Biography
Tomoki Kobayashi was a Japanese sculptor and modeler who worked in Toho's special effects department. He joined the company in 1973 after an introduction from background painter Fuchimu Shimakura and trained under Nobuyuki Yasumaru in the modeling section.
Kobayashi's early credits include modeling assistant on Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973), Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) and Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975). He continued as modeling and plastering assistant on later Showa-era productions and contributed to Heisei-series Godzilla suits, notably creating the prototype head for Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989). He was promoted to chief modeler by 1991 and worked on Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991) and Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992). He also sculpted several public Godzilla statues in Japan.
Kobayashi died in 2009.
