Writing Japanese Monsters

You’ve seen books dedicated to the special effects of Japanese monster movies, but this is perhaps the first tome to take an in-depth look at both the writers and the writing process behind these films. This book charts the wild developmental process of all of Japan’s many monster films. Learn how Gamera was born when the Daiei Studios president looked out his airplane window and saw a cloud shaped like a turtle; how King Kong vs. Godzilla began as King Kong vs. Frankenstein; and how Ultraman originally started out with the name and design of one his future opponents! Discover a floppy-eared Godzilla; a blue-scaled, rainbow-winged King Ghidorah; and a transforming Mechagodzilla! Marvel at Gorgo’s roots as a Japanese co-production called Kuru Island; puzzle at a version of Godzilla 1985 starring Leslie Nielsen rather than Raymond Burr; thrill to Mothra’s secret origin in The Luminous Fairies and Mothra, and be amazed at Miki Saegusa’s surprising backstory in an early treatment for Godzilla vs. Biollante. And that’s not all, this book has bios on writers like Shinichi Sekizawa, Niisan Takahashi, Yukiko Takayama, and Kazuki Omori; plus appendices including a comprehensive script guide and comparisons between the films and their manga adaptations!