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Tohl Narita

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Tohl Narita (成田 亨, Narita Tōru) was a sculptor and designer who worked for Tsuburaya Productions from 1965 to 1968. He designed the first three Ultras, Ultraman, Zoffy, and Ultraseven, as well as many iconic Kaiju in the Ultraman Series.

Career[]

Shin-Ultraman-portrait

"Incarnation of Truth, Justice, and Beauty". Painted by Tohl Narita in 1983.

Narita was born in Kobe on September 3, 1929, though his family relocated to Aomori Prefecture in 1930. He burnt his left hand from grabbing coal from the fireplace in his home prior to turning 1 year old. Surgeries failed to heal his hand.[1] He studied in Hyogo Prefecture, where he was often bullied due to his injured hand. He could only paint with his right hand, but was determined to be a painter in the future.

In 1950, Narita entered Musashino Art School, where he majored on foreign painting and joined the sculpting department.[1] After graduating in 1954, he got a part time job at Toho and produced a miniature building prop to be destroyed by Godzilla.

In the spring of 1965, Narita became a contract employee of Tsuburaya Productions, and served as art director from the second course of special effects television film Ultra Q (1966). He then participated in Ultraman (1966), Ultraseven (1967) and Mighty Jack (1968), working concurrently the design of heroes, kaiju and mechanisms. He left Tsuburaya Productions in 1968, holding various exhibitions and designing characters in Totsugeki! Hyuman!! in 1972.

Tohl Narita memorial Twitter and Facebook accounts were opened in April 2011 and October 2014 respectively.[2][3]

In 2022, Ultraman's appearance in Shin Ultraman was based on Narita's original design of the character.[4]

Death[]

Tohl Narita passed away on February 26, 2002 at age 72 due to multiple cerebral infarctions.[5]

Works[]

Other Works[]

  • Godzilla (1954) - Miniature production
  • Godzilla Raids Again (1955)
  • Half Human (1955)
  • The Legend of the White Serpent (1956)
  • Rodan (1956)
  • The Mysterians (1957)
  • Varan the Unbelievable (1958)
  • Monkey Sun (1959)
  • Submarine I-57 Will Not Surrender (1959)
  • The Three Treasures (1959)
  • Battle in Outer Space (1959)
  • The War of the Gargantuas (1966)- Monster designer
  • Thunder Mask (1972) - Original draft
  • Assault! Human!! (1972) - Art director
  • Karafuto 1945 Summer Hyosetsu no Mon (1974)
  • The Bullet Train (1975)
  • Enban Sensō Bankid (1976-1977)
  • Children of Nagasaki (1983)
  • Mahjong Hōrōki (1984)
  • Sukeban Deka (1987)

Gallery[]

Art[]

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Official profile
  2. ↑ https://twitter.com/tohlnarita
  3. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063540938738&sk=about_profile_transparency
  4. ↑ https://shin-ultraman.jp/about/
  5. ↑ https://en.tsuburaya-prod.co.jp/news/1680
  6. ↑ https://www.pen-online.jp/article/010622.html
  7. ↑ https://facebook.com/197840980250890/photos/a.898461633522151/898462196855428
  8. ↑ https://muuseo.com/PPPppppppQQQ/items/36
  9. ↑ https://www.kobe-np.co.jp/news/odekake-plus/news/detail.shtml?news/odekake-plus/news/pickup/201612/9768938
  10. ↑ https://natalie.mu/eiga/news/143525

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