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Tsuburaya Productions

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Tsuburaya Productions (円谷プロダクション, Tsuburaya Purodakushon)[1] is a Japanese film and television production company, founded in 1963 by Eiji Tsuburaya. Currently, it operates as a consolidated subsidiary of Tsuburaya Fields Holdings and is an equity-method affiliate of Bandai Namco Holdings.

Overview[]

Tsuburaya Productions 2024

Tsuburaya Productions is a company renowned for its use of advanced tokusatsu (special effects) techniques in creating visual media, with its most iconic work being the Ultraman Series. The company is also known for producing high-quality tokusatsu and science fiction content aimed at a wide range of audiences. However, this commitment to quality has also resulted in rising production costs for each project over the years, which has had a significant impact on the company’s financial history.

Since its founding by Eiji Tsuburaya in 1963, Tsuburaya Productions has undergone several changes in ownership and management. For several decades, from the 1960s through the 2000s, the company remained under the ownership and management of the Tsuburaya family. However, in October 2007, the Tsuburaya family sold the company to TYO, and in 2010, Tsuburaya Productions was further sold to Fields Corporation, a company primarily involved in the pachinko industry. Today, Tsuburaya Productions operates as a subsidiary of Tsuburaya Fields Holdings.

While its core operations remain based in Japan, the company has recently expanded its business globally, extending into markets in China, Southeast Asia, other parts of Asia, and North America. It also offers extensive content from its series through its YouTube channel, reaching a broad international audience.[2][3]

The company’s current logo was originally designed by Tohl Narita, the art director for their 1968 TV series Mighty Jack. The arrow-like logo has become a defining symbol of Tsuburaya Productions.[4]

History[]

When the company was first established on April 12, 1963, it was named Tsuburaya Special Effects Productions (円谷特技プロダクション, Tsuburaya Tokugi Purodakushon). At that time, Toho was the major shareholder of Tsuburaya Productions, assigning part-time personnel to administrative roles such as manager. Additionally, Tsuburaya Productions benefited from the support of Toho’s facilities, including a costume storage near the Tokyo Art Center and studios in the Kinuta area of Setagaya, Tokyo. Tsuburaya also received contracts from Toho to produce television programs and films.

In 1963, Tsuburaya Productions began working on their first television series, WoO. However, the project was canceled in 1964. That same year, the tentative plan for a science fiction anthology series called UNBALANCE —in collaboration with Tokyo Broadcasting System— was initiated. This series eventually became Ultra Q, the precursor to the Ultraman series. In July 1966, the new series Ultraman officially debuted, setting the foundation for the Ultraman Series. The company later changed its name to its current name in December 1968.

By 1969, Tsuburaya Productions faced a significant crisis. No new television projects were being commissioned, leaving the production team idle. At the time, the company was managed by members of the Tsuburaya family, who held the traditional belief of "creating high-quality works regardless of profitability." As a result, many of the company's projects became known for their financial losses. With no proper financial oversight or established licensing management, the company struggled to recoup production costs, relying on toy and software sales.

In an effort to raise capital, Tsuburaya Productions sought to increase its funding. Toho, as the primary shareholder, took on this responsibility and acquired 60% of the company's shares, making Tsuburaya Productions a subsidiary. Although Eiji Tsuburaya remained as president, Toho dispatched seven executives to manage the company's affairs. As part of Toho's restructuring strategy, they dissolved the Planning and Literature Department, and reduced the staff from about 150 to just 40 employees. Toho also provided a five-year grace period to settle debts and pay off suppliers, allowing Tsuburaya Productions to continue its operations and produce new works.

After 1981, Tsuburaya Productions halted its collaboration with TBS on film and television projects. By 1983, Tsuburaya’s financial department came under the management of senior executives sent by Toho, and Toho also held the company’s official seal. This arrangement allowed Tsuburaya Productions to more easily secure loans from Sanwa Bank (now Mitsubishi UFJ Bank), helping the company overcome its financial difficulties.

In 1992, following the expiration of early licensing agreements for the Ultraman series with TBS, the rights reverted back to Tsuburaya Productions. Using these regained assets as collateral, Noboru Tsuburaya secured enough funds to acquire a 15% stake in Tsuburaya Productions. At the same time, Tsuburaya Enterprise, the company Noboru had founded, gained a 45.5% share, effectively severing Tsuburaya's capital relationship with Toho. Noboru, holding the majority shares, became both the president and the leading shareholder, giving him control over the company.

In June 2004, Masahiro Tsuburaya stepped down as president due to allegations of harassment involving a female employee. To address the company’s worsening financial situation, the newly appointed president, Hideaki Tsuburaya, faced a motion for dismissal during the board meeting one year later. The motion was supported by Kazuo Tsuburaya, who held the majority of the company’s shares, leading to Hideaki’s removal from office.[5]

In February 2007, the company’s annual financial report revealed that Tsuburaya Productions had a revenue of approximately ¥5.6 billion but only a net profit of ¥44 million. Concerned about the potential for bankruptcy due to accumulating deficits, the board requested that Kazuo Tsuburaya take over the presidency from Hideaki Tsuburaya and initiated a large-scale restructuring plan. In the June board meeting, the seventh president, Shigeki Oyama, was dismissed, and Kazuo Tsuburaya was appointed as the eighth president of the company.

Corporate Buyout[]

Due to rising production costs and crippling loans, the Tsuburaya family sold the company to Japanese advertising agency TYO Inc. in September 2007, which bought out 80% of its outstanding shares worth ¥80 million.[6][7] Bandai, the main licencor of merchandise for the Ultraman Series, acquired a 33.4% stake in 2008[8] with TYO transferring another 15.6% in 2009 giving Bandai a total of 49.9%. As a result, the old Kinuta Office used by Tsuburaya as its Head Office was razed, and the company moved to newer facilities. Kazuo Tsuburaya, Eiji's grandson, stayed with the company on its board of directors.

Fields Corporation, a pachinko machine producer, bought out TYO's 51% stake in Tsuburaya Productions in 2010, with Bandai retaining the remaining 49%.[9]

Tsuburaya Fields[]

After becoming a subsidiary of Fields, Tsuburaya Productions resolved the ongoing debt excess issue that had persisted since 2007 by the fiscal year ending in March 2014.[10]

On August 1, 2017, Shinichi Ooka resigned, and Takayuki Tsukagoshi succeeded as the eleventh president. On April 1, 2019, Masayuki Nagatake succeeded as the twelfth president, while Tsukagoshi assumed the position of CEO.[11]

In 2021, Tsuburaya Productions launched the video streaming service "TSUBURAYA IMAGINATION," aimed at providing Japanese users with access to the company's extensive library of television series and films.[12] The company's resurgence was further bolstered by the release of the film Shin Ultraman in 2022.[13]

In October 2022, with Fields transitioning to a holding company system, including group subsidiaries, Tsuburaya Productions became a subsidiary of Tsuburaya Fields Holdings. As of March of that year, Tsuburaya Productions accounted for nearly 40% of Fields' business profit.[14][15]

In 2020s, Tsuburaya Productions has focused on an IP-centric business strategy. By 2023, Ultraman's overseas merchandise sales reached ¥150 billion, with 90% of the revenue generated from markets outside Japan, particularly China.[16][17][18] The brand's success in China also contributed significantly to its domestic growth. According to data from Bandai Namco Holdings, Ultraman IP sales in Japan surged from ¥7.8 billion in 2019 to ¥19.1 billion in 2023, more than doubling in value.[19]

In 2024, Tsuburaya Productions partnered with Netflix to release Ultraman: Rising, the first major film aimed at expanding its presence in the North American market.[20]

Presidents[]

  1. Eiji Tsuburaya (1963-1970)
  2. Hajime Tsuburaya (1970-1973)
  3. Noboru Tsuburaya (1973-1995)
  4. Kazuo Tsuburaya (1995-2003)
  5. Masahiro Tsuburaya (2003-2004)
  6. Hideaki Tsuburaya (2004-2005)
  7. Shigeki Oyama (2005-2007)
  8. Kazuo Tsuburaya (2007)
  9. Tsuneyuki Morishima (2007-2008)
  10. Shinichi Ooka (2008-2017)
  11. Takayuki Tsukagoshi (2017-2019)
  12. Masayuki Nagatake (2019-present)

World Record[]

In 2013, the Guiness Book of World Records awarded the Ultraman Series with the world record for the most television spin-offs, with a total of 27.[21][22] It was displayed in the 2014 edition of the book, and a ceremony was held where Takuya Negishi and various Ultras received a plaque on the day of the book's release. The list excludes remakes like Heisei Ultraseven, one-off specials (movies), summaries and home releases. Although technically many of the shows were not originally meant to be sequels, they were retconned to be in a single Multiverse.

In 2015, the record was updated for the 2016 edition of the book. Ultraman Retsuden was replaced with Ultra Zero Fight and therefore placed after Ultra Zone instead of before, and entries 28-33 were added.[23] The record is yet to be updated since.[24] Separately, in 2023, an Ultraman Zero statue in Shanghai, China was given the world record for "Largest Ultraman".[25]

Works Listed in the Record[]

  1. Ultraseven (1967)
  2. Ultra Fight (1970)
  3. Return of Ultraman (1971)
  4. Ultraman Ace (1972)
  5. Redman (1972)
  6. Ultraman Taro (1973)
  7. Ultraman Leo (1974)
  8. The☆Ultraman (1979)
  9. Ultraman 80 (1980)
  10. Andro Melos (1983)
  11. Ultraman Kids Proverb Stories (1986)
  12. Ultraman Kids: 30 Million Light-Years in Search of Mother (1991)
  13. Ultraman Tiga (1996)
  14. Ultraman Dyna (1997)
  15. Ultraman Gaia (1998)
  16. Ultraman Cosmos (2001)
  17. Ultraman Boy's Ultra Coliseum (2003)
  18. Ultraman Nexus (2004)
  19. Ultraman Max (2005)
  20. Ultraman Mebius (2006)
  21. Ultraseven X (2007)
  22. Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle (2007)
  23. Kanegon KANEGON (2008)
  24. Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle: Never Ending Odyssey (2008)
  25. Ultra Zone (2011)
  26. Ultra Zero Fight (2012)
  27. Ultraman Ginga (2013)
  28. Mega Monster Rush Ultra Frontier (2013)
  29. Ultraman Ginga S (2014)
  30. Ultra Fight Victory (2015)
  31. Ultra Kaiju Walks (2015)
  32. Kaiju Sakaba Kanpai! (2015)
  33. Ultraman X (2015)

Non-Ultraman Series[]

These are all of the series Tsuburaya has produced that isn't the Ultraman Series and is a form of tokusatsu.

Collabs[]

Comissioned Works/Provided Effects[]

While Eiji Tsuburaya himself helped provide special effects for the Toho films since 1954, Tsuburaya Productions was founded in 1963. At the time, they worked in the Toho Studio lot.

Other Facilities[]

Kaiju Warehouse[]

On the second floor of the original headquarters of Tsuburaya Productions, located in Kinuta, Setagaya, Tokyo, there was a warehouse dedicated to preserving kaiju and hero suits, along with various props, known as the "Kaiju Warehouse." This warehouse was maintained by staff responsible for the upkeep of the kaiju suits.[26][27][28]

In April 2005, Tsuburaya Productions moved its headquarters to Shibuya, and many of the items stored in the Kaiju Warehouse were relocated to the new office. This relocation coincided with the production of Ultraman Max. According to screenwriter Yuji Kobayashi, director Akio Jissoji was pessimistic about the "historic Kaiju Warehouse ceasing to exist" and was therefore eager to feature it in one of his works. This sentiment greatly influenced his decision to film episode 24, "The Untargeted Town."

A year after filming "The Untargeted Town," Akio Jissoji passed away. In February 2008, the Kaiju Warehouse was demolished following the closure of the original headquarters in Kinuta.[29][30][31]

Ultraman Land[]

Main article: Ultraman Land

The Ultraman Land was a theme park operated by Tsuburaya Productions in Arao City, Kumamoto Prefecture, centered around the "Ultraman series." The park was managed by Greenland Resort, which developed it in collaboration with accommodation facilities and other integrated services. The main attractions of the park included stage shows, actor meet-and-greets, and model exhibitions. Additionally, some series scenes were filmed at this location.[32]

The park initially aimed for an annual attendance of 400,000 to 500,000 visitors. However, by around 2013, the number of visitors sharply declined to about 100,000. Additionally, there were some issues with accounting transparency in the management. As a result, the park was permanently closed on September 1, 2013, and the site was dismantled and returned to Greenland Resort.[33][34]

Gallery[]

Main Logos[]

Miscellaneous[]

External Links[]

References[]

  1. ↑ https://m-78.jp/company/outline/
  2. ↑ https://m-78.jp/companyc
  3. ↑ https://www.tsuburaya-fields.co.jp/ir/j/vision/contents_business/
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 https://m-78.jp/news/post-7173
  5. ↑ https://toyokeizai.net/articles/-/2536?page=2
  6. ↑ https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2007/09/13/business/tyo-to-make-ultraman-firm-its-subsidiary
  7. ↑ https://group.tyo.jp/files/tyobusiness/tyobusiness04_J.pdf
  8. ↑ https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2008/01/22/business/bandai-secures-ultraman-rights-with-share-purchase
  9. ↑ https://www.fields.biz/ir/j/files/press/2010/press_20100317ae.pdf
  10. ↑ http://kbtkhero2.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-126.html
  11. ↑ https://tsuburaya-prod.com/company
  12. ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/post-5811
  13. ↑ https://www.bunkatsushin.com/varieties/article.aspx?id=3458
  14. ↑ https://www.tsuburaya-fields.co.jp/ir/j/files/press/2022/press_20220518b.pdf
  15. ↑ https://www.gqjapan.jp/culture/article/20220512-218-shin-ultraman
  16. ↑ https://toyokeizai.net/articles/-/667046?display=b
  17. ↑ https://www.businessinsider.jp/post-282114
  18. ↑ https://www.kinyobi.co.jp/kinyobinews/2024/02/29/news-152/
  19. ↑ https://www.sbbit.jp/article/cont1/147599
  20. ↑ https://hitocinema.mainichi.jp/article/3rwl9-ja1ox0
  21. ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/n-2108
  22. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWciEBep3jQ
  23. ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/n-3314
  24. ↑ https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/71041-most-tv-spin-off-series
  25. ↑ https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/708592-largest-ultraman
  26. ↑ https://blog.goo.ne.jp/mk1_1978/e/de936621e5667bd70b0242f3b7cea58c
  27. ↑ https://www.asahi.com/travel/traveler/TKY200710260279.html
  28. ↑ http://ejiri-takahiro.main.jp/S_1126.html
  29. ↑ https://www.news-postseven.com/archives/20130315_176046.html?DETAIL
  30. ↑ https://www.asahi.com/komimi/TKY200802060383.html
  31. ↑ https://trystero.exblog.jp/7226642/
  32. ↑ https://twitter.com/ultramanland
  33. ↑ https://m-78.jp/news/n-2073
  34. ↑ https://www.cinematoday.jp/news/N0050262
  35. ↑ https://tsuburaya-prod.com/news/7609

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