Toho Co., Ltd. (東宝株式会社, Tōhō Kabushiki-gaisha) is a Japanese film, theater production, and distribution company. It has its headquarters in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group. Outside Japan, it is best known as the producer and distributor of many kaiju and tokusatsu films, the Chouseishin tokusatsu superhero television franchise, the films of Akira Kurosawa, and the anime films of Studio Ghibli. Other famous directors, including Yasujirō Ozu, Kenji Mizoguchi, Masaki Kobayashi, and Mikio Naruse, also directed films for Toho.
Toho's most famous creation is Godzilla, who features in 28 of the company's films. Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah, Mechagodzilla, and Rodan are described as Toho's Big Five because of the monsters' numerous appearances in all three eras of the franchise, as well as spin-offs. Toho has also been involved in the production of numerous anime titles. Its subdivisions are Toho-Towa Distribution, Toho Pictures Incorporated, Toho International Company Limited, Toho E. B. Company Limited, and Toho Music Corporation & Toho Costume Company Limited. The company is the largest shareholder (7.96%) of Fuji Media Holdings Inc.
Toho was created by the founder of Hankyu Railway, Ichizo Kobayashi, in 1932 as the Tokyo-Takarazuka Theater Company (東京宝塚劇場株式会社, Tōkyō Takarazuka Gekijō Kabushiki-gaisha). It managed much of the kabuki in Tokyo and, among other properties, the Tokyo Takarazuka Theater and the Imperial Garden Theater in Tokyo; Toho and Shochiku enjoyed a duopoly over theaters in Tokyo for many years.
After several successful film exports to the United States during the 1950s through Henry G. Saperstein, Toho took over the La Brea Theatre in Los Angeles to show its own films without the need to sell them to a distributor. It was known as the Toho Theatre from the late 1960s until the 1970s. Toho also had a theater in San Francisco and opened a theater in New York City in 1963.
The Shintoho Company, which existed until 1964, was named New Toho because it broke off from the original company.
The company has contributed to the production of some American films, including Sam Raimi's 1998 film, A Simple Plan.
Three Sisters with Maiden Hearts (1935)
Enoken's Ten Millions (1936)
Enoken's Ten Millions sequel (1936)
Tokyo Rhapsody (1936)
Humanity and paper balloons (1937)
Avalanche (1937)
A Husband Chastity (1937)
Tojuro's Love (1938)
Enoken's Shrewd Period (1939)
Chushingura I (1939)
Chushingura II (1939)
Song of Kunya (1940)
Enoken Has His Hair Cropped (1940)
Songoku: Monkey Sun (1940)
Hideko the Bus-Conductor (1941)
Uma (1941)
The War at sea from Hawaii to Malay (1942)
Sanshiro Sugata (1943)
The Most Beautiful (1944)
Sanshiro Sugata Part II (1945)
The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail (1945)
No Regrets for Our Youth (1946)
Those Who Make Tomorrow (1946)
One Wonderful Sunday (1947)
Drunken Angel (1948)
Stray Dog (1949)
The Lady of Musashino (1951)
Repast (1951)
Ikiru (1952)
Seven Samurai (1954)
Godzilla (1954)
Tomei ningen (1954)
Sound of the Mountain (1954)
Late Chrysanthemums (1954)
Floating Clouds (1955)
Godzilla Raids Again (1955)
Half Human (1955)
I Live in Fear (1955)
Sudden Rain (1956)
A Wife's Heart (1956)
Vampire Moth (1956)
Sazae-san (1956)
Flowing (1956)
Rodan (1956)
Untamed (1957)
The Mysterians (1957)
Throne of Blood (1957)
Ikiteiru koheiji (1957)
The Lower Depths (1957)
The H-Man (1958)
The Hidden Fortress (1958)
Shirasagi (1958)
Varan (1958)
Battle in Outer Space (1959)
The Birth of Japan (1959)
The Secret of the Telegian
The Human Vapor
The Bad Sleep Well (1960)
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960)
Hawai Middouei daikaikusen: Taiheiyo no arashi (Hawaii-Midway Battle of the Sea and Sky: Storm in the Pacific Ocean) also known as Storm Over the Pacific (1960)
Autumn Has Already Started (1960)
I Bombed Pearl Harbor (1961)
Mothra (1961)
Yojimbo (1961)
The Last War (1961)
The End of Summer (1961)
Sanjuro (1962)
Gorath (1962)
King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)
Rorentsu o· Ruisu no shōgai (1962)
A Wanderer's Notebook (1962)
Pitfall (1962)
High and Low (1963)
Matango (1963)
Atragon (1963)
Yearning (1964)
Woman in the Dunes (1964)
Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)
Dogora (1964)
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)
Kwaidan (1964)
Kokusai himitsu keisatsu: Kayaku no taru (1964)
Kokusai himitsu keisatsu: Kagi no kagi (1965) (this and the above film spliced together to form What's Up, Tiger Lily?)
Tokyo Olympiad (1965)
Red Beard (1965)
Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965)
Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965)
We Will Remember (1965–66)
The Face of Another (1966)
War of the Gargantuas (1966)
Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (1966)
Samurai Rebellion (1967)
Son of Godzilla (1967)
King Kong Escapes (1967)
Destroy All Monsters (1968)
Latitude Zero (1969)
All Monsters Attack (1969)
Space Amoeba (1970)
Dodes'ka-den (1970)
The Vampire Doll (1970)
To Love Again (1971)
Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)
The Battle of Okinawa (1971)
Daigoro vs. Goliath (1971)
Lake of Dracula (1971)
Young Guy vs. Blue Guy (1971)
Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)
Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)
Kure Kure Takora (1973)
Submersion of Japan (1973)
Lady Snowblood (1973)
The Human Revolution (Ningen Kakumei) (1973)
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)
Prophecies of Nostradamus (1974)
Evil of Dracula (1974)
Lupin III (1974)
Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)
The Human Revolution II (Zoku Ningen Kakumei) (1976)
Demon Spies (1975)
Zero Fighter (1976)
The Inugamis (1976)
House (1977)
The War in Space (1977)
The Last Dinosaur (1977)
The Mystery of Mamo (1978)
Doraemon: The Motion Picture and sequels (1980)
Phoenix 2772 (1980)
Kagemusha (1980)
Eki Station (1981)
The Wizard of Oz (1982)
Techno Police 21C (1982)
The Highest Honor (1982)
Golgo 13 (1983)
The Makioka Sisters (1983)
Macross: Do You Remember Love? (1984)
Urusei Yatsura: Beautiful Dreamer (1984)
Sayonara Jupiter (1984)
The Return of Godzilla (1984)
Ran (1985)
Vampire Hunter D (1985)
Prussian blue Portrait (1986)
A Taxing Woman (1987)
Neo Tokyo (film) (1987)
Tokyo: The Last Megalopolis (1988)
Grave of the Fireflies (1988, co-production with Studio Ghibli)
Kimagure Orange Road: I Want to Return to That Day (1988)
Akira (1988)
My Neighbor Totoro (1988, co-production with Studio Ghibli)
Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)
Gunhed (1989)
Sweet Home (1989)
Tokyo: The Last War (1989)
Devil Hunter Yohko (1990)
Only Yesterday (1991)
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991)
Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992)
Porco Rosso (1992)
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993)
Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994)
Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995)
Gakkō no Kaidan (1995)
Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (1995)
Gakkō no Kaidan 2 (1996)
Gamera 2: Attack of Legion (1996)
New Kimagure Orange Road: And Then, The Beginning of That Summer (1996)
Rebirth of Mothra (1996)
Gakkō no Kaidan 3 (1997)
Detective Conan: The Time Bombed Skyscraper (1997)
Princess Mononoke (1997)
Rebirth of Mothra II (1997)
Rebirth of Mothra III (1998)
Detective Conan: The Fourteenth Target (1998)
Godzilla (1998)
Ring (1998)
Pocket Monsters: Mewtwo's Counterattack (1998)
Detective Conan: The Last Wizard of the Century (1999)
Gakkō no Kaidan 4 (1999)
Gamera 3: The Revenge of Iris (1999)
Godzilla 2000: Millennium (1999)
Pocket Monsters the Movie: Phantom Pokémon, Explosive Birth of Lugia (1999)
Detective Conan: Captured in Her Eyes (2000)
Pocket Monsters: Lord of the Unknown Tower – Entei (2000)
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000)
Detective Conan: Countdown to Heaven (2001)
Metropolis (2001)
Merdeka 17805 (2001), co-production with Rapi Films from Indonesia)
Kairo (2001)
Spirited Away (2001), co-production with Studio Ghibli)
Inuyasha films (2001–2004), co-productions with Sunrise
Pocket Monsters Celebi, the Meeting that Transversed Time (2001)
Beyblade: Bakuten Shoot Beyblade The Movie: Gekitou!! Takao vs. Daichi (2002) (producer)
Tottoko Hamtaro The Movie: Adventures in Ham-Ham Land (2001) (distributor)
Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001)
Detective Conan: The Phantom of Baker Street (2002)
Pocket Monsters The Guardian of the Water Capital Latias and Latios (2002)
Trotting Hamtaro The Movie: Ham Ham Hamuja! The Captive Princess (2002) (distributor)
Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
Detective Conan: Crossroad in the Ancient Capital (2003)
One Missed Call (2003)
Tottoko Hamtaro The Movie: Ham-Ham Grand Prix - Miracle in Aurora Valley - Ribbon-chan's Close Call! (2003) (distributor)
Godzilla, Mothra, Mechagodzilla: Tokyo S.O.S (2003)
Pocket Monsters Advanced Generation The Wishing Star of the Seven Nights Jirachi (2003)
Howl's Moving Castle (2004), coproduction with Studio Ghibli)
Detective Conan: Magician of the Silver Sky (2004)
Naruto the Movie (2004)
Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)
Steamboy (2004)
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (2004)
Tottoko Hamtaro Ham Ham Paradise! The Movie: Hamtaro and the Demon of the Mysterious Picture Book Tower (2004) (distributor)
Pocket Monsters Advanced Generation The Visitor from a Fissure in the Sky Deoxys (2004)
Lolerei (2005)
Detective Conan: Strategy Above the Depths (2005)
Always Sanchōme no Yūhi (2005)
Naruto the Movie 2 (2005)
Densha Otoko (2005)
NANA (2005)
Arashi no Yoru ni (2005)
Pocket Monsters Advanced Generation Mew and the Wave-Guiding Hero Lucario (2005)
Bleach: Memories of Nobody (2006)
Dōbutsu no Mori (2006), co-production with O.L.M., Nintendo, and Shogakukan
Detective Conan: The Private Eyes' Requiem (2006)
Nada Sousou (2006)
NANA2 (2006)
Nihon Chinbotsu (Japan Sinks) (2006)
Pocket Monsters Advanced Generation Pokémon Ranger and the Prince of the Sea Manaphy (2006)
Rough (2006)
Touch film (2006)
Always zoku san-chome no yuhi (2007)
Eiga De Tojo-Tamagotchi: Dokidoki! Uchuu no Maigotchi!? (2007)
Hero (2007)
Crows Zero (2007)
Detective Conan: Jolly Roger in the Deep Azure (2007)
Pocket Monsters Diamond & Pearl Dialga VS Palkia VS Darkrai (2007)
Pocket Monsters Diamond and Pearl Giratina and the Bouquet of the Sky: Shaymin (2008)
Hana Yori Dango Final (2008)
Ponyo on the Cliff (2008)
20th Century Boys: Beginning of the End (2008)
I Survived a Japanese Game Show (2008)
Mystery of the Third Planet (2008)
Detective Conan: Full Score of Fear (2008)
20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope and 20th Century Boys 3: Redemption (2009)
Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's Spaceblazer (2009)
Crows Zero 2 (2009)
Detective Conan: The Raven Chaser (2009)
April Bride (2009)
Rookies (2009)
Gokusen: The Movie (2009)
Amalfi: Rewards of the Goddess (2009)
Pokémon: Arceus and the Jewel of Life (2009)
I Give My First Love to You (2009)
Shizumanu Taiyō (2009)
Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva (2009)
Doraemon: Nobita's Great Battle of the Mermaid King (2010)
Liar Game: The Final Stage (2010)
Detective Conan: The Lost Ship in the Sky (2010)
Confessions (2010)
Bayside Shakedown 3 (2010)
Pokémon: Zoroark: Master of Illusions (2010)
Arrietty (2010)
Hanamizuki (2010)
Colorful (film) (2010)
Umizaru 3: The Last Message (2010)
13 Assassins (2010)
Space Battleship Yamato (2010)
Gantz and Gantz: Perfect Answer (2011)
Doraemon: Nobita and the New Steel Troops—Winged Angels (2011)
Detective Conan: Quarter of Silence (2011)
Hankyū Densha (2011)
Pokémon the Movie: Black—Victini and Reshiram and Pokémon the Movie: White—Victini and Zekrom (2011)
From Up on Poppy Hill (2011)
Unfair 2: The Answer (2011)
A Ghost of a Chance (2011)
Genji Monogatari: Sennen no Nazo (2011)
Always Sanchōme no Yūhi '64 (2012)
Ace Attorney (2012)
Doraemon: Nobita and the Island of Miracles—Animal Adventure (2012)
Detective Conan: The Eleventh Striker (2012)
Thermae Romae (2012)
Brave Hearts: Umizaru (2012)
Pokémon the Movie: Kyurem vs. the Sword of Justice (2012)
The Wolf Children Ame and Yuki (2012)
Jewelpet the Movie: Sweets Dance Princess (2012)
Bayside Shakedown The Final (2012)
Doraemon: Nobita's Secret Gadget Museum (2013)
Detective Conan: Private Eye in the Distant Sea (2013)
Midsummer's Equation (2013)
Pokémon the Movie: Genesect and the Legend Awakened (2013)
The Wind Rises (2013)
Gatchaman (2013)
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013)
Lupin the 3rd vs. Detective Conan: The Movie (2013)
The Eternal Zero (2013)
Detective Conan: Dimensional Sniper (2014)
Thermae Romae II (2014)
A Bolt from the Blue (2014)
Pokémon the Movie: Diancie and the Cocoon of Destruction (2014)
When Marnie Was There (2014)
Godzilla (2014)
Stand by Me Doraemon (2014)
Lupin III (2014)
A Samurai Chronicle (2014)
Parasyte: Part 1 (2014)
The Last: Naruto the Movie (2014)
Blue Spring Ride (2014)
The Vancouver Asahi (2014)
Yo-Kai Watch the Movie: The Secret is Created, Nyan! (2014)
Doraemon: Nobita's Space Heroes (2015)
Assassination Classroom (2015)
Crayon Shin-chan: My Moving Story! Cactus Large Attack! (2015)
Detective Conan: Sunflowers of Inferno (2015)
Parasyte: Part 2 (2015)
Flying Colors (2015)
The Boy and the Beast (2015)
Hero (2015)
Pokémon the Movie: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages (2015)
Dragon Blade (film) (2015) with Studio Ghibli
Attack on Titan and Attack on Titan: End of the World (2015)
Boruto: Naruto the Movie (2015)
Unfair: The End (2015)
Shin Godzilla (2016)
Your name. (2016)
Doraemon the Movie 2017: Great Adventure in the Antarctic Kachi Kochi (2017) (upcoming)
Kong: Skull Island (2017)
Godzilla: Monster Planet (2017) (upcoming)
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) (upcoming)
Godzilla vs. Kong (2020) (upcoming)
Pokémon's Detective Pikachu (TBA) (upcoming)
Crayon Shin-chan: Invasion!! Alien Shiriri (2017) (upcoming)
Ike! Godman (1972)
Warrior Of Love: Rainbowman (1972)
Meteor Man Zone (1973)
Ike! Greenman (1973)
Warrior Of Light: Diamond Eye (1973)
Flying Saucer War Bankid (1976)
Megaloman (1979)
Electronic Brain Police Cybercop (1988)
Seven Stars Fighting God Guyferd (1996)
Stickin' Around (1996-1998)
Godzilla Island (1997)
Chouseishin Gransazer (2003)
Genseishin Justirisers (2004)
Chousei Kantai Sazer-X (2005)
Kawaii! Jenny (2007)
Belle and Sebastian (1981)
Igano Kabamaru (1983)
Touch (1985)
Kimagure Orange Road (1987)
Godzilla (1998) (co-production)
Midori Days (co-production) (2004)
Psycho-Pass (2012)
Yowamushi Pedal (2013)
Akame ga Kill! (2014)
Haikyū!! (2014)
Blood Blockade Battlefront (2015)
My Hero Academia (2016)
Three Leaves, Three Colors (2016)
Little Witch Academia (2017)
In more recent years and for a period, they have produced video games. One of their first video game was the 1990 NES game titled Circus Caper. Later, they followed with a series of games based on Godzilla and a 1992 game called Serizawa Nobuo no Birdy Try. It also published games such as Super Aleste. They even worked with Bandai on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, released in Japan in 1988 and in the United States in 1989.
Toho's headquarters, the Toho Hibiya Building (東宝日比谷ビル, Tōhō Hibiya Biru), are in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo. The company moved into its current headquarters in April 2005.
