Jun Fukuda

Jun Fukuda was a Japanese film director, screenwriter and producer. Fukuda joined Toho in 1946 and ventured into the realm of assistant director, being taken under the wing by directors like Hiroshi Inagaki. By 1959, Fukuda began a career as a full-fledged director, his early work slanted more toward mystery, but then expand into more comedic work by the mid-1960s, such as the spy spoof Iron Finger (1965). He also wrote the screenplay for the unproduced The Invisible Man vs. the Human Torch. Fukuda would eventually be tasked to direct a Godzilla movie, Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966). Fukuda would go on to direct various entries in Toho's popular Young Guy series and Konto 55, however he would be best known for his Godzilla work, becoming the "go to" director for special effects productions after Ishirō Honda. Fukuda famously harbored a harsh view of his work in the Godzilla series saying, "The monsters became the stars, and the human characters were put into the background." and "I give all of my Godzilla films a minus score." Despite the distain he felt towards his work, he was pleasantly surprised to find fans who enjoyed his film and who sent him well wishing cards near the end of his life.

Works

A Dark Rabbit has Seven Lives
5.5

A Dark Rabbit has Seven Lives

Taito has been really sleepy lately, and keeps dreaming of a female vampire who says she has given him her "poison." Sometimes he even thinks he hears her voice when he's awake. But after surviving an accident that should have killed him, Taito's world changes drastically and he realizes that his dreams are more real than he thought.

Release Date:2011-07-09

Department:Production

Job:Producer

Episode Count:18

Vote Count:11

8.9

Godzilla, King of the Monsters

Documentary focusing on the Japanese Godzilla, featuring interviews with such people as Director Jun Fukuda, the wide of the late Ishiro Honda and Alex Cox. This documentary incorporates footage from rare shows like "Ultra Q" and films like "King Kong Escapes".

Release Date:1998-07-11

Vote Count:9

Monkey
8.5

Monkey

Buddhist priest Tripitaka and his three disciples Monkey, Pigsy, and Sandy, travel from China to India to fetch the Buddhist scriptures. They have been sent by Buddha, and getting these scriptures will bring peace to the people of the world.

Release Date:1978-10-01

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Episode Count:11

Vote Count:14

6.1

The War in Space

The year is 1988, and in the midst of recovering from a near-miss with a large comet, Earth finds that there are much worse matters at hand: the sudden arrival of a strange army of aliens and their fleet of unstoppable warships.

Release Date:1977-12-17

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Vote Count:19

5.6

ESPY

The film deals with the recruitment of race car driver Jiro Miki (Masao Kusakari) and his dog, Caesar, to a group of people who use ESP, psychokinesis, and other special mental abilities to fight crime.

Release Date:1974-12-28

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Vote Count:5

Submersion of Japan

Submersion of Japan

In this TV series of the hit 1973 film, Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes shake Japan. Firestorms burn beautiful Japanese cities to the ground. A weather survey group discovers that the Japanese Archipelago is moving towards the Japanese Trench, which if left to continue on its collision course, would bring the whole island of Japan under the sea!

Release Date:1974-10-06

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Episode Count:26

7.0

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla

An Okinawan prophecy that foretells the destruction of the Earth is seeming fulfilled when Godzilla emerges to return to his destructive roots. But not all is what it seems after Godzilla breaks his ally Anguirus's jaw. Matters are further complicated when a second Godzilla emerges, revealing the doppelgänger as a mechanical weapon.

Release Date:1974-03-21

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Vote Count:250

Zone Fighter
10.0

Zone Fighter

Zone Fighter, known in Japan as Ryūsei Ningen Zone, is a tokusatsu science fiction superhero television series. Produced by Toho Company Ltd., the show aired on Nippon Television from April 2 to September 24, 1973, with a total of 26 episodes, it was cancelled due to the oil crisis of 1973. This was Toho's answer to not only the popular Ultra Series, but the Henshin Hero phenomenon started by shows like Kamen Rider and Android Kikaider. The previous year, Toho had just made their successful first superhero show, Rainbowman. The series was also notable for its guest appearance by Toho's own Godzilla, as well as two other Toho monsters, King Ghidorah and Gigan. Supplementary materials published by Toho have confirmed Zone Fighter to be part of the Showa-era Godzilla series, taking place in between Godzilla vs. Megalon and Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla.

Release Date:1973-04-02

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Episode Count:6

Vote Count:2

6.2

Godzilla vs. Megalon

Inventor Goro Ibuki creates a humanoid robot named Jet Jaguar. It is soon seized by an undersea race of people called the Seatopians. Using Jet Jaguar as a guide, the Seatopians send Megalon as vengeance for the nuclear tests that have devastated their society.

Release Date:1973-03-17

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Vote Count:212

7.0

Horror of the Wolf

Enigmatic teenager Akira Inugami is, by night, a powerful werewolf, who falls for a beautiful young teacher, and copes with a ruthless teen gang leader, whose yakuza father murdered Akira's parents years before.

Release Date:1973-03-09

Department:Writing

Job:Writer

Vote Count:2

6.4

Godzilla vs. Gigan

Manga artist Gengo Odaka lands a job with the World Children's Land amusement park only to become suspicious of the organization when a garbled message is discovered on tapes. As Gengo and his team investigate, Godzilla and Anguirus quickly decipher the message and begin their own plan of action.

Release Date:1972-03-12

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Vote Count:202

The Trickster of the West, the Swindler of the East

A satirical comedy starring Makoto Fujita, depicting the two East and West con artists swindling illicit money from bad guys.

Release Date:1971-09-11

Department:Directing

Job:Director

3,000 Kilometer Trap

A young man has to deliver a Mitsubishi Galant GTO from Kagoshima (on the southern tip of the southern Japanese island of Kyushu) 3000 kilometers across the length of Japan to the northern island of Hokkaido.

Release Date:1971-05-22

Department:Directing

Job:Director

5.7

City of Beasts

University student Arima Yasuhiro becomes acquainted with Ishihama, the president of a pharmaceutical company with a dark past, slowly but surely getting more embroiled in his dirty dealings.

Release Date:1970-05-23

Department:Production

Job:Producer

Vote Count:3

6.0

Konto 55: Grand Outer Space Adventure

A Toho film featuring the comedy duo Konto 55, (コント55号), comprised of comedians Kinichi Hagimoto and Jiro Sakagami.

Release Date:1969-12-20

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Vote Count:1

The Great Japanese Pick-Pocket Club

A crime story (with strong elements of comedy) that pits a determined detective against a gang of pickpockets in Osaka. The detective (played by Keiju Kobayashi) and the leader of the gang (played by Norihei Miki) have an interesting wartime backstory together that fuels much of the story.

Release Date:1969-11-22

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Konto 55: Grandson of a Ninja

A Toho film featuring the comedy duo Konto 55, (コント55号), comprised of comedians Kinichi Hagimoto and Jiro Sakagami.

Release Date:1969-10-10

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Konto 55: Mankind's Weaknesses

A Toho film featuring the comedy duo Konto 55, (コント55号), comprised of comedians Kinichi Hagimoto and Jiro Sakagami.

Release Date:1969-08-13

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Young Guy - Freshman

Young Guy graduates from University.

Release Date:1969-01-01

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Operation: Mystery
7.8

Operation: Mystery

Release Date:1968-09-15

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Episode Count:1

Vote Count:5

6.5

Golden Eyes

A killer-for-hire gets mixed up with a cast of wacky characters involved in a gold smuggling route from Beirut to Tokyo.

Release Date:1968-03-16

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Vote Count:4

6.4

Son of Godzilla

Reporter Goro Maki stumbles upon scientists conducting weather experiments on Sollgel Island in the South Seas. He discovers the island is inhabited by giant mantis and a woman named Saeko who's been cast away since the death of her father. The pair soon find a helpless infant monster that Godzilla must adopt and learn to raise as one of his own.

Release Date:1967-12-16

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Vote Count:218

6.3

Ebirah, Horror of the Deep

Searching for his brother, Ryota stows away on a boat belonging to a criminal alongside two other teenagers. The group shipwrecks on Letchi island and discover the Infant Island natives have been enslaved by a terrorist organization controlling a crustacean monster. Finding a sleeping Godzilla, they decide to awaken him to defeat the terrorists and liberate the natives.

Release Date:1966-12-17

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Vote Count:194

The Mad Atlantic

Captain Murakami takes over as skipper of the Azuma Maru, replacing the well-liked former captain. Murakami forces the crew to work harder than they ever have, creating enmity and exhaustion. Just when the ship has taken a huge catch of tuna in its nets, Murakami learns that his ship is the only one in position to rescue the crew of another ship, sinking in a storm. He must choose between saving the catch or saving lives. Either choice may mean his ruin.

Release Date:1966-07-13

Department:Directing

Job:Director

5.9

Ironfinger

After being mistaken for an Interpol agent, a man who was just supposed to go on vacation gets mixed up in a war between two gangs intent on winning the favor of a notorious arms dealer.

Release Date:1965-12-05

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Vote Count:7

Ankokugai zenmetsu sakusen

The 1965 Japanese yakuza film is the last episode of the Ankokugai series.

Release Date:1965-02-14

Department:Writing

Job:Writer

Blood and Diamonds

A group of criminals whose diamond heist goes wrong retreat to a WWII era bunker where tensions begin to rise.

Release Date:1964-07-01

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Trap of Suicide Kilometer

Klima, Deputy Minister of Industry of the Republic of Alabanda, has come to Japan to purchase materials for the water dam construction. Kitami, who called himself a salesman and met with Klima, acts as his bodyguard. However, Kitami learns that a large number of industrial cylinders unrelated to dam construction have been purchased, and Klima secretly confined her secretary, a former army colonel, and threatened to produce poisonous gas. Klima packed the gas in a cylinder and sent it to Alabanda in an attempt to cause a civil war between the government and the tribes. Around that time, Klima secretly investigated Kitami's identity and learned that he was a secret agent.

Release Date:1964-02-14

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Operation Mad Dog

Film number six in the Desperado Outpost serie directed by Jun Fukuda

Release Date:1963-09-29

Department:Directing

Job:Director

The Young Ace in Hawaii

Fourth entry in Toho's Wakadaishō series directed by Jun Fukuda and released on a simultaneous screening with Matango. Filmed on location in Hawaii.

Release Date:1963-08-11

Department:Directing

Job:Director

The Weed of Crime

Toho-produced crime drama involving the drug trade.

Release Date:1962-12-08

Department:Directing

Job:Director

College Champ

Yuuichi Tanuma, our young hero, is a senior at Kyonan University and captain of the marathon team. His parents run a sukiyaki restaurant back in his hometown. When his allowance stops coming in, Yuuichi moves back in with his folks to work part-time. He has his eyes set on nationals in the fall, until one day he runs into a young woman who's fallen into trouble with the Lightning Gang...

Release Date:1962-07-14

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Josei jishin

1962 Japanese movie

Release Date:1962-05-22

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Hoero Datsugoku-shu

Release Date:1962-05-15

Department:Directing

Job:Director

The Witness Killed

Japanese neo-noir crime drama movie directed by Jun Fukuda

Release Date:1961-12-17

Department:Directing

Job:Director

7.0

The Merciless Trap

Taut thriller about a too-perfect criminal case against an ex-convict that makes a nosy detective suspicious.

Release Date:1961-02-01

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Vote Count:1

6.1

The Secret of the Telegian

Men are being murdered by a psycho called "The Telegian," who uses a matter-transmitting device to locate his victims.

Release Date:1960-04-10

Department:Directing

Job:Director

Vote Count:8

6.5

Rodan

Mining engineer Shigeru investigates the disappearance and death of his fellow coworkers when prehistoric nymphs are discovered emerging from the mines. After an attack on the local village, Shigeru heads deeper into the mines only to make a more horrifying discovery in the form a prehistoric flying creature. Soon a second monster appears as the two converge in Fukuoka.

Release Date:1956-12-26

Department:Directing

Job:First Assistant Director

Vote Count:172

7.3

Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island

A humble and simple Takezo abandons his life as a knight errant. He's sought as a teacher and vassal by Shogun, Japan's most powerful clan leader. He's also challenged to fight by the supremely confident and skillful Sasaki Kojiro. Takezo agrees to fight Kojiro in a year's time but rejects Shogun's patronage, choosing instead to live on the edge of a village, raising vegetables. He's followed there by Otsu and later by Akemi, both in love with him. The year ends as Takezo assists the villagers against a band of brigands. He seeks Otsu's forgiveness and accepts her love, then sets off across the water to Ganryu Island for his final contest.

Release Date:1956-01-03

Department:Directing

Job:Assistant Director

Vote Count:116

7.2

Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple

After years on the road establishing his reputation as Japan's greatest fencer, Takezo returns to Kyoto. Otsu waits for him, yet he has come not for her but to challenge the leader of the region's finest school of fencing. To prove his valor and skill, he walks deliberately into ambushes set up by the school's followers. While Otsu waits, Akemi also seeks him, expressing her desires directly. Meanwhile, Takezo is observed by Sasaki Kojiro, a brilliant young fighter, confident he can dethrone Takezo. After leaving Kyoto in triumph, Takezo declares his love for Otsu, but in a way that dishonors her and shames him. Once again, he leaves alone.

Release Date:1955-07-12

Department:Directing

Job:Assistant Director

Vote Count:118

7.2

Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto

Struggling to elevate himself from his low caste in 17th century Japan, Miyamoto trains to become a mighty samurai warrior.

Release Date:1954-09-25

Department:Directing

Job:Assistant Director

Vote Count:179

Red-Light Bases

Story about a poor Japanese woman living near an American army base who resorts to prostitution.

Release Date:1953-12-08

Department:Directing

Job:Assistant Director

10.0

The Man Who Came to Port

An Ishiro Honda film.

Release Date:1952-11-27

Department:Directing

Job:Assistant Director

Vote Count:1

Young Guy in New Zealand

Yuzo Kayama visits New Zealand

Department:Directing

Job:Director

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