Godzilla Directors
by maxwellmcphee | created - 19 Jan 2020 | updated - 19 Jan 2020 | PublicEvery person who directed at least one Godzilla movie.
1. Ishirô Honda
Director | Gojira
Influential Japanese film director born May 7th, 1911, often credited as being the father of Godzilla. His name is a combination of "I" (or Ino), meaning "boar", and "shirô," meaning fourth son in the family. Originally, the young Honda had aspirations of becoming an artist; however, as he entered ...
Godzilla (1954) Godzilla! King of the Monsters King Kong vs Godzilla Mothra vs Godzilla Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster Invasion of the Astro-Monster Destroy All Monsters All Monsters Attack Terror of Mechagodzilla
2. Motoyoshi Oda
Director | Gigantis: The Fire Monster
An English major who graduated from Waseda University, one of Japan's most prestigious, in 1935, Motoyoshi Oda was promptly accepted into the directors' program at Tokyo's P.C.L. (Photo Chemical Laboratories, a film company later incorporated into Toho Studios). He studied under director Kajiro ...
Godzilla Raids Again
3. Terry O. Morse
Director | Fog Island
Terry O. Morse was born on January 30, 1906 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Terry O. was an editor and director, known for Fog Island (1945), Godzilla: King of the Monsters! (1956) and Unknown World (1951). Terry O. died on May 19, 1984 in Newhall, California, USA.
Godzilla! King of the Monsters
4. Jun Fukuda
Director | Gojira tai Mekagojira
Jun Fukuda would spend his childhood in Manchuria before attending Nihon University College of Art. His interests would lead him to filmmaking and in 1946 he joined Toho as an assistant director. In his tenure as an assistant director, he would work under filmmakers such as Hiroshi Inagaki and ...
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep Son of Godzilla Godzilla vs Gigan Godzilla vs Megalon Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla
5. Yoshimitsu Banno
Producer | Godzilla
Yoshimitsu Banno studied at Toho under such directors as Hiromichi Horikawa, Mikio Naruse, Kengo Furusawa and Seiji Maruyama. By 1970 Toho was ready to promote him to full director, and the resulting project, Birth of the Japanese Islands (1970) played at Osaka's Expo 70, attracting record-breaking...
Godzilla vs Hedorah
6. Koji Hashimoto
Director | Godzilla 1985
Koji Hashimoto was born on January 21, 1936 in Tochigi, Japan. He was an assistant director and director, known for Godzilla 1985 (1985), King Kong vs. Godzilla (1963) and The Return of Godzilla (1984). He died on January 9, 2005 in Ashikaga, Tochigi, Japan.
The Return of Godzilla Godzilla 1985
7. R.J. Kizer
Sound_department | Interstellar
Born in Long Island City, R.J. Kizer's childhood home was in New Jersey. He attended the NYU film school and, after graduation, worked for a few years in the New York film industry. After moving to California, he was film editor on several features for Roger Corman, and then directed some cult ...
Godzilla 1985
8. Kazuki Ômori
Director | Gojira vs. Kingu Gidorâ
Kazuki Ômori was born on March 3, 1952 in Osaka, Osaka, Japan. He was a director and writer, known for Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991), Kinkyu yobidashi - Emâjenshî kôru (1995) and Asunimukattehashire nai! (1972). He died on November 12, 2022 in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.
Godzilla vs Biolante Godzilla vs King Ghidorah
9. Takao Okawara
Director | Yukai
Takao Okawara was born on December 20, 1949 in Tokyo, Japan. He is an assistant director and director, known for Yukai (1997), Godzilla 2000 (1999) and Kagemusha: The Shadow Warrior (1980).
Godzilla vs Mothra Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla II Godzilla vs Destroyah Godzilla 2000
10. Kenshô Yamashita
Director | Gojira vs. Supesugojira
Kenshô Yamashita was born on July 8, 1944 in Kagoshima, Japan. He was an assistant director and director, known for Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994), 19 (1987) and Jishin rettô (1980). He died on August 16, 2016 in Japan.
Godzilla vs SpaceGodzilla
11. Roland Emmerich
Writer | Independence Day
Roland Emmerich is a German film director and producer of blockbuster films like The Day After Tomorrow (2004), Godzilla (1998), Independence Day (1996) and The Patriot (2000). Before fame, he originally wanted to be a production designer, but decided to be a director, after watching the original ...
Godzilla (1998)
12. Masaaki Tezuka
Director | Gojira tai Mosura tai Mekagojira: Tôkyô S.O.S.
Masaaki Tezuka was born on January 24, 1955 in Tochigi, Japan. He is an assistant director and director, known for Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (2003), Sora e: Sukui no tsubasa resukyû uingusu (2008) and Samurai Commando: Mission 1549 (2005).
Godzilla vs Megaguirus Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.
13. Shûsuke Kaneko
Director | Death Note: Desu nôto
Shusuke Kaneko (born June 8, 1955) is a Japanese filmmaker and screenwriter. Kaneko began his career at Nikkatsu and would serve as a writer for film and anime. Establishing himself as an up and coming director, Kaneko would win accolades at various film festivals. His film, Summer Vacation 1999, ...
Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack
14. Ryûhei Kitamura
Director | The Midnight Meat Train
Ryûhei Kitamura was born on May 30, 1969 in Osaka, Japan. He is a director and writer, known for The Midnight Meat Train (2008), Azumi (2003) and Versus (2000).
Godzilla: Final Wars
15. Gareth Edwards
Visual_effects | Monsters
Gareth James Edwards was born on June 1, 1975 in the English town of Nuneaton, Warwickshire. Growing up, he admired movies such as the 1977 classic "Star Wars", and went on to pursue a film career. He even cites George Lucas and Steven Spielberg as his biggest influences. Edwards studied BA (Hons) ...
Godzilla (2014)
16. Hideaki Anno
Writer | Shin Gojira
Hideaki Anno was born on May 22, 1960 in Ube, Japan. He is a writer and director, known for Shin Godzilla (2016), Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone (2007) and The Wind Rises (2013). He has been married to Moyoco Anno since March 26, 2002.
Shin Godzilla
17. Shinji Higuchi
Director | Shin Gojira
Shinji Higuchi was born on September 22, 1965 in Tokyo, Japan. He is a director, known for Shin Godzilla (2016), Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) and Shin Ultraman (2022). He is married to Noriko Takaya.
Shin Godzilla
18. Kôbun Shizuno
Director | Evangelion Shin Gekijôban: Jo
Kôbun Shizuno is known for Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone (2007), The Journey (2021) and Knights of Sidonia (2014).
Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle Godzilla: The Planet Eater
19. Hiroyuki Seshita
Visual_effects | Suzume no Tojimari
Hiroyuki Seshita is known for Suzume (2022), Ajin (2016) and Blame! (2017).
Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle Godzilla: The Planet Eater
20. Michael Dougherty
Writer | Krampus
Michael Patrick Dougherty is a writer, director, animator, and producer known for his work in a variety of genre films, both big and small. Beginning his career as an animator and illustrator, Dougherty's animated work was featured on MTV, Nickelodeon, and a line of twisted greeting cards published...
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
21. Adam Wingard
Director | V/H/S
At 19 Adam got his start in feature film making early with his directorial debut Home Sick, a slasher horror film starring Bill Moseley and Tom Toweles. However it was his second effort at 24 years old with the film Pop Skull that garnered him a talent to watch. Made for a budget of around 2000 ...
Godzilla vs Kong
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