Fukuda Jun

Fukuda Jun was a director who brought a distinct, energetic style to the Godzilla franchise during the Showa era. Born in Manchuria, he joined Toho in 1946 and honed his craft as an assistant director under legends like Inagaki Hiroshi and Honda Ishirô.

Unlike Honda's more somber and grounded approach, Fukuda's directorial style was characterized by faster pacing, action-oriented storytelling, and a touch of camp. He helmed five Godzilla films, starting with Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966) and Son of Godzilla (1967), and later directed 3 back-to-back entries in the 70s: Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972), Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973), and Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974).

Fukuda often collaborated with composer Satô Masaru, whose jazzy and upbeat scores complemented Fukuda's dynamic visuals. He was also known for his hands-on approach to special effects, often working closely with the effects team to achieve his vision. Beyond kaiju films, he directed entries in the Young Guy series and spy thrillers like Ironfinger (1965) and The Secret of the Telegian (1960). His final film for Toho was the sci-fi spectacle The War in Space (1977).