And there was a palpable respect for the tradition and legacy that they’re upholding through their craft.” The workspace felt organized and messy at the same time, with each member having their own system behind which materials lived where. Their construction process is incredible: all of their costumes and props are made by hand, in a secret studio. “Yes! We wanted to witness the studio’s production in person to be able to create an authentic filmmaking experience within our Doodle. The main set of Tsuburaya Productions, awaiting its monsters.īack up a second.you visited Tsuburaya’s studio? It’s fascinating to me how long-lasting the results of his work has been – it’s easy to see remnants of the Tokusatsu style in Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim, Evangelion, and even the Power Rangers.” After many years in the ‘monster business,’ he set up his own practical effects studio, Tsuburaya Productions, which we were lucky enough to visit for this project! Having grown up as a film fan, I’ve always had a deep love for Tokusatsu, so I was eager to find a way to bring attention to Tsuburaya’s art. “Director Eiji Tsuburaya is best known for the famous characters he brought to life, like Ultraman. Who was Tsuburaya, and what drew you to create this tribute to him? Doodler Jennifer Hom led us through the inspiration behind the interactive Doodle: In today’s Doodle, we spotlight one of Tokusatsu’s kings, Eiji Tsuburaya, the quiet pioneer who created Ultraman, co-created Godzilla, and brought Tokusatsu to the global cinematic mainstream. Seen this film before? This live action genre, known as “Tokusatsu” (特撮) in Japanese, is unmistakable in its style, and still evident in many modern beast-based thrillers. Then, stomping towards the camera, the giant moves closer, and closer, until…” Cut!” Suddenly! From behind a hand-built skyline, a towering beast appears! Shaking off a layer of dust, the massive foam-and-rubber monster leans back to act out an amazing roar (the sound effect will be added in later).

Scratch doodle monster