GODZILLA & Other Monster Music
*** Toho SFX Champion Festival 10CD Box Set ***

© 2002 Lawrence Tuczynski
Toho SFX Champion Festival
10 CD Box Set
Box Front
Booklet Front Booklet Back

Title Toho SFX Champion Festival
CD Label VAP Inc.
CD Number VPCD-81382
Music Composed by: Various
Number of tracks Disc 1: 72
Disc 2: 68
Disc 3: 58
Disc 4: 60
Disc 5: 65
Disc 6: 93
Disc 7: 61
Disc 8: 43
Disc 9: 59
Disc 10: 39
Running time Disc 1: 69:22
Disc 2: 76:38
Disc 3: 72:21
Disc 4: 74:13
Disc 5: 76:12
Disc 6: 76:41
Disc 7: 75:46
Disc 8: 75:41
Disc 9: 72:59
Disc 10: 75:37
Number of discs 10
Year of release/manufacture 2001

OVERALL REVIEW

February 20, 2002 (Updated January 01,2010)

This is a really ambitious, well done, box set. It contains a lot of music already elsewhere on this site. If you already have most of this music, then buying this set is kind of redundant. However if you've been looking for this music and having a hard time finding it, then grab this set while it's still available. As I write this, the box set is available at two of the Japanese vendors on my links page. They are:

The set is not cheap. CD Japan is now selling the box for $193.34 and Arksquare has it for $241.30 (as of tonight). However you definitely get your money's worth with this set. All the CD's are packed and clock in well over 60 minutes each with most over 75 minutes. Since there are 10 CD's in the box that means that no matter who you buy from, it comes out to just over $20 a disc including the shipping. That's a bargain, plus you get a generous 100-page booklet with the set. The CD's are packaged in six jewel cases housed in a 5 1/2" x 10" box. Volumes 1 through 8 are in double cases while Volume 9 and 10 are in their own separate case.

You also won't be disappointed with the music and selections on these discs. I listened to all the CD's through headphones and was amazed at how clear the music was and the great stereo. I also believe that some of the music here is in stereo for the first time. It sounds as if these CD's were taken from master tapes and done up with great care.

Some additional information courtesy of Sam Scali

In the 70's, Toho held a series of film festivals in Japan called "Champion Matsuri's" (Champion Festivals), in which edited versions of classic 60's kaiju films were rereleased, and new SFX films premiered. The "Toho SFX Champion Festival" boxed set features the complete soundtracks (except for "GODZILLA VS. GIGAN") to 18 Toho SF/horror films from 1969-1978, spread out over 10 discs:

  1. GODZILLA'S REVENGE (1969)
  2. KONTO 55: SPACE ADVENTURE (1969)
  3. YOG, MONSTER FROM SPACE (1970)
  4. GODZILLA VS. THE SMOG MONSTER (1971)
  5. GODZILLA ON MONSTER ISLAND (1972) [aka "GODZILLA VS. GIGAN" - five tracks only]
  6. GODZILLA VS MEGALON (1973)
  7. GODZILLA VS. THE BIONIC MONSTER (1974)
  8. TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA (1975)
  9. ESPY (1974)
  10. THE EXPLOSION (1975) [aka "CONFLAGRATION" aka "TOKYO BAY SET ABLAZE"]
  11. THE VAMPIRE DOLL (1970) [aka "TERROR OF THE GHOSTLY MANSION - THE BLOODSUCKING DOLL"]
  12. LAKE OF DRACULA (1971) [aka "THE CURSED MANSION - BLOODTHIRSTY EYES"]
  13. EVIL OF DRACULA (1974) [aka "BLOODSUCKING ROSE"]
  14. CREST OF THE WOLF (1973) [aka "COAT OF ARMS OF THE WOLF"]
  15. CATASTROPHE 1999 (1974) [aka "LAST DAYS OF PLANET EARTH" aka "GREAT PROPHESIES OF NOSTRADAMUS"]
  16. TIDAL WAVE (1973) [aka "SUBMERSION OF JAPAN"]
  17. BLOOD TYPE: BLUE (1978) [aka "BLUE CHRISTMAS"]
  18. THE WAR IN SPACE (1977) [aka "THE GREAT PLANET WAR"]

In the past, all of these soundtracks have been represented in some form on CD. Short suites or individual cues from all the films appeared on the 1994 "King of the Monsters" box set. Also, all but "BLOOD TYPE: BLUE" and "KONTO 55: SPACE ADVENTURE" were sampled on Vol. 6-10 of the 1991 "SF Movie Soundtrack Collection" series. The complete scores to "KONTO 55: SPACE ADVENTURE", "ESPY", "EXPLOSION", "THE VAMPIRE DOLL", "LAKE OF DRACULA", "EVIL OF DRACULA", "CREST OF THE WOLF" and "BLOOD TYPE: BLUE" make their first full CD appearance on this set, while complete soundtracks to the "GODZILLA" films, "YOG", "TIDAL WAVE" and "CATASTROPHE 1999" have all been previously released on individual CD's. Also, the stereo LP version of "THE WAR IN SPACE" soundtrack was paired with the stereo LP version of "CATASTROPHE 1999" on a 1991 Victor CD. Interestingly, the Champion box includes both the LP versions AND the complete mono soundtracks of these two films (collectors take note!).

Overall, the box has a distinctive 70's sound. There's not much Ifukube, but for the Toho completist it features a lot of music unavailable elsewhere, including rare versions from LP's and singles.

Click on any disc number in the table below for full track title listings courtesy of Jolyon Yates.

Disc 1 Disc 2 Disc 3 Disc 4 Disc 5
Disc 6 Disc 7 Disc 8 Disc 9 Disc 10 

Toho SFX Champion Festival Overview of the contents.

Note: All tracks are in MONO except where indicated:

DISC 1

Tracks 1-32:  "Godzilla's Revenge" 
               (31 and 32 appear to be from a single, with 32 in STEREO) 
               Music by Gendai Kano, Kunio Miyauchi

Tracks 33-72: "Konto 55: Space Adventure"
               Music by Kenjiro Hirose

DISC 2

Tracks 1-28:   "Yog, Monster From Space"
                Music by Akira Ifukube

Tracks 29-68:  "Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster"
                (aka "Godzilla vs. Hedorah") 
                Music by Riichiro Manabe

DISC 3

Tracks 1-14:   "Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster" 
                (aka "Godzilla vs. Hedorah") 
                (13 and 14 appear to be from a single and are in STEREO) 
                Music by Riichiro Manabe

Tracks 15-20:  "Godzilla on Monster Island" 
                (aka "Godzilla vs. Gigan")
                (all except 15 & 18 are in STEREO)
                Music by Akira Ifukube, Kunio Miyauchi

Tracks 21-58:  "Godzilla vs. Megalon"
                Music by Riichiro Manabe

DISC 4

Tracks 1-35:   "Godzilla vs. the Bionic Monster"
                (aka "Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla")
                Music by Masaru Sato

Tracks 36-59:  "Terror of Mechagodzilla"
                (aka "MechaGodzilla's Counterattack")
                Music by Akira Ifukube

Track 60:      "ESPY" (aka "E.S.P./Spy")
                (appears to be from a single and is in STEREO)
                Music by Masaaki Hirao

DISC 5

Tracks 1-39:   "ESPY" (aka "E.S.P./Spy")
                (Track 1 appears to be from a single and is in STEREO)
                Music by Masaaki Hirao

Tracks 40-65:  "Explosion" (aka "Conflagration") 
                (64 & 65 appear to be from a single and are in STEREO)
                Music by Hajime Tsumiki

DISC 6

Tracks 1-31:   "The Vampire Doll"
               ("YUREIYASHIKI NO KYOFU: CHI O SUU NINGYO" aka "Bloodsucking Doll")
               Music by Riichiro Manabe

Tracks 32-75:  "Lake of Dracula"
               ("NOROI NO YAKATA: CHI O SUU ME" aka "Bloodsucking Eyes") 
               Music by Riichiro Manabe

Tracks 76-93:  "Evil of Dracula"
               ("CHI O SUU BARA" aka "Bloodsucking Rose") 
               Music by Riichiro Manabe

DISC 7

Tracks 1-21:   "Evil of Dracula"
               ("CHI O SUU BARA" aka "Bloodsucking Rose") 
               Music by Riichiro Manabe

Tracks 22-46:  "Crest of the Wolf"
               ("OKAMI NO KUNSHO") 
               Music by Riichiro Manabe
Tracks 47-61:  "Catastrophe 1999: THE PROPHECIES OF NOSTRADAMUS" 
               (Side 1 of the LP version in STEREO)
               Music by Isao Tomita

DISC 8

Tracks 1-10:   "Catastrophe 1999: THE PROPHECIES OF NOSTRADAMUS" 
               (Side 2 of the LP version in STEREO)
               Music by Isao Tomita
Tracks 11-43:  "Catastrophe 1999: THE PROPHECIES OF NOSTRADAMUS" 
               (complete soundtrack in MONO)
               Music by Isao Tomita

DISC 9

Tracks 1-2:    "Catastrophe 1999: THE PROPHECIES OF NOSTRADAMUS" 
               (both tracks appear to be from a single and are in STEREO)
               Music by Isao Tomita

Tracks 3-34:   "Tidal Wave" (aka aka "SUBMERSION OF JAPAN")
               (33 and 34 appear to be from a single and are in STEREO)
               Music by Masaru Sato

Tracks 35-59:  "Blood Type: Blue" (All except track 57 are in STEREO. 
                Tracks 35 ["Blue Christmas - English Version"] and 59 
                [Japanese Version] appear to be from a single)
                Music by Masaru Sato

DISC 10

Tracks 1-10:   "The War in Space" 
               (LP version in STEREO)
               Music by Toshiaki Tsushima
Tracks 11-39:  "The War in Space" 
               (complete soundtrack in MONO. Tracks 37-39 appear to be alternate takes)
               Music by Toshiaki Tsushima

BACK
to Samurai Related Page 		FORWARD
to The Peanuts Page

Return to Main Page