Tag: ‘Kaiju’

Velvet kaiju paintings

07 Nov 2009

The fierce beauty of classic Japanese movie monsters is dramatically captured in these black velvet paintings by artist Bruce White.

Gamera by Bruce White --
Gamera

Mechagodzilla by Bruce White --
Mechagodzilla

Godzilla by Bruce White --
Godzilla

Ultraman by Bruce White --
Ultraman

Hedorah by Bruce White --
Hedorah

Mothra by Bruce White --
Mothra

[Via: @bonniegrrl]

Monster silhouettes on electric transformer boxes

30 Sep 2009

Electric transformer boxes painted with the silhouettes of Ultraman monsters can be seen on the streets of Sukagawa (Fukushima prefecture), the hometown of sci-fi special effects master Eiji Tsuburaya.

Electric transformer box decorated with Ultraman --
Ultraman [photo]

Electric transformer box decorated with Ultra monster --
Gomess [photo]

Electric transformer box decorated with Ultraman --
Ultra Seven [photo]

Electric transformer box decorated with Ultraman kaiju --
Clockwise from top-right: Antlar, Guts Seijin, Telesdon, Mephilas, Gomora [photo]

Electric transformer box decorated with tokusatsu silhouette --
Borg Seijin [photo]

Electric transformer box decorated with Ultraman kaiju --
Pegira [photo]

Sonosheet cover art

11 Sep 2009

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Mirrorman

In the 1960s and 1970s, Japan saw an explosion in the popularity of sonosheets -- cheap, flexible phonograph records printed on thin sheets of vinyl. Widely available from a variety of publishers, the most popular sonosheets featured theme music from TV anime, manga and tokusatsu, and they often came packaged inside booklets featuring colorful artwork. The sonosheet boom was short-lived, though -- many companies went under as the market became flooded in the 1970s, and the phenomenon all but disappeared by the 1980s. Here is a small sample of the vast array of sonosheet cover art from that era.

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Ultra Q [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Batman vs. Iceman

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Vampire

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Captain Ultra

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Batman (front cover) [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Batman (back cover) [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Ambassador Magma [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
GeGeGe no Kitaro (front cover) [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
GeGeGe no Kitaro (back cover) [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Falcon of Shidenkai [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Kaiki Daisakusen (front cover) [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Kaiki Daisakusen (back cover)

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Daikaij?sen

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Space boy Soran [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Thunderbirds [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Tetsujin Tiger Seven/ Inazuman/ Diamond Eye

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Ultraman (front cover)

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Ultraman (back cover)

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Henshin Ninja Arashi

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Frankenstein [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Robot Detective (front cover)

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Robot Detective (inside) [+]

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Space Monsters

Vintage sonosheet cover art --
Ultra Seven

[More]

Cup Noodle monsters

03 Jun 2009

The stomach contents of famous monsters are revealed in this series of Brazilian ads for Cup Noodles (a.k.a. "genuine Japanese fast food").

Cup Noodle monster --
Godzilla [+]

Cup Noodle monster --
Kanegon [+]

Cup Noodle monster --
Gomora [+]

Cup Noodle monster --
Alien Baltan [+]

[Via: I Believe in Advertising]

See also: Hungry (for giant prehistoric beasts)?

Movie monster illustrations by Yasushi Torisawa

21 May 2009

Character designer and kaiju evolutionist Yasushi Torisawa produced a fantastic set of classic Toho movie monster illustrations for the summer 2008 edition of Uchusen magazine.

Kaiju illustration by Yasushi Torisawa --
Godzilla vs. Biollante [+]

Hedora - Illustration by Yasushi Torisawa --
Hedorah [+]

Rodan - Illustration by Yasushi Torisawa --
Rodan [+]

King Ghidrah & Gigan - Illustration by Yasushi Torisawa --
King Ghidorah & Gigan [+]

Green Gargantua - Illustration by Yasushi Torisawa --
The Green Gargantua [+]

Brown Gargantua - Illustration by Yasushi Torisawa --
The Brown Gargantua [+]

King Ghidrah vs Gorosaurus - Illustration by Yasushi Torisawa --
King Ghidorah vs. Gorosaurus [+]

Baragon - Illustration by Yasushi Torisawa --
Baragon [+]

Video: Starfish Hitler

06 Feb 2009

Via The Echinoblog's profile of starfish-themed monsters in Japanese cinema come these classic clips of Starfish Hitler, a Government of Darkness (G.O.D.) villain who battled superhero Kamen Rider X on TV in 1974.


+ Part 1: Kamen Rider X vs Starfish Hitler


+ Part 2: Kamen Rider X vs Starfish Hitler

[Link: The Echinoblog]

Kaiju anatomical drawings

23 Oct 2008

Flickr user modern_fred's Japanese movie monster scan collection includes a few vintage illustrations detailing the innards of Godzilla and other famous kaiju.

Anatomy of Godzilla --
Godzilla

This anatomical sketch of Godzilla reveals a relatively small brain, giant lungs that allow underwater breathing, leg muscles that can support 20,000 tons of body weight, and a "uranium sack" and "nuclear reaction sack" that produce radioactive fire-breath and energize the body.

* * * * *

Anatomy of Jiger --
Jiger reveals her inner self

According to this anatomical drawing, Jiger has a pair of horns that can shoot missiles made of hardened saliva and one that fires a deadly magnetium (?) beam.

Anatomy of Jiger --
Jiger (uploaded by Paulkaiju)

Other characteristics include extremely powerful suction cups covering the entire body, an organ that enables Jiger to spit jets of seawater at 300 kilometers per hour, a stomach that can melt iron ore, and a tail that functions as an ovipositor.

* * * * *

Anatomy of Mothra larva --
Mothra larva

This anatomical sketch of Mothra in larval form shows a robust jaw, an enormous stomach, an elongated silk-producing organ, a row of breathing orifices on either side of the body, countless cilia on the bottom surface, and a rudimentary nervous system consisting of a cerebral ganglion and a network of nerve ganglia distributed across the body.

* * * * *

Anatomy of Guiron --
Guiron -- a peek inside the belly of the beast

* * * * *

Anatomy of Anguirus --
Anguirus

This anatomical diagram of Anguirus shows eyes that can detect infrared light, a pair of sub-brains that control the forelegs and rear legs, highly developed rear leg muscles, and a heavily spiked rear carapace.

* * * * *

This illustration of "Flaming Monster Gamera" (from An Anatomical Guide to Monsters) reveals eyes that can see in the dark, arms strong enough to lift and throw a 50-ton boat, and "fire sacks" that let Gamera shoot flames from his hands.

Anatomy of Gamera --
Gamera

The illustration also shows a series of sack-like organs for storing lava, oil, coal and uranium (like Godzilla), as well as balloon-like organs in the legs that can blast air through the bottoms of the feet.

[Link: modern_fred's kaiju eiga photoset]

Related: Kaiju art collection

Kaiju art collection

25 Jun 2008

Kaiju collector/photographer Red Yoda adds a touch of colorful madness to an awesome collection of Japanese vinyl monster figures. Browse the entire photoset for more.

Red Yoda's kaiju art collection --
[Kameba]

Red Yoda's kaiju art collection --
[Mothra Larva go for a swim]

Red Yoda's kaiju art collection --
[Zag!]

Red Yoda's kaiju art collection --
[Salary Ika!]

Red Yoda's kaiju art collection --
[Daimajin is angry!]

Red Yoda's kaiju art collection --
[Bloody. Evil. Varan]