Ishirō Honda

Career Overview

Ishirō Honda has 130 screen credits in a career dating back to 1935. Their work spans 15 cinematic universes — most prominently MonsterVerse with 4 titles. Signature works include Ran, Kagemusha, Godzilla. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.

Personal Facts

Known For: Directing
Gender: male
Known Credits: 130
Birth Date: 1911-05-05
Birth Place: Yamagata, Japan

Known For

Associated Universes

Universe traveler — spans 15 universes

MonsterVerse (4 titles)
Godzilla Collection (3 titles)
Mothra Series (3 titles)
Godzilla (Anime) Collection (2 titles)
Rebirth of Mothra Collection (2 titles)
Frankenstein (Toho) Collection (2 titles)
Americanized Godzilla Collection (2 titles)
Kurosawa Samurai Films (2 titles)

Frequent Collaborators

Kumeko Otowa (3 collaborations)
Takashi Shimura (3 collaborations)
Akira Takarada (3 collaborations)
Fuyuki Murakami (3 collaborations)
Sachio Sakai (3 collaborations)
Tadashi Okabe (3 collaborations)
Haruo Nakajima (3 collaborations)
Tatsuya Nakadai (2 collaborations)
Jinpachi Nezu (2 collaborations)
Daisuke Ryū (2 collaborations)

Credits

actors (11 credits)
- Searching For Kurosawa
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2025
- Ishiro Honda: Memoirs of a Film Director
  Himself (Archivial Footage)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2024
- Turning Point
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1994
- Samurai Kids
  Grandfather
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1993
- Making of 'Dreams'
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1990
- The Discarnates
  Restaurant Owner
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1988
- Toho Unused Special Effects Complete Collection
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1986
- A. K.
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1985
- Godzilla, the Monster of the Pacific Ocean
  Substation worker (uncredited)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1957
- Godzilla
  Substation Worker (uncredited)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1954
- Stray Dog
  Fleeing Villain (uncredited)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1949
writing (31 credits)
- Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
  original film writer
  
  writing
  
  2024
- Godzilla Singular Point
  original film writer
  
  writing
  
  2021
- Godzilla vs. Kong
  original film writer
  
  writing
  
  2021
- Godzilla: King of the Monsters
  original film writer
  
  writing
  
  2019
- Godzilla: The Planet Eater
  original film writer
  
  writing
  
  2018
- Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle
  original film writer
  
  writing
  
  2018
- Shin Godzilla
  original film writer
  
  writing
  
  2016
- Godzilla
  original film writer
  
  writing
  
  2014
- Moses vs. Godzilla
  characters
  
  writing
  
  2001
- Rebirth of Mothra II
  lyricist
  
  writing
  
  1997
- Rebirth of Mothra
  lyricist
  
  writing
  
  1996
- Godzilla vs. Mothra
  lyricist
  
  writing
  
  1992
- Rhapsody in August
  screenplay
  
  writing
  
  1991
- Toho Unused Special Effects Complete Collection
  writer
  
  writing
  
  1986
- Godzilla
  screenplay
  
  writing
  
  1977
- Duel!! Godzilla vs. the Monster Army
  writer
  
  writing
  
  1974
- Katango's War
  screenplay
  
  writing
  
  1973
- Destroy All Monsters
  screenplay
  
  writing
  
  1968
- The War of the Gargantuas
  screenplay
  
  writing
  
  1966
- Mothra vs. Godzilla
  lyricist
  
  writing
  
  1964
- Mothra
  lyricist
  
  writing
  
  1961
- Tokyo 1960
  screenplay
  
  writing
  
  1957
- A Teapicker's Song of Goodbye
  writer
  
  writing
  
  1957
- Godzilla, the Monster of the Pacific Ocean
  screenplay
  
  writing
  
  1957
- People of Tokyo, Goodbye
  writer
  
  writing
  
  1956
- Godzilla, King of the Monsters!
  screenplay
  
  writing
  
  1956
- Young Tree
  writer
  
  writing
  
  1956
- Godzilla
  screenplay
  
  writing
  
  1954
- The Skin of the South
  screenplay
  
  writing
  
  1952
- The Blue Pearl
  writer
  
  writing
  
  1951
- Ise-Shima
  screenplay
  
  writing
  
  1949
directing (82 credits)
- Madadayo
  assistant director
  
  directing
  
  1993
- Rhapsody in August
  assistant director
  
  directing
  
  1991
- Ran
  assistant director
  
  directing
  
  1985
- Godzilla Fantasia
  director
  
  directing
  
  1984
- Kagemusha
  assistant director
  
  directing
  
  1980
- Bloodthirsty Hawk
  director
  
  directing
  
  1977
- Monsters of the Lost Continent
  director
  
  directing
  
  1977
- Godzilla
  director
  
  directing
  
  1977
- Terror of Mechagodzilla
  director
  
  directing
  
  1975
- Katango's War
  director
  
  directing
  
  1973
- Mirrorman
  director
  
  directing
  
  1972
- Return of Ultraman
  
  - The 5 Ultra Pledges (1972) ... director directing
  
  - Monster Island S.O.S (1971) ... director directing
  
  - Operation Rainbow Monster! (1971) ... director directing
  
  - Takkong's Big Counterattack (1971) ... director directing
  
  - All Monsters Attack (1971) ... director directing
  
  1971
- Space Amoeba
  director
  
  directing
  
  1970
- All Monsters Attack
  director
  
  directing
  
  1969
- Latitude Zero
  director
  
  directing
  
  1969
- Destroy All Monsters
  director
  
  directing
  
  1968
- King Kong Escapes
  director
  
  directing
  
  1967
- Come Marry Me
  director
  
  directing
  
  1966
- The War of the Gargantuas
  director
  
  directing
  
  1966
- Invasion of Astro-Monster
  director
  
  directing
  
  1965
- Frankenstein Conquers the World
  director
  
  directing
  
  1965
- Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
  director
  
  directing
  
  1964
- Dogora
  director
  
  directing
  
  1964
- Mothra vs. Godzilla
  director
  
  directing
  
  1964
- Atragon
  director
  
  directing
  
  1963
- Matango
  director
  
  directing
  
  1963
- King Kong vs. Godzilla
  director
  
  directing
  
  1963
- Varan the Unbelievable
  director
  
  directing
  
  1962
- King Kong vs. Godzilla
  director
  
  directing
  
  1962
- Gorath
  director
  
  directing
  
  1962
- A Man in Red
  director
  
  directing
  
  1961
- Mothra
  director
  
  directing
  
  1961
- The Human Vapor
  director
  
  directing
  
  1960
- Battle in Outer Space
  director
  
  directing
  
  1959
- Seniors, Juniors, Co-Workers
  director
  
  directing
  
  1959
- The Story of Iron Arm Inao
  director
  
  directing
  
  1959
- Echo Mountain
  director
  
  directing
  
  1959
- Varan
  director
  
  directing
  
  1958
- The H-Man
  director
  
  directing
  
  1958
- Song for a Bride
  director
  
  directing
  
  1958
- The Mysterians
  director
  
  directing
  
  1957
- Tokyo 1960
  director
  
  directing
  
  1957
- Rodan! The Flying Monster
  director
  
  directing
  
  1957
- A Farewell to the Woman Called My Sister
  director
  
  directing
  
  1957
- A Rainbow Plays in My Heart: Part 2
  director
  
  directing
  
  1957
- A Rainbow Plays in My Heart: Part 1
  director
  
  directing
  
  1957
- A Teapicker's Song of Goodbye
  director
  
  directing
  
  1957
- Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman
  director
  
  directing
  
  1957
- Godzilla, the Monster of the Pacific Ocean
  director
  
  directing
  
  1957
- Good Luck to These Two
  director
  
  directing
  
  1957
- Rodan
  director
  
  directing
  
  1956
- People of Tokyo, Goodbye
  director
  
  directing
  
  1956
- Godzilla, King of the Monsters!
  director
  
  directing
  
  1956
- Night School
  director
  
  directing
  
  1956
- Young Tree
  director
  
  directing
  
  1956
- Beast Man Snow Man
  director
  
  directing
  
  1955
- Mother and Son
  director
  
  directing
  
  1955
- Lovetide
  director
  
  directing
  
  1955
- Godzilla
  director
  
  directing
  
  1954
- Farewell Rabaul
  director
  
  directing
  
  1954
- The Eagle of the Pacific
  director
  
  directing
  
  1953
- Adolescence Part II
  director
  
  directing
  
  1953
- The Man Who Came to Port
  director
  
  directing
  
  1952
- The Skin of the South
  director
  
  directing
  
  1952
- The Blue Pearl
  director
  
  directing
  
  1951
- Elegy
  assistant director
  
  directing
  
  1951
- Escape at Dawn
  assistant director
  
  directing
  
  1950
- Escape from Prison
  assistant director
  
  directing
  
  1950
- Ise-Shima
  director
  
  directing
  
  1949
- Stray Dog
  assistant director
  
  directing
  
  1949
- Kaze no ko
  assistant director
  
  directing
  
  1949
- A Story of a Co-op
  director
  
  directing
  
  1949
- These Foolish Times
  assistant director
  
  directing
  
  1947
- Battle Troop
  assistant director
  
  directing
  
  1944
- Colonel Kato's Falcon Squadron
  assistant director
  
  directing
  
  1944
- Horse
  assistant director
  
  directing
  
  1941
- Subterranean Heat
  assistant director
  
  directing
  
  1938
- The Beautiful Hawk
  assistant director
  
  directing
  
  1937
- Humanity and Paper Balloons
  assistant director
  
  directing
  
  1937
- Avalanche
  assistant director
  
  directing
  
  1937
- Enoken’s Ten Millions
  second assistant director
  
  directing
  
  1936
- Three Sisters with Maiden Hearts
  assistant director
  
  directing
  
  1935
editing (1 credits)
- Madadayo
  editor
  
  editing
  
  1993
crew (2 credits)
- Dreams
  creative consultant
  
  crew
  
  1990
- All Monsters Attack
  special effects
  
  crew
  
  1969
visual effects (1 credits)
- All Monsters Attack
  visual effects
  
  visual effects
  
  1969
production (2 credits)
- Osanaki mono no hata
  production manager
  
  production
  
  1939
- Chocolate and Soldiers
  production manager
  
  production
  
  1938