[ Space robot King Joe 450 test shot of century ] Marsan Tsuburaya 50th & Marsan 90th Anniversary Products

Marusan is a legendary Japanese toy company and one of the pioneers of sofubi (soft vinyl) kaiju figures. Established in 1923 in Japan, Marusan originally produced tin toys before shifting to vinyl production in the 1950s and 1960s, creating some of the first Godzilla, Ultraman, and kaiju toys that shaped the sofubi industry. Today, Marusan remains one of the most respected names in the Japanese sofubi scene, continuing to produce high-quality, hand-crafted vinyl figures sought after by collectors worldwide. Eiji Tsuburaya (1901–1970) was a pioneering Japanese filmmaker and special effects director, best known as the co-creator of Godzilla and the founder of the Ultraman franchise. He played a crucial role in shaping the tokusatsu (live-action special effects) genre, developing innovative techniques in miniatures, suitmation, and optical effects. As the special effects director for Godzilla (1954), Tsuburaya crafted the iconic monster using rubber suits and detailed miniature city sets, influencing generations of filmmakers. In 1963, he founded Tsuburaya Productions, which launched Ultraman (1966), a landmark in Japanese superhero television. His work remains highly influential in global science fiction and special effects cinema.