Shinichi Sekizawa
Shinichi Sekizawa (June 2, 1921 – November 11, 1992) was a Japanese screenwriter known for his immense contributions to the original Godzilla series, providing screenplays and/or stories for 10 of the original 15 Showa films. He began his career in his native Kyoto, joining an association of manga cartoonists which included the anime pioneer Osamu Tezuka. His career would be interrupted when he was reluctantly drafted to fight in the South Pacific during WWII. Sekizawa would reignite his film career in 1946 when he joined Beehive Productions as an assistant director, demonstrating a talent for screenwriting when completing the screenplay for the film Profile of the City in a record four days. Later at Shintoho Studios he would direct the now considered lost film Fearful Attack of the Flying Saucers. His career at Toho began in 1958 working on Kihachi Okamoto's early films before eventually became the studio's go-to monster scripter after the immense success of his screenplay for Mothra. His kaiju screenplays for Ishiro Honda have been noted for their inventiveness, especially in his interplay of human drama blending with monster action and characterization. His lighthearted approach was contrasted to that of Takeshi Kimura, whose scripts had a darker, more cynical sensibility. Sekizawa's talents were not limited to science fiction, with his output in the 60s being as many as six screenplays a year in genres such as salaryman comedies and war movies as well as TV shows such as the original Ultraman. While Sekizawa enjoyed writing monster movies, he would eventually become tired of the Godzilla series and moved on to scripting for animating features while continuing his career as a lyricist. He was also an aficionado of model trains and published numerous publications on the subject. Before his death he was awarded a Purple ribbon by the Japanese government due to his immense artistic and cultural contributions.
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Movies (76)
Rebirth of Mothra II
1997 · Lyricist
Rebirth of Mothra
1996 · Lyricist
Super Atragon - Part II
1996 · Original Film Writer
Super Atragon - Part I
1995 · Original Film Writer
Ultraman vs. Kamen Rider
1993 · Writer
Godzilla vs. Mothra
1992 · Lyricist
Godzilla vs. Biollante
1989 · Story
Mighty Jack
1987 · Writer
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
1974 · Story
Godzilla vs. Megalon
1973 · Lyricist, Story
Godzilla vs. Gigan
1972 · Lyricist, Screenplay
All Monsters Attack
1969 · Screenplay, Lyricist
Latitude Zero
1969 · Screenplay
Motta, the Flying Dracula Monster
1969 · Screenplay
Homeless Ninja Trick Book: Lose in All Directions
1968 · Screenplay
Phantom Monster Agon
1968 · Screenplay, Creator
Son of Godzilla
1967 · Screenplay
Ultraman: Monster Movie Feature
1967 · Writer
Jack and the Witch
1967 · Screenplay
Do Your Best! Godzilla
1967 · Screenplay
The Killing Bottle
1967 · Screenplay
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
1966 · Screenplay
The Mad Atlantic
1966 · Writer
Zero Fighter
1966 · Writer
Invasion of Astro-Monster
1965 · Screenplay
Homeless Ninja Trick Book
1965 · Screenplay
Gulliver's Travels Beyond the Moon
1965 · Writer
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
1964 · Screenplay
A Keg of Powder
1964 · Screenplay
Dogora
1964 · Screenplay, Adaptation
Mothra vs. Godzilla
1964 · Screenplay, Lyricist
Ant Hell War
1964 · Writer
Atragon
1963 · Screenplay
Samurai Pirate
1963 · Screenplay
Operation Mad Dog
1963 · Writer
King Kong vs. Godzilla
1963 · Screenplay
Warring Clans
1963 · Writer
Attack Squadron
1963 · Writer
Varan the Unbelievable
1962 · Screenplay
Operation Enemy Fort
1962 · Screenplay
Local Reporter
1962 · Screenplay
King Kong vs. Godzilla
1962 · Screenplay
The Crimson Sky
1962 · Screenplay
Ganpā kachō
1961 · Screenplay
Hiroshi Moriya Sadogasa: Thank You, Sandogasa
1961 · Screenplay
Mothra
1961 · Screenplay, Lyricist
Hiroshi Moriya Sandogasa: I Want to Weep
1961 · Screenplay, Lyricist
Blueprint of Murder
1961 · Screenplay, Lyricist
Adventures of Princess Anmitsu
1960 · Screenplay
Westward Desperado
1960 · Screenplay
University Bandits
1960 · Screenplay
The Secret of the Telegian
1960 · Screenplay
Maboroshi Tantei: Chiteijin Shūrai
1960 · Script
Take Aim at the Police Van
1960 · Screenplay
The Last Gunfight
1960 · Screenplay, Lyricist
Battle in Outer Space
1959 · Screenplay
Gambling Youth
1959 · Screenplay
Mariko's Autobiography: Flowing Constellation
1959 · Adaptation
A Young Boss Tries Really Hard
1959 · Lyricist
The Big Boss
1959 · Screenplay
The Young Boss is Third Generation
1958 · Screenplay
Mermaids and Sea Robbers
1958 · Screenplay
Varan
1958 · Screenplay
Tomboy Samurai
1958 · Screenplay
Shōjo to fūsen
1958 · Screenplay
Queen of Asia
1957 · Screenplay
A Texan in Tokyo
1957 · Screenplay
Tokyo is a Fine Place
1957 · Idea
Devil Princess’ Beauty Competition
1956 · Screenplay
A Man's Flower Path
1956 · Adaptation
Fearful Attack of the Flying Saucers
1956 · Writer, Director
Tokyo Profile
1953 · Screenplay
Children of the Great Buddha
1952 · Production Design
Children of the Beehive: What Happened Next
1951 · Production Designer
娘十八嘘つき時代
1949 · Screenplay
Tomorrow Will Be Fine Weather
1948 · Writer
