I review a Kaiju film a day leading up to the new Godzilla film

The new Godzilla is coming up and I am fucking pumped. To celebrate, I will be watching a reviewing a Toho kaiju film a day from today until May 15th. I will be covering every Godzilla film that I own as well as some of Toho's other films like Rodan and War of the Gargantuas. Unfortunately, I don't own Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster or The Return of Godzilla, so they'll have to be skipped. I will give each film a rating out of five. I hope this possibly gains your interest in this genre.

Without further ado, here's my review of Gojira, the original 1954. I'm just going to post my review from another thread. Just know that none of the other reviews will be this long. This film is a very special exception.




Okay, so what's the plot? The year is 1954 in Japan. The film opens with a ship being destroyed. All we see is a blinding flash of light, and suddenly the bout is on fire and sinking. Soon, several more ships begin sinking. One man who works at the shipping company who own several of the lost ships is named Ogata. He is currently in love with a girl name Emiko Yamane. She is the daughter of the famous paleontologist Dr. Yamane. A journalist named Hagiwara and several others take a helicopter to Odo Island. This island is very close to where all the ship disasters occurred and the islanders are the only ones to have seen a survivor from one of the attacks. The night that Hagiwara and the other journalists stay on the island, they watch an ancient ritual that was performed long ago. The elder tells them the legend of a monster called Godzilla. He tells them that when fishing was poor, a girl would be sent out as sacrifice to the monster. That very night, a typhoon hits the island. However, there is something else wreaking havoc. An islander named Shinkichi goes out to see what it is. Not long after he leaves, Shinkichi watches in horror as an enormous creature destroys his house and kills his family.

The journalists return to Japan, along with several islanders. They tell their story to the politicians and scientists. All of them mention a large creature attacking the island. Dr. Yamane decides to send a research team to the island to investigate. Ogata, Emiko, Yamane, and Hagiwara are all on the research ship. As they leave, a mysterious man watches them. We soon find out that the man is Dr. Serizawa. He was arranged to marry Emiko long ago. While Emiko loves Ogata and not him, she still sees Serizawa like an older brother. When the research team arrives, they make several startling discoveries. First is that there are traces of high radiation everywhere, especially meat the buildings that looked like they were crushed from above. Second, Yamane finds a trilobite it a large impression in the ground. Trilobites were a species of animal that went extinct long before dinosaurs even existed. By the way, that large impression in the ground where the trilobite was found, Dr. Yamane soon discovers that it's an enormous footprint. Suddenly, people been screaming and bells are being rung. Dr. Yamane and the others quickly run to the hill where several people claimed to have seen something. When they arrive, something massive appears over the side of the hill. We get are first look at Godzilla. Everyone flees in terror as Godzilla roars. Almost as quickly as he appeared, Godzilla disappears from behind the hill and goes into the ocean. All that's left are colossal footprints in the sand.

Dr. Yamane presents his discoveries in a meeting of Japan's top scientists and politicians. Yamane explains his theory as to why the traces of radiation were found. According to Yamane, Godzilla has appeared due to the repeated testing of the Hydrogen Bomb in the South-Pacific. This soon causes an argument. Since it has been nine years since the horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, how should the government act? Should they keep the info on Godzilla confidential, or should it be known to the public? The truth ends up getting out. Later, the military decides to use depth charges to kill Godzilla. It is believed to be a success and a party ship goes out on Tokyo Bay. The passengers are soon horrified when Godzilla rises from the waters of Tokyo Bay before going back underwater. This causes panic across the country. Yamane is now very conflicted. The government wants Godzilla dead and soon. Yamane, however, wants Godzilla to be left alive so he can studied.

Meanwhile, Hagiwara goes to Emiko because he wishes to talk to Serizawa. The two visit Serizawa. Hagiwara asks him several questions about what he's working on because it is rumored Serizawa is helping formulate a plan to defeat Godzilla. Serizawa is very secretive of his work and kindly tells Hagiwara he has no info to share. Hagiwara leaves, but Emiko stays. She planned on telling him that she is now engaged to Ogata. Before she does, Serizawa asks Emiko if she wishes to see what he's working on. She says yes and they both head on down to Serizawa's lab. The scientist puts a small device in a fish tank and tells Emiko to stay back. Emiko shields her eyes and screams at the horrible sight (shown offscreen) that unfolds. Dr. Serizawa asks her to make sure no one finds out about it. She agrees and leaves without telling him about her relationship with Ogata. Emiko returns home very solemnly to Ogata, her father, and Shinkichi who has moved in because his family and home were both lost. That night, Godzilla is sighted in Tokyo bay. The monster briefly comes ashore, causes collateral damage (including and excellent sequence with a train), and returns to the ocean.

The next morning, the military begins to erect huge electrical towers all around the perimeter of Tokyo and evacuates areas of people. That night, Godzilla comes ashore again. He briefly stares at the high tension wires before ripping through them with ease, despite being shocked with 50,000 volts of electricity. Godzilla also showcases another of his abilities, a stream a pure radiation like a flame. Godzilla proceeds to lay waste to Tokyo. Buildings are burned, crushed, and people are killed by the thousands. After his rampage, Godzilla returns to the ocean, leaving a sea of fire that was once a city behind him. The next day, hospitals are completely overrun with the dead and dying. People who did not die right away have horrible radiation burns. The sights are too terrible for Emiko to look at anymore. She pulls Ogata aside and tells him about Serizawa's invention. The device the scientist placed in the water is called an "Oxygen Destroyer." When placed in the water, it reduces all life to mangled skeletons. Serizawa came across this while studying oxygen. Until he can find a way to stabilize it, Serizawa does not want the world to know about it. He is terrified of what might happen if it falls into the wrong hands and is used as a weapon.

Ogata and Emiko arrive at Serizawa's house and ask to use the oxygen destroyer against Godzilla. Serizawa angrily refuses. He knows that if his device is shown to the world, countries will do anything to get it and weaponize it. It isn't until Serizawa watches a news broadcast that shows footage of the ruined city and the hospitals while playing a prayer for peace sung by a choir of girls that he finally agrees to use the Oxygen Destroyer. Emiko looks on crying as Serizawa burns all his research and life's work away.

A boat goes out into Tokyo Bay, carrying several soldiers, reporters, and scientists, along with Yamane, Ogata, Emiko, and Serizawa. Ogata and Serizawa both put on diving suits as they go down to put the oxygen destroyer into place. Once they see Godzilla start to get up, Serizawa places the Oxygen Destroyer down. Ogata is lifted back up to the boat, but Serizawa stays. The tortured scientist wishes his secret to never be discovered, so he takes his own life by cutting his oxygen supply and the rope that was used to send him down there (diving suits worked differently in the fifties). As Serizawa dies, he tells Ogata over the radio to be happy with Emiko. Godzilla surfaces one last time and gives out a final roar, and sinks to the bottom. The monster is reduced to skeleton, then to nothing. The film ends on somber note as the crew mourns Serizawa's death and Yamane ends with a haunting line about the possibility of another Godzilla appearing if nuclear tests continue.


Wow, that was a mouthful, and that was just the plot! Now I'll go into the specifics.


Like in Jaws, there is more to the movie than the monster. Sure, the monster is great, but we really get attached to the characters. One of the best parts about this movie is the fact that their is no one main character. The focus shifts. At times, Ogata is the focus, at others, it's Serizawa, or Yamane, or even Emiko. All the actors do a great job. The two best performances are Yamane and Serizawa. Dr. Yamane is played by Takashi Shimura. He does a great job portraying the scientist. Yamane really wants to keep Godzilla love so he can be studied. Shimura does a great job of making the character very passionate about his beliefs. You feel the pain when Yamane watches the military use the depth bombs on Godzilla. He gets up and leaves from the TV to sit down in his study to think about everything that's happening. Despite having a little dialogue in the scene, you can just feel the weight of the scene when he quietly asks Emiko to leave him alone so he can think. The final scene with Yamane on the boat results in one of the best quotes from a Godzilla film ever and ties into the message well, but more on that later. Akihiko Hirata does and outstanding job of playing Dr. Serizawa. You can just see and feel that this man has been through hell. He lost one eye in WWII and knows a horrible secret that me must keep from the rest of the world. He never comes off as arrogant when he speaks of keeping the secret from everyone. You can agree with every point he makes about what would happen if the power fell into the wrong hands. We get attached to this character and get genuinely sad when he takes his life at the end of the movie.

Now, let's talk about Godzilla himself. This is one of my favorite portrayals of Godzilla. There's something about the permanent downwards stare that is terrifying. Godzilla is played by Haruo Nakajima in a rubber suit. You have to give this man credit, he went through hell while filming this. The suit weighed nearly 200 pounds (90 kg) and it was nearly impossible to breath in. He could only film seconds at a time. There were pools of sweat in the feet of the suit after filming. Throughout the movie, Godzilla is filmed from low angles, which makes him seem huge. This Godzilla causes some major destruction. Other than the 2001 Godzilla, this is the only Godzilla that I feel is just pure evil. He burns and crushes several thousand people. The roar is fantastic and terrifying. Other than the 1984 roar, none of the other roars give off the same feeling of power and terror. When I saw the movie as young kid, this Godzilla terrified me. Eiji Tsuburaya really outdid himself when creating this suit.

Music is a huge part of every Godzilla movie. Even the terrible movies can be saved by their amazing musical scores. Akira Ifukube's score for Godzilla is one of his best. This is the first appearance of the Godzilla theme and the Japanese Army March. Both would be used a ton in later films. A lot of songs like the city destruction music and the "Godzilla Under the Sea" theme are haunting and memorable. It's a shame they didn't come back in future films. Well, the latter did for a brief scene inGodzilla vs. Destoroyah.

Now for the best aspect of this movie, the message. Contrary to popular belief. The Godzilla series did not start off as a camp movie. Oh no. This film is one of the grimmest and most somber films I have ever seen. This film came out less than a decade after the atomic bombings. The horrors were still fresh in the mind of the Japanese people. Godzilla is a metaphor for the atomic bomb. There are several callbacks to Hiroshima and Nagasaki in this film. During the city destruction sequence, a mother holds her children close. She whispers that they will "be with daddy soon" as Godzilla looms overhead. This scene in very disturbing, but it doesn't end there. I still have a hard time watching the scenes in the hospital. People lie everywhere with very little room due to the sheer amount of injured and dead people. Most of them have horrible radiation burns. There's a scene where a little girl sits by her unmoving mother. As two nurses take the mother away, the girl begins screaming and crying as Emiko tries to console her. It's hard to watch because the screams are so intense. Another powerful moment is the choir of girls singing the solemn "Prayer for Peace" over the images of the ruined city and dead hospital patients. The imagery combined with the quiet music is incredibly intense. Director Ishiro Honda was very much anti-nuclear weapons and it shows in this film.

Bottom line, this is my favorite movie of all time. The creative team of Ishiro Honda, Tomoyuki Tanaka, Eiji Tsuburaya, and Akira Ifukube created a masterpiece here. If you have not seen the original Japanese version of the 1954 Godzilla, go do yourself a favor and buy the Classic Media 2-disc DVD. It comes with tons of behind the scenes stuff and commentaries, plus the vastly different American version.

Wow. That was a ton. What can I say, I love this movie.

TLR- Don't skip to the end. Go back and read.

Final Score: 5/5

Nick Fury said:

TLR- Don't skip to the end. Go back and read.

Click to expand...

your attitude isn't helping convert me to the ways of kaiju movies

Excuse me for wanting people to read the review.

I can send you links to watch those films online if you like?

why wasn't I on the please don't skip list XD

I don't know of any place to watch these movies online. If there is, it's probably illegal.

Places like F.Y.E. have the movies for pretty cheap prices.

I have a new format for reviews, so so subsequent reviews will follow this style.



Intro: Today I'll be looking at the second Godzilla film, Godzilla Raids Again (1955). How does this film hold up as a film and as succesor to the 1954 masterpiece? Let's find out.

Plot: A year has passed since the events of Gojira. We meet our two main characters, Tsukioka and Kobayashi who work for a Japanese fishing company. When Kobayashi is forced to land on a deserted island due to loss of fuel, Tsukioka goes to help him. On the island, they get a look at what appears to be Godzilla, along with a new monster. When they get back to the mainland, they share their story with the top scientists.

The second creature is dubbed Anguirus. This creature resembles a large ankylosaur. What perplexes the scientists more is the fact that Godzilla is still around. Dr. Yamane informs the other scientists that this is a new Godzilla, also awoken by the atomic bomb. He also informs them that since Serizawa is dead and the oxygen destroyer is lost with him, Godzilla cannot be killed. To prevent destruction, the military uses flares to lure Godzilla away from populated areas.

Soon, Godzilla arrives in Osaka. The flares begin to lure him away from the city, until a truck hijacked by escaped criminals in the city crashes into an industrial building and causes a massive fire. Godzilla, attracted by this new display of light, marches toward the city. At the same time, Anguirus reappears to continue his death match with Godzilla. The two kaiju battle it out and destroy a good portion of Osaka. In the end, Anguirus is finally killed by Godzilla (or so it would seem).

With Anguirus gone and Godzilla still at large, the military is constantly tracking Godzilla. Tsukioka, having been transferred to the Hokkaido division of the fishing company along with the other main characters, searches for Godzilla as well. He spots Godzilla on an icy remote island. Kobayashi comes to aid Tsukoika because he will be running out of fuel soon. However, Kobayashi is shot down by Godzilla's heat ray. His plane crashes into the mountain and causes an avalanche to partially bury Godzilla.

Tsukioka and the military see this and decided the best way to deal with Godzilla is to trap him in the ice. Using bombs, missiles, and even kamikaze strikes, they are able to create a big enough avalanche to bury Godzilla in the ice. The threat may not be dead, but subdued for the time being.

Reflection: This film is really lackluster, especially compared to Gojira. The film is very obviously rushed. The special effects have really been downgraded this time around. I like the design of the '55 Godzilla, but the suit is pretty poor. Anguirus however has a cool design and is one of my favorite kaiju. Probably my favorite after Godzilla himself.

The characters and the actors who portray them aren't as good this time around. They aren't very developed. Hell, there's even an entire love triangle subplot. I didn't even mention it because it has so little impact on the plot. Takashi Shimura is back for a brief cameo as Dr. Yamane. He does a good job, but his character could have been any other scientist. It felt like he was just there for a loose connection to the first film.

This is the first time Toho had ever done a monster "vs. movie". It definitely shows in this movie. The battle with anguirus takes place in the middle of the movie instead of the end like it should be. Having Anguirus killed half-way through the movie really lessens his impact on the plot and make the second half drag a bit. Again, it was there first time, so they were experimenting.

The music is also a low point. Akira Ifukube did not return to do the score for this one. The famous Godzilla theme is not present and the new music is very bland and not memorable at all. Luckily, Ifukube would be back for most of the later Godzilla films.

In conclusion, this is a pretty meh and bland Godzilla film. It has the novelty of being the first vs. movie as well as the introduction of fan favorite Anguirus. Aside from that, not much to note here.

Final Score: 2/5

been enjoying your reviews, keep it up, I know I couldn't manage it XD

I think the flares could well be referenced in the upcoming movie, what with so many clips of flares in the trailers thus far

The flares have been seeming to have a large part in the upcoming film. The HALO jump as well as Godzilla coming ashore. Both scenes have involved flares.

Sorry about the lack of review tonight, but I don't have time. Tomorrow I'll post two reviews.

Sorry for the delay.



Intro: Toho's first color Sci-Fi film as well as their first kaiju to star in his own movie besides Godzilla. How does the giant pterosaur stand on his own? let's take a look.

Plot: In a small mining town, several people have gone missing in the mines. All that's been found are mangled corpses. Shigeru (Kenji Sahara) goes home to his wife to talk about his missing friends. While there, his home is attacked by a large insect larva the size of a rhino. Several police offers try to take it down with handguns, yet the creature escaped into the mines.

Now knowing what they are looking for, Shigeru, the other miners, and the police head into the miens looking for the insect, now called Meganulon. When they confront the beast, they find their machine guns have no effect on it. As they try to flee, they soon discover that there are multiple Meganulon all throughout the mine. Shiigeru is sperated from the group and is believed to have died in the mine cave in.

After an eruption at Mt. Aso, a volcano near the village, several days later, scientists go to investigate. While there, they find Shigeru who has lost all his memory and acts like he has seen a ghost. He doesn't even recognize his wife. While this is happening, reports begin surface about a large, unidentified flying object in Japanese airspace. The object moves at incredibly fast speeds. Any planes that get near are destroyed. People and farm animals begin disappearing as well. Scientist are able to examine a photo that seems to capture the wing of a giant craeture.

Shigeru's memory begins to return to him when he sees a bird's egg hatch. He remembers being in the mine, and seeing Meganulons everywhere. He also sees a giant egg, which hatches into a large Pteranodon. The beast is so large that it feeds on the Meganulon.

Rodan begins to make himself known as he touches down in Kyushu. After a breif scuffle with the Japanese air force, Rodan flies to Fukuoka and lays waste to the city with his powerful hurricane like winds. He is soon joined by a second Rodan. The two flying reptiles destroy Fukuoka and fly back to Mt. Aso.

The military decides that now is the time to strike. Using missiles and bombs, they fire at the volcano. This causes a chain reaction and the volcano erupts. One Rodan manages to escape, but the other is knocked from the sky and is burned alive by the lava. The airborne Rodan decides to die with its mate, and both kaiju perish in the eruption.

Reflection: After the success of Godzilla, Toho decided to branch out with other kaiju. This was a good move. This also is the first sci-fi film to have Kenji Sahara, an actor who will go on to appear in probably over a dozen more of these films. He does a good job as the lead, especially in the PTSD scenes. Unfortunately the character isn't in the movie enough for us to really get to like him.

The effects are great this time around. Not quite on par with Gojira, but certainly better than Raids Again. The Meganulon are very creepy looking. The scenes with them in the mines are very chilling eerie. The Rodan suit is very well done, minus a few noticeable wires in some scenes. Rodan's signature roar is especially menacing and chilling in this film.

The music is a big step up from the least film. Akira Ifukube is back and his familiar sound is present once again. My favorite song, "Get Rodan" is catchy, memorable, and will be appearing in another film much later in the marathon of kaiju films. Following this film, Toho experimented with svereal other brand new kaiju. Unfortunatly, i don;t own those films, so the next film we look at will be Godzilla's triumphant comeback.

Final Score: 3.5/5

Intro: You are in for show now guys. What do you get when you combine the two most famous kaiju together? Find out in the first Godzilla film I ever saw, King Kong vs. Godzilla.

Plot: Mr. Tako's TV company is struggling with poor ratings. After hearing stories from a researcher about a "mysterious God" on Faro Island, he sends two of his employees, Sakurai and Kinsaburo to the island to find say God. Meanwhile, a submarine exploring strange occurrences in the arctic ocean crashes into an iceberg. The iceberg cracks open and Godzilla is awakened from his slumber that he has been in since the events of Godzilla Raids Again. Godzilla returns to the mainland and lays waste to the military's futile attempts at fighting back.

Soon, Sakurai and co. arrive at Faro island. They are confronted by savage natives, but they are able to gain their trust and friendship. One night on the island, a large octopus named Oodako attacks the village. The natives try to figth back in vain, until the mysterious God makes his presence known. The mighty gorilla King Kong! Kong manages to defeat the octopus and proceeds to drink the rare berry juice that the natives have harvested. due to the effects of the juice, Kong falls asleep and Sakurai takes Kong on a raft back to Japan.

After hearing that her boyfriend may have died in a plane crash, Sakurai's sister Fumiko takes a train to Hokkaido to see if Fujita (her boyfriend played by Kenji Sahara) is one of the few survivors. Unfortunately, her train is attacked by Godzilla. She barely escapes and Fujita, who missed the plane, arrives and picks her up. At the same time, the Japanese government is prohibiting Kong from entering Japan. However, Kong manages to wake up and break free of his bounds and heads towards Japan.

Both monsters cross paths on the mainland. Kong is frightened by Godzilla's atomic ray and he retreats. The military tries repeatedly to stop Godzilla, but all attempts fail. They eventually manage to make Godzilla steer away from Tokyo by putting up high tension wires, much stronger than the ones from 54. However, Kong, who draws strength from electricity, tears through the blockade and storms into Tokyo. The military manages to finally put him to sleep with some of the berry juice that Mr. Tako owns. The military decides that the only way to get rid of both monsters is to get them to fight each other.

Kong is taken to Mt. Fuji where he and Godzilla have the climactic battle. Godzilla seems to be wining, but the combination of Kong's intelligence, an earthquake, and Kong drawing strength from the lightning, both monsters manage to fight to a stand still and both combatants fall into the sea during the large earthquake. Kong surfaces and retreats back to Faro Island. Godzilla meanwhile stays submerged and goes off to rest.

Reflection: Where do i begin with this movie? If you look up "fun" in the dictionary, you'll see a picture of this movie. All the characters in this movie are fun and enjoyable. Mr. Tako especially is deliciously cheesy and over the top. The antics between Sakurai and Kinsaburo are hilarious, especially in the English version. I forgot to mention, I will be watching most of the movies in Japanese. This was one exception because I don't own the Japanese version of this.

The monsters themselves are great. This is one of my favorite Godzilla designs. he's got a lot of bulk, yet can still fight in the fast paced scenes on Mt. Fuji. Kong is also great. They beefed him up to be as large as Godzilla and aside from the face, there's not tha much to dislike about the design. Oodako is very interesting. Real octopi were used in the filming of this movie. The director of Pirates of the Caribbean even had the special effects guys watch the Oodako scenes to get an idea of how the Krakken would move.

The fight scenes are the real highlight, specifically the final battle. A huge step up from the lackluster fights in Raid Again. I can watch Kong and Godzilla's final battle anytime. The music is also really good. Unfortunately, the American version cuts out a lot of Ifukube's original score. The village chant song however remains and is very catchy and fun.

If you're looking into seeing any of these movies, I definitely recommend this one. This was the flick that got me into Godzilla and it is nonstop fun.

Final Score: 4/5

Intro: Arguably one of the best kaiju films ever made. This combined two of Toho's monsters, Godzilla and Mothra. I unfortunately don't own Mothra, but the film still makes since without it. Without further ado, here's Mothra vs. Godzilla.

Plot: After a typhoon ravages Japan, reporter Sakai (Akira Takarada) and his assistant photographer Junko go to investigate. While there, they find what appears to be a reptilian scale on the beach. They are perplexed as to what this could be. Not to far away, a massive egg has also washed up in the storm. Sakai and Junko confront the scientist Miura, who is studying the egg. While doing so, they are told to back off by a man named Kumayama, who explains that his company owns the egg.

We soon learn that Kumayama is cahoots with a slimy businessman named Torahata (Kenji Sahara). These are very greedy men and plan to make billions off of the egg. In their hotel room, they come across two tiny six inch girls named the Shobijin. The fairies beg that the egg be returned to wear it belongs, on Infant Island. The Shobijin escape the greedy men who try to kidnap them and they meet Sakai, Junko, and Miura outside the hotel. They explain that the egg belongs to Mothra, the giant god of Infant island that has the appearance of a massive moth.

Our three heroes plead to Kumayama and Torahata that they must return the egg to Infant Island, or the larva will hatch from the egg and lay waste to anything in its way. Unable to get them to cooperate, the trio leaves and realize that there is no convincing those two. the group decides to further investigate the scale found earlier, and deduce that it is radioactive. When they head to the beach where they found the scale, they witness the return of Godzilla as he bursts from the ground and rampages across Japan once again.

Our heroes decide that the best course of action is to have Mothra aid against Godzilla. At first, they have trouble convincing the natives of Infant Island. This is because the once beautiful island was nearly destroyed by nuclear testing. Sfter some convincing monologues, Mothra and the natives agree to help in the struggle against Godzilla. The aged Mothra however, is dying, and this destined to be her last battle.

Kumayama angrily storms into Torahata's hotel room, demanding the money that he owes him. Kumayama's greed goes to his head and he beats Torahata senseless. While the former attempts to steal all of Torahata's money and escape, Torahata sees that Godzilla is coming close and shoots Kumayama in the head. Torahata frantically gathers all his money and tries to escape the building as Godzilla closes in. However, his greed lead to his downfall and Torahata is killed in the collapsing building. Mothra then arrives on the scene ready to do battle with Godzilla.

Mothra manages to put up a good fight against Godzilla, but the moth's frailty proves to be her undoing as she is quickly downed by Godzilla's atomic ray. As Godzilla walks away, fighting the military, the Shobijin begin to sing there prayer to make the egg hatch. The egg hatches into twin Mothra larvae. Godzilla battles the two worms and they manage to encase Godzilla in a thick webbing and cause him to fall off a cliff into the ocean. The larvae swim off to Infant Island as Godzilla retreats.

Reflection: One thing that makes this film stand out are its solid characters, particularity the villains. Kumayama and Torhata are the bad guys you love to hate. They're slimy, manipulating, money grubbing, and just plain assholes. Kenji Sahara especially plays his character well. The twins who play the Shobijin do an excellent job and have lovely singing voices.

The monsters are top notch this time around. Godzilla looks badass, intimidating, and even pure evil in some shots. The design for Godzilla in this film is easily one of the best. The Mothra puppet looks amazing and still holds up well today. Not a string or wire to be seen. The larvae are good too, though they aren't in the film that much.

Akira Ifukube's music is highlight as always. This version of the Godzilla theme is ominous and memorable. The Mothra Song, Mahara Mothra, and Sacred Springs, all performed by the Shobijin, are wonderful and beautiful songs.

One aspect I really wnat to bring up is the theme. This film has a strong message about human greed and corruption. Our villains are obsessed with money and they get what's coming to them in the end. It's always nice when a kiaju film has a strong and meaningful message in it.

I can't recommend this film enough. It's a great first Godzilla movie if you're looking into something more serious than king Kong vs. Godzilla. It is easily in my top five favorite kaiju films.

Final Score: 5/5

Intro: You know what's cooler than two monsters? Four monsters. In Ghidorah: The Three Headed Monster, three of Toho's most famous creatures do battle with a new threat, the alien King Ghidorah!

Plot: Police Officer Shindo is tasked with being the bodyguard for Selina Salno, the princess of a small island nation named Selgina who is visiting Japan. Due to political strife in her country, she is a target for a group of assassins from the opposing political party. On her flight, which is rigged to explode, she sees a strange flash outside and voice tells her to escape the plane. She jumps out and seconds later, the plane explodes. While this is happening, a meteor shower is taking place and is visible all over the world. Dr. Miura, the same one from Mothra vs. Godzilla, is exampling one of the meteors that crashed during the shower and finds that it has magnetic properties.

Soon, a mysterious prophet begins wandering throughout Japan. She claims to be from Venus and warns everyone that the Earth is in great danger. She says that something will happen soon at Mt. Aso. To Shindo's surprise, this woman looks identical to the princess of Selgina, who he thought to be dead. When the prophet is preaching at Mt. Aso, no one believes her. To everyone's surprise, something does happen. Rodan returns from the ashes of the volcano! The pterosaur makes his presence known and flies off.

The Shobijin, who are ready to return home after visiting Japan, also here the words of the prophet who explains that the boat they are on must not sail. The Shobijin heed her words and decide not to leave, and Shindo's sister Naoko takes the strange prophet back to her hotel. It turns out that not taking the boat was a good idea, as it is destroyed by Godzilla, who begins to head towards mainland.

When they check into the hotel, they are followed by the assassins, who believe that the Venusian woman is indeed Princess Salno. Naoko leaves her ungaurded as she leave the hotel room to meet up with her Shindo, who also thinks the Venusian is Salno. In the hotel room, the assassins enter and interrogate her. The prophet has no knowledge of these men, but the assassins are sure that its the princess. The Shobijin, who are hidden in the room, shut off the lights, making the assassins believe someone is on to them. Shindo and Naoko both enter and after a quick gunfight, Naoko rings the alarm and the killers flee pout the window, leaving Salno behind. As they talk to her, Godzilla arrive sin the city and begins destroying it. However, he sees Rodan flying overhead and decides to pursue him.

Salno is taken to a psychiatrist (played by Takashi Shimura). They try to regian her memory, but Salno is still convinced that she is from Venus. She then informs everyone that the Earth is doomed because King Ghidorah will destroy it. Our heroes ask when Ghidorah will arrive, and she informs them that he is already here. The meteor that Miura was studying explodes and the enormous three headed space dragon King Ghidorah bursts forth and begins to lay waste to Japan.

The Shobijin decide that the only course of action is to summon Mothra, but they admit that she alone cannot defeat Ghidorah. They state that Godzilla, Mothra, and Rodan must join forces to defeat Ghidorah. The remaining Mothra larva (the other one died between the last film and now) is called upon and heads towward Japan. She confronts Godzilla and Rodan, who are in the midst of fighting amongst themselves. Mothra begs for their help, but the kaiju refuse.

The killers have arrived at the psychiatrist's building. They attempt to kill everyone inside, but Miura and Shindo as well as the soon arriving King Ghidorah manage to drive them off. Our heroes escape the complex and begin to evacuate. Most of the assassins are killed in landslide caused by King Ghidorah, but one emains and is determined to kill the princess.

Mothra realizes there is no point in arguing and goes to fight Ghidorah alone. She is no match for the king of terror and is easily dispatched. Godzilla and Rodan see this and decide to help after all. the three gang up and fight Ghidorah together. At the same time, the princess is shot in the arm by the killer. Shindo tries to fight back but he is shot too. The shock of being shot causes the princess to snap back to her senses and before the two can be killed, another landslide caused by Ghidorah crushes the last remaining assassin.

After a long and dreary fight, the three barely manage to drive Ghidorah off, who retreats into space. The three mosnters leave and Salno thanks Shindo for guarding her.

Reflection: What I love about this film is that it ties a lot of things together. It's a lot like The Avengers in that sense. We have quite a few returning characters from previous films like the Shobijin and Dr. Miura. There is also tons of callback to the last films. the mention Mothra's fight with Godzilla a few times and Rodan is even resurrected in the same volcano from Rodan.

The actors are all good. We see a couple regulars in minor roles like Kenji Sahara and Akihiko Hirata and even Takashi Shimura has a small role. The villains aren't as memorable this time around, but they are very cold and dislikable.

The monsters really are the stars this time around. The Godzilla suit is the same as last time, though it doesn't look quite as impressive this time around. Rodan also has a new look. Aside from the face, I really like it. Mothra stays in larva form this time around and looks just fine. The real monster star in King Ghidorah. Holy fuck this guy is awesome. The design, the suit, the spastic heads, and the sinister cackle all combine for one of the most memorable kaiju of all time. If Legendary continues to make American Godzilla films, I hope Ghidorah is brought in. A modern reimaging would look absolutely incredible. Another thing I love about the monsters in this movie is the personality. These creature feel emotion and you can tell. They react to situations and to each other. Hell, Rodan and Godzilla even laugh at one point. This is trend that will continue through the remaining films.

As per usual, Ifukube's music is stellar. Godzilla's ominous theme is always a joy. This is also the first film to feature Rodan's theme, a tune that will become a staple of the series. Same with Ghidorah's theme. I'm not a huge fan of the new Mothra song. The singing isn't bad, but the song itself doesn't do much for me. The old theme was fine and there was no reason to change it.

This is another one i stringly recommend. This film is very unique and serves a great introduction to one of the mos classic Godzilla foes.

Final Score: 4/5

I've been waiting for this ever since I saw this:

These take awhile.

Intro: It's Godzilla........... IN SPACE!!!!! Made in the mid sixties, this sci-fi film is filled to the brim with Star Trek-esque plot and aliens. How well do the sci-fi elements work? Lets take a look at Invasion of Astro Monster. Sorry if this one's a little long. There's quite a bit of plot to this one.

Plot: Astronauts Fuji (Akira Takarada) and Glenn (Nick Adams) are on their way to Planet X, a small planetoid orbiting Jupiter. When they land, Fuji wanders off to explore and finds what appears to be human footprints as well as catch sight of what looks like a lightning storm. He heads back, but he finds that Glenn and the rocket are both gone. A metallic cylinder shaped pod emerges from the ground and robotic voice tells Fuji to get in before it's too late.

Fuji ends up in an expansive underground base. He finds Glenn alive and well and the two astronauts quickly see who brought them here. An advanced race of human like aliens called the Xians. The leader of this race, The Controller of Planet X, informs them that their rocketship is also safe and is safe in the docking bay. Our heroes ask why they were brought down below, and The Controller tells them they must avoid Monster Zero.

Fuji and Glenn quickly see via the monitor screen that Monster Zero is in fact King Ghidorah! The Controller tells them that Ghidorah has ravaged their planet and has forced them to move underground. He requests that Godzilla and Rodan be brought to Planet X to deal with King Ghidorah. In exchange, the Xians promise to provide their miracle drug which can cure cancer. The two men agree and head back to Earth to tell their story.

Fuji's sister's boyfriend Tetsuo is creating an alarm device called the lady guard that would act as an alarm a woman would carry and would use if she was ever attacked. It produces a loud shrieking noise that would drive off any attacker. Tetsuo wishes to sell it. Unfortunately, no buyer is interested in his product. A woman named Miss Namikawa (Kumi Mizuno) buys it from him. behind the scenes however, her boss secretly destroys all the pland and blue prints to the device for unknown reasons.

The government agrees to "loan" Godzilla and Rodan to the Xians. The aliens had given coordinates to where Godzilla and Rodan are, which makes Fuji and Glenn suspicious. When The Controller lands on Earth himself, before the deal even takes place, the two become especially suspicious of the Xians. We also learn at this time that Glenn is dating Namikawa. The Xian's flying saucers go to the destined locations and use their tractor beams to pick up Godzilla and Rodan and take them to Planet X. Glenn and Fuji join the Controller back to Planet X with the two monsters. While there, Glenn and Fuji sneek out and see if they can find anything out. They come across a woman who appears to be Namikawa. However, Glenn soon discovers that every single Xian woman looks like Namikawa. During all this, Godzilla and Rodan team up and manage to drive King Ghidorah away. The Controller thanks the astronauts and hands them a recording which contains the info on the miracle cure.

When the recording is played, they quickly discover that the Xians were plotting against them! The tape contains the Controller's orders for the planet. he tells the people of Earth to surrender and become a colony of Earth, or else the human race will be destroyed. When humanity does not respond, the Xians threaten to release the mind controlled Godzilla, Rodan, and King Ghidorah on humanity. The latter was revealed to be under Xian control the entire time. The humans learn that the aliens are controlled by electronic waves and if they can disrupt that signal, the monsters could be freed.

Tetsuo goes to visit Namikawa for information about his product, which he believes the company is ignoring. The headquarters for Namikawa's company are revealed to be the Xian's base on Earth. Tetsuo is thrown into the jail cell. Glenn goes here too to confront Namikawa. He tells her that he knows she is Xian. Namikawa explains that she always loved him and that despite the orders of the Xians, she wanted to marry him. The Xians kill Namikawa and throw Glenn in jail with Tetsuo. In a note left by Namikawa in the jail before she died, she tells Glenn the weakness of the Xians. Extremely loud sounds. Tetsuo, using the lady guard, manages to bust out of the prison. They get back to base and have the sound broadcasted all over radio and television.

The loud sound, coupled with the electromagnetic wave disrupter, manage to cut off the mind control as well as destroy the remaining Xians. Godzilla and Rodan team up once again and manage to make Ghidorah retreat once again.

Reflection: The first thing you may notice from the plot is that there is very little Godzilla in it! The human element has much more focus this time around and the kaiju take a more backseat role. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Akira Takarada is back in his third Godzilla role. he does a good job as the lead. American actor Nick Adams is one of my favorite characters in this movie. he's funny, makes sarcastic remarks, and is just enjoyable to watch. Yoshio Tsuchiya does a good job as the cold, robotic Controller. What this film is really notable for is Kumi Mizuno. She would become a reoccuring actress in Toho's kaiju films. She's gorgeous and does a great job as Namikawa.

Like I said, the monsters aren't in the film that much. Now, Godzilla doesn't need a ton of screen time for the movie to be good. Just look at the original. The difference was that in the original, Godzilla had a ton of presence and was very central to the plot. here, he kida just feel tacked on. Rodan even more so. King Ghidorah is a joy as always, but he's really downplayed. In the last movie, three monsters barely held him off. here, Godzilla and Rodan dispatch him quite easily. As far as designs go, Ghidorah and Rodan look unchanged, though there is one scene where they use stock footage from Rodan and you can clearly tell it's a different suit. The Godzilla suit is different this time around. It doesn;t look too different and there are some noticeable changes, particularity in the face. I don't like it as much as the last design.

I love the look of the aliens and there base. They have a very 60s Star trek look to them. I know that look is kind of an acquired taste, but if you're into that kind of stuff, it's a joy to look at.

Once again, Ifukube proves he can create some damn good musical scores. Godzilla, Rodan, and Ghidorah all have their signature themes back. This film also introduces the "Japanese Army March", a popular tune that will show up more in the future. I know i sound like a broken record, but I love Ifukube's music.

In conclusion, this is a very different type of kaiju film. The kaiju aren't in the movie that much, which unfortunately diminishes their impact on the plot. The human characters have more focus and it's more like an episode of Star Trek with some Godzilla thrown in. If you're into stuff like Star Trek and Star wars, then this one's for you. Isn't that right Javelin?

Final Score: 3.5/5

If you had to pick any one kaiju to be Godzilla's "archnemesis", would it be King Ghidorah? He's always the one I see brought up, and all.

Yeah. He's one of the most recurring kaiju.

Intro: Let's take a little break from Godzilla and look at one of Toho's cult classics. Here's the often overlooked Frankenstein Conquers the World.

Plot: The prologue takes place in 1945. The Nazis transport a mysterious item to the Japanese for experimentation. it is revealed to be the immortal heart of Frankenstein's monster. It is taken to a lab in Hiroshima, yet on that fateful day, the atomic bomb is dropped on the city and the heart is believed to be lost.

Back in present time (mid 1960s), American scientist Dr. Bowen (Nick Adams) is working with associates Sueko (Kumi Mizuno) and Dr. Kawaji are working with cancer patients in Hiroshima. One day, they spot a feral boy roaming the streets of Hiroshima. He hides in caves and feeds on dogs and rabbits that he catches and kills. Our main characters decide to take him and they discover that he is a Caucasian boy and seems to have a high resistance to radiation. Later that night, one of Bowen's assistants is visiting the docks at night when he is shocked by a freak earthquake. As the ground splits open, he sees what appears to be a large kaiju!

The boy is growing at an alarming rate. Already becoming the size of a full grown man within a couple days. He begins to get so big that he kept in a large cage meant for elephants and is chained for safety as the scientists fear he may become more aggressive. It seems that Sueko is the only one that can get him to be calm. Bowen and Kawaji, wanting to know more about the strange boy, go to Frankfurt, Germany due to the rumors of the boy being somehow connected to Frankenstein. They meet the German scientist who had possession of the heart before it was taken to Japan. He tells them that the only to be sure if the boy is Frankenstein is to cut off an arm or leg. Frankenstein's monster has the ability to regrow any lost body parts as well as heal most injuries. Our heroes go back to Japan to discuss the matter. They want to find out the truth, but Sueko doesn't want to harm the boy. She and Bowen head home for the night, but Kawaji stays at the lab.

That night, Kawaji takes his cutting tools and goes to the boy's cell. he has become even larger and the chain holding him is too small and is digging into his skin. A TV crew stop by to take pictures, but their lights drive the beast into a rage and he manages to break out of his cell, but looses his hand in the process. After a brief encounter with the police, the boy, now excepted as Frankenstein, runs off into the wilderness. The next day, Bowen finds the hand moving on its own in the cell, confirming his suspicions.

While Frankenstein remains hidden from the Japanese military, another force is at work. The creature seen before, named Baragon is raving towns, killing people, and devouring livestock. Everyone blames Frankenstein for the damages, making him a prime target for the military. Sueko doesn't think Frankenstein would do such a thing and Dr. Bowen's assistant tells them he thinks it's not Frankenstein and tells them of the strange creature he saw that night at the docks. The three main characters form a search party in the Japanese wilderness to find Frankenstein, believing Baragon to be the one that needs to be killed. However, Dr. Kawaji disagrees and says that Frankenstein must be killed. He begins to throw grenades to lure Frank out into the open, but instead he attracts the attention of the burrowing beast Baragon! They try in vain to fight him off, but it's no use. Baragon is about to eat Sueko, but then Frankenstein intervenes.

The two goliaths battle it out. Baragon seems to have the upper hand due to his burrowing ability and heat ray. However, Frankenstein is very cunning and uses the environment to his advantage. Frank manages to snap Baragon's neck and throw him into a deep ravine. He celebrates, but a new foe makes its presence known. The giant octopus Oodako! Frank tries to fight him off, but his tentacles constrict around him, crushing him. As soon as both of them are in the water, Frankenstein is a goner. The trio looks over the scene sadly. Bowen tells them that he doubts Frank is truly dead, and may return some day.

Reflection: Let me just get this out of the way. I hate, hate, HATE the fact that they call the monster Frankenstein. This has always bothered me. the guy who created the monster is named Frankenstein. The creature is always just referred to as Frankenstein's monster or "The Monster".

Now that that;s out of my system, let's talk about the actors. Nick Adams and Kumi Mizuno are back, both of which starred in Astro Monster the same year. Nick Adams isn't as funny this time around, but he still does a good job. Kumi Mizuno looks as gorgeous as always. the three main actors agood, but nothing really too extraordinary.

The monsters are very different this time around. Frankenstein is not a rubber suit, just full on make up and regular costume. He doesn't look much like the traditional monster, but he looks cool nonetheless. He looks firce and wild, but still has a look of innocence to him that make him very likable. Baragon certainly has a unique design.\, though tthe suit isn;t very good. He stands on four legs, but can switch to two if need be. He's got a bio-luminescent horn that glows when ever he fires his heat ray, as well as big floppy elephant ears. It's a creative, yet simple design. Trust me, this will not be the last time we see Baragon, though we won't see him in a major role 'till towards the end of these reviews. The final kaiju is Oodako, easily one of the worst aspects of the film. First of all, he is a puppet this time around, as opposed to the real life octopus used in King Kong vs. Godzilla. the puppet looks good, but it really looks lacking when compared to the original. Then there's how he's used. A deus ex machina at its finest. He shows up in the last minute of the movie only to be a convenient way to axe off Frankenstein. He adds nothing to the plot and feels really tacked on.

Ifukube does the score again for this one. It's good, but nothing too memorable.

In conclusion, I find this film very overlooked. It's by no meand one of the best, but I think it deserves more attention. It's the intro film for Baragon, who is very popular over in Japan. It's good, but inly for the kaiju fans looking for something different.

Final Score: 3/5

Intro: Apparently someone over at Toho liked Frankentsein Conquers the World. This cult classic, War of the Gargantuas acts sort of like a sequel to the last film, though is very different.

Plot: One night, a small Japanese ship is sailing not to far from shore. However, the ship is attacked by the giant octopus kaiju Oodako! As the captain prepares to accept his fate as octopus chow, Oodako is halted by a strange new kaiju. A massive green yeti looking beast erupts from the water and attacks Oodako, causing the octopus to flee. The gargantua then turns his sights to the boat, and all but the captain perish in the attack. The captain is taken to hospital and when questioned about what he saw, he claims that he saw a Frankenstein like monster attack the boat.

As word of the attack grows, scientists Paul Stewert (Russ Tamblyn) and Akemi (Kumi Mizuno). They tell the press that they had a Frankenstein monster in their care in the past (actually not the one from the last film). Though they do not believe that this green creature is Frankenstein because it came from the sea, while Frank was more accustomed to a mountain environment. After another attack on a boat, an assistant to Stewart, Dr. Majida (Kenj Sahara) investigates and finds a skin sample of the large beast. At the same time, Stewart and Akemi find large footprints in the Japanese Alps.

Soon, the green gargantua emerges once again from the city and attacks an airport. he destroys the complex and feeds on the people there. However, as the sun comes up, the gargantua screams in agony and retreats back into the ocean, scared by the bright sunlight. That night, the gargantua attacks Tokyo, but is once again scared by some of the lights. He retreats into the wilderness where the military has set up a trap for him with high voltage electricity and their new weapons, maser cannons. Large laser cannons that shoot electricity. The beast is nearly killed, until another, brown gargantua appears and rescues the first one from the military. The two retreat deeper into the wilderness.

The green gargantua is dubbed Gaira, and the brown one Sanda. The main scientists deduce that Sanda was the young gargantua that they raised several years ago before he escaped. They also deduce that Gaira spawned from the cells of Sanda, who in turn spawned from pieces of Frankenstein. Due to his upbringing, Sanda is gentle and is kind towards humans. However, Sanda comes across Gaira feeding on humans, angering him. The two briefly scuffle, but Gaira briefly over powers Sanda and flees into the ocean. Later that night, the hungry Gaira appears in Tokyo again. he no longer shy away from light because he now knows that where there's light, there's food. He nearly eats Akemi until Sanda arrives on the scene.

the two brother beat each other to bloody pulps in an intense fight. The brawl continues on into the ocean, where an underwater eruption is occurring. As the beasts battle, they are consumed by the lava and both creatures disappear for good.

Reflection: Let me just say, watching this right after Frankenstein Conquers the World is very confusing. They make several references to a young Frankenstein monster being held in captivity. However, in this film, they retcon it so Sanda was the one in captivity. At least that's what I thought. However, even though Kumi Mizuno plays a Japanese scientist studying Frankenstein with an American scientist in both films, it's a different charcater in both versions. So wait, there we're two Frankenstein monsters in captivity? Both of which were looked over by an American scientist and a female Japanese scientist? Agh, too confusing.

The actors do a fine job portraying their characters, though the characters don't do much. Russ Tamblyn is fine as Dr. Stewart, but he is nowhere near as enjoyable to watch as Nick Adams was. Kumi Mizuno does a good job, even if she is just playing the same character again. Of course, we can't have a Toho sci-fi film without Kenji Sahara. Even though he gets top billing in the Japanese version, he is barely in the movie. That's my problem with all the human characters, they don't do much throughout the movie.

The kaiju are where the film really shines though. Gaira and Sanda are some of the best looking Toho kaiju. Gaira especially can look terrifying in some shots, while Sanda takes the appearance of a gentle giant. Due to the smaller and more human-like suits, the fights are faster and more intense. These guys beat the shit out of each other. By the end, they are both bloody and war torn. These kaiju also have a ton of personality. It can actually get touching at moments. There's a scene where Sanda is begging Gaira to stop his violence and that he doesn't want to fight him. Unfortunately, Gaira is evil, savage, and enraged and will not listen to reason. Sanda is forced to fight his brother to the death. I suppose I should talk about he Oodako. He shows up for a brief cameo and that's about it. Someone at Toho must have liked him, because this is his third (and last) film.

As always, Ifukube's music is a joy. It sounds like standard Ifukube, and one song in particular, "The Mesa March" is very catchy and will appear again in the future.

This is a fun film. It;s much more about the monsters this go around. If you're looking for pure entertainment with some great emotional moments, then this one's right up your ally.

Final Score: 3/5

You must discuss Gorgo.

That's not a Toho film and I sadly don't own a copy.

Intro: At first glance, this may seem like a dumb and goofy idea for a movie. On the contrary, Son of Godzilla is one of the best in the entire series. Please take a look as I give my review "directly" to you.

Plot: A team of scientists are working on a weather experiment on Sollgel Island. Their plan is to be able to control the weather of an area and make it suitable for human life. One member however, Furukawa, is fed up with the intense heat, as well as the human sized preying mantises that roam the island.

The next day a reporter named Goro Maki parachutes onto the island. He is there to get a story about what is going on, though the scientists aren't to keen on him being there. They decide he can stay and he is assigned the role of cook. One day while Goro is out looking for food on the island, he comes across a strange native girl swimming in the pond. He tries to approach her, but she is scared and flees. Goro tries telling his story to the others, but no one believes him. The intense heat begins to get the better of Furukawa, who angrily grabs his rifle and threatens to shoot unless they leave the island. He is calmed down, but not until he fires at the preying mantis who shows up again.

The following day, the device is ready for testing. A weather balloon is launched into the air that explodes, releasing a strange substance. A second balloon is launched that will also explode and cool the island down. Goro however is not at base and is out looking for the native girl, whom he wishes to warn about the climate that will soon change. However, he cannot find her and the mission ends up being a failure. He manages to take shelter in a sea side cave as the island is subjected to scorching not temperatures, hot rainfall, and flash floods.

Four days later, the island has returned to normal. Goro meets up with the head scientist as they check their equipment to see if it was damaged. They are horrified when they come across the preying mantis, which has grown to Godzilla size! They also discover that the are three of them. The insects gather around a small rock formation and break it apart yo reveal a strange, giant egg. When they return to camp, they see that their clothes have been stolen. They catch a brief glimpse of the native girl running away with them. When Goro goes back to investigate the mantises, now called Kamacarus, they see that what was inside the egg was a baby Godzilla! The mantises attempt to make a meal out of the infant, but the adult Godzilla arrives on the scene!

Godzilla fights off the bugs easily and takes the young kaiju with him, adopting this baby Godzilla named Minya. Goro, who had fled when he saw Godzilla approaching, takes shelter a small cave, where he meets the native the girl. She reveals that she is Japanese and that her name is Saeko. She greets the members of the science group and explains that she was the daughter of an archeologist who used to live and study on the island. As the crew begin to fall ill from the intense heat, Saeko and Goro head to a hot spring where the mysterious red water can be found which can cure the illness. While there they see Godzilla teaching Minya how to breath fire, an ability the young Kaiju is struggling with. They take some water and take it back to heal the scientists.

While Saeko is out getting some herbs the next day, she is attacked by the last remaining Kamacuras. Minya arrives but can't do much to help. Their scuffle awakens a new Kaiju, the massive spider Kumonga! The spider follows Saeko back to the lab and traps the team in the cave with her webbing. The scientists send out a distress signal via radio and a ship is on the way, however, Kimonga is blocking the exit! They escape through the back entrance and at the same time, Monya approaches Kumonga. The spider easily traps the young Kaiju in her webbing and prepares to devour him but Kamacuras returns and challenges Kumonga. The spider easily kills it and tries to kill Minya as well. However, Godzilla appears and battles Kumonga.

The weather balloon is dlpyd again and this time is is successful. They plan to freeze the island and they quickly get to the life raft before the entire island freezes over. Meanwhile the Kaiju continue to fight. Godzilla looses sight in one eye but the two saurians manage to kill Kumonga. As the island begins to freeze, a Godzilla huddles with Minya as they begin to hibernate and the boat arrives to pick up the group.

Reflection: This film certainly has a different tone from the previous film. This is due to the different setting, new director, and new composer. The film feels much more light hearted, but still very enjoyable.

Our main characters are decent, but nothing too special. Kenji Sahara and Akihiko Hirata have supporting roles as two of the scientists. The one guy who begins to go crazy in enjoyable. His reactions are very realistic. If I was on a hot dangerous island for a long time, I'd be going crazy as well.

This film has some of the best monster scenes in the series. Let's get the one bad one put of the way though. I absolutely hate the Godzilla design in this film. It looks dumb, unappealing, and not threatening at all, though I guess that fits the film. Still, don't like it. Minya on the other hand is downright adorable. His antics, sounds, and facial expressions give him some of the most personality of any Toho creature. Take for example the scene where he throws a hissy fit like a whiny child, or when he plays jumprope with Godzilla's tail. The one issue is that they never explain where he came from. Godzilla clearly didn't lay the egg and there are no other Godzilla's around. Oh well, maybe it's best left ambiguous.

Our villains are very interesting this time around. The Kamacuras are very creepy and sound very eerie. Kumonga is the best monster in the movie though. She is very creepy. Don't see this film if you're afraid of spiders. She also manages to give Godzilla very tough fight, even blinding him in one eye with her stingers. Her webbing is a lot like Mothra's bit much stickier and faster acting.

No Ifukube this time around. The music is instead done by Masaru Sato. He has very different sound that's Ifukube. Sato's music is lively and upbeat. Minya's theme especially memorable and quirky. His theme for Kumonga is very insane and would sound right at home in a James Bond film.

All in all, this is a good one. I would recommend it, but the DVD is out of print and it is very hard to find. Even if you do find, it will be ridiculously expensive.

Final Score: 4/5

Are you going to review the 1998 film?

Yes I will.

And on that day, many a swear will be uttered.