More Godzilla Scripts

My Godzilla scripts: Godzilla (1954, reprint), Ghidorah The Three-Headed Monsters (1964, reprint), Godzilla vs Biollante (1989, reprint), Godzilla vs Destoroyah (1995, original) and Shin Godzilla (2016, reprint, autographed)

A script (“daikon” 台本) is the written text of a play, movie, or broadcast used primarily during the execution stage of a performance. A script focuses on dialogue between characters and is not ready for the screen like a screenplay is. A screenplay (脚本 きゃくほん “kyakuhon”) is a specific type of script for film and television. It contains the script but it is more complete than a script having a larger scope. A brief, one-page summary of a screenplay is called a synopsis (シノプシス). Both Japanese words 脚本 and 台本 can be translated “script” and “scenario.” But, 脚本 can also be translated “screenplay.” A scenario (シナリオ) contains the script but it is a more general outline of a story used in planning. It contains direction such as story flow, camera movements, lighting, etc. A scenario is used throughout the pre-production and post-production stages to help plan, produce, and edit visual media and other projects. It is less specific and more open-ended than a screenplay. A scenario/script consists of three parts: “pillars” (柱), “stage directions” (ト書き), and “dialogue” (セリフ). It goes through a process of development. The status will be indicated on the cover: proposal (企画書), draft script for review and examination (検討用台本/検討稿), preliminary draft (準備稿), revised version (改訂稿), completed script (完成台本) and final manuscript (決定稿 copy/draft/notes | See example). A final draft or manuscript (稿) has been finalized and does not require any further revisions.

SuperVisual Series Godzilla The 30th Anniversary of Godzilla: The Visual Guide Book of First Godzilla Mook (p. 96):「これは「ゴジラ」 撮影台本決定稿の完全な再録である。 所々、略記号が使用されているので、それについて説明す ると、O・Pはオープン、Lはロケ、Sはセット、(特)は特 撮、(本)は本編、(合)は合成を表している。なお、欠番が26シ ーンあるが、これは準備稿から決定稿へ移る際にカットさ れたもので、例えばシーン27では萩原が子供たちに政治の 家を聞くシーンで、構成上冗長な場面のみ削除されている。」”This is a complete reprint of the Godzilla filming script final draft. Abbreviations are used in places, so to explain them, O/P stands for open, L for location, S for set, (Taku 特) for special effects, (Hon 本) for main story, and (Gou 合) for composite. There are 26 missing scenes, which were cut when moving from the draft to the final draft. For example, in scene 27, Hagiwara asks the children about the political family, and only redundant scenes were deleted from the composition.”

A storyboard (コンテ “conte”, ストーリーボード) is a movie’s visual plan scene by scene and shot by shot accompanied by drawings or sketches in sequence similar to comic book panels. Camera angles, action and dialogue are provided for each scene.

Sample Godzilla (1954) storyboard/conte from SuperVisual Series Godzilla The 30th Anniversary of Godzilla: The Visual Guide Book of First Godzilla Mook

Last, a novelization (小説化 しょうせつか “shosetsuka”) is not an original work but based on some other media story. It adds background material not found in the original work. They are generally longer than screenplays.

Japanese Godzilla movie novelizations (小熱): Godzilla (1954, Shogakukan 小学館, 1993), Godzilla (1954, Kodansha X Bunko　講談社X文庫), Mothra vs Godzilla (1964, Kodansha X Bunko 講談社X文庫, 1984), Godzilla (1984, Kodansha X Bunko 講談社X文庫, 1984), Godzilla -1.0 (2023, Shueisha 集英社, 2023) and Godzilla vs King Ghidorah (1991, Asahi Sonorama Novels, 1991)

Scripts are great for deep dives into the making of Godzilla movies. The more I learn about the making of any Godzilla movie, I want to know more. Scripts allow for film analysis scene by scene and line by line and between the lines. They are time machines that transport us in time and to the movie set where they do show-and-tell of the intentions of the producers, directors, actors and staff. Scripts are historical artifacts like archaeological tels with hidden treasures waiting to be discovered. They are more than subtitles. They can help clarify misunderstood dialogue between characters. For example, what were the words spoken by the Planet X Controller in Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965). Digging through the script will uncover five mysterious glyphs rather than the Japanese. Director Ishiro Honda asked actor Yoshio Tsuchiya to improvise a unique Planet X language using hand gestures and to speak the “Kappa language” from the novel “The Kappa” (1927) by Ryunosuke Akutagawa (芥川龍之介) with an influence from German and French words. In Godzilla vs Biollante (1989), Dr Shirakami’s final monologue in the third draft doesn’t make the final cut, but rather is given to his daughter to say. Consider the impact that has on how we understand his character and evolution in the film.

Planet X Alien Controller mysterious words in Invasion of Astro-Monster Completion (怪獣大戦争コンプリーション, Hobby Japan, 2025) and Dr Shirakami’s quote in Godzilla vs Biollante (1989) draft script in Scenario (Feb, 1990)

In Japan, Godzilla scripts can be found on display at various exhibits held across the country, such as the Tokusatsu DNA. The Toei Film Library (東映太秦映画村図書室) in Kyoto City has in its collection the scripts for Godzilla, Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964), Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965), Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966), Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992), and Godzilla: Final Wars (2004), in which Takarada starred. The library also has a large collection of Godzilla-related scripts and stills.¹

Godzilla scripts on display at various event across Japan.

Looking to collect original Godzilla scripts? They can be found for sale on Japanese online auctions and shops. If you are in Japan, they may be found in second-hand bookstores. But they are usually few and far between and are very expensive. They may be damaged, creased, folded and contain writing. Sometimes original draft scripts can be found.

If they are too expensive, Godzilla scripts are reprinted in older and new print publications. One of the oldest books in my collection, my 40-year-old SuperVisual Series Godzilla The 30th Anniversary of Godzilla: The Visual Guide Book of First Godzilla mook (published by Tokuma Shoten 徳間書店 in 1983), contains both storyboards and scenario for Godzilla (1954). The Godzilla Toho Tokusatsu Pictorial Sketches (ゴジラ東宝特撮ピクトリアルスケッチ) published by Hobby Japan in 2018 compiles the pictorial sketches and storyboards of 17 Toho special effects films from Godzilla 1954 to Battle of the Japan Sea 1969. Movie scenarios, film stories, pictorial sketches and stills are printed in the multi-volume Toho SF Special Effect Film Series (東宝SF特撮映画シリーズ, published by Toho Publishing Division (東宝出版事業室) since 1985. The Godzilla 40th Anniversary Special Box (東宝 ゴジラ生誕40周年記念 特別盤) includes a reprint of the original 1954 final script along with the storyboard and “G Production” (G作品) books. The Techniques of Japanese Tokusatsu Films: Film Making History Film Criticism behind the Scenes (日本特撮技術大全) included the reprints of the Ghidorah The Three-Headed Monster (1964) and Godzilla vs Biollante (1989) scripts. The King Kong vs Godzilla (1962) script will be released as part of the Godzilla & Toho Tokusatsu Official Mook series (ゴジラ＆東宝特撮 OFFICIAL MOOK). Sometimes original draft scripts are reprinted in film journals like Senario (シナリオ). Godzilla” Toho Special Effects Unreleased Materials Archive: Producer Tomoyuki Tanaka and His Era (「ゴジラ」東宝特撮未発表資料アーカイヴ プロデューサー·田中友幸とその時代) is an extensive and amazing collection scripts, drafts, plots, unpublished manuscripts and documents for Godzilla such as Godzilla (1984), Godzilla vs Biollante, Godzilla’s Bride, God’s Godzilla and so much more on 458 pages published by Kadokawa Shoten ( 角川書店) in 2010. Scenarios also appear in special making of Godzilla books such as The Making of Godzilla 1985 Toho’s “Godzilla” Special Effects Complete Record (東宝「ゴジラ」特撮全記録). Character dialogue is printed in comic book format in the Movie Comics Godzilla Series (Movie コミックス ゴジラシリーズ ) published in 1984(5) by Akita Publishing (秋田書店) and in the Godzilla vs Destoroyah Film Comic (フィルムコミック) published by Toho in 1995. Heisei Godzilla movie scenarios and novels were reprinted in the Asahi Sonorama Spaceship Library (朝日ソノラマ 宇宙船文庫) published in small inexpensive books. The new Hobby Japan Godzilla Completion Series publishes scenarios documenting how the script developed from the first draft to final script under a section called “Plot & Scenario.” Reprinted movie scripts are included in The Art of Shin Godzilla (ジ・アート・オブ・シン・ゴジラ) and Scenario 2016 (年鑑代表シナリオ集 ’16 日本シナリオ作家協会). The Godzilla (2023) script was published in The Record of Godzilla -1.0. While original scripts can be hard to find, scenarios are not far from hand. Color storyboards (conte), director’s notes and cinemtatic essays are collected in 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, 1991) and The Art of Godzilla vs Mothra (ジ・アート・オブゴジラVSモスラ: ゴジラVSモスラのデザイン世界と特撮映像, 1992) published by Wani Books (ワニブックス).

Recently, I found two original scripts for Godzilla X Megaguirus and Godzilla, Mothra, MechaGodzilla: Tokyo SOS. Both were director by Masaaki Tezuka (手塚 昌明). The first script is the final draft (決定稿) of Godzilla X Megaguirus (『ゴジラ×メガギラス G消滅作戦』台本) dated 4/7/2000. Toho gifted it to the owner as a thank you for cooperation in the filming. The script is bound in a semi-reflective metallic-silver cover. Google AI Overview states: “There is no official script for “Godzilla vs. Megaguirus: G Annihilation Strategy” that has been made public. Generally, movie scripts are not made public.”

Godzilla X Megaguirus (『ゴジラ×メガギラス G消滅作戦』台本)

The second script is preliminary draft (準備稿) titled Godzilla, Mothra, MechaGodzilla (『ゴジラ•モスラ•メカゴジラ』dated 3/20/2003. The previous owner stated it was a draft script for special effects and related parties. The cover is simple paper with a line for a name and number. It forbids reproduction (禁複写). Other than small light stains and discoloration on the draft script, it is in excellent condition. Godzilla x 3rd Type Kiryu (MechaGodzilla) Completion (ゴジラ×3式機龍(メカゴジラ)コンプリーション) states: “When creating the plot for “Tokyo SOS,” the production team wanted to gather a wide variety of ideas from a wide range of sources, so they commissioned three writers to write the story: Yamada Masashi, Yokotani Masahiro, and Mimura Wataru. This plot was also the first to be completed among the three people who were commissioned to write it.² The bound scenario for Tokyo S.O.S. comes in two versions, a draft and a final draft, as well as a separate storyboard script. There are no particular changes to the storyline between the two scenarios, but there are some small changes to the dialogue and settings.”³

Godzilla, Mothra, MechaGodzilla (『ゴジラ•モスラ•メカゴジラ』関係者用台本

I’m looking forward to examining these new scripts carefully. Godzilla scripts have great value and have a place in every Godzilla collection. If you find one and the cost is within your budget, don’t hesitate something from the making of Godzilla.