Akira Ifukube: Google Doodle celebrates late Japanese composer’s 107th birthday

TODAY'S Google Doodle celebrates what would be Akira Ifukube's 107th birthday.

The legendary Japanese composer is renowned for his work on the Godzilla movies.

Who was Akira Ifukube?

Ifukube was born on this day, May 31, in 1914 in Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan.

He left home in 1935 to study foresty at Hokkaido University.

During his time there, he produced his first piece of orchestra music which he called Japanese Rhapsody.

After a brief spell working as a foresty officer, he quit in order to work on his music full time.

In 1947, Ifukube produced his first ever film score which kicked off his incredible career.

He ended up releasing more than 250 film scores over the next half-century.

At the peak of his career, he wrote the soundtrack for Godzilla.

He created the legendary roar by using a resin-covered leather glove and rubbing it against the loose string of a double base.

Ifukube was also the president of the Tokyo College of Music.

And he published a 1,000-page book called 'Orchestration'.

When did Akira Ifukube die?

If he was still alive, today would have been Ifukube's 107th birthday.

Sadly, he passed away on 8 February, 2006.

His life was honoured by the Japanese government with the Order of Culture and Order of the Sacred treasure.