Person

Koji Kajita

Directing · 1923–2013 · Tokyo, Japan

Koji Kajita (Kajita Kōji, October 7, 1923 - August 18, 2013), also known under the pen name Susumu Ike (Ike Susumu), was a Japanese director, screenwriter, lyricist, and composer. His first film was "The Tale of Izu" (1951), and is most well-known for being the first assistant director to Ishiro Honda on many of the early Godzilla films, including "Godzilla" (1954), "King Kong vs. Godzilla" (1962), and "Mothra vs. Godzilla" (1964), as well as other Tokusatsu films produced by Toho throughout the 1950's and 1960's like "The Mysterians" (1957), "Matango" (1963), and "The War of the Gargantuas" (1966), the latter of which being his last Toho film. Kajita also composed and wrote the lyrics of the song "Daughters of Infant Island", for the Toho Tokusatsu film "Mothra" (1961), under the pen name Susumu Ike. After parting from Toho, he wrote the screenplay for episode 4 of the Tsuburaya Productions series, "Ultra Q" (TV 1966-1967) and also directed episodes 4, 8, 22, 25, and 27. Additionally, he wrote the lyrics to the song "Fly On, Mothra" in 1971 under the pen name Koji Yuki. The same name had been used by Ishiro Honda, Toho producer Tomoyuki Tanaka, and screenwriter Shinichi Sekizawa when writing the lyrics to "Mothra's Song", heard in "Mothra" (1961). Kajita passed away at age 89 on August 18, 2013, due to illness.

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  Ultra Q

  Director

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  Godzilla

  First Assistant Director

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  Godzilla, King of the Monsters!

  First Assistant Director

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  King Kong vs. Godzilla

  First Assistant Director

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  Invasion of Astro-Monster

  First Assistant Director

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  Mothra vs. Godzilla

  First Assistant Director

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  King Kong vs. Godzilla

  First Assistant Director

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  Mothra

  Original Music Composer

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  The Human Vapor

  Assistant Director

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  Matango

  First Assistant Director

• 1977GodzillaFirst Assistant Director
• 1966The War of the GargantuasFirst Assistant Director
• 1966Ultra QDirector
• 1965Invasion of Astro-MonsterFirst Assistant Director
• 1965Frankenstein Conquers the WorldFirst Assistant Director
• 1964Mothra vs. GodzillaFirst Assistant Director
• 1963MatangoFirst Assistant Director
• 1963King Kong vs. GodzillaFirst Assistant Director
• 1963Siege of Fort BismarckFirst Assistant Director
• 1962Varan the UnbelievableAssistant Director
• 1962King Kong vs. GodzillaFirst Assistant Director
• 1962GorathFirst Assistant Director
• 19613 Dolls and Baby GangAssistant Director
• 1961Acchan no bebi gyanguAssistant Director
• 1961MothraOriginal Music Composer
• 1960The Human VaporAssistant Director
• 1959Battle in Outer SpaceAssistant Director
• 1959A Whistle in My HeartAssistant Director
• 1958VaranFirst Assistant Director
• 1958The H-ManAssistant Director
• 1958Song for a BrideAssistant Director
• 1957The MysteriansFirst Assistant Director
• 1957Tokyo 1960First Assistant Director
• 1957Elephant from "Zoo Story"Assistant Director
• 1957Godzilla, the Monster of the Pacific OceanFirst Assistant Director
• 1956In Case of One WomanAssistant Director
• 1956Godzilla, King of the Monsters!First Assistant Director
• 1954GodzillaFirst Assistant Director
• 1954Bride in a Bathing SuitAssistant Director