Toku

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To every Kaiju ^note and any Super Villain who thinks it's a good idea to start trouble in Japan, this is what judgement day looks like to them. ^note

"Tokusatsu" (特撮), often shortened to just "Toku" in the west, is the Japanese catchall term for any live-action sci-fi/fantasy media that makes use of special effects^note. Though the overlap is not total, it can, at least casually, be considered the live-action analogue to anime (at least, to the subset of anime best known to casual viewers in the west).

Originally, Toku differentiated itself from its western counterparts by its preference for Practical Effects over visual effects created during editing (at the time of the genre's birth this specifically referred to the stop-motion techniques pioneered by Ray Harryhausen, but it now applies to CGI as well). Modern Toku uses both forms of effect, but Practical Effects are still preferred.

Tokusatsu had two major periods, dubbed the "Monster Boom" and the "Henshin Boom". The Monster Boom was started by Godzilla and famously saw the rise of many daikaiju pictures in the film industry. The Henshin Boom - which continued on from around the height of the initial Monster Boom - was started by Kamen Rider, and it greatly influenced how action heroes worked and its effects can still be seen today in the superhero and action-adventure genres, with that influence even percolating westward.

Like Anime and Manga, Toku is one of those terms that means slightly different things in Japan and the West. While Westerners use it to refer almost exclusively to the Japanese superhero shows, in Japan it simply refers to any live-action production which makes extensive use of special effects. This means that, to the Japanese, things like Smallville, Stargate SG-1, Doctor Who, Knight Rider, Red Dwarf, or even James Bond count as Toku. This list also includes shows that use puppetry, like Gerry Anderson's Supermarionation series Thunderbirds and Terrahawks, and even Thomas the Tank Engine. Far and away, the most popular early example of Toku is the Godzilla film franchise, which exemplifies many of the genre's tropes: People in Rubber Suits smashing scale model cities, and an abundance of squibs.

Toku series and franchises include:

7-Color Mask
Ah Boys to Men: A Singaporean comedy non-superhero military film that uses real guns and pyrotechnics in filming.
Aikatsu Planet! - Aikatsu!'s only franchise that combines both anime and tokusatsu.
Aikoku Sentai Dai-Nippon - A parody of Super Sentai.
Akumaizer 3 and its sequel series Choujin Bibyun are about demons trying to save the world from other demons.
Ambassador Magma - The first color toku, created by Osamu Tezuka. Aired on American TV as The Space Giants.
Armor Hero - A Chinese Toku series.
- Armor Hero XT
- Armor Hero Lava
- Armor Hero Captor
Astro Boy (Tetsuwan Atom) - The first adaptation of Astro Boy from 1959.
The Aquabats! Super Show! - Not quite in this genre, but takes a lot from it, mixed with the campy aesthetics of old Sid & Marty Krofft Productions shows.
- The Aquabats! Super Show! in its follow-up Web Video incarnation, by extension.
Attack on Titan (2015) - An adaptation of the popular anime and manga series that uses many techniques found in Toku.
Battle Strike Team - China's answer to Super Sentai, made alongside Armor Hero. Mainly choreographed by Sentai veterans
- Giant Saver
- Space Deleter
- Rescue Engine
Bio Planet WoO - By Tsuburaya Productions; based on a prototype to the Ultra Series
BIMA Satria Garuda - An Indonesian toku produced by MNC Group, RCTI, and Ishinomori Productions. The title translates to BIMA the Garuda Knight. The show has been successful enough they made a sequel Bima X, video game adaptations and a Bima X Japanese version.
BraveStorm - A Crossover Remake film of Super Robot Red Baron and Silver Kamen.
Captain Ultra - A loose 24 episode live-action adaption of the Captain Future stories.
Choujin Barom 1 - One of Toei's most famous manga-to-live-action adaptations
Choukou Senshi Changerion
Chou Sei Shin Series - Done by Toho, who made the original Godzilla movies.
- Chou Sei Shin Gransazer
- Gen Sei Shin Justiriser
- Chou Sei Kantai Sazer X
Daigoro vs. Goliath - From Tsuburaya Productions; originally meant to be a Godzilla movie
Daimajin - From the creators of Gamera
- Daimajin Kanon - 2010 remake of above film
Daitetsujin 17 - Shotaro Ishinomori and Toei's own take on a Giant Robo-type series.
Death Kappa
Demon Hunter Mitsurugi - an early-70s Jidaigeki series, about a trio of Ninjas who fight of alien invaders by fusing into a giant warrior. Notable for using Stop Motion puppetry to create its Kaiju, rather than the standard People in Rubber Suits.
Den Ace - A series of shorts parodying Ultraman
Denjin Zaboga
Denkou Choujin Gridman - By Tsuburaya Productions of Ultraman fame. Adapted in America as Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad, featuring Tim Curry as the voice of the Big Bad.
Dennou Keisatsu Cybercop - Toho's late-80s entry in the genre. Essentially a mix between Metal Heroes and Super Sentai.
Dinosaur Prince
Dogengers - A 12 episode series featuring Fukuoka's local heroes joining together to battle an evil group, while Hilarity Ensues.
Enban Sensou Bankid - From Toho Studios of Godzilla fame.
Fire Leon
Fireman - Possibly the first "Giant Hero" made for adults in 1973. From Tsuburaya Productions, the creators of the Ultra Series
France Five - A French homage to Super Sentai.
Gamera
Ganbaron
GARO - A comparatively darker take on the genre.
- GARO: The One Who Shines in the Darkness
- GARO Gold Storm Sho
  - GARO: Kami no Kiba
  - GARO Kami no Kiba JINGA
- ZERO Black Blood
  - ZERO Dragon Blood
- GARO: Versus Road
Giant Robo - The first mecha tokusatsu that still has influence on both tokusatsu shows and mecha anime alike. Appeared on US TV as Johnny Sokko and his Flying Robot.
Girls x Heroine!
- Idol x Warrior Miracle Tunes!
- Magic x Warrior Magi Majo Pures!
- Secret X Warrior Phantomirage
- Police X Warrior Lovepatrina
Godzilla - The pioneer of the technique
- Mothra - A franchise that mostly overlaps with the Godzilla series, though has its solo films.
Gunhed - Toho movie originally meant to star Godzilla
Henshin Ninja Arashi - It's a ninja Franchise/KamenRider set in feudal Japan.
Hikonin Sentai Akibaranger - A Super Sentai parody series made by Toei.
Go Godman and its sequel series Go Greenman - Two of the first Giant Hero series not related to the Ultra Series. Also created by Toho with a few Godzilla monsters appearing.
Inazuman - A character created by Shotaro Ishinomori.
The Super Inframan - Hong Kong imitation of Kamen Rider and Ultraman
Iron King
Jumborg Ace - From Tsuburaya Productions, the creators of the Ultra Series
The Kagestar
Kaiju Big Battel - An American Affectionate Parody of this combined with Professional Wrestling.
Kaiketsu Zubat - Take a Super Hero toku show, stir in a helping of New Old West, and then cast Hiroshi Miyauchi, a veteran actor who already had multiple leading roles in toku as the title character.
Kaiketsu Lion Maru - '70s Super Hero toku show about a man in feudal Japan who can turn into a swordsman with a lion head. No links with Zubat despite the title. Spawned the immediate sequel Fuun Lion Maru.
- Lion Maru G - over 30 years after the last Lion Maru comes this Genre Throwback from the makers of Garo.
Kamen no Ninja Akakage
Kamen Rider
Kankyou Choujin Ecogainder - A series by Japan's Ministry of the Environment and Japanese pay TV channel Kids Station to teach kids Green Aesops. Later gained a sequel called Kankyou Choujin Ecogainder 0-X.
Kanpai Senshi After V - A show which parodies Super Sentai in a similar vein as Akibaranger, though not produced by Toei. Focuses on the heroes' late nights out rather than their battles with evil, thus action scenes are confined to the opening credits.
Kikaider - A character created by Shotaro Ishinomori.
- Kikaider REBOOT
Kodai Shoujo Dogu-chan, a.k.a. The Ancient Dogoo Girl
K-tai Investigator 7 - Officially counted as a toku show by its creators, but is more half-toku/half-drama.
Kure Kure Takora
Kyodai Ken Byclosser
Legend Heroes - A Korean Toku produced by Moon Watcher and Synergy Media that adapts various element of Romance of the Three Kingdoms into a Kamen Rider Gaim Expy that adds in Super Sentai mech combat, too. Had quite the following when it first aired, but sort of faded off as time went on. Officially available with subs on YouTube.
Lightspeed Esper
Love! Love!! Witch Teacher - Created by Shotaro Ishinomori, aired in 1971. Featured the first ever toku superheroine, Andro Kamen.
Madan Senki Ryukendo
Matango - A Toho horror film using many of the techniques found in Toku.
Megaloman - From Toho.
Metal Heroes
- And by extension, its Philippine spin-off Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan, which was not really positively liked by fans. (In fact the Shaider Next Generation DTV doesn't make the said spinoff canon)
Mega Powers - A Brazilian Power Rangers knock-off distributed by Vídeo Brinquedo.
Mighty Jack - From Tsuburaya Productions
Mighty Moshin Emo Rangers - A UK-made Power Rangers parody.
Mirrorman - From Tsuburaya Productions, the creators of the Ultra Series
Mystery Science Theater 3000 - Pretty much all the Japanese films mocked on the show, including several Godzilla and Gamera films. The host segments also use a lot of toku-style effects.
Moonlight Mask - The very first Toku show from 1958!
The Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nóg - This show was notable for being an attempt by Saban to introduce American-original tokusatsu to television. Of course, it was also produced to feed off the success of Power Rangers and Beetleborgs.
National Kid - One of Toei's earlier series.
Ninja Captor - A Sentai-esque series that was apparently once classed as part of the Super Sentai franchise.
Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation - A live-action show made by Saban based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Pacific Rim - An American-produced, original tokusatsu movie made by Guillermo del Toro. Uses CGI, but is heavily inspired by Japanese practical effects.
Photon - An American series produced by DIC Entertainment. Partially filmed in Japan using tokusatsu talent and special effects.
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon - Notable for being a Live-Action Adaptation of an already immensely popular manga/anime.
Pulgasari - Despite being a North Korean propaganda film, the involvement of Toho's special effects team (most notably Godzilla suit actor Ken Satsuma) and its plot involving a Kaiju still warrants its mention here.
ReBoot: The Guardian Code - a rather unusual example, as it serves as a "followup" (we use the term loosely here) to a non-Toku series, the CGI animated series ReBoot.
RoboGeisha
Robot Detective - Take a police drama, throw in Isaac Asimov-style robotics and you've got this series.
Sasuraido - A series about a sword that can grant powers to certain people, but misfortune to others.
Seigi no Shinboru Condorman
Seiun Kamen Machineman - Created by Shotaro Ishinomori, aired in 1984. Mostly Zorro meets Superman.
Seven Star Fighting God Guyferd - A fighting series made by Toho and Capcom taking inspirations from many different sources, including Guyver, Kamen Rider, and Street Fighter.
Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D. - An American action film by the one and only Troma that's more of a parody of superheroes than tokusatsu, but still involves a man (specifically a white American cop) turning into the titular Kabukiman to fight crime.
Shougeki Gouraigan, from the creator of GARO.
Silver Kamen
Space Ironmen Kyodain
Spectreman - Notable for being one of the few non-Ultra Series Giant Hero shows to air on American TV.
Spider-Man (Japan) - Notable for being the spiritual predecessor to Super Sentai's Humongous Mecha elements.
Sport Ranger - A Thai production created in the same vein as Super Sentai.
Star Fleet - An example of when the Japanese attempt to imitate Supermarionation techniques
Star Kid - Taking a lot of inspiration from Guyver and Kikaider, this 1997 film is a rare, non-Saban original American take on the genre. Fortunately, it has since been Vindicated by Cable after it flopped at the box office.
Super Giant - Known as Starman and Spaceman in the west.
The Super Inframan - while Chinese rather than Japanese, it's an obvious effort by the Shaw Bros. to cash in on the Ultraman and Kamen Rider's success.
Super Robot Red Baron - An early-70s example of Mecha in toku, intentionally done in the style of Mazinger Z. Its popularity later resulted in a few successor series and a 90s anime revival.
Super Sentai - Adapted in the United States as Power Rangers.
Sweet Home
Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills - One of the first original non-Japanese tokusatsu (and was going to be originally an adaption of Andro Melos). Very cheesy though...
Tekkouki Mikazuki
Toei Fushigi Comedy Series
- Bishoujo Kamen Poitrine, the most recognized show in the Toei Fushigi Comedy Series.
Tokusatsu GaGaGa is a Dorama exploring adult toku fandom and therefore has some toku elements with its shows within the show and with the protagonist's fantasy sequences.
Tomica Hero Rescue Force and Tomica Hero Rescue Fire have more of a rescue slant to them than a "fight the bad guys, save the world" one, but they're both toku series nonetheless.
Transformers film series, based off the toyline of the same name.
UFO Kamen Yakisoban, an advertising campaign that parodied the genre.
Ultra Series - Ultraman and its many sequels, spinoffs, and reboots.
Warrior of Love Rainbowman- Toho's first henshin hero and an Enhanced Remake of 7-Color Mask from 1959. It was remade into a giant robot anime in 1982.
Voicelugger - A Sentai series. The last production by Shotaro Ishinomori, godfather of Super Sentai, released posthumously.
Yongary: Monster from the Deep - Korean copycat of Godzilla (1954) and Giant Monster Gamera.
Yusei Oji - Known as Prince of Space in the west.
Zone Fighter - Created by Toho, and best remembered for having Godzilla as a recurring ally of the title hero.

Super Sentai, Metal Heroes and Kamen Rider franchises on this list were adapted, with varying degrees of success, by Saban Entertainment to produce the U.S. series Power Rangers, VR Troopers, Big Bad Beetleborgs and Masked Rider. Kamen Rider Ryuki was later adapted into Kamen Rider Dragon Knight. As for the original Japanese shows, good luck finding official releases outside of Asia.... At least, for the more recent shows from the 90s onward. The older ones, on the other hand, are shown on the Pluto TV channel TokuShoutTsu (for the things licensed by Shout! Factory) and the Toei Tokuworld Official

YouTube channel as of early 2020.

Tokusatsu Tropes have their own page.

See the Useful Notes page for more information on the history of Toku and its special effects methods.