Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters (GODZILLA -怪獣惑星- Gojira: Kaiju Wakusei, also known as Godzilla Part 1: Planet of the Monsters and Godzilla: Monster Planet for short) is a 2017 Japanese computer-animated science fiction kaiju film featuring Godzilla, produced by Toho Animation and animated by Polygon Pictures. It is the 32nd film in the Godzilla franchise, the 30th Godzilla film produced by Toho, and the first animated film in the franchise. The film is the first in a trilogy and is co-directed by Kōbun Shizuno and Hiroyuki Seshita, with a screenplay by Gen Urobuchi. Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters was released theatrically in Japan on November 17, 2017 and released worldwide on Netflix on January 17, 2018. (Wikipedia)
Story
20世紀末、人類は環境変化が原因で地球上に出現した巨大生物「怪獣」の脅威に晒されるようになった。なかでもほかの怪獣を駆逐する力をもった「ゴジラ」の暴威は凄まじく、半世紀に渡り敗走を重ねた人類は種全体の存続を図り、一部の人間を他星に移住させる計画を立案する。2048年、恒星間移民船の1つ「アラトラム号」はコンピュータによって選抜された一部の人間と、同盟を結んでいた異星人種「エクシフ」と「ビルサルド」の人員を乗せ、11.9光年彼方の惑星くじら座タウ星eを目指して旅立った。
怪獣惑星[編集]
20年後。人類はくじら座タウ星eに到着するが、そこは人類が生存するには適さない環境だった。中央委員会は志願者を募り入植を強行しようとするが、入植に反対するハルオは拘束され、志願者たちも降下中の事故で全員死んでしまう。中央委員会は今後の対応策を協議するが、船内ではハルオが立案した「対ゴジラ戦術」の情報がリークされ、地球への帰還を望む意見が大勢を占めたため、船長モーリは地球への帰還を決定する。アラトラム号は長距離亜空間航行を用い、往路よりもはるかに短い時間で地球へ帰還するが、地球では亜空間航行の影響で約2万年もの歳月が経過しており、さらにゴジラが生存していることが判明する。中央委員会は帰還を諦めようとするが、メトフィエスの提案でハルオの「対ゴジラ戦術」が採用され、地球への部隊派遣が決定する。
保釈されたハルオはリーランド率いる部隊に同行してゴジラを捜索するが、部隊がセルヴァムの群れに襲撃され被害を受ける。リーランドは被害の甚大さを見て撤退を命令し、ゴジラの抹殺を主張するハルオと対立するが、メトフィエスの仲裁により「事前の作戦ルートを行軍しつつ仲間の部隊と合流して撤退する」という案を採用する。しかし、リーランドの部隊は行軍中にゴジラに遭遇して被害を出してしまう。拘束を解かれたハルオはゴジラの電磁パルスパターンのデータを得ようと単身ゴジラに挑み、彼を支援するため戦車でゴジラに攻撃を仕掛けたリーランドが戦死する。ハルオたちはガルグの部隊と合流し、メトフィエスが中央委員会の許可を得て指揮権を掌握するが、彼は独断で指揮権をハルオに委譲し、ハルオは作戦の続行を指示する。
ハルオたちは作戦通りにゴジラを誘い込み、ハルオは自らパワードスーツに乗り込んでゴジラに肉薄し止めを刺した。多くの犠牲を出しながら念願のゴジラの抹殺を果たし隊員たちは喜ぶが、マーティンはゴジラが経過年月と比較して何の変化もないことから、2万年前に現れたゴジラとは別個体である可能性を指摘する。そこに、人類文明を滅ぼし、2万年間進化を続けてきた「ゴジラ・アース」が姿を現す。ハルオは部隊に退却を命令するが、ゴジラによって壊滅させられてしまう。
Wikipedia: In the last summer of the 20th century, giant monsters began appearing all over the world and wreaking havoc. A powerful creature called Godzilla appeared which destroyed humans and monsters alike. Two species of aliens, the Exif and the Bilusaludo, arrived with the former attempting to convert humanity to their religion and the latter seeking to emigrate to Earth with promises to defeat Godzilla with Mechagodzilla, should humanity accept them. However, the Bilusaludo were unable to activate Mechagodzilla, which forced the aliens and humanity to abandon Earth and emigrate to Tau Ceti e.
20 years later and 11.9 light years away, Captain Haruo Sakaki locks himself in a shuttle, threatening to bomb the area unless the ship leaves Planet Tau-e and abandons the emigration project. Haruo believes the planet is uninhabitable and the emigration crew only consists of the elderly, including his grandfather, because he believes the ship’s committee are trying to reduce the population due to limited resources. Haruo fails, is arrested and thrown in a cell where he witnesses the emigration shuttle exploding upon entering the planet.
Metphies, an Exif priest, visits Haruo, where he hands him classified data regarding Godzilla. Haruo anonymously publishes an essay detailing Godzilla’s weak points, which convinces the central committee to return to Earth after concluding that finding another habitable planet seems unlikely. Upon returning to Earth, the ship sends recon drones to scout the Earth but reveal that Godzilla is still alive after all these years.
Metphies explains to the committee that they cannot co-exist with Godzilla and suggests killing it. He also explains that the anonymous essay was the result of a thorough investigation and is sound, promising to reveal the author under the condition that Haruo is released.
Haruo is released on bail and explains to the committee that a certain unknown organ in Godzilla’s body can emit a high frequency electromagnetic pulse that generates an asymmetrical permeable shield. Haruo proposes shoving an EMP probe within the cracked organ before it regenerates so Godzilla can implode. However, Haruo stresses that close quarters combat would be needed for accurately coordinated attacks in order to find its weak organ, as well as 600 people.
The committee reluctantly accepts and upon landing two battalions on Earth, discovering that 20,000 years have passed and that Godzilla’s presence has radically altered Earth’s biosphere. They are attacked by a group of flying creatures and Leland, the company’s commander, orders a retreat but Metphies stresses that they would need to rendezvous with Companies D and E through a pass where Godzilla frequents.
However, once the group mobilizes, they encounter Godzilla. Haruo proceeds with the original plan on his own and attacks Godzilla. Leland manages to provoke Godzilla to use its atomic breath, but at the cost of his life. Leland’s actions reveal that Godzilla’s weak point is its dorsal fins. Command falls to Metphies, who promotes Haruo to commander. In a speech, Haruo convinces the remaining survivors to continue with the plan and defeat Godzilla.
The group attacks Godzilla and manage to trap it within a collapsed mountain pass. EMP probes are drilled into Godzilla’s dorsal fins which causes it to implode. Martin Lazzari, the group’s environmental biologist, theorizes that this Godzilla may be different from the one that drove humanity away, believing it to be an offspring. Subsequently, the original Godzilla, which has grown several times larger, surfaces from beneath a nearby mountain and destroys the remaining crew. Trapped beneath rubble, Haruo watches Godzilla leave, vowing to kill it.
In a post-credits scene, Haruo wakes up in a secluded area, finding a local girl next to him.
Cast & Characters
Haruo Sakaki (Played by Mamoru Miyano, English by Chris Niosi)
Rachelle Heger (young Haruo)
Metphies (Played by Takahiro Sakurai, English by Lucien Dodge)
Martin Lazzari (Played by Tomokazu Sugita, English by Edward Bosco)
Mulu Elu Galu Gu (Played by Junichi Suwabe, English by Jamieson Price)
Rilu-Elu Belu-be (Played by Kenta Miyake, English by Rich Brown)
Yuko Tani (Played by Kana Hanazawa, English by Cristina Vee)
Adam Bindewald (Played by Yūki Kaji, English by Robbie Daymond)
Eliott Leland (Played by Daisuke Ono, English by Ray Chase)
Unberto Mori (Played by Kenyu Horiuchi, English by Keith Silverstein)
Halu-Elu Dolu-do (Played by Kazuya Nakai, English by Doug Stone)
Endurphe (Played by Kazuhiro Yamaji Joe Ochman)
Staff
監督 – 静野孔文、瀬下寛之
ストーリー原案・脚本 – 虚淵玄
シリーズ構成 – 虚淵玄、村井さだゆき
脚本協力 – 山田哲也
絵コンテ – りょーちも、島津裕行、佐藤雅子、寺岡巌、大串映二、森田宏幸、吉平“Tady”直弘
副監督 – 森田宏幸
演出 – 吉平“Tady”直弘
キャラクターデザイン原案 – コザキユースケ
プロダクションデザイン – 田中直哉、Ferdinando Patulli
CGキャラクターデザイン – 森山佑樹
造形監督 – 片塰満則
美術監督 – 渋谷幸弘
色彩設計 – 野地弘納
音響監督 – 本山哲
音楽 – 服部隆之
プロデューサー – 吉澤隆
製作 – 東宝
アニメーション制作 – ポリゴン・ピクチュアズ
配給 – 東宝映像事業部
