikutoshitsuki ] is a 1957 color Japanese film produced by Shochiku and directed by Keisuke Kinoshita, who shot on location at 11 different lighthouses throughout Japan, including opening scenes at Kannonzaki, the site of the country’s first lighthouse. The Shochiku Company, Limited (松竹株式会社, Shochiku Kabushiki gaisha) is a Japanese film and kabuki production and distribution company.]

これこそ、刷り込みの最たるものだったのではなかろうか。

I think this was the best imprinting.

以前『ラドン』『地球防衛軍』と続き、今度は田中友幸•本多猪四郎•円谷英二という名前がごく自然に頭の中に入りこんできて、頭の中に居座るようになった。

Previously, “Rodan” and “The Mysterians” followed, and this time the names Tomoyuki Tanaka, Ishiro Honda, and Eiji Tsuburaya came into my head naturally and came to stay in my head.

ぼくは高校生の時、映画『ピクニック』に触発されて、ウイリアム•インジの戯曲を読んだ。たしか菅原卓訳だったと思うが、その中にヒロインのこまっしゃくれた妹ミリーの「……まるでゴジラみたい」というセリフが頭に残った。英語の原文にゴジラとう表現があったかどうは確認していないが、昭和三十三、四年当時、ゴジラがそれほど一般的な言葉になっていたことに驚いたものだ。

When I was a high school student, I was inspired by the movie “Picnic” and read William Inge’s play. I think it was translated by Taku Sugawara, but the heroine’s sly sister Milly’s “… like Godzilla” line came to my mind. I haven’t confirmed whether Godzilla was used in the original English text, but I was surprised that Godzilla had become such a common word in 1933 and 1945.

ここで香山滋のことにふれておきたい。

I would like to touch on Shigeru Kayama here.

なにしろカヤマをコーヤマと読む人が多い昨今なのだから情けない語である。カヤマ•シゲルときけば、ぼくなどは今でも目が青雲の志に輝くほどの怪奇幻想文壇のスーパースターだったのだ。

After all, it is a pitiful word because many people read Kayama as Koyama these days. Kayama Shigeru and I were still superstars of the mysterious fantasy literary world with lofty ambition.

香山滋は本名出田鉀治。明治四十二年うまれ、昭和五十年死去。法政大学経済学部の時、かの内田百閒にドイツ語を習っている。経済的理由から中退し、大蔵省預金部に勤務する。昭和二十二年「宝石」の第一回懸賞小説募集に『オラン•ペンデクの復讐』が入選。翌年『海鰻荘談』で探偵作家クラブ賞を受賞。作家専業となる。

Shigeru Kayama is his real name, Koji Ideda. He was born in the 42nd year of the Meiji era and died in the 50th year of the Showa era. When he was in the Faculty of Economics at Hosei University, he was learning German from Hyakken Uchida. He dropped out for financial reasons and worked for the Ministry of Finance Deposit Department. He was selected for “Revenge of Orang Pendek” in the first prize novel recruitment for “Jewelry” in 1947. The following year, he won the Detective Writers Club Award for “Kainisodan”. He will be a writer.

[“The revenge of orang penned” by Kayama Shigeru was published in Hoseki (Gem) in April 1947. The stories are of anthropological interest, beginning with the premise that a lost race of people have survived in the jungles of Sumatra. The setting is not very far distant from the setting of King Kong. (Source: Japanese Science Fiction: A View of a Changing Society by Robert Matthew]

More to come