Jun Fukuda(1923-2000)

Jun Fukuda would spend his childhood in Manchuria before attending Nihon University College of Art. His interests would lead him to filmmaking and in 1946 he joined Toho as an assistant director. In his tenure as an assistant director, he would work under filmmakers such as Hiroshi Inagaki and Ishirô Honda, leading to his first work in special effects filmmaking with Rodan (1956). His career as a full-fledged director would take off in 1959. His early work leaned more towards mystery but he began to expand into more action and comedic centric works by the mid-1960s. Around this time, Toho gave Fukuda the opportunity to direct a Godzilla film. Beginning with Ebirah contre Godzilla (1966), Fukuda would become Toho's go to director for special effects films after Ishiro Honda. Fukuda's films would develop a unique identity beginning with his his choice to replace series composer Akira Ifukube with Masaru Satô. His films would be full of colorful characters and vibrant action demonstrating his filmmaking craftsmanship. During his career he would direct five Godzilla films, along with espionage films and comedies. He would also write the un-produced screenplays of The Invisible Man and Invisible Man vs. the Human Torch. While Fukuda was known to harbor a disdain for his work, he would seem to develop an understanding of what his work met to people as fans would send him letters and messages during his final years. Fukuda would passed away from lung cancer on December 3, 2000, at the age of 77.