AMBFAD Book Club

'Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters: Defending the Earth with Ultraman and Godzilla'

First 'Book Club' post of the year and it's a good one! I've actually been lusting over this since it was published by the always-awesome Chronicle Books back in 2007. There was a lone copy at one of the nearby Barnes & Noble, but the price tag always kept me at bay. Thanks to some well-placed holiday gift cards, I finally nabbed it.

For those who aren't familiar w/ the name, Eiji Tsuburaya was the visual effects mastermind behind 'Godzilla', 'Ultraman' and numerous Japanese sci-fi movies/TV shows revered around the world. The first book on this legendary film figure in English, this highly visual biography details his fascinating life and career, featuring hundreds of film stills, posters, concept art and on-set photos. Beautifully designed and lovingly authored by August Ragone, it's a fitting tip of the hat to one of the cinema's semi-unsung heroes.

For die-hard fans of Tsuburaya and the genre as a whole, the book also features profiles of his film collaborators, details on his key films and shows (most available on DVD) and features on the enduring popularity of the characters he helped create. Seriously, it is packed full of some great stuff.

I grew up on both the Godzilla films and the American syndication of the original Ultraman series...both are cultural pillars to me. If you can say the same, this book is worth checking out! Still in print and available via most online booksellers.