Yoshimitsu Banno (坂野義光 Banno Yoshimitsu) was a Japanese director, writer, and producer best known for Godzilla vs. Hedorah, which he directed and co-wrote. Banno was a special guest at G-Fest XII in 2005 and an executive producer for Legendary Pictures' Godzilla. He passed away on May 7, 2017, at the age of 86. Legendary's next two Godzilla films, Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs. Kong, credit him posthumously as an executive producer, with a dedication to him in the credits of the former. His memoir, Why I Let Godzilla Fly: 85-Year-Old Creator Yoshimitsu Banno, was published in 2016.