Because Godzilla started it all for me. And after all these years, he is still my all-time favorite character (tied with Snoopy).
Memories of watching giant monster films and sci-fi films on programs like the
ABC 4:30 Movie on Channel 7, WNEW (now WNYW) Channel 5's weekend movie programs, WWOR-TV Channel 9's Thanksgiving Marathons, WPIX Channel 11's
12:30 Movie and
Chiller Theater.
By the mid-80s, I graduated to superhero adventures like
The Super Inframan, and became aware of Ultraman, watched
Dynaman, etc. I hung out with my big brother at his sci-fi clubs at high school, and went to places like Forbidden Planet in NYC, and my very first convention, NYC Creation-Con, where I got my Godzilla and Ultraman fixes.
On the first weekend of 1991, the magazine
Markalite was my official doorway to tokusatsu fandom! The making of
Godzilla Vs. Biollante (Toho; 1989),
Masked Rider Black (Toei; 1987), the retrospective on
Spectreman (P-Productions; 1971), a whole list of all the superhero shows from the 50s to the 80s (the "Superhero Rollcall" list article), the retrospective on the Ultra Series, etc.
And I got to learn more about actors like Akira Takarada, Akira Kubo, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Kenji Sahara, Akihiko Hirata, Kumi Mizuno, Jun Tazaki, and a whole galaxy of others. And I later learned about superhero show actors like Daisuke Ban, Hiroshi Miyauchi and many, many others! I accepted these actors like I would any classic Hollywood actor. And I couldn't have it any other way.
And best of all, the SPFX. Miniatures, Suitmation, photography, wireworks, compositions, mattes, optical FX, even beautiful art direction by the likes of Tohl Narita, Yasuyuki Inoue, Akira Watanabe, and many, many others. Without Eiji Tsuburaya and these men, tokusatsu would not have that kind of impact today.
And remember, when
Godzilla was released in Japan, the critics panned it, saying "Why did Japan bother to make this film? This is better off in the realm of American filmmakers!" The legends at Toho defied the critics, as these films became huge box-office blockbusters, one after another, and it further challenged Eiji Tsuburaya and his crew to do more giant monster films (Godzilla or otherwise), sci-fi films, disaster films, WWII epics, and many others, spawning a whole new generation of special effects artists at other companies like Daiei, Toei, Shochiku, Nikkatsu, and of course, Tsuburaya, on the big screen, and then, the small screen as well!
As all generations of special effects artists in Japan have said, these FX fantasies represented their childhood. And that appeal has become apparent, with colorful, dazzling visuals, and face it, even all of you out there can relate. More than we can say for most American films. And without Eiji Tsuburaya, we would not have not just Godzilla or Gamera, but Ultraman, Masked Rider, and their many sequels and offshoots, especially the now world-famous Super Sentai!
And that's why I love tokusatsu.
