Biography and filmography

Akira Ifukube

Akira Ifukube (伊福部昭 Ifukube Akira, 31 May 1914 – 8 February 2006) was a Japanese composer, best known for his works on the film scores of the Godzilla movies since 1954. Akira Ifukube was born on 31 May 1914 in Kushiro, Japan as the third son of a police officer Toshimitsu Ifukube, also the origins of this family can be traced back to at least the 7th century with the birth of Ifukibe-no-Tokotarihime. He was strongly influenced by the Ainu music as he spent his childhood (from age of 9 to 12) in Otofuke near Obihiro, where was with a mixed population of Ainu and Japanese. His first encounter with classical music occurred when attending secondary school in Sapporo city. Ifukube decided to become a composer at the age of 14 after hearing a radio performance of Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, also cited the music of Manuel de Falla as a major influence.

Ifukube studied forestry at Hokkaido Imperial University in Sapporo and composed in his spare time, which prefigured a line of self-taught Japanese composers.

He taught at the Tokyo University of the Arts (formerly Tokyo Music School), during which period he composed his first film score for The End of the Silver Mountains, released in 1947. Over the next fifty years, he would compose more than 250 film scores, the high point of which was his 1954 music for Ishirō Honda's Toho movie, Godzilla.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Akira Ifukube , licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Photos

Movies (238)

Godzilla Minus Zero

2026 · Music

Godzilla Fest 5: Great Monster Battle

2024 · Music

Godzilla: Attack on Tokyo

2024 · Music

Godzilla Minus One

2023 · Original Music Composer

Godzilla vs. Megalon

2023 · Music

Godzilla vs. Gigan Rex

2022 · Music

Fesu Gojira 3: Gaigan Raishū

2022 · Music

Godzilla vs. Hedorah

2021 · Music

Godzilla Appears at Godzilla Fest

2020 · Music

Shin Godzilla

2016 · Music

Making of Godzilla vs. Mothra

2010 · Himself

Geharha: The Dark and Long-Haired Monster

2009 · Music

Genius Party Beyond

2008 · Music

Always: Sunset on Third Street 2

2007 · Music

Tetsujin 28: Morning Moon of Midday

2007 · Original Music Composer

Godzilla: Final Wars

2004 · Music

Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack

2001 · Music

Godzilla vs. Megaguirus

2000 · Music

Godzilla 2000: Millennium

1999 · Music

Godzilla, King of the Monsters

1998

Godzilla vs. Destoroyah

1995 · Original Music Composer, Music Supervisor

Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla

1994 · Music

Monster Planet of Godzilla

1994 · Music, Music Supervisor

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II

1993 · Original Music Composer, Music Supervisor

Godzilla vs. Mothra

1992 · Original Music Composer, Music Supervisor

Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah

1991 · Original Music Composer

Dozoku no ranjo

1991 · Original Music Composer

Toho Unused Special Effects Complete Collection

1986 · Original Music Composer

Sayonara Jupiter

1984 · Original Music Composer

Godzilla Fantasia

1984 · Original Music Composer

Love and Faith

1978 · Original Music Composer

Bloodthirsty Hawk

1977 · Music

Monsters of the Lost Continent

1977 · Original Music Composer

Godzilla

1977 · Music

Terror of Mechagodzilla

1975 · Original Music Composer

Sandakan No. 8

1974 · Original Music Composer

The Last Samurai

1974 · Original Music Composer

The Human Revolution

1973 · Original Music Composer

Katango's War

1973 · Original Music Composer

Zatoichi's Conspiracy

1973 · Original Music Composer

Godzilla vs. Gigan

1972 · Music

Wolfman vs. Baragon

1972 · Original Music Composer

Will to Conquer

1970 · Original Music Composer

Space Amoeba

1970 · Original Music Composer

Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo

1970 · Original Music Composer

Latitude Zero

1969 · Original Music Composer

Devil's Temple

1969 · Original Music Composer

Young Challengers

1968 · Original Music Composer

Destroy All Monsters

1968 · Original Music Composer

Kawachi's Futen Tribe

1968 · Original Music Composer

The Snow Woman

1968 · Original Music Composer

Zatoichi Challenged

1967 · Original Music Composer

Eleven Samurai

1967 · Original Music Composer

King Kong Escapes

1967 · Original Music Composer

Wrath of Daimajin

1966 · Original Music Composer

Sleepy Eyes of Death 8: Sword of Villainy

1966 · Original Music Composer

A Thousand Suspects

1966 · Original Music Composer

Return of Giant Majin

1966 · Original Music Composer

The War of the Gargantuas

1966 · Original Music Composer

The Betrayal

1966 · Original Music Composer

Zatoichi's Vengeance

1966 · Original Music Composer

Adventure in Kigan Castle

1966 · Original Music Composer

Daimajin

1966 · Original Music Composer

Sleepy Eyes of Death 7: The Mask of the Princess

1966 · Original Music Composer

Zatoichi and the Chess Expert

1965 · Original Music Composer

Invasion of Astro-Monster

1965 · Original Music Composer

Frankenstein Conquers the World

1965 · Original Music Composer

Life of Matsu the Untamed

1965 · Original Music Composer

A Chain of Islands

1965 · Original Music Composer

Zatoichi's Revenge

1965 · Original Music Composer

Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu

1965 · Original Music Composer

Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster

1964 · Original Music Composer

The Beggar General

1964 · Original Music Composer

Fight, Zatoichi, Fight

1964 · Original Music Composer

The Life of a Chivalrous Man in Suruga: Broken Swords

1964 · Original Music Composer

The Woman Running Along the Shore

1964 · Original Music Composer

Dogora

1964 · Original Music Composer

Shinobi no Mono 4: Siege

1964 · Original Music Composer

Mothra vs. Godzilla

1964 · Original Music Composer

The Long Death

1964 · Original Music Composer

Whirlwind

1964 · Original Music Composer

Atragon

1963 · Original Music Composer

13 Assassins

1963 · Original Music Composer

Zatoichi on the Road

1963 · Original Music Composer

Bronze Magician

1963 · Original Music Composer

Zatoichi the Fugitive

1963 · Original Music Composer

King Kong vs. Godzilla

1963 · Music

A Samurai Never Tells a Lie

1963 · Original Music Composer

Tragedy of the Coolie Samurai

1963 · Original Music Composer

The Little Prince and the Eight-Headed Dragon

1963 · Original Music Composer

New Tale of Zatoichi

1963 · Original Music Composer

Varan the Unbelievable

1962 · Music

The King

1962 · Original Music Composer

Chûshingura

1962 · Original Music Composer

The Great Wall

1962 · Original Music Composer

King Kong vs. Godzilla

1962 · Original Music Composer

The Whale God

1962 · Original Music Composer

A Carpenter and Children

1962 · Original Music Composer

The Tale of Zatoichi

1962 · Original Music Composer

Her Hidden Past

1962 · Original Music Composer

Different Sons

1961 · Original Music Composer

The Conspirator

1961 · Original Music Composer

Buddha

1961 · Original Music Composer

Miyamoto Musashi

1961 · Original Music Composer

Daredevil in the Castle

1961 · Original Music Composer

Lord Tadanao

1960 · Original Music Composer

Castle of Flames

1960 · Original Music Composer

Shinran, Part II

1960 · Original Music Composer

Scars of Honor

1960 · Original Music Composer

Shinran

1960 · Original Music Composer

Battle in Outer Space

1959 · Original Music Composer

The Three Treasures

1959 · Original Music Composer

A Killed Stewardess: White or Black

1959 · Original Music Composer

Break Down that Wall

1959 · Original Music Composer

Samurai Saga

1959 · Original Music Composer

The Woman and the Pirate

1959 · Original Music Composer

A Whistle in My Heart

1959 · Original Music Composer

The Big Boss

1959 · Original Music Composer

Varan

1958 · Original Music Composer

Beyond the Seasonal Wind

1958 · Original Music Composer

Night Drum

1958 · Original Music Composer

The Precipice

1958 · Original Music Composer

A Bridge for Two Alone

1958 · Original Music Composer

Sorrow Is Only for Women

1958 · Original Music Composer

Yagyu Secret Scrolls: Ninjitsu - Part II

1958 · Original Music Composer

The Mysterians

1957 · Original Music Composer

On This Earth

1957 · Original Music Composer

Rodan! The Flying Monster

1957 · Original Music Composer

Downtown

1957 · Original Music Composer

Roar and Earth

1957 · Original Music Composer

Harbor Rats

1957 · Original Music Composer

The Last Escape

1957 · Original Music Composer

Who's the Real Killer

1957 · Original Music Composer

Blooms of Hell

1957 · Original Music Composer

Hateful Things

1957 · Original Music Composer

Yagyu Secret Scrolls

1957 · Original Music Composer

Godzilla, the Monster of the Pacific Ocean

1957 · Original Music Composer

An Osaka Story

1957 · Original Music Composer

Rodan

1956 · Original Music Composer

Actress

1956 · Original Music Composer

Sound in the Mist

1956 · Original Music Composer

Horeruna Yanpachi

1956 · Original Music Composer

The Good-Natured Couple

1956 · Original Music Composer

Sound of Youth

1956 · Original Music Composer

Will-o'-the-Wisp

1956 · Original Music Composer

Wandering Shore

1956 · Original Music Composer

Godzilla, King of the Monsters!

1956 · Original Music Composer

Darkness at Noon

1956 · Original Music Composer

Called to the Stand

1956 · Original Music Composer

Love is Lost

1956 · Original Music Composer

Rainy Night Duel

1956 · Original Music Composer

The Burmese Harp

1956 · Original Music Composer

Bara no kōdōkan

1956 · Original Music Composer

Where Might is Right

1955 · Music

Policeman's Diary, Part 2

1955 · Original Music Composer

Brooba

1955 · Original Music Composer

Kidnapper

1955 · Original Music Composer

The Beauty and the Dragon

1955 · Original Music Composer

Typhoon's Eye

1955 · Original Music Composer

The Three Faces

1955 · Original Music Composer

The Wolves

1955 · Original Music Composer

The Maid's Kid

1955 · Original Music Composer

Tokyo Gang

1955 · Original Music Composer

Women of Ginza

1955 · Original Music Composer

The Road to the Spring

1955 · Original Music Composer

Driving Like Mad

1955 · Original Music Composer

Life of Geisha

1955 · Original Music Composer

Haru no uzumaki

1954 · Original Music Composer

Wakai hito-tachi

1954 · Original Music Composer

Godzilla

1954 · Original Music Composer

Turbid Youth

1954 · Original Music Composer

Jinsei Gekijo Yokubo hen: sanshu kirako

1954 · Original Music Composer

Green Friends

1954 · Original Music Composer

Ditch

1954 · Original Music Composer

Cape Ashizuri

1954 · Original Music Composer

Sakuma Dam Part One

1954 · Original Music Composer

A Samurai's Love

1954 · Original Music Composer

Life of a Woman

1953 · Original Music Composer

Outlaw

1953 · Original Music Composer

Before the Dawn

1953 · Original Music Composer

Hiroshima

1953 · Original Music Composer

The Cannery Boat

1953 · Original Music Composer

White Fish

1953 · Original Music Composer

Anatahan

1953 · Original Music Composer

Desire

1953 · Original Music Composer

About Love

1953 · Original Music Composer

Miniature

1953 · Original Music Composer

Murahachibu

1953 · Original Music Composer

Reminiscence

1953 · Original Music Composer

生れかわる客車

1953 · Original Music Composer

Swift Current

1952 · Original Music Composer

Zoku bakurō ichidai

1952 · Original Music Composer

Violence

1952 · Original Music Composer

Children of Hiroshima

1952 · Original Music Composer

The Madwoman in a Furisode

1952 · Original Music Composer

Taki no Shiraito

1952 · Original Music Composer

Escape from the City of Death

1952 · Original Music Composer

Sisters of Nishijin

1952 · Original Music Composer

Avalanche

1952 · Original Music Composer

The Tale of Genji

1951 · Original Music Composer

Stolen Love

1951 · Original Music Composer

限りなき情熱

1951 · Original Music Composer

Who Will Judge Me?

1951 · Original Music Composer

Freedom School

1951 · Original Music Composer

The Man Without a Nationality

1951 · Original Music Composer

Judge of the Ashuras

1951 · Original Music Composer

Clothes of Deception

1951 · Original Music Composer

Beyond Love and Hate

1951 · Original Music Composer