Tokusatsu
Tokusatsu (特撮, lit. 'special photography') is a Japanese term for
Renowned subgenres of tokusatsu include
Tokusatsu is one of the most popular forms of Japanese entertainment, but only a small proportion of tokusatsu films and television programs are widely known outside of Japan. Nevertheless, certain properties have attained popularity outside of Japan; Godzilla is featured in popular American-made movies, and the Super Sentai Series was adapted into the Power Rangers series and broadcast internationally beginning in 1993.
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History
1908–1933: Early development
Tokusatsu has origins in early
1933–1945: Influence from King Kong and wartime efforts
After researching the special effects featured in King Kong (1933), Eiji Tsuburaya began to develop tokusatsu and had his breakthrough on Princess Kaguya (1935) and The Daughter of the Samurai (1937).[2] Modern tokusatsu, however, did not begin to take shape until the late 1940s.[3]
1954–present: Widespread recognition
Tsuburaya and the director
Godzilla kickstarted the kaiju genre in Japan, creating the "Monster Boom", which remained extremely popular for several decades, with characters such as the aforementioned Godzilla, Gamera and King Ghidorah leading the market.[6] However, in 1957 Shintoho produced the first film serial featuring the superhero character Super Giant, signaling a shift in popularity that favored masked heroes over giant monsters called the "Henshin Boom" started by Kamen Rider in 1971, though giant monsters, aliens and humanoid creatures dubbed lit. 'strange person"' or '怪人' or 'kaijin' remained an integral part of the genre. Along with the anime Astro Boy, the Super Giant serials had a profound effect on the world of tokusatsu. The following year, Moonlight Mask premiered, the first of numerous televised superhero dramas that would make up one of the most popular tokusatsu subgenres.[7] Created by Kōhan Kawauchi, he followed up its success with the tokusatsu superhero shows Seven Color Mask (1959) and Messenger of Allah (1960), both starring a young Sonny Chiba.
These original productions preceded the first color-television tokusatsu series, Ambassador Magma and Ultraman, which heralded the Kyodai Hero subgenre, wherein a regular-sized protagonist grows to larger proportions to fight equally large monsters.[8] Popular tokusatsu superhero shows in the 1970s included Kamen Rider (1971), Warrior of Love Rainbowman (1972), Super Sentai (1975, trademarked in 1979) and Spider-Man (1978).
Techniques
Miniatures
Tokusatsu is recognized for its heavy use of miniature sets, especially in the Kyodai Hero subgenre. Miniatures are placed from the camera's perspective to create the illusion that the characters are larger than they are.[10]
Suitmation
Suitmation (スーツメーション, Sūtsumēshon) is the term used to describe the process in tokusatsu movies and television programs used to portray a monster using suit acting. The exact origin of the term remains unknown. At the least, it was used to promote the Godzilla suit from The Return of Godzilla.[citation needed]
Franchises and productions
The many productions of tokusatsu series have general themes common throughout different groups.
Kaiju
Kaiju (怪獣, kaijū, literally "mysterious beast") productions primarily feature monsters, or giant monsters (大怪獣, daikaijū). Such series include Ultraman, the Godzilla film series, the Gamera series, the Daimajin series, and films such as Mothra, The War of the Gargantuas, and The X from Outer Space (宇宙大怪獣ギララ, Uchu Daikaijū Girara).
Kaijin
Kaijin (怪人, literally "mysterious person") productions primarily feature supervillains as their central character. This includes films such as The Invisible Avenger, Half Human, The H-Man, The Secret of the Telegian, and The Human Vapor.
Popular franchises
Since about 1960, several long-running television series have combined various other themes. Tsuburaya Productions has had the Ultraman Series starting with Ultra Q and Ultraman in 1966. P Productions began their foray into tokusatsu in 1966 with the series Ambassador Magma. They also had involvement in the Lion-Maru series which concluded in November 2006.
In 2006, Keita Amemiya's Garo, a mature late-night tokusatsu drama was released, starting a franchise composed of several television series and films. Other mature late-night series followed, including a revival of Lion-Maru in Lion-Maru G, the Daimajin Kanon television series (based on the Daimajin film series), and Shougeki Gouraigan!! (also created by Amemiya).
Tokusatsu movies
Various movies classified as tokusatsu can include
Similar productions
Non-traditional tokusatsu productions
Non-traditional tokusatsu films and television programs may not use conventional special effects or may not star human actors. Though suitmation typifies tokusatsu, some productions may use
Japanese fan films
As the popularity of tokusatsu increased in Japan, several
Outside of Japan
This section needs additional citations for verification. (April 2023) |
Tokusatsu techniques have spread outside Japan due to the popularity of Godzilla films.
Adaptations
Godzilla, King of the Monsters! first appeared in English in 1956. Rather than a simple dub of the Japanese-language original, this work represented an entirely re-edited version that restructured the plot to incorporate a new character played by a native English-speaking actor, Raymond Burr. Ultraman gained popularity when United Artists dubbed it for American audiences in the 1960s.
In the 1990s,
In 2002,
In 2023, GMA Network released Voltes V: Legacy, an adaptation of the original Voltes V, which has used special effects and CGI heavily reminiscent of those found in traditional tokusatsu shows, with some western influences added.
Original productions
In 1961 England-based filmmakers produced the Godzilla-style film,
Concurrent with their work on Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad, DIC attempted an original concept based on the popularity of Power Rangers in 1994's Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills. In 1998, a video from an attempted Power Rangers-styled adaptation of Sailor Moon surfaced, combining original footage of American actresses with original animated sequences.
Saban also attempted to make their own unique tokusatsu series entitled Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog, set in medieval Ireland and featured four, later five knights who transform using the power of the elements (for the most part) at they protected their kingdom from evil. Saban had also produced the live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation, which was known in the turtles' fandom for introducing a female turtle exclusive to that series called Venus de Milo and eliminating the fact that the other turtles were brothers. The show mostly featured actors in costumes, but featured similar choreographed fights like other tokusatsu shows.
Also like other Tokusatsu Productions the Syndicated Big Wolf on Campus and Nickelodeon's Animorphs are also described as "American Tokusatsu" due to the techniques they employed. Fujiyama Ichiban is a 2013 web series shot in Los Angeles.
In the 2000s, production companies in other East Asian countries began producing their own original tokusatsu-inspired television series:
On July the 1st, 2019, Vietnam's Transform Studio co-operating with Dive Into Eden announced their own original tokusatsu series, Mighty Guardian (Vietnamese: Chiến Thần). The first season in the series is Mighty Guardian: Lost Avian (Vietnamese: Chiến Thần Lạc Hồng), using Vietnamese Mythologies as the main concept.[20][21][22][23]
Influence
Kaiju and tokusatsu films, notably
Steven Spielberg cited Godzilla as an inspiration for Jurassic Park (1993), specifically Godzilla, King of the Monsters! (1956), which he grew up watching.[25] During its production, Spielberg described Godzilla as "the most masterful of all the dinosaur movies because it made you believe it was really happening."[26] Godzilla also influenced the Spielberg film Jaws (1975).[27][28]
Japanese tokusatsu movies also influenced one of the first
Homage and parody
In 1998, a Brazilian webcomic inspired by both Power Rangers and Super Sentai entitled Combo Rangers was published on the internet, created by Japanese-Brazilian author Fábio Yabu. The webcomic's popularity allowed the webcomic to become a print comic book until 2004 and having a reboot through Graphic Novels in the 2010s.[30]
In 2001, Buki X-1 Productions, a French fan-based production company, produced its own series,
In 2015, Brazilian indie game studio, Behold Studios, developed a Power Ranger and Super Sentai inspired game, Chroma Squad.[35]
Tokusatsu has also had a large influence on western animation. Artist Thomas Perkins has delved into work that makes reference to tokusatsu. This is most notable in the design of the character Way Big from Ben 10, who bears a striking resemblance to Ultraman.[36]
References
- ^ a b 百科年鑑 [Encyclopedia Yearbook] (in Japanese). Heibonsha. 1984. p. 100 – via Google Books.
- ISBN 978-1-4521-3539-7.
- ^ "The Invisible Man Appears (1949) | The Invisible Man vs. The Human Fly (1957)". Frame Rated. March 12, 2021. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
- ISBN 0-520-24565-2
- ISBN 978-1-4521-3539-7.
- ISBN 1-4042-0269-2.
- ISBN 0-7656-0560-0
- ISBN 0-207-95014-8
- ^ Fackler, Martin (September 1, 2013). "Rubber-Suit Monsters Fade. Tiny Tokyos Relax". The New York Times.
- ^ “The Men Who Made Ultraman.” Directed by Akio Jissoji and Takamichi Yamada, Tsuburaya Production,1989
- ^ Heffley, Lynne (November 25, 1993). "Low-Tech Equals High Ratings : Fox's Offbeat 'Mighty Morphin Power Rangers' Flexes Its Kidvid Muscle". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
- ^ Kelley, Shamus (February 17, 2018). "Power Rangers Beast Morphers Confirmed". Den of Geek!. Archived from the original on February 17, 2018. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
- ^ "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Comics Coming From BOOM! Studios". 25 September 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
- ^ "New Power Rangers films are coming after Hasbro acquires the franchise from Lionsgate". Digital Spy. June 1, 2018. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
- ^ "WINNERS: Daytime Entertainment Creative Arts Emmy Awards". June 26, 2010. Retrieved 27 June 2010.
- ^ "「KAMEN RIDER DRAGON KNIGHT」第37回デイタイム・エミー賞において最優秀スタントコーディネーション賞を受賞! | 東映[テレビ]". 2010-06-29. Archived from the original on 2010-07-01. Retrieved 2010-07-04.
- ^ "GMA-7 acquires exclusive rights to "Shaider"". pep.ph. Retrieved 2007-09-20.
- ^ Pewarta: Nanien Yuniar (7 May 2013). "Bandai buat mainan BIMA Satria Garuda". ANTARA News. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
- ^ Pewarta: Nanien Yuniar (7 May 2013). "BIMA Satria Garuda, Ksatria Baja Hitam Indonesia". ANTARA News. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
- ^ "Chiến Thần Lạc Hồng - Mighty Guardian". Facebook. Retrieved 2019-07-08.
- ^ "Chiến Thần Lạc Hồng - Dự án phim đang được cộng đồng đặt tên "5 anh em siêu nhân Việt Nam"". Game4V. 2019-09-04. Retrieved 2019-09-26.
- ^ CHIẾN THẦN LẠC HỒNG | MIGHTY GUARDIAN: LOST AVIAN | TEASER TRAILER, retrieved 2019-09-26
- ^ Alpha_Prime. "Анонс нового вьетнамского току-сериала — Mighty Guardian: Lost Avian — Babylon Fiction" (in Russian). Retrieved 2019-09-26.
- ISBN 0786704853.
- ISBN 9781550223484.
- ISBN 9781550223484.
- ISBN 9780753505564.
- ISBN 9780498019159.
- ISSN 0730-6687.
- ^ Sidney Gusman (2002-10-30). "Site dos Combo Rangers retorna com novo visual e pelo UOL" [Combo Rangers website returns with new look and via UOL]. Universo HQ (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2010-02-03. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
- ^ "Mighty Moshin' Emo Rangers". MTV UK. Archived from the original on 2007-03-19. Retrieved 2013-05-16.
- ^ Candido, Junior (2023-01-16). "O Brasil tem um tokusatsu para chamar de seu: o Insector Sun". Arkade (in Portuguese).
- ^ Filho, César (2021-01-18). "TimerMan: Projeto nacional de tokusatsu lança episódio piloto". JBox (in Brazilian Portuguese).
- ^ Kelley, Shamus (October 2, 2018). "The Surprising Tokusatsu Influences of Ant-Man". Den of Geek. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
- ^ "HOME". Beholdstudios. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
- ^ Gaetos, Paula (2014-05-16). "Artist Feature: Thomas Perkins". The Tokusatsu Network. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
Bibliography
- Allison, Anne (2006). Millennial Monsters: Japanese Toys and the Global Imagination. Asia-Local Studies/Global Themes 13. Berkeley, Calif.: University of California Press. OCLC 690263415.
- Craig, Timothy J., ed. (2015) [2000]. Japan Pop!: Inside the World of Japanese Popular Culture (Reprint ed.). New York: Routledge. OCLC 1099932333.
- Grays, Kevin (Summer 1990). "Welcome to the Wonderful World of Japanese Fantasy". Markalite: The Magazine of Japanese Fantasy. Vol. 1. Kaiju Productions/Pacific Rim Publishing.
- Godziszewski, Ed. (November–December 1994). "The Making of Godzilla". G-FAN. No. 12. Daikaiju Enterprises.
- Martinez, D. P., ed. (2003) [1998]. The Worlds of Japanese Popular Culture: Gender, Shifting Boundaries, and Global Cultures. Contemporary Japanese Society (Reprint ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press. OCLC 634442451.
- Ryfle, Steve (1999). Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of "The Big G". Toronto: ECW Press. OCLC 38748971. AKA Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of Godzilla.
- Yoshida, Makoto; Ikeda, Noriyoshi; Ragone, August (Summer 1990). "The Making of 'Godzilla Vs. Biollante'—They Call it 'Tokusatsu'". Markalite: The Magazine of Japanese Fantasy. Vol. 1. Kaiju Productions/Pacific Rim Publishing.