May 2026 | Tue 11/10/2026 >Prev Archive June Stories in Stories King of the Monsters Memories for Life Go Godzilla! Kayama’s Note Dream Ending Godzilla’s Story Yuji Sakai Interview Raymond Burr Production Announcements Edwards Speaks Hamabe’s Surprise More Megalon GMK Timeline Back to the Movies Godzilla Stamps Ghidorah Books National Package Design Day Two Families No Regrets On Monster Island Bookshelf Little Did I Know DesuGoji is coming MyKaiju Korner Box Daze What’s HappeningGoodies Calendar
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Stories in Stories
Most Godzilla movies were released late in the year, usually December, so it makes sense that we would see so much preproduction and public announcements during this time of the year. The May calendar is dotted with the printing of movie scripts: Godzilla 2000 Millennium (5/6/1999), Godzilla x MechaGodzilla (5/13/2002), Godzilla vs Mothra (5/16/1992), Script for G-Work Consideration (5/23/1954), Godzilla vs Destroyah (5/27/1995), and Godzilla (5/30/1984). Toho was in full operation mode in May and movie scripts are an important piece of Godzilla movie history. My interest in scripts derives from my fascination with ancient biblical manuscripts I studied as a teenager and seminarian. The comparison of manuscripts is quite revealing and tells stories not put on paper. Analysis uncovers why some texts were omitted partially or entirely in some manuscripts rather than in others. Movie manuscripts tell similar stories by comparing first to final drafts. Why movies turn out the way they do can be traced in the evolution of characters, comments that clarify a scene that otherwise might have been puzzling and the alteration of plots, for example. How we perceive characters, understand scenes and follow the plot can all change. We don’t have to own expensive original Godzilla movie scripts to appreciate them. They have been reproduced in reprints, books and even digital sources. Let’s study and enjoy them. Scripts | More Scripts | Script Comparison
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This Day in Godzilla History
On May 29, 1957, Godzilla, King of the Monsters (怪獣王ゴジラ), re-edited and subtitled, was released in Cinemascope for Japanese audiences.
Godzilla Reader: Raymond Burr | Behind King of the Monsters
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Memories & Moments for Life
I had only returned to the fandom for a little over a year, when the opportunity came to meet my childhood hero not far from my home. I grew up watching the late great Kenpachiro Satsuma (5.27.1947 – 12.16.2023) at work bringing my favorite monsters to life. I didn’t know his name because he was Godzilla. And then on that amazing day in the late 90s, my friend Jon and I fainted on the sight of him and the late Haruo Nakajima stomping their way into the New Yorker Hotel in Manhattan for G-Con. But I would me him again at Monster Mania in 2016. Satsuma-san gave us a lifetime of moments and memories.
26
Today Composer Hiroaki Hagiwara (萩原哲晶) was born in 1925 (d. 1/13/1984). He composed the secondary theme song “Go! Go! Godzilla” (ゆけ! ゆけ! ゴジラ) for Godzilla vs Gigan (1971) released by Toho Records. Listen
25
As you, the readers, are already well aware, the protagonist of this story—Godzilla—is an imaginary giant monster and does not, in reality, exist anywhere on Earth. However, the atomic and hydrogen bombs—embodied here in the figure of Godzilla—actually exist, and there is no telling when or if they might be deployed for purposes of war… To prevent such horrific and catastrophic events from occurring, nations across the globe are vigorously waging an intense campaign against the use of nuclear and hydrogen bombs. This story represents my own participation—in the form of a novel—as one contribution to that movement. I trust that if you read this with that perspective in mind, you will find it all the more enlightening and deeply engaging.
— Shigeru Kayama’s Note「怪獣ゴジラ」July 1955
0n May 25th, 1954, Shigera Kayama documented in his diary a planning meeting for “Project G.” It was held at the Kikutei restaurant in Shibuya with Tomoyuki Tanaka, Ishiro Honda, Eiji Tsuburaya, Shigeru Kayama, and Takeo Murata, among others, in attendance. He was sequestered there until the 27th to rewrite the original story for “Godzilla.”
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The Dream Ending
In the insightful article, “Everything Crumbles in the Finale… Legendary “It Was All a Dream” Japanese Films (4): Encountering Godzilla Within a Delusion—A Bizarre Masterpiece Etched in the History of Special Effects Cinema” (May 14), the author points out that the “dream ending”—where everything the audience has witnessed turns out to have taken place entirely within a dream—is often considered a forbidden technique,” because it “ends all prior narrative foreshadowing and thematic analysis utterly meaningless” and is a “betrayal” of the moviegoer. But there is a Godzilla movie that has successfully pulled it off showing us how the fantasy world of monster movies can help us navigate difficulty in the real world. The first Godzilla has taught us necessary lessons about the dangers of nuclear weapons and their proliferation. However, the subsequent films were more of an escape from the real world into a fantasy world full of fighting giant monsters. Audiences have the option to decode those films as the monsters and mayhem that represent the trouble we battle everyday. The dream approach of neglected All Monsters Attack (1969, aka, Godzilla’s Revenge) is not a betrayal but the point. Ishiro Honda’s film shows us how monster movies work in our real lives. Godzilla’s son Minilla lives in the dreams of the latchkey kid Ichiro, who helps him face his bully Gabara which happens to share the same name of Ichiro’s bully. Both cannot cower but take on their challenges head-on. Like dreams, monster movies invite us to reevaluate life’s challenges so we can grow and imagine real solutions. All Monsters Attack is a must watch out of the Godzilla film collection. It shows kids and reminds adults how to watch Godzilla. We get the most out of these films when they help us to realize the “dream ending” in our lives. Yahoo Japan Article | Art by Jorge Coelho for The Criterion Collection | Watch on YouTube
23
Godzilla’s Beginnings
Today in 1954, the popular detective novelist Shigeru Kayama completed the original Godzilla story, “Script for G-Work Consideration”「G作品」as noted in his diary. He completed his manuscript at the request of Toho producer Tomoyuki Tanaka. It was only printed as a mimeograph version about 50 pages in length. It was the size of a short story not too different from the novelization. In this first draft, Dr. Yamane’s character was quite eccentric. He is obsessive about his research and appears almost unhinged. He describes himself as one regarded by the public as a madman and a fossil. Dr. Yamane fears the world will be plunged into chaos by his hypothesis about Godzilla brought to life by hydrogen bomb testing. He is a gentle father to his daughter Emiko, who holds him in deep reverence. Unlike her father, she goes to Odo Island and carries a firearm. When she sees the Oxygen Destroyer, she slaps Serizawa calling him “a demon.” Ogata regards her as a “formidable female warrior” and “Amazon.” He personally intends to beat Godzilla to a pulp. In the end, he did not accompany Serizawa underwater. Dr. Serizawa shares a deep friendship with Dr. Yamane, whom he calls savior for rescuing him from an attack by wolves which took his eye leaving him severely scarred. Behind his back Yamane and Ogata refer to him as “The One-Eyed Dragon.” Godzilla has a white-hot glow around his body and spews flames from its mouth. He rises up on his tail and legs, to destroy a lighthouse. He has flapping ears—much like an African elephant. Learn More
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An Interview with Master Yuji Sakai
What is your relationship with Godzilla?
“Ever since my shocking first encounter with him on the screen at the “Chuo-kan” movie theater in Sukagawa when I was six years old, I have spent the majority of my life in the company of Godzilla and other monsters.”
Have you always been obsessed with Godzilla?
“I suppose so. As a child, I loved drawing; friends would often beg me to sketch Godzilla and other monsters for them, and I constantly wished I could own a model that looked “exactly” like the Godzilla I saw in the movies! However, the vinyl monster figures available back then didn’t really resemble their on-screen counterparts, so I was never truly satisfied with them. Instead, I mostly built plastic models—and almost exclusively tanks, at that.”
When did you begin creating models professionally?
“I was captivated by the abundance of realistic Godzilla models I had always wanted; as I avidly collected and built them, I eventually found that commercially available kits were no longer enough to satisfy me, so I began creating my own original pieces.”
What is important to you when creating monsters?
“There are more than 30 Godzilla movies in Japan and overseas, and the shape of Godzilla is different in each movie. I want to recreate the coolest moments from the movie without changing even a single wrinkle! That is the most important thing.”
Quotes from Sukatto Interview ｢酒井 ゆうじさん: 幼い頃の衝撃と感動をそのままに劇中のかっこいい瞬間を再現したい!｣
I want to recreate the cool moments from the movies while keeping the shock and excitement of my childhood!
21
“This is Tokyo. Once a city of six million people. What has happened here was caused by a force which up until a few days ago was entirely beyond the scope of Man’s imagination. Tokyo, a smoldering memorial to the unknown, an unknown which at this very moment still prevails and could at any time lash out with its terrible destruction anywhere else in the world. There were once many people here who could’ve told of what they saw… now there are only a few. My name is Steve Martin. I’m a foreign correspondent for United World News. I was headed for an assignment in Cairo, when I stopped off in Tokyo for a social call, but it turned out to be a visit to the living hell of another world.”
Steve Martin, played by Raymond William Stacy Burr (5/21/1917 – 9/12/1993), in Godzilla, King of the Monsters 1956
Godzilla Reader
Godzilla 1954 and Burr
Behind Godzilla King of the Monsters
Godzilla advances to America!
Godzilla’s Overseas Success
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Announcing Godzilla
Just about every month of the year there is a Godzilla production announcement to recall and remember. This month only there are four: Godzilla vs Mothra (5/20/1992), Godzilla Finał Wars (5/25/2004), Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla (5/26/1993) and Godzilla vs King Ghidorah (5/27/1991). Production announcements are a big deal. The directors, producer, screenwriter and main cast meet the press and discuss the upcoming film. What was rumored can be confirmed, refuted and started anew. We all know where we were last year on Godzilla Day. Some of us were there in person for Director Yamazaki’s announcement of Godzilla Minus Zero. Then again on April 14, the director appeared at CinemaCon to discuss and tease the film. Yesterday, Canadian-born, Tokyo-based correspondent for The Hollywood Report, Matt Raimond in his substack stated “Tokyo sources confirm a major Western star has joined the cast of Toho’s ambitious sequel.” He reports that “a well-known Hollywood actor in a key role,” which “marks a significant step for the franchise as it aims for even broader global appeal.” Minus Zero is in post-production. He has compelling information: “Key segments involving the American military take place inside the White House. A bomb plays a major and dramatic role in the narrative.” Matt’s Substack | Minus Zero Annoucement | Latest Teaser | Photos: Hobby Japan Godzilla Completion Series
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Today in the News
The Philadelphia Inquirer • Monday, May 18, 1998 | See Original
‘Godzilla’ stomps movie-screen record
By Robert W. Welkos
Los Angeles Times
HOLLYWOOD — You want big? Godzilla, TriStar Pictures’ monster-run-amok movie, will debut this week on more theater screens than any film in Hollywood history.
That was the word from euphoric officials at Sony Pictures Entertainment, who announced last week that the movie world open on 7,363 screens — roughly a quarter of all screens in North America. The figure eclipses the previous record holder, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, which opened on 6,190 screens on Memorial Day weekend 1997.
“This has exceeded our wildest expectations,’ said Jeff Black, president Sony Pictures Releasing. “We always felt 6,000 screens would have been great. I would have never dreamed we would have exceeded 7,000.”
Sony had angered theater owners by demanding they fork over 80 percent of the first week’s box-office proceeds instead of the normal 50 percent.
“Eighty percent was never an across-the-board [demand],” Blake said. “We kind of used it to send a message to theaters that this is going to be a big deal. They sent back the message to us that there’s going to be a limit.”Blake said the two sides agreed to meet somewhere in the middle.
“No one’s paying less than 70 percent for the first two weeks,” he said. “Most are paying the level for the first three or four weeks of the movie, which is a rich deal. Clearly the demand is there.”
Godzilla will officially open on Wednesday, but most theaters will “sneak” the film tomorrow night, the same strategy employed for Men in Black. Coincidentally, director Roland Emmerich and producer Dean Devlin made both Godzilla and MiB.
16
“So Godzilla is here because of our sins and our misuse of the power of nature… I feel that Godzilla is nature’s retribution of our abuse of our position… Hopefully, you can watch this film and enjoy it as entertainment, but I personally like science fiction and fantasy when it has a little meaning behind it.”
Director Gareth Edwards
Interview: Gareth Edwards on Godzilla, 5/15/2014
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Godzilla Reader
“I remember being surprised and shocked when I read the script. I’m already excited to share this shock with everyone as soon as possible.”
Minami Hamabe (浜辺 美波)
Sports Nippon, Wed 4/15/2026
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More Megalon
I’m taking an assessment of my meager Godzilla vs Megalon things released in the U.S. Today, the collection got a big boost with the acquisition of a rare block print from its debut in 1976. I was pressed to find one after spotting The Press Room video on social media. When my eyes landed on this eBay item, I wanted it. But the cost was crazy. But God works in mysterious ways. Now it is in hand and I wrote all about it. Check it out!
13
Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack Timeline
5/14: Two Satsuma midget submarines of the Japanese Defense Forces, investigating the whereabouts of a US nuclear submarine that went missing off the coast of Guam, encounter a creature that resembles Godzilla. Unit 2 is destroyed. 1 | 2
5/15: Bike gang members who entered the Otagiri Tunnel at the foot of Mt. Myoko in Niigata Prefecture are buried alive by Baragon who awakens underground. 1 | 2
5/16: The Defense Forces use the missile vehicle Taiho to drill rocks in the collapsed Otagiri Tunnel. At night, a Mothra larva appears from Lake Ikeda in Kagoshima Prefecture. 1 | 2
5/17: The bodies of 11 young people are found wrapped in strange cocoons at Lake Ikeda. At night, Godzilla lands on Magote Island in the Ogasawara Islands with Typhoon No. 4.
1 | 2
5/18: Godzilla attacks the Defense Force helicopter Albatross while investigating Magonote Island (based on production material)
5/19: An earthquake of magnitude 7 or higher was observed at the foot of Mt. Fuji (based on production materials but not explicitly stated within the work) 1
5/20: The Chief Cabinet Secretary announces that Godzilla was the one who attacked an American nuclear submarine and destroyed the island of Magonote. The government issues a state of emergency alert around the coast of Japan, and the Defense Force issues a defense deployment order for the whole of Japan, laying a detection network in the seas around Japan.
5/24: Baragon appears from the ground near Motosu Police Station in Yamanashi Prefecture. Meanwhile, Godzilla lands at Yaizu Port in Shizuoka Prefecture, ravages Shimizu City (now Shizuoka City) and Fuji City, and then defeats Baragon at Owakudani in Hakone. Also, a giant cocoon appears at Lake Ikeda. At night, an adult Mothra emerges from it and flies off to the east. Ghidorah awakens at the foot of Mount Fuji, and the three monsters engage in a fierce battle in Yokohama. 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8
5/25: Godzilla is defeated by the special submarine Satsuma. 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5
12
Back to the Movies
I intended this to be my last short seven-day trip to Japan taken through ABC Tours until I could return with a new purpose and for extended stay. My time was split in Tokyo, Hakone/Mt Fuji and Kyoto, where I would hang out with my new friend Kay. I went to Japan to see Godzilla X MechaGodzilla directed by Masaaki Tezuka and the debut of his Kiryu at the HUMAX in Ikebukuro. Months before my arrival, the final draft of the script by Mimura Wataru was printed on May 13, 2002. I wish I owned a copy of the original script, but it has been reproduced on the CD-ROM included with the Toho SF Special Effects Movie Series Special Edition Godzilla X MechaGodzilla 2003 GX MG. Movie Ticket | OST | Tokyo SOS Script
10
The Design of Godzilla
Stamped on my memory
I love Godzilla stamps. They’ve been around for decades and make great collectibles. They are a big part of Japanese culture. Godzilla stamps are common at the movies and events. In 1994 I stamped my paper at the Toho theater in Ikebukuro showing Godzilla vs SpaceGodzilla. Stamping was a big part of the history of Godzilla at the movies. I love researching newspapers and TV guides to piece together my childhood memories. The charm of traditional print never fades. How Godzilla was marketed in the program listings, movie ads and reviews is stamped in the zeitgeist of those times. As a graphic designer, who was influenced and inspired by the Herculean efforts of the designers since the 70s, I’m always curious to learn about the old methods, techniques and technologies of that craft. As the design world is going through its next tectonic revolution with the advancement of digital tools and the advent of AI, I was part of the digitization and computerization of print design and the birth of the Internet in the 90s. I remember watching my art director show me the “old way” with paste boards, T-squares and tape as I shared the new software that replaced them. I loved going on press and checking proofs and watching the printing professions work. Their work has always been a black box and nothing less than magical. On Instagram, the history of their work was on display. The Press Room showed off their treasure trove of Godzilla ad blocks and demonstrated how an original Godzilla vs The Thing from 1964 ad was printed. It sent me back into research digging up examples of those blocks in print. Theaters promoted their movies in our local newspapers with black-and-white promotional images created with these blocks. With the fading of physical media, I still love the old ways in the old days. Here are some of those ads from around the U.S. at the time of the release of The Thing on September 17, 1964 in the U.S. 1 2 3 4 5 | Video Source: @horrormuseum
From the Bookshelf
In 1991, Godzilla vs King Ghidorah began special effects filming yesterday, May 9. Production would continue throughout the month of May with filming on May 17. On May 27 the production announcement was held at Toho Studios.There are some great books on this Heisei classic worthy of every bookshelf. Above are a six illustrations by Shinji Nishikawa depicting a one-on-one battle between Godzilla and King Ghidorah closely resemble the actual final scenes from Godzilla vs King Ghidorah Completion (p 34). Below are seven books that are packed with information, illustrations and photography.
Godzilla vs King Ghidorah Toho Sci-Fi Tokusatsu Film Series, Vol. 6 (ゴジラvsキングギドラ 東宝SF特撮映画シリーズ Vol. 6, paperback, 157 pages, Toho Publishing Division, 1/15/1992) with script, storyboards, making of, interviews, featuring a complete film story told through 360 individual shots—alongside the full screenplay, an interview with director Kazuki Omori and intricate details even more deeply than the movie itself.
Godzilla vs King Ghidorah: Complete Monster Collection (Kodansha Hit Books 20) (ゴジラvsキングギドラ怪獣大全集 講談社ヒットブックス20, paperback, 114 pages, Kodansha, 12/15/1991)
Godzilla vs King Ghidorah Official Program Book (25 pages, Toho, 1991)
Godzilla vs King Ghidorah: The Ultimate Showdown Encyclopedia
The Art of Godzilla: Godzilla vs King Ghidorah (ジ•アート•オブ•ゴジラ:『ゴジラvsキングギドラ』のデザイン世界と驚異の特撮映像 by Koichi Kawakita, oversized hardcover, 119 pages, Wani Books, 12/10/1991) showcases the special effects techniques, production designs, storyboards and includes a retrospective on the history of Godzilla with a rare archival footage.
Godzilla vs King Ghidorah Novel (ゴジラvsキングギドラ 小説, by Fumio Tanaka, Asahi Sonorama, paperback, 226 pages, 11/1/1991)
Godzilla vs King Ghidorah Completion (ゴジラvsキングギドラコンプリーション, Hobby Japan, 143 pages, 3/31/2023) is the fifth installment in the “Hobby Jpaan Books: Tokusatsu Completion Series” that chronicles the Godzilla franchise. The book centers on material never before made public—including unearthed photographs and rare archival documents—and is further enriched by interviews with the cast and numerous production staff members, resulting in a volume that is both dense in detail and rich in variety.
08
A Big Bad Monster
A big bad box with a big bad monster arrives at my door from BigBadToyStore. The Kaiyodo MEGA SOFVI Godzilla vs. Destoroyah Godzilla 1995 (海洋堂 MEGA SOFUBI ゴジラVSデストロイア ゴジラ1995 フィギュア) found its home at my house today. This Godzilla surpassed my expectations! The scale, sculpt and stylization are superb matching the intensity of Noriyoshi Ohrai’s movie poster. Learn More
07
National Packaging Design Day
Today the late great director Ishiro Honda was born in 1911. And I discovered that today is also National Packaging Design Day! This day was founded in 2015 to “the artistry, innovation, and crucial role that packaging plays in branding and consumer experience” and “highlights the professionals behind the, often unseen, design process that shapes our daily buying habits and product interactions.” Today I can not only remember the great director who brought Godzilla to life on the big screen but also his work I honor and celebrate when creating box art for his monster Godzilla so many of us love. Last year I was busy designing nearly a dozen boxes. I didn’t get to make a movie but recreate moments I hope triggers memories and nostalgia for every fan and collector. The process often goes unmentioned, unseen and undocumented. While exciting, projects are challenging, time sensitive and full of trial and error with high expectations and limited resources while working in a vacuum. I draw upon years of watching Godzilla movies directed by Honda and more, loving Godzilla toys sculpted by legends and packaged by great artists, collecting Godzilla books written and design by people I wish I knew, and developing my Godzilla toy photography as a hobby and Photoshop as a professional. After each project. I frequently think about the unnamed designers who design our books, posters and packaging whose names I wish I knew and don’t appear anywhere. I owe everything to Gee-san, Matsubara-san, Meinji-san, Jeremy and of X-Plus (Japan and North America) and Toho Co. Ltd. Thank you for believing in me and for the many opportunities over the years to make my dream become reality! Growing forward my hope is to make more, learn more and grow more. A wise king once said, “It is a gift of God to enjoy the work of your hands.” Read the short story behind each.
Toho Kaiju Wars Series Godzilla Maquette 54
Toho Daikaiju Series Destoroyah Poster Color Version
Toho Daikaiju Series SpaceGodzilla Poster Color Version
Toho 30cm Series Megalon Purple Version
Yuji Sakai Modeling Collection Godzilla 1954
Yuji Sakai Modeling Collection Godzilla 1991
06
The Tales and Fates of Two Families
I listen to Godzilla movies and soundtracks as I sleep and I often wake up to gloomy, dark and sorrowful tracks of Terror of MechaGodzilla (1975), fitting for Godzilla’s final departure in the Showa era but contrast with the big band sound of Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla (1974). Then I began to reflect on the two daughters of the Showa-era MechaGodzilla series and their striking similarities and significant differences. Two families, two fathers and two daughters couldn’t be more similar and different. In MechaGodzilla, there is the Azumi royal family contrasted with the shamed and isolated Mafune family in Terror. A grandfather and father with troubled histories. There are no mothers, but they are monsters. King Caesar protects and Titanosaurus destroys. Princess Nami has her grandfather’s love. Katsura is nurtured and manipulated by her father’s desire for revenge. Nami is a princess and Katsura is dismantled, dismembered and disfigured into a cyborg. The former represents an ancient kingdom and the latter a new alien world order. Naomi is fragile, soft and vulnerable. Katsura is broken, tragic and hardened. One is public and the other private. One prays and the other preys. One kneels and sings to awaken the savior of her people at the sea but the other sits in silence summoning her monster from the ocean to destroy the people. Both are captured and abused by alien invaders. Yet Nami is saved while Katsura is sacrificed. One has a vision of the coming destruction of the world by the monsters. The other opens her eyes and unleashes the destructive power of her monsters on earth. Nami has royal blood but Katsura bleeds. Nami is covered in beautiful garments. Katsura is exposed then dressed like a robot dominatrix armed to kill. After her monster returns to slumber, Princess Nami lives happily ever running across the hilltop royal castle while others watch in the final scene. In the end, Katsura takes her life to spare the world and her lover Ichinose carries her lifeless body to the edge of the cliff as Godzilla returns to the sea. One family was saved and the other lost forever.
04
If Toys Could Talk
Big Buys, No Regrets
Collecting Godzilla can be very expensive. There’s a Godzilla for everyone, one at every price point. Collecting is a privilege and not a right. Prices are real and everything I want is not affordable. Every collectible we want we can’t have. But sometimes we have to have it, we cannot live without it or we will have deep regrets. So we figure out a way, check and not break our budget and leave ourselves in debt. Years ago, on a Saturday afternoon during our regular collectible shopping spree in New York I spotted the Godzilla 50th Anniversary Memorial Box for $300 at Image Anime. I really wanted it. I went back and forth with myself calculating and rationalizing. I turned to my friend Eric to work it out. In the end I decided to walk away. And I so regretted that decision for years. The box set had exclusive content and price became out of reach as the year passed. Since then I pull the trigger on the big stuff I know I will regret not buying. I pay with cash on hand and make sure I have incoming freelance projects to cover the price. Over the past several years I’ve gone back to get what I left on the shelf and in the shopping cart. I did that on Friday and I can’t wait for that Godzilla’s arrival. Today I can look around my collectible room and identify big buys without regrets. What Godzilla collectible did you have to spend a lot for but you have no regrets? If you had missed out on it, you would feel a hole was in your collection and that you let one get away. Here are a few of my big buys.
02
Where were you on Saturday, May 2, 1981 at noon? I was on an island in front of the TV watching Godzilla and Anguirus head to Tokyo to fight the new monster Gigan and King Ghidorah in Godzilla on Monster Island which aired at noon on Channel 29. Only released in the U.S. just four years earlier in 1977, I had little information about the movie except for this description in Giant Poster Book Movie Monsters (1979, Watermill Press). Four years later in 1985, I returned to the island once again on Ch 29’s Theater Bizarre but this time recording every second with the family VCR.
The Daily Bookshelf
Movies, Monsters & Mechs
Today one of the latest Godzilla books arrived, Fierce Battle with Godzilla! Toho Monster•Mechanical Encyclopedia (ゴジラ撃滅! 東宝怪獣・メカニカル大鑑), “a comprehensive guide and introduction to all the various mechanical wonders in Toho’s tokusatsu film history.” And I’m thoroughly impressed! I’m blown away by this oversized 192-page soft cover book published by Kodansha. This volume is packed with details on large spreads with color photos that will draw you into its details about the devices, gadgets, machines, robots, JSDF weapons, vehicles and more from Godzilla (1954) to Godzilla -1.0 (2023).
01
Little did I know
Scrolling through posts yesterday I came across a fascinating post from Takehiko Hoadashi (㠶足タケヒコ @picapixels), friend of Director Shinji Higuchi and staff on Shin Godzilla. He wrote: ｢樋口監督とご飯食べてて聞いたけど シン・ゴジラが手のひら上向なのは爆弾を持って運んでるイメージて言ってた｡｣ “I was having dinner with Director Higuchi, and he mentioned that the reason Shin Godzilla’s palms face upward is to evoke the Image of him carrying a bomb.” Following another post I discovered in an article in which Mansai Nomura, the actor who portrayed Godzilla, discussed the gesture in which Godzilla holds his palms facing upward that was actually a suggestion made by Nomura himself. He explained his reasoning, “Dragons are often depicted holding a jewel, and Buddhist statues also typically hold their palms facing upward.”
A Great One that didn’t get away
A couple days ago, the DesuGoji figure that I really wanted since its release popped up on sale at a discounted price. I couldn’t walk away, so I snagged it today. As Godzilla fans and collectors know there are some irresistible collectibles that we can’t live without. I would have deep regret if I missed out on it again. This figure will be my best! In anticipation of its arrival, I’m celebrating my favorite Godzilla 1995 figures.
Marmit Godzilla 1995
Fantazzzy TOYS Burning Godzilla
Medicom Godzilla Vinyl Wars Godzilla 1995
X-Plus Yuji Sakai Godzilla 1995
X-Plus Gigantic Godzilla 1995
MyKaiju Korner
After a long wait and my package lost in the mail, I finally have in hand the beautiful Toho Monsters Kit Godzilla 2023 Godzilla Card Game card (back, c. 2.5 × 3.5 inches) featuring digital art and TMK logo created by MyKaiju. The photo does not do justice to its quality and its shimmering foil finish. The header and footer text is raised and printed with gold ink. The lower text reads: “During an Advance: Search your deck for up to one Grade III “Godzilla (2023)” with Assault, reveal it, add it to your hand, and shuffle your deck.” The threat level is 8000. Thank you Toho and X-Plus for the honor and privilege to make a representation of Godzilla. Learn More | 4.29
MyKaiju box art has made it to Godzilla.com with the availability of the Toho Monsters Kit Godzilla 2023 plastic model kit. “This snap-fit kit requires no glue and features articulated parts, including an opening jaw and a tail that rotates in multiple sections for dynamic posing. Designed for both display and customization, it captures the modern Godzilla’s powerful presence in model form. (Material: HIPS, Dimensions: Approx. 5.5” when assembled, Snap-fit model with no glue required, Articulated jaw and multi-joint tail, complete set of parts, Instruction manual, Bonus Godzilla Card Game card with first production only, Recommended for ages 15+, Unpainted, unassembled plastic model kit, Based on 2023’s Godzilla Minus One). It retails for $54.00. Buy Now | 5.8
While my friend Alex is enjoying Japan, he sent me a surprise, photos of the Toho Monsters Kits on display at the “Godzilla Station” at the JR Shinjuku Station. Thanks Alex for thinking about me! 5.22
May Box Daze
More Megalon please! Arriving this morning is this awesome Godzilla vs Megalon block-print advertisement that ran in the Memphis Press-Scimitar on Friday, July 16, 1976. 5.26
After checking out the Mandalorian with Eric and his daughter, we hit up King of Prussia Mall and I was stunned to find this shirt at Uniqlo I wanted upon sight. This is the Toho “Moments for Life” Godzilla t-shirt with a cool collage on front. The front reads, “For moments that last a lifetime, our joy is born from the joy of others.” On the back is written “Peace for All” with a small Toho and Godzilla logo below. What a great idea for a shirt. 5.24
The long-awaited Ishiro Honda Memoirs of a film director documentary Bluray and poster have arrived. The documentary “delves into the life and cinematic career of one of Japan’s most prolific directors: Ishiro Hondo. The film will spotlight Honda’s filmography from both a historical and personal perspective, exploring his contributions to the Japanese film industry and his firsthand experiences of war, from which he barely survived. It will also delve into his profound feelings regarding the atomic bomb, a subject that became an obsession for him and was frequently reflected in his films.” I look forward to enjoying this soon. It was joined by a 24×36″ reprint of the U.S. Godzilla vs Megalon poster. 5.22
I got this cool Godzilla ad for Fox 54 Cablevision 5 in Madison County. This is a great example of the few pictures of Godzilla in print that I had growing up. 5.19
After a long wait and being lost by the mail carrier, my Toho Monsters Kit Godzilla 2023 finally made landfall and landed in my hands from Godzilla.com. The box is bigger than I expected. I’m pleased with the intensity, color and printing. I don’t get a second chance to adjust anything once it leaves my computer. In the old days we had press checks. But deadlines are too tight and I’m too far away from that. The Godzilla Card Game card is inside but I will leave this box unopened. Thank you Toho and X-Plus for the amazing opportunity. 5.18
Another Super Saturday with two awesome boxes waiting at my door waiting for me to return from an early morning neighborhood meeting. The X-Plus Godzilla Junior is absolutely perfect! I love Godzilla print and this Godzilla Game Boy ad is great paper. Then Eric, his daughter and I hit the road for House of Fun and Play with This. I returned with this Super7 Reaction Godzilla Minus One Blind Box figure. 5.16
Yesterday I bemoaned the lack of U.S. Godzilla vs Megalon goods. Today I received a pressbook in the mail. What makes it special is that several ads have been cut out and most likely sent to a newspaper with a request for a print ad in 1976. 5.15
HIYA is knocking on the door and I’m answering the call. Their figures are excellent and inexpensive. This is the HIYA Exquisite Basic Godzilla 2000 figure and I can’t wait to open it. 5.14
My Shogakukan’s Kaiju Series: Definitive Edition Godzilla Books collection just got closer to completion with the addition of volumes 2, 4 and 9. The art is so beautiful. 5.14
This is an handsome Godzilla 1954 which was a record Insert. 5.14
This is a cool set of Mothra vs Godzilla bromides cards. I was expecting them to be a bit larger, but they are cool. 5.14
I wanted more but I’m happy with one newspaper clip from the day Godzilla Minus Zero was announced. I can’t wait to read it. 5.14
I didn’t wait long to buy it and to receive it. The Kaiyodo MEGA SOFVI Godzilla vs. Destoroyah Godzilla 1995 is my best DesuGoji. It was a big buy with no regrets. Godzilla’s footprint is not unmanageable. It’s a good-looking figure that emulates the movie poster perfectly. Kaiyodo knocked it out of the park! 5.8
I picked up a Shin Godzilla Godzilla Monster Head Magnet from Godzilla.com before they sold out. These are sculpted so well. I got few more to add. 5.4
The Ichibankuji Oxygen Destroyer has arrived, completing my set of Mini Mech Figures. There can never be too many Oxygen Destroyers in one’s Godzilla collection. I had to buy another set of 5 doubling the first four I got. But it makes sense to have more than on Planet X Alien and Third Planet Alien saucers along with another P-1. 4.29
We have added another English book on the King of the Monsters with G-Cinema: An Exploration and Celebration of Japan’s Monster King by Daniel DiManna, who “explores and celebrates Godzilla’s first 70 years, the full story of Japan’s kaiju icon revealed through detailed histories, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, cultural connections, and contextualizing thematic analyses” in 235-page hardback book published by FontHill (retail price 34.95). This will become another indispensable resource for research. Buy on Amazon | Barnes & Noble | 4.29
What’s Happening
Look at the Paragon FX Group Jet Jaguar Head in development! Check out Yusuke Hanai’s Godzilla. At the 64th Shizuoka Hobby Show, X-Plus displays a Godzilla (1991) Plastic Model Kit Prototype along with the announcement that Mecha-King Ghidorah kit is in development! Also unveiled is an ARTPLA MechaGodzilla 1975 Re:Imagination, PLAfig. Destoroyah Plasti Model and Kotobukiya Shin Godzilla! New officially licensed Godzilla vs Cavity Colors Biollante collection arrives this Tuesday, May 12 at 5 PM ET!! The much anticipated ARTPLA King Ghidorah is coming with reservations beginning on the first day of Shizuoka Hobby Show, Wednesday May 13. Mondo announces Mothra – Vinyl Designer Figure by Urban Aztec, available for pre-orders from May 5 11 AM CT until May 19 11:59 AM CT. Mothra is 9” tall and 18″ wide wingspan figure. Check out the Fest Godzilla II: Shinjuku Burning PLAfig. PF-06 Burning Millennium Godzilla Model Kit. The kit uses clear orange molding to recreate Godzilla’s fiery red appearance in a fixed-pose plastic model. Super7 rolls out the Toho ULTIMATES! Odo Island Godzilla available on Amazon.com. It has a whopping 28 points of articulation & accessories, including a hinged head. Available at Amazon. Cavity Colors announces the officially licensed SHIN GODZILLA 10th Anniversary Collection.
X-Plus Godzilla (1991) Plastic Model Kit Prototype (Source: @shounen_ric_xp)
ARTPLA MechaGodzilla 1975 Re:Imagination (Source: @godzilla_jp)
PLAfig. Destoroyah Plasti Model (Source: @hobby_magazine)
Kotobukiya Shin Godzilla (Source: @godzilla_jp)
My preorder list
PLAfig. Burning Millennium Godzilla Kit
Hiya Destoroyah
X-Plus Godzilla Junior
Spiral Studio Godzilla 2023
XPNA TKWS Destoroyah
Monsters Roar Attack Godzilla (2004)
Just about all set for another year at Kaiju Brooklyn from May 30-31, 2026. It will be a bigger group of us going up this year. Learn More | 5.27
Godzilla vs. Megaguirus: G Plan 4K Digital Remastered Edition screening begins Friday, May 22 in Japan. “In a world where the original Godzilla didn’t die and the capital was relocated to Osaka, with shocking visuals like Shibuya submerged, this film challenges with innovative imagery! Now reborn as a stunning 4K remaster, it hits the big screen in theaters!” More info | 5.21
The true identity of the enemy who appeared at the end of the previous installment is…! The final scene of the previous installment, “Godzilla Fes!! Shinjuku Ablaze”: Suddenly appearing right before the eyes of Burning Millennium Godzilla—who has just laid waste to Shinjuku—stands a formidable new adversary: Monster X! Get ready for the clash of the century, unfolding against the backdrop of a Shinjuku reduced to ruins! Next week, the full scope of the project will finally be revealed. More info | 5.26
Akira Ifukube: Fantasy World 2 — 20th Anniversary Memorial Concert (伊福部昭 Fantasy World 2 ～伊福部昭没後二十年祭～) was held on the 9th. The concert exists to carry on the music of Akira Ifukube, the father of Japanese tokusatsu film scores, into the future! The grand concert was held at the Sakura Hall in Hokutopia, Tokyo, featuring an extensive program drawn exclusively from the works of the late Akira Ifukube—one of Japan’s most distinguished composers and the creator of iconic scores ranging from “Godzilla” to a multitude of other titles. Godzilla vs King Ghidorah was a program highlight. Guests | More info | 5.9
MyKaiju Goodies
MyKaiju Wallpaper
Cool Pics
May Calendar
Kow Otania (5/1)
Ishiro Honda (5/7)
Megumi Odaka (5/9)
Toshihiro Ogura (5/9)
Yusuke Kawazu (5/12)
Akira Watanabe (5/13)
Kenji Sahara (5/14)
Yoshio Tsuchiya (5/18)
Raymond Burr (5/21)
Hideaki Anno (5/22)
Satomi Kobayashi (5/24)
Kenpachiro Satsuma (5/27)
Towako Kimijima (5/30)
Akira Ifukube (5/31)
May 1
1978: Tokusatsu Superstar Fantastic Collection No. 5「ファンタスティック コレクション No.5 特撮映像の巨星 スーパースター ゴジラ」(Asahi Sonorama 5.1.1978)
May 2
2015: Godzilla and the World of Special Effects Art Exhibit「ゴジラと特撮美術の世界展」was held at the Miyazaki Art Center in Miyazaki City
2016: The “Godzilla Music Festival in Kyoto – Commemorating the 10th Anniversary of of the death of Akira Ifukube”「ゴジラ音楽祭 in 京都~伊福部昭没後10年に寄せて〜」 was held at the ROHM Theatre in Kyoto
“Shonen Club” May 1955 issue supplement Godzilla Raids Again Toho Movie Monster Story「ゴジラの逆襲 東宝映画化 怪獣絵物語」(5.1955)
May 3
1990: Massachusetts Institute of Technology sends a letter of invitation to Kazuto Kirishima of the Tsukuba Institute of Biotechnology. [From the postmark on the envelope/It is difficult to tell from the screen, but it can be seen in the prop photo published in “Heisei Godzilla Perfection”『平成ゴジラパーフェクション』(ASCII Media Works)]
1956: Godzilla, King of the Monsters!, a re-edited version of Godzilla directed by Ishiro Honda, is released in Massachusetts, USA.
2015: Kaiju Market Deluxe「怪獣市場デラックス」held in Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture. Until the following day, the 4th. [Monster goods sale/On the 3rd, there was a talk by Robert Scott Field (Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah android) and a monster drawing class by Nishikawa Shinji, etc.]
May 4
1998: Episode 149 of Godzilla Island, “Gorath Volcanic Eruption”『ゴジラアイランド』第149話「ゴラス火山噴火」airs. The Goras volcano, adjacent to the island, erupts.
May 6
2003: The experiment of Kiryu’s ultimate weapon, Absolute Zero, is carried out. (From date of archive footage, Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla)
1999: The final draft of “Godzilla 2000 Millennium,” scripted by Kashiwabara Hiroshi and Mimura Wataru, is printed. [Included on the CD-ROM included with the Toho SF Special Effects Movie Series SPECIAL EDITION GODZILLA 2000 MILLENNIUM (Toho), released on December 11, 1999]
May 7
1973: Nippon TV airs episode 6 of “Shooting Star Man Zone” titled “King Ghidorah’s Counterattack!”『流星人間ゾーン』第6話「キングギドラの逆襲!」King Ghidorah makes his appearance.
May 8
1992: Special effects filming for Godzilla vs Mothra begins.
2001: Main filming for “Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack” begins.
May 9
1991: Special effects filming begins for Godzilla vs King Ghidorah.
May 10
1967: In Shigeru Mizuki’s manga “Kitaro of the Graveyard” (Kodansha) 『墓場の鬼太郎』(講談社), the origin of Mechani-Kong and MechaGodzilla – a giant robot modeled after a giant sea monster – appears.
May 13
2002: Mimura Wataru’s script “Godzilla x MechaGodzilla” final draft printed. [Included on the CD-ROM included with the Toho SF Special Effects Movie Series SPECIAL EDITION GODZILLA X MECHAGODZILLA 2003 GX MG (Toho) on January 25, 2003]
1974: Toho Studio’s 7th stage burns down. Special effects for the forest fire scene in Nostradamus’s Prophecy (special effects director: Teruyoshi Nakano) A real fire broke out during filming, and the fire engines were unable to put it out, so the stage was destroyed. [From the date of the newspaper article at the time/The film was released as scheduled in August of the same year/The 7th stage was rebuilt in 2003]
1908: Akira Watanabe. Died 1999. Godzilla ~ Invasion of Astro-Monster Special Art Director. King Ghidorah, Baragon, Manda, and others designed
May 14
2002: Submarine sinks. Is it Godzilla!? Two Satsuma midget submarines of the Japanese Defense Forces, investigating the whereabouts of a US nuclear submarine that went missing off the coast of Guam, encounter a creature that resembles Godzilla. Unit 2 is destroyed. (From Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack, date according to the setting materials]
1996: Special effects filming begins for Mothra (1996).
1967: Prince Hiro (now Crown Prince) examines “World Series: Kaiju Pictorial” (Akita Publishing) and its sequel “Kaiju Encyclopedia” at the Takashimaya bookstore. He purchases the latter. This was during the first Kaiju boom, and this news revealed that Prince Hiro was also a Kaiju fan. Learn More
1932: Kenji Sahara was born. He played roles as a newspaper reporter and a cruise ship couple (uncredited) in Godzilla, as Kazuo Fujita in King Kong vs Godzilla, as businessman Jiro Torahata in Mothra vs Godzilla, as team leader Kanamaki (TV reporter) in Ghidorah The Three-Headed Monster, as observer Morio in Son of Godzilla, as lunar base captain Nishikawa in All Monsters Attack, as Miki Kenkichi (father) in Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla, as captain of the Queen Coral (ferry), as the Defense Force commander in “MechaGodzilla: Retaliation”, as Director General of the Defense Agency in Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla and Godzilla vs SpaceGodzilla, as Director General Segawa Takayuki in Godzilla Final Wars, as Hachiro Jinguji (paleontologist), and many others]
2014: To commemorate the 60th anniversary of Godzilla’s birth, Toho released low-priced DVDs of all Godzilla films for a limited time.
May 15
2002: Bike gang members who entered the Otagiri Tunnel at the foot of Mt. Myoko in Niigata Prefecture are buried alive by Baragon who awakens underground in Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001)
1966: First broadcast of Toho monster movies on television. Godzilla Raids Again aired on the TBS network. [Aired from 8 pm to 9:26 pm. The day was a Sunday / Godzilla Raids Again was aired again on New Year’s Eve that same year]
1967: Japan’s first monster magazine for adults, “World Monsters and Monsters Complete Collection” (Kinema Junposha) 『世界怪物怪獣大全集』(キネマ旬報社), supervised by Otomo Shoji, is published. There are many references to Godzilla and other Toho monsters, and it was considered a valuable resource at the time when there were no monster books for adults/December 25, 1996, it was reprinted as “Otomo Shoji Collection” along with “World Science Fiction Movie Encyclopedia” and “Mystery and Fear.”
1974: Godzilla appears in “Small Movie Beginner Series 9 Special Effects Strategy Anime and Trick” (Genkosha) 『小型映画 Beginner Series9 特撮大作戦アニメとトリック』. [A how-to book on special effects focusing on 8mm films/A still from the petrochemical complex scene in Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla is used in the section “Special Effects Tricks and Secrets Revealed” by Nakano Teruyoshi]
May 16
1966: Gaira is spotted off the coast of the Miura Peninsula (Frankenstein’s Monster Sanda vs Gaira). [From the date in the Jiji Shimpo newspaper. The date of the newspaper is not shown on the screen, but can be seen in a prop photo published in “Toho Special Effects Monster Movie Encyclopedia” (Asahi Sonorama), edited by Takeuchi Hiroshi]
1992: Printed the final draft of Omori Kazuki’s script Godzilla vs Mothra. [The script was included in “Toho SF Special Effects Movie Series Vol. 7 Godzilla vs. Mothra” (Toho Publishing, Product Business Department) on January 15, 1993]
1999: The Simpsons Season 10, Episode 23, “Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo”, aired in the US. The plane the Simpsons are on returning from a trip to Japan is attacked by Godzilla. Rodan, Mothra, and Gamera also appear. [In this episode, signs in the Tokyo streets say “Godzilla”, “Barugon”, “Rodon”, and “Anguilla”, and the picture of a four-story pagoda in a hotel room has the word “Mothra” written on it/not aired in Japan]
2002: The Defense Forces use the missile vehicle Taiho to drill rocks in the collapsed Otagiri Tunnel. At night, a Mothra larva appears from Lake Ikeda in Kagoshima Prefecture (Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack)
2014: Godzilla directed by Gareth Edwards is released in the US.
May 17
1985: NHK General TV aired “Eiji Tsuburaya’s Dream Monster Godzilla Birth”「円谷英二夢の怪獣ゴジラ誕生」 on “Talking Biography”『おしゃべり人物伝』.
1991: Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah begins filming.
2002: The bodies of 11 young people are found wrapped in strange cocoons at Lake Ikeda. At night, Godzilla lands on Magote Island in the Ogasawara Islands with Typhoon No. 4. in Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack.
May 18
1966: Episode 19 of Ultra Q, “The Challenge of 2020,” aired. Godzilla’s roar was used for the Kemurians (after they had grown giant).
2002: Godzilla attacks the Defense Force helicopter Albatross while investigating Magonote Island in Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack
1998: Roland Emmerich’s Godzilla world premiere at Madison Square Garden.
May 19
2002: An earthquake of magnitude 7 or higher was observed at the foot of Mt. Fuji from Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack
May 20
Year unknown/Yuki Ichinose, a science magazine reporter who writes about out-of-place artifacts, is born (from Godzilla 2000 Millennium)
2002: The Chief Cabinet Secretary announces that Godzilla was the one who attacked an American nuclear submarine and destroyed the island of Magonote. The government issues a state of emergency alert around the coast of Japan, and the Defense Force issues a defense deployment order for the whole of Japan, laying a detection network in the seas around Japan (Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack)
1992: The production announcement for Godzilla vs Mothra is held at Toho Studios.
1919: Birthday of Kannoda Kenichiro, producer of Frankenstein’s Monster: Sanda vs Gaira, died August 7, 1983.
1935: Birthday of Inoue Daisuke, who played the role of a non-commissioned officer crushed by Hedorah in Godzilla vs Hedorah, among others (died August 12, 1977).
1948: Birthday of Tetsuo Genda, voice of Colonel Douglas Gordon (Don Frye) in Godzilla Final Wars (2004)
2016: A talk show with Shinji Higuchi will be held after the screening of Godzilla (1984) at the “Godzilla Returns to Jimbocho: Shin Godzilla Movie All-Out Attack”「ゴジラ、神保町再降臨シン・ゴジラ映画総進撃」event being held at the Jimbocho Theater in Tokyo. [“Godzilla Returns to Jimbocho: Shin Godzilla Movie All-Out Attack” is a Godzilla special project following “Godzilla Release Commemoration/60th Anniversary Godzilla Movie All-Out Attack” held at the same theater in 2014, with 29 films from the series screened daily from May 7 to June 17, 2016]
May 21
1917: Birthday of Raymond Burr, who played Steve Martin in Godzilla, King of the Monsters and Godzilla 1985. He died September 12, 1993.
1926: Birthday of Chieko Nakakita, who played Kane (Yata and Ryota’s mother) in Ebirah, Horror of the Deep. She died September 13, 2005.
1957: Birthday of Akira Shirai, who played Akamatsu Shinji, a robot engineering authority in Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla
1965: Birthday of Kiwako Harada, who played Morimura Chiaki, the magazine reporter for Mu in Godzilla vs King Ghidorah (1991)
2002: DVD “Godzilla vs. Biollante”『ゴジラVSビオランテ』(Toho) released. First time on DVD/Jewel case/Includes the making of “Godzilla vs. Biollante”/Audio commentary by Omori Kazuki and Kawakita Koichi
2003: DVD Invasion of Astro-Monster (Toho) released. First time on DVD/Jewel case/Includes 8mm “Godzilla Goes to Space!”/Audio commentary by Tsuchiya Yoshio]
May 22
2000: Special effects filming begins for Godzilla vs. Megaguirus: G Annihilation Strategy.
1931: Birthday of Mikimoto Shinsuke, who played the role of Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Office, Kakurai, in Godzilla (1984).
1949: Birthday of Otake Makoto, who played role of Tomokane Tsuyoshi, president of Marutomo Kanko, in Godzilla vs Mothra (1992)
1957: Birthday of Morisu Shinji, cameraman in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah and Lieutenant Hayama in Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla
1960: Birthday of Anno Hideaki, Shin Godzilla, general director, scriptwriter, editor, image designer, sound designer, Godzilla concept designer, storyboard
May 23
1954: Shigeru Kayama completes the original Godzilla story, “Script for G-Work Consideration.” (From Shigeru Kayama’s diary)
1961: A Mothra larva heading towards Japan over the Pacific Ocean is attacked by the Japan Maritime and Air Self-Defense Forces at 6 pm, 50 km off the coast of the Miura Peninsula, and disappears, but then appears at Tokyo Dam No. 3 in Okutama in Godzilla x Mothra x MechaGodzilla Tokyo S.O.S.
1997: The film “The Lost World: Jurassic Park,” directed by Steven Spielberg, opens in the US. A Japanese businessman confuses Godzilla with a T. Rex.
2002: Special effects filming of Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla began.
2008: Toho released Godzilla vs Mothra, Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla, and Godzilla vs Destroyah as the fifth Godzilla DVD in a tall case. “Godzilla DVD Collection V” (with “3D Soundtrack Collection 2” as a bonus disc) containing these in a box was also released on the same day.
May 24
1961: The Mothra larvae destroy the Tokyo Third Dam in Okutama, causing 43 houses to be washed away and 128 people to go missing, and move east along the Ome Kaido (Godzilla x Mothra x Mechagodzilla Tokyo SOS). In the original 1961 Mothra, this event occurred on February 24th.
2002: Baragon appears from the ground near Motosu Police Station in Yamanashi Prefecture. Meanwhile, Godzilla lands at Yaizu Port in Shizuoka Prefecture, ravages Shimizu City (now Shizuoka City) and Fuji City, and then defeats Baragon at Owakudani in Hakone. Also, a giant cocoon appears at Lake Ikeda. At night, an adult Mothra emerges from it and flies off to the east. Ghidorah awakens at the foot of Mount Fuji, and the three monsters engage in a fierce battle in Yokohama (Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack.
1993: Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla main film begins.
May 25
1994: United Nations G-Force Center robot engineer Aoki Kazuma (played by Takashima Masahiro) is ordered by the guide at the Garuda Exhibition Hall to be transferred to G-Force (Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla)
2002: Godzilla is wiped out thanks to the work of the special submarine Satsuma (Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack)
1954: A meeting is held at Kikutei in Shibuya to discuss the “G Works” (Godzilla). Attendees include Tanaka Tomoyuki, Honda Ishiro, Tsuburaya Eiji, Kayama Shigeru, Murata Takeo, and others (From Shigeru Kayama’s diary/From that night until the 27th, Shigeru Kayama was holed up in Kikutei and rewrote the original “Script for G-Works Review” for “Godzilla”).
2004: The production announcement for Godzilla Final Wars was held at the Imperial Hotel in Hibiya.
1955: Birthday of Shin’ichiro Kobayashi, who had the original idea for Godzilla vs Biollante, original idea for Space Godzilla in Godzilla vs Space Godzilla, etc. His main occupation is dentist.
1963: Birthday of Kensuke Aoshima, who played the role of Super XIII pilot in Godzilla vs Destroyah (1995).
1967: The fifth episode of the TV drama “That Guy in the Sun” Episode 5 “All Monsters Assemble” 『太陽のあいつ』第5話「怪獣全員集合」 airs. The main character (Yabuki Wataru) goes to the Kaiju Panorama at Takarazuka Family Land.
1967: You can see footage of the Kaiju Panorama (Kaiju Expo) (怪獣パノラマ(怪獣博)) held at Takarazuka Family Land at the time. There is a giant Ultraman sign at the entrance. Exhibits include King Ghidorah (with a moving head), Ebirah (with a land-like body), Mothra (with moving wings), Ultraman, and Alien Baltan. Yabuki Wataru is famous for his role as Akechi Kogoro in “Boy Detectives BD7”.
May 26
1994: Yuri Katagiri is assigned to the Robotics Division of the United Nations G-Force Center. Engineer Aoki Kazuma is informed that he will be seconded to G-Force (Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla).
1993: The production announcement for Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla is held at Toho Studios.
1925: Birthday of Hiroaki Hagiwara (died January 13, 1984), who composed the secondary theme song “Go! Go! Godzilla” (Toho Records) for Godzilla vs Gigan] [『地球攻撃命令ゴジラ対ガイガン』副主題歌「ゆけ!ゆけ!ゴジラ」(東宝レコード)作曲]
1961: Toshio Miike, special effects art for Godzilla vs Biollante to Shin Godzilla
May 27
1991: The production announcement for Godzilla vs King Ghidorah is held at Toho Studios.
1995: The draft of Omori Kazuki’s script Godzilla vs Destroyah is printed.
1947: Birthday of Satsuma Kenpachiro (Nakayama Kengo), Godzilla suit actor from Godzilla (1984) to Godzilla vs Destroyah. In Showa Godzilla, he played Hedorah and Gigan under the name Nakayama Kengo.
May 28
2004: Godzilla Final Wars begins filming in Sydney, Australia.
2004: DVD Godzilla vs Gigan (Toho) released.
May 29
1957: Godzilla, King of the Monsters, a re-edited version of Honda Ishiro’s Godzilla, returns to Japan in triumph. Japan release version of Godzilla, King of the Monsters!. The top and bottom of the standard screen have been cut off and it was released in Cinemascope size.
1962: Completion of the 11th stage dedicated to special effects at Toho Film Studios (now Toho Studios).
2003: Special effects filming begins for Tokyo S.O.S.
2020: Scheduled release date for the Hollywood version of Godzilla vs King Kong (working title).
May 30
1984: Printing of the final draft of Nagahara Shuichi’s script Godzilla. Although this was the final draft, a revised version was printed on July 16th
1996: Filming began on Mothra (1996)
May 31
1984: Printing of the second half of the final draft of Nagahara Shuichi’s script Godzilla. A separate print/final draft of the ending, which had been kept top secret, was later printed on July 16th as a revised version.
1914: Ifukube Akira (registered birth date: March 5th). Died on February 8th, 2006.
2006: ”Experience History of Postwar Social Conditions”『戦後世相の経験史』(Serika Shobo) includes a critique by Yoshii Hiroaki entitled “The Fantasy-ized Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs and Nuclear Power Images – Godzilla and Special Effects Film Texts”「ファンタジー化する原水爆そして原子力イメージーゴジラ映画・特撮映画というテクスト」
Source: ゴジラ365日 毎日がゴジラの日, Yosensha Publishing Co, Ltd.
Welcome to MyKaiju Daily, a daily diary and journal. While I’m in between writing articles and doing new toy photography, there’s daily Godzilla news I would like to comment on. This is a space for my quick blurbs, shares, comments and more on the old and new stuff about Godzilla. Growing up we had the Weekly Reader in school. This is my version as an adult Godzilla fan. Made by my Mac and best for desktop browsing. Thanks for visiting!