Tokusatsu: A Guide to Kaiju, Sentai, and Japanese Special Effects from Their Origins to the Present Day

Explore the rich, decades-long history of all your favorite kaiju, super sentai, and more in this illustrated guide to the technical innovations, iconic aesthetics, and pop culture legacy of tokusatsu!

Tokusatsu (which translates literally as “special filming”) is one of Japan’s most beloved art forms. From kaiju such as Godzilla and Mothra to super sentai including the Power Rangers and Ultraman, tokusatsu has brought countless fan-favorite characters to life with its distinctive and groundbreaking special effects.

Tokusatsu celebrates the medium’s long and colorful history with lavish illustrations showcasing the eye-catching visuals of the genre—from terrifying monsters to giant robots and Lycra-clad superheroes. It examines the interplay of evolving technologies and Japanese culture from the 1950s to today, and there are biographies of legendary, genre-defining directors including Eiji Tsuburaya, Sonny Chiba, and Tohl Narita.

Written by a passionate expert, this panoramic celebration has something special to offer die-hard tokusatsu fans, film and pop culture buffs, and the newly curious alike.