Here comes 1954

10.1.2026

I love the first Godzilla. When original memorabilia becomes available I inquire, investigate and invest. Over the years I’ve built up a small collection of Godzilla print material from 1954 from magazine articles and pages, storyboards, and an assortment print ads. And recently, one up for auction got away from me but I successfully secured another. This ad is from the Million-Dollar Fashion Shibuya Toho Theater (百万弗フアッシヨン 渋谷東宝剋場) pamphlet printed on October 19, 1954 and published on October 20, 1954 by Yoji Hayakawa (Toho Co., Ltd. Headquarters Operations) in association with Shibuya Higashimuro Theater (渋谷東室劇場).

The red ink of the two color advertisement pops and stands out, matching that of the cover. The red evokes harm, danger and death. The image of Godzilla towering over the National Diet Building is promotional still that does not appear in the film. The ad features Emiko Yamane, played by the beautiful actress, Momoko Kochi, in the arms of her lover Hideto Ogata, played by the young Akira Tarada. The copy connects Toho’s new monster Godzilla to the historical reality of the hydrogen bomb test of that era, specifically to U.S. Castle Bravo thermonuclear test and the radiation exposure of the Lucky Dragon No 5 incident on March 1, 1954. It praises the accomplishments of its special effects team for producing a grand spectacle that rivals even American productions. These words are relevant because they can now be said of Shin Godzilla (2016), Godzilla Minus One (2023) and the recently released Godzilla Minus Zero (2026). The closing words of the ad are “Big reveal on November 3rd.” The ledger and bar lines with a music score surrounded what would become quite familiar on Godzilla posters. Here are other instances of the use of this promotional still: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 (Source: ｢ゴジラ 1954｣). The first time the public laid eyes on Godzilla was in three distributed stills at the production announcement on July 5, 1954.

“Hyakuman-doru Fashion” and “Shibuya Toho Theater” refer are associated with a theater that “once existed in Shibuya from the early to mid-Showa era (later known as the Shibuya Toho Kaikan) and the modern live performances and film screenings held there during the pre-war period.” It “Opened on November 1, 1936 (Showa 11) as the Toyoko Movie Theater and was transferred to Toho in the same year becoming the Shibuya Toho Theater. It was located in the area of ​​Dogenzaka, Shibuya Ward (Shibuya Cinema Tower), where the current TOHO Cinemas Shibuya is located. During the pre-war era, terms like “million-dollar” were frequently used for theaters, productions and movie taglines. Fashion shows were attractions at the Shibuya Toho Theater with live performances incorporated between film screenings. When Godzilla was released on November 3, 1954, it was screened at the Shibuya Toho theater. It was said that the line of people waiting to see the film stretched all the way to Dogenzaka.¹ Dogenzaka is an iconic shopping street in Shibuya, Tokyo, that I’ve visited many times.