For many years, Toho kept secret the techniques used to bring Gojira (Godzilla) to life on the screen. When it was finally reveled in the 1960s, even foreign publications carried the picture of the smiling Nakajima taking a break with the Gojira suit partially off. By the time he passed away in 2017, international news services carried his obituary, most concentrating on his role as the original Godzilla. This coverage surpassed the coverage of the deaths of such Japanese superstars as Toshiro Mifune and even major political figures.
