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The Godzilla Collection

2.25.2022

As you know by now, 1984 was a busy and important year for Godzilla. Godzilla’s revival had already begun the year before with movie events and the release of new toys and collectibles that marked the beginning of the next Godzilla boom. Marching into the new Godzilla era, Toho was celebrating Godzilla’s 30th Anniversary and the fifteen films released during those decades. At that time, Ishiro Honda and his staff supervised a new project called「ゴジラ • コレクション」“Godzilla Collection.” Director Honda’s Godzilla Collection would focused on bringing together promotional materials. He saw the value in these older film material and felt it was the best gift for the Godzilla manic fan and researcher.1.

Godzilla Collection outside and inside box

The Godzilla Collection is a compilation of 68 reprints of movie materials from Godzilla (1954) to Destroy All Monster (1968) on original quality paper. Included in the set are leaflets, promotional materials, posters, press sheets, and more. This case set was released in 1984 by the Kokusho Kankokai (国書刊行会), a publishing company headquartered in Itabashi, Tokyo. Kokusho was established in 1971 for the purpose of reprinting academic materials2. These originals would not be readily accessible and very expense and difficult to for the majority of fans and collectors. The original list price for the Godzilla Collection was 10,000 yen (main unit price 10,000 yen).

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Here is a closer look at select items along with a complete list of all the items that are included Godzilla Collection list3.

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  1. Godzilla (1954) Cabton • tie-up poster (1030×728)
  2. Godzilla (1954) speed poster (535×188)
  3. Godzilla (1954) car hanging poster (375×513)
  4. Godzilla (1954) color press sheet (284×596)
  5. Godzilla (1954) Toho Photo News (261×380)
  6. Godzilla (1954) tie-up flyer (129×180)
  7. Godzilla (1954) Studio Mail A (261×365)
  8. Godzilla (1954) Studio Mail B (262×363)
  9. Godzilla (1954) press sheet appendix (257×180)
  10. Godzilla (1954) Sunday Entertainment (サンデー藝能, 380×270)
  11. Godzilla Raids Again (1955) car hanging poster (380×514)
  12. Godzilla Raids Again (1955) color press sheet (284×596)
  13. Godzilla Raids Again (1955) Toho Photo News A (256×379)
  14. Godzilla Raids Again (1955) Toho Photo News B (259×380)
  15. Godzilla Raids Again (1955) coloring book (260×184)
  16. Godzilla Raids Again (1955) timetable (100×62)
  17. Godzilla Raids Again (1955) Studio Mail A (247×352)
  18. Godzilla Raids Again (1955) Studio Mail B (248×352)
  19. Godzilla Raids Again (1955) half-cut poster (725×516)
  20. Godzilla Raids Again (1955) car hanging poster (369×516)
  21. Godzilla (1954) color press sheet (721×254)
  22. King Kong vs Godzilla (1962) speed poster (724×253)
  23. King Kong vs Godzilla (1962) Toho Photo News (732×515)
  24. King Kong vs Godzilla (1962) pamphlet (259×726)
  25. King Kong vs Godzilla (1962) Toho Shimbun (547×404)
  26. King Kong vs Godzilla (1962) address book (120×72)
  27. King Kong vs Godzilla (1962) postcard (142×98)
  28. King Kong vs Godzilla (1962) paper toy (369×260)
  29. King Kong vs Godzilla (1962) greetings (285×160)
  30. King Kong vs Godzilla (1962) Theater Promotion Information Book (257×184)
  31. King Kong vs Godzilla (1962) press sheet (260×182)
  32. King Kong vs Godzilla (1962) Studio Mail (250×350)
  33. Mothra vs Godzilla (1962) speed poster (730×253)
  34. Mothra vs Godzilla (1964) tie-up poster (725×1030)
  1. Mothra vs Godzilla (1964) Toho Photo News (597×427)
  2. Mothra vs Godzilla (1964) Toho Shimbun (548×407)
  3. Mothra vs Godzilla (1964) Encyclopedia of Monsters (210×148)
  4. Mothra vs Godzilla (1964) Theater Promotion Information Book (258×182)
  5. Mothra vs Godzilla (1964) press sheet (260×182)
  6. Mothra vs Godzilla (1964) Studio Mail (251×353)
  7. Ghidorah The Three Headed-Monster (1964) speed poster (723×253)
  8. Ghidorah The Three Headed-Monster (1964) Toho Photo News (594×422)
  9. Ghidorah The Three Headed-Monster (1964) Coloring book (282×205)
  10. Ghidorah The Three Headed-Monster (1964) Theater Promotion Information Book (257×182)
  11. Ghidorah The Three Headed-Monster (1964) press sheet (258×183)
  12. Ghidorah The Three Headed-Monster (1964) Studio Mail (251×355)
  13. Invasion of Astro Monster (1965) speed poster (727×260)
  14. Invasion of Astro Monster (1965) coloring book (263×190)
  15. Invasion of Astro Monster (1965) Theater Promotion Information Book (258×183)
  16. Invasion of Astro Monster (1965) press sheet (258×183)
  17. Invasion of Astro Monster (1965) Studio Mail (382×373)
  18. Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966) speed poster (725×258)
  19. Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966) tie-up poster (map) (362×514)
  20. Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966) manga book (180×118)
  21. Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966) Encyclopedia of Monsters (256×180)
  22. Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966) press sheet (260×182)
  23. Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966) Studio Mail (385×360)
  24. Son of Godzilla (1967) speed poster (726×258)
  25. Son of Godzilla (1967) gravure poster (tie-up) (730×512)
  26. Son of Godzilla (1967) coloring book (260×182)
  27. Son of Godzilla (1967) press sheet (261×184)
  28. Son of Godzilla (1967) Studio Mail (384×358)
  29. Son of Godzilla (1967) tokusatsu station set in the picture (202×273)
  30. Destroy All Monsters (1968) SY-3 illustrated poster (727×1028)
  31. Destroy All Monsters (1968) flyer (185×257)
  32. Destroy All Monsters (1968) monster seal (60×144)
  33. Destroy All Monsters (1968) Studio Mail (382×359)
  34. Destroy All Monsters (1968) press sheet (excerpt from the promotional book) (257×180)

The posters in the Godzilla Collection framed and hung will light up every Godzilla collection. The「ゴジラ 1954」(Godzilla 1954), published by Jitsugyo no Nihonsha 実業之日本社 in 1999, makes a great companion to this set. I want to believe the Godzilla Complete Movie DVD Collectors Boxes (ゴジラ全映画DVDコレクターズBOX), released in 2016, was inspired by these older sets. These print collections are a great way to add some print history and credibility to a Godzilla collection.

Terms

車内吊りポスター: A (train) car hanging poster

スピードポスター: A speed poster is a B4 insert or press sheet (half B2). The concept of a “speed poster” is not consistently defined. In general, speed poster sessions allow presenters to briefly showcase their poster and provide attendees with snippets of the content as well as the opportunity for further discussion.

タイアップポスター: A tie-in is an authorized product based on a media property a company is releasing, such as a movie or video/DVD, video game, television program/television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property.

チラシ: A chirashi (scattered, English: flyer) is a single-sheet printed matter used as a medium for mass communication (mainly advertising). In the past, the name Hikifuda was used. Also called a villa.

プレースシート: A press sheet is a full-size sheet as printed during a pressrun and before folding. The sheet size is usually slightly larger than the negative flat, to allow for gripper and trim margins.

References
1 「ゴジラ • コレクション」総解説 “Godzilla • Collection” General Commentary booklet, p 1.
2  Kokusho Kankokai (国書刊行会)
3 「ゴジラ • コレクション」総解説, p 23-39

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