Sadamasa Arikawa

was a Japanese special effects cinematographer, film director and special effects director. He worked with Eiji Tsuburaya in Toho for the Godzilla franchise until 1970.

Born in the Tokyo Prefecture, he was an Imperial Japanese Army veteran for air service before leaving the war and joining as a cinematographer with Tsuburaya at Toho in the 1950s. After Tsuburaya's death in 1970, Arikawa left Toho and went and created independent projects before his death in 2005.

Life and service Sadamasa Arikawa was born on June 17, 1925, in the Tokyo Prefecture. He graduated from Nihon University in a degree of machinery. He went on to serve as a bomber pilot in the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service during World War II. He left in 1945 following the Surrender of Japan.

Career In 1953, Arikawa began working at Toho as a cinematographer. He later met Eiji Tsuburaya. Arikawa was assigned as the special effects director for most Godzilla films, and his first film was Godzilla (1954).

In 1967, Tsuburaya was appointed "special effects supervisor", where he handed over the position for the Godzilla film series to Arikawa, starting with Son of Godzilla. Arikawa was known also as Teisho Arikama during production of various films.

Personal life Arikawa lived in Izu, Shizuoka. He died on September 22, 2005 in a hospital in Izu from lung cancer. He was 80.