'Godzilla' films creator dies

TOKYO (Reuter) - The Japanese film director Ishiro Honda, who created the monster film series featuring 'Godzilla', has died at the age of 81, Kyodo news agency said yesterday.

Honda teamed up with the late movie director Eiji Tsuburaya in 1954 to create 'Godzilla', the monster resembling a dinosaur, which became a box- office hit both at home and abroad.

Honda, a close friend of the world-renowned director Akira Kurosawa, also worked as assistant director for several Kuro sawa films, including Kagemusha (Shadow Warrior), Ran and Yume (Dreams). The news agency said Honda died late on Sunday of respiratory problems at a Tokyo hospital.