A behind-the-scenes look at the analog special effects techniques packed into the movie "Brush of the God," a film directed by the legendary Keizo Murase, who is known for laying the groundwork for kaiju modeling with works such as the "Godzilla" series, "Gamera the Giant Monster," and "Kamen Rider." The movie, his first as a chief director at the age of 88, will be released nationwide starting July 26.

The special effects scenes were filmed at Naganuma Lab in Sukagawa City, Fukushima Prefecture. Sukagawa City, the hometown of Eiji Tsuburaya, also known as the "God of Special Effects," is actively working to pass down the culture of special effects to future generations through the Sukagawa Special Effects Archive Center. This movie was also filmed in this location.

Children from the "Sukagawa Special Effects School," where Takayuki Taguchi serves as an instructor, participated in the filming. They were responsible for operating the heads of the Yamata no Orochi, successfully creating natural movements.

Additionally, in scenes where the legendary creature Yamata no Orochi attacks the city, real models of buildings and gas stations were exploded to realistically depict the rising flames. Unlike CGI, the presence of real objects conveys an intense sense of power even through the screen. The making-of video offers a precious glimpse that enhances the anticipation for the finished movie.

The film is an original fantasy work based on a plot Murase wrote in the 1970s at the request of Hong Kong's Shaw Brothers. It brings together top creators from the same era as Murase, such as Akira Takahashi, who supported the "transformation boom" after "Kamen Rider," and Shinji Nishikawa from the Heisei "Godzilla VS" series. By combining analog special effects shooting with suits and miniatures with the latest camera and lens effects and composite technology, they have created a richly textured world distinct from CGI.

Source : ORICON NEWS