10.22.17
My closest Godzilla friends know my favorite Godzilla incarnation along with Shin Godzilla is Godzilla 1974. So when the creator of KaijuAddicts.com and FlossiesGifts.com, John Stanowski announced that he would have autographs by Isao Zushi (図師勲) the man who made this Godzilla to life with all his personality, I had to get one.
Zushi-san is often forgotten. Other Godzilla suit actors, Haruo Nakajima and Kenpachiro Satsuma, come to mind. In 1973 he play Gigan in the TV series Zone Fighter. Then in 1974, he dawned the Godzilla suit for the first and last time in a performance I’ll never forget. Later he played the Tyrannosaurus Rex in The Last Dinosaur.
Isao Zushi as Godzilla autographing ‘Head-Butt’ Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla Photo, September 2017, in Yokohama, Japan (Copyright © Flossie’s Gifts)
I love everything about his Godzilla! His head and arm movements, fighting posture, hand gestures (finger snap), his walk and bounce were so distinctive and unique. Godzilla was ready to rumble! There may have been no better Godzilla appearance than his arrival in Okinawa for his rematch with MechaGodzilla. Thank you Zushi-san for being my favorite Godzilla! Let’s take a look at his work with the movie trailer and clip.