Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991)

Director: Kazuki Ohmori

Written by: Kazuki Ohmori

After the poor box office performance of the last film, it was decided to reintroduce one of Godzilla’s greatest foes and introduce a ‘time-travel’ element to emulate popular movies at the time.

In the far future, a scientific research team discovers the body of King Ghidorah, whom legend says lost a head in a fatal battle with Godzilla 200 years previously.

Back in the modern age, Godzilla slumbers off the Japanese coast still weakened from the radiation-devouring enzyme he was subjected to during his battle with Biollante. Military forces are on edge waiting for his awakening but a new threat appears in the form of a mysterious flying saucer.

We learn that this alien craft is not from outer space, but rather the future, and its occupants have come bearing a dire warning, Godzilla will imminently destroy Japan. The Fururian’s solution, is to travel further back in time to 1944 where they believe a pre-mutated Godzilla saved a besieged group of Japanese soldiers before its nuclear rebirth into the creature we know and love today.

Along with a struggling writer (whose future works would show Godzilla’s true origins) and re-occurring psychic ‘Miki’ they return to a pre-nuclear age and encounter Japan’s first encounter with ‘Godzillasaurus’ after it rescues them from American attackers. While there one of the Futurians releases three small bat-like creatures.

With Godzillasaurus teleported safely to the bottom of the ocean the team return to the present day to find Godzilla no more, however, the three batlike creatures, upon exposure to nuclear fallout have merged into the horrific monster, King Ghidorah, which now attacks Japan under order from the deceptive Futurians. The only hope seems to be locating the original Godzillasaurus and exposing it to a nuclear detonation in the hope it will be reborn as Godzilla.

With a cracking plot and heavily inspired by ‘Back to the Future’ and ‘The Terminator’ this has something for everybody. There’s a twist around every corner as the Futurians enact their sinister gambit and humanity reforges a newer, larger, and meaner Godzilla than we’ve ever seen before.

Remaining largely unchanged from the previous film the suit received enhancements including a bulkier, more muscular physique, a fiercer, more menacing visage, and an expanded chest region. This suit is alternatively known as the GhidoGoji.

****

Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)

Director: Kazuki Ohmori

Written by: Kazuki Ohmori

Following on directly from Return of Godzilla, with Japan reeling from the mighty Kaiju’s onslaught a clandestine operation to retrieve live Godzilla cells results in the tragic death of Japan’s most prestigious biochemist.

Five years later, with the world on edge and fearing Godzilla’s inevitable re-emergence from the volcano he was trapped in, bio-tech companies compete for a radiation-devouring enzyme that may hold the key to Godzilla’s defeat.

Meanwhile, the mourning bio-chemist attempts to preserve his dead daughter's soul by merging it with the DNA of a rose and later, tragically the genetic cells of Godzilla himself. This results in the birth of the monstrous Biolante, a titanic mass of tentacles that breaks free from the lab it was birthed in and takes refuge in a nearby lake, where it grows to titanic proportions.

Terrorists eventually make good on their threat to free Godzilla and with the aid of a psychic young lady and a renewed Super X a showdown between Godzilla and Biollante draws near.

Biollante is a remarkable and striking beast, the first new Kaiju created for the Heisei Era. Both horrifying and at times strangely beautiful it dwarfs Godzilla in size and proves to be a savage and visceral opponent. Be it towering motionless, in a misty lake, a giant red rose parting to reveal huge crocodilian teeth or a fully evolved predator, it always steals the screen whenever it appears. As such it’s a shame this would be the plant-based-Titans only movie appearance, despite its originality the lackluster box office results would see classic Kaiju re-introduced for the next few films.

Despite being
a slow boil, this somber tale of loss and letting go has some fantastic scenes and imagery. My personal favorite is a school of psychically gifted children all drawing a raging Godzilla.

Godzilla underwent a transformative redesign, establishing a new aesthetic paradigm for the subsequent suits featured in the Heisei era. Emphasizing sheer mass and power, the head was downsized while the neck was elongated, imbuing Godzilla with a more imposing presence. The facial features were altered to evoke a feline visage, adding a touch of predatory grace. Substantial musculature enhancements were made, particularly evident in the chest and thigh regions, enhancing Godzilla's physicality.

The eyes were enlarged, dominating the eye sockets and conveying a sense of cunning reminiscent of mammals. While the fangs were once again absent, Godzilla's dental array was upgraded to include a dual row of razor-sharp teeth in both upper and lower jaws. The dorsal plates flanking the spine were enlarged, nearly matching the size of the central row, accentuating Godzilla's formidable silhouette.

Despite retaining the previous suit's weight of 242 pounds, this iteration was tailored to fit suit actor Kenpachiro Satsuma, facilitating greater mobility and performance. Additionally, a second suit weighing 176 pounds was constructed specifically for water scenes, ensuring seamless integration into the film's aquatic sequences.

Complementing the suits, a puppet was crafted to depict Godzilla's head, neck, and shoulders for close-up shots, adding depth and realism to key scenes.

***

The Return of Godzilla (1984)

Director: Koji Hashimoto

Written by: Hideichi Nagahara

The return of the king.

After almost a decade in limbo, Godzilla would return to the screen and usher in a new era of Kaiju chaos. Unrecognizable from the child-friendly hero we last saw, this is Godzilla in his most terrifying form yet. Advances in SFX technology and puppetry would give us the most realistic and terrifying Kaiju we’d ever seen.

State-of-the-art models were used to recreate Tokyo, structural engineers were consulted to ensure buildings crumbled correctly and heavy use of street-level cameras would serve to make this the most imposing Godzilla yet.

The movie's opening scene, featuring a grotesquely enlarged oceanic parasite, is as horrific as anything seen in the franchise before or since and serves as a grim introduction to the darker spirit of the 1980s.

Ignoring all but the original movie, it’s been 30 years since Godzilla was believed to be destroyed but after a fishing vessel is found adrift, its crew mummified save for one survivor, and a Russian Nuclear submarine is destroyed it becomes clear that Godzilla has returned.

American and Russian forces demand the right to use nuclear weapons should Godzilla surface in Japan, something that is vehemently refused by the Japanese President. The wounds of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are still present and with the Cold War looming, the film exudes a bleak, hopelessness throughout.

With the nuclear option off the table, it falls to Japan’s state-of-the-art attack craft, the Super-X to put Godzilla down, but despite its cutting-edge weaponry, Godzilla proves to be more powerful than ever before.

Ultimately, the nuclear crisis would be averted, and Godzilla consigned to the fiery depths of a raging volcano, in a truly chilling climax where the great Kaiju’s screams of anguish drive the Japanese President to tears.

The 84Goji suit was meticulously crafted to emulate the original Godzilla design: reinstating the four-toed structure, reintroducing fangs and ears, and enlarging the dorsal fins. Additionally, the tail was extended, and the eyes were modified to include more white areas.

This suit was notably hefty, tipping the scales at 242 pounds, a significant increase from the 88-pound Godzilla suits of the 1970s. Kenpachiro Satsuma assumed the role of Godzilla's suit actor for The Return of Godzilla, continuing through the Heisei series until Godzilla vs. Destoroyah in 1995.

While much of the film footage showcases this suit and the water suit cast from the same mold, it was the animatronic "Cybot Godzilla" that garnered the most attention before the film's debut. Standing at 16 feet tall and weighing 1.2 tons, the Cybot Godzilla came with a hefty price tag of $475,000. Primarily utilized for close-up shots, it occasionally stood out due to discrepancies between its head and the suit.

Toho also constructed a full-size model of Godzilla's foot, operated by a crane, yet nearly all footage featuring it was omitted from the American release of the film, Godzilla 1985. Technical issues with the suit's eye mechanisms led to occasional misalignment, resulting in unintentionally humorous moments where the eyes would stare off in different directions, most noticeably in the scene where Godzilla faces off with the Super-X.

***

Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

Director: Ishiro Honda

Written by: Yukiko Takayama

In this direct sequel to Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla, veteran director and ‘father’ of Godzilla, Ishiro Honda, returns to the chair one final time.

When scientists search the ocean floor for MechaGodzilla’s remains (why they do this when he was defeated on land I have no idea) not surprisingly they find nothing except the long dormant Titanosaurus, which promptly destroys the submarine and sparks a group of marine biologists to learn more about the creature.

Their research leads them to a disgraced scientist, who has faked his death and allied with the Gorilla aliens from the last film, in return for them saving his daughter's life. His now cyborg offspring holds the key to controlling both Titanosaurus and the new, improved MechaGodzilla.

Despite Godzilla still being firmly rooted in ‘hero’ mode, there are a lot of dark moments in this send-off to the Showa Era. Heroes die and commit the ultimate sacrifice to save the day, whilst grappling with themes of parental neglect, revenge, and betrayal.

For this movie, the MegaroGoji suit underwent significant alterations. The muzzle was trimmed down and enriched with additional intricacies. Additionally, the height of the brows was lowered, and the size of the eyes was decreased, resulting in a face that conveyed a blend of both humor and menace. Notably, the eyes remained static without any ability to move or blink. The rest of the body retained its original design. This version of the suit is also referred to as the MekaGyakushuGoji.

The Titanosaurus reflects the skill with which the suit designers had perfected their craft. Part eel, part fish, and part dragon, it proved a unique and visually stunning addition to the Kaiju roster.

Despite the skill with which the movie was made, it sadly underperformed at the box office leading to a nearly 10-year hiatus until Godzilla would stomp back onto our screens. But when he did return, it was the dawning of a new era.

***

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)

Director: Jun Fukuda

Written by: Jun Fukuda

Once again Earth has fallen under the gaze of evil aliens, this time a race of sinister shapeshifting simians from the Third Planet of the Black Hole. These maniacal monkeys have used their advanced technology to construct a cybernetic copy of Godzilla, the infamous and enduring, MechaGodzilla.

Veteran series director Jun Fukuda returns to the chair one final time for Godzilla’s 20th anniversary, in an adventure that melds cutting-edge alien technology with ancient Okinawan folktales in this more adult tale.

After the last descendant of Okinawan royalty prophesizes a great battle where two Kaiju will unite to defend the world from armageddon, it falls to a group of archeologists and undercover government agents to try and thwart the alien apes.

When Godzilla surfaces it seems the prophecy is coming true but something is off about the big G. His trademark roar has changed and his atomic breath is a different colour. When confronted by old buddy Anguirus, Godzilla gives him such a brutal beat down that it would be another 30 years before the mortally wounded Kaiju would return to the big screen.

But wait, another Godzilla has arrived! It quickly becomes apparent that the imposter is a giant cyborg, known as MechaGodzilla, forged of space titanium by the ape-like aliens. This colossal robot proves too much for Godzilla to handle alone and it falls to the plucky archaeologists to awaken the sleeping Kaiju, King Caesar.

There are some very cool moments in this one, from the reveal of MechaGodzilla's true for, Anguirus's savage beatdown, and my personal favourite, Godzilla powering up by absorbing a lightning storm.

In "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla," the MegaroGoji suit underwent minor alterations, particularly in the facial features. More intricacy was introduced to the muzzle, while the brows were diminished in size, imparting a less jovial appearance compared to its predecessor in "Godzilla vs. Megalon." Notably, the eyes remained static, lacking movable eyelids. This iteration is also known as the MekaGoji. Additionally, a separate suit was employed for Mechagodzilla's impersonation of Godzilla, dubbed the Fake Godzilla disguise.

With its more adult tone and the addition of one of Godzilla’s most iconic foes, this proved to be a fitting beginning to the end of the Showa era. But there was more to come, one final adventure to end this most iconic era of one of cinema’s greatest icons.

***

Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

Director: Jun Fukuda

Written by: Jun Fukuda

When a nation of highly advanced undersea humanoids find themselves under threat of extinction due to humanity's constant pollution and nuclear testing, they unleash the monstrous Megalon to destroy the surface world.

Utilizing undercover agents, the nation of Seatopia steals and reprogrammes the

state-of-the-art robot Jet Jaguar to act as Megalons guide in destroying Earth's major cities. Fortunately, Jet Jaguar's inventor overrides the seaborne saboteurs and sends the robot to fetch Godzilla for help.

With Megalon hopelessly outmatched, the Seatopians reach out to the Cockroach Aliens from Godzilla vs. Gigan, and the shapeshifting invaders quickly dispatch Gigan to even the odds (for once it seems that King Ghidorah must've had the day off).

Jet Jaguar, the result of a children's competition to design a monster for a Godzilla movie is the clear standout here, despite Gigan having a new design (the old suit was accidentally destroyed) and the intricate design of the Megalon suit. This blatant Ultraman clone is bright, colourful, and tweaked to appeal to children. Sadly this would be JJ's only appearance in the movie franchise although he would show up again in both TV and Comic form.

The Godzilla suit, known as the MegaroGoji boasted a sleek, unembellished physique with a compact neck and distinctive rounded silver dorsal plates. Its face exuded a friendlier aura than typical, featuring a rounded muzzle, prominent brows, and notably large eyes. These eyes were sizable and capable of movement, accompanied by movable eyelids. Distinguished by its more upright posture compared to prior designs, this suit foreshadowed the stance characteristic of Godzilla suits throughout the upcoming Heisei era.

The wirework is exceptional here, Megalon leaps and bounds across the screen, and despite recycling a lot of footage from previous films the climactic battle is one of the best of this era.

This movie is infamous for being one of the quickest films ever developed. Going from inception to premiere in just 6 months and just going to show that series veteran Jun Fukuda had refined his art to perfection. The movie itself was shot over just 3 weeks.

Despite its hasty production, this film features some awesome scenes, from Megalon destroying a large dam with our human heroes trapped on the other side, Gigan holding Jet Jaguar hostage to threaten Godzilla into surrendering, and who can forget Godzilla’s infamous flying dropkick!

***

Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)

Director: Jun Fukuda

Written by: Shin’ichi Sekizawa

Once again mankind is threatened from beyond the stars, this time in the form of sinister shapeshifting cockroaches, who assume the forms of dead humans to colonize the world for a mass migration of their people.

To achieve this dastardly goal they create two tapes, each designed to summon and control a colossal space alien to destroy Earth's monsters and leave the planet defenceless.

Thankfully a nerdy manga artist and his karate expert girlfriend are on hand to help thwart the insectile aliens, who have made their home inside a giant Godzilla statue in a children's amusement park.

When one of the tapes is accidentally played, Godzilla senses danger and he and former enemy Anguirus leave Monster Island to combat the incoming threat. Ultimately the cunning cockroaches enact their wicked plan and summon (you guessed it) King Ghidorah and the biomechanical menace Gigan for a brutal four-way clash.

Eventually, our plucky human heroes are able to destroy the tapes and the invading aliens but Ghidorah and Gigan, being the natural a-holes that they are, continue their onslaught. With Anguirus being as helpful as a broken toe, it falls to Godzilla to defeat the two alpha aliens and it’s a brutal fight but Godzilla and Anguirus are finally able to send them fleeing back to the depths of space.

This marks the first Godzilla film where actual Kaiju blood is spilled. It’s hard to express quite what an effect it had on young me, seeing bright arterial blood gush from Godzilla’s neck after a critical cut from Gigan’s brutal buzzsaw belly. I was horrified, for the first time it seemed like Godzilla was in real danger and I remember being on the edge of my seat until the battle was won.

It is also the only movie to feature the Kaiju engaging in conversation, via textual speech bubbles although in the dubbed version they would converse audibly.

Godzilla vs. Gigan also features the most explosions I have ever witnessed in a single movie, to the point where if it were made into a drinking game you would absolutely die (seriously don’t do it), at one point I thought my sound had become stuck on a loop.

This would also be the last time that serious veteran Haruo Nakajima would don the famous suit. Having played Godzilla in every previous installment, it is fitting that the final shot is one of Godzilla/Nakajima turning to roar ‘goodbye’ to the audience.

***

Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971)

Director: Yoshimitsu Banno

Written by: Yoshimitsu Banno, Takeshi Kimura, Tomoyuki Tanaka

This psychedelic nightmare stands out as one of the most stylistically unique Godzilla movies and also one of the most frightening.

Here, humanity is threatened by a sentient creature formed entirely of pollution. Hedorah is a vile ball of acidic sludge that can transform freely between aquatic, aerial, and land-based forms.

Consisting of jarring animations, blaring 70’s tunes, and bizarre musical numbers lamenting mankind's harsh effect on the planet, this is Godzilla unlike any other.

When a marine scientist discovers a strange tadpole-like creature, he is attacked and disfigured by Hedorah, who then unleashes its fury upon the mainland. Be it huffing smoke chimneys, oozing down the steps of a busy nightclub, or killing tens of thousands with its toxic gasses, it seems there is no refuge from the walking blob of evil.

Thankfully Godzilla arrives to save the day, but this is by no means a guaranteed respite for humanity. The King of the Monsters takes an unprecedented amount of punishment here and it is only with mankind's help that Hedorah is finally vanquished.

Despite Godzilla’s heroic nature in this film, it is easily the most horrific adventure we’ve seen so far in the Showa Era. Hedorah’s toxic ooze melts the unwary into steaming skeletal remains and its noxious gas suffocates countless on-screen victims. Even in victory Godzilla tears into the mass of living goo and rips out its eyes, before roasting them with his atomic breath.

Despite the horrors, it also gave us this gem.

The message here is clear, mankind is killing the earth and if we don’t stop, we may well doom ourselves. Sadly the message here was overlooked as one has only to turn on the news to see.

**

All Monsters Attack (1969)

Director: Ishiro Honda

Written by: Shin’inchi Sekizawa

A new Godzilla film was rushed into production after the smash hit that was Destroy All Monsters.

The Clip-Show episode. Every series, if it survives long enough, gets burdened with one of these oft-maligned, money-saving installments, and for Godzilla’s Showa Era, we have All Monsters Attack.

Consisting largely of recycled footage from previous films Son of Godzilla, Ebirah, and King Kong Escapes, it tells the story of a bullied young boy who escapes to Monster Island in his imagination. In these wild daydreams, he befriends Minilla and together they learn to stand up to their monickered bully, Gabara.

In the real world, the child contends with absent parents and a bumbling gang of thieves, while in his dreams of Monster Island his life’s problems are mirrored in his time with Minilla.

One of the least popular entries in the series, for obvious reasons, this rehash of old footage meshed with an intimate personal drama is undeserving of the hate it often gets. This is first a foremost a kid's movie, and what child wouldn’t dream of being whisked away to a fantastical place where parental and familial figures take on wild and whimsical forms.

Bipedal Kaiju, Gabara has an interesting design. Bipedal like Godzilla, the beast lacks a tail and features an interesting facial design, reminiscent of Chinese dragon mythology.

Though often regarded as one of the weakest entries in the series, it remained the favorite of veteran director Ishiro Honda and is worth viewing on its own merits, rather than as the blatant money-saving experiment it was originally intended as.

**

Destroy All Monsters (1968)

 Director: Ishiro Honda

Written by: Ishiro Honda, Takeshi Kimura

With Godzilla facing an uncertain future, Toho decided to pull out all the stops on what could well have been the final film in the franchise.

Kaiju.... Assemble!

Destroy All Monsters was the Avengers Endgame of the Showa Era and brought back not only Godzilla but almost his entire cadre of foes for one mighty monster mash.

A new alien threat looms, this time the sinister Kilaaks, who have somehow taken control of all Earth's monsters in a diabolical plot to ensure humanity’s surrender. With the research crew at Monster Island missing, it falls to the crew of Earth's first functioning moonbase to investigate.

Eventually, the brave astronauts are able to thwart the Kilaak's mind control and send Earth’s monsters to Mount Fuji in a desperate counterattack against the alien base. But the Kilaaks have one final trick up their sleeve.

Space? Aliens, did you say? Well, you can’t have these in a Godzilla movie without cosmic asshole King Ghidorah crashing the party. Sure enough, the three-headed menace comes to the alien's defense but he proves to be no match for the combined might of Earth’s monsters and once again, Godzilla saves the day. This time, with more than a little help from his friends.

The sheer variety of monsters on display here makes this one of the most easily enjoyable and popular entries in the Showa era and with veteran Ishiro Honda performing both Directorial and writing duties, the audience is clearly in good hands.

Featuring one of the standout Godzilla designs, the SoshingekiGoji suit boasted a bell-shaped body, a prominent breast bone, an elongated neck, and a head reminiscent of the classic DaisensoGoji, featuring distinct brows and fiercer eyes compared to its predecessors, the DaisensoGoji and MusukoGoji suits. It would also be used in 'All Monster's Attack', 'Godzilla vs Hedorah' and 'Godzilla vs Gigan', where ultimately the suit can be seen falling to pieces in parts onscreen.

The fan service and skilled filmmaking on display here proved that Godzilla could reliably bring in audiences. However, the resources committed to this film would be sorely lacking in the often-maligned, next installment in the franchise.

****

Son of Godzilla (1967)

 Director: Jun Fukuda

Written by: Shin’ichi Sekizawa, Kazue Shiba

When scientists attempting to successfully manipulate the weather accidentally unleash a radioactive storm on a remote tropical island, it causes the local mantis population to mutate to giant size. These ‘Kamakura’ uncover and attack a giant egg that hatches into an infant Godzilla, named ‘Minilla’.

Rallied by the infant's cries, Godzilla emerges from the ocean to protect and care for the infant. He dispatches the Kamakura and trains Minilla to become a mighty Kaiju like himself.

This training is interrupted by the awakening of the monstrous spider, Kumonga. The venomous arachnid temporarily disables Godzilla with its near-unbreakable webbing and it falls to Minilla, to save the day.

I have a strong childhood connection to this movie, it’s the one I remember above all others from all of Godzilla’s eras and so my opinions may be a little skewed here, but I love this film.

We have definitely moved more into the comedic and childlike aspects of the Showa Era now, and while Minilla may not be the most popular addition to Godzilla’s bestiary I love the little guy and his weird donkey noises and smoke rings.

The Kamakura are well done and as you will know by now, I’m a big fan of unusual Kaiju, so Kumonga remains one of my favorite villains of this era.

The new, MusukoGoji suit features a head with human-like qualities, including prominent, high-set eyes, heavy lids, and a short nose, designed to resemble Minilla more closely. Godzilla's appearance was altered to maintain his imposing presence while also evoking a paternal figure. A longer and thicker neck was incorporated to enhance the impression of height compared to his offspring. This iteration of Godzilla also appeared in "Godzilla vs. Gigan," particularly for swimming sequences. However, in scenes where Godzilla was seated, the suit's legs seemed to fold inward, resulting in a somewhat stumpy appearance.

Sadly the film was not enough to revive the public’s interest in Godzilla, so a plan was made for the franchise to go out with a bang in what could well have been the final installment in the franchise.

****

Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966)

 Director: Jun Fukuda

Written by: Shin’ichi Sekizawa

A trio of stowaways in search of a missing sailor find their stolen yacht destroyed by the aquatic terror Ebirah. Washed ashore on a remote island they find themselves hunted by the sinister Red Bamboo organization.

The Red Bamboo can avoid Ebirah’s wrath using a special yellow liquid, brewed by slaves kidnapped from nearby Infant Island. When the stowaways discover a slumbering Godzilla deep within a secluded cave, they hatch a plan to awaken him and destroy the Red Bamboo, once and for all.

Meanwhile, on Infant Island, the inhabitants must petition a sleeping Mothra to awaken in time to save their people from the pending destruction that awaits them at the hands of Godzilla and the Red Bamboo.

I’m always a fan of a Kaiju which breaks the ‘man in a suit’ stigma and Ebirah, a giant lobster, certainly gives us something we haven’t seen before. In fact, the nighttime scenes of Ebirah’s massive claws, crushing any seaworthy vessel are still impressive, even if the groovy surf music fails to sell the danger somewhat.

When Godzilla does awaken, his island rampage makes for an interesting change of scenery from Japan's clustered buildings, and his brutal battle with Ebirah (including a humorous game of penalty shoot-out with a boulder) ends in him literally disarming the cruel crustacean in a snappy fashion.

Godzilla himself continues to exhibit more human characteristics and for the first time actually acknowledges the humans in his presence. He is now firmly on the side of good, although still hugely destructive in nature, his fury will be directed toward humanity’s enemies from here on.

During the production of "Ebirah, Horror of the Deep," the second appearance of this suit, Tsuburaya Productions sought to borrow the suit's head for use in the Ultraman television series. The previous SanDaikaijuGoji suit's head couldn't be utilized, having been altered to depict the monster Gomess in Ultra Q. Toho granted the request, leading to the removal of the head from the DaisensoGoji suit and its attachment to the SanDaikaijuGoji body. The resulting combination underwent a green repaint with yellow stripes, along with the addition of a frill to form the monster Jirahs. Toho then fashioned an imperfect replica of the DaisensoGoji's head for the remainder of "Ebirah, Horror of the Deep," featuring calmer, less fierce-looking eyes.

Post-"Ebirah, Horror of the Deep," the NankaiGoji suit became Toho's designated 'stunt suit,' primarily for underwater Godzilla scenes. It was utilized in aquatic sequences in "Son of Godzilla" (1967) and "Destroy All Monsters" (1968), as well as for swimming and sludge-covered scenes in "Godzilla vs. Hedorah" (1971). Despite post-use cleaning, visible tears under its arms marked the suit's retirement, with the MusukoGoji suit taking its place as the new stunt suit in "Godzilla vs. Gigan."

***

Invasion of the Astro-Monster (1965)

Director: Ishiro Honda

Written by: Shin’ichi Sekizawa

This Jules Vernian tale takes us to the mysterious Planet X as astronauts Fuji and Glenn (the most chilled out man in existence) discover the mysterious Xiliens. These strange humanoids have been forced underground by the rampaging King Ghidorah living beneath the surface. With promises of a cure for cancer, the two men return to Earth to convince their bosses to loan Godzilla and Rodan to the alien's cause.

After a titanic clash which sees Godzilla and Rodan victorious the Xiliens betray Earth and with the three Kaiju under their sinister mind control, they threaten to conquer the Earth!

Meanwhile, Glenn discovers that his wife-to-be is actually a Xilien spy, and after betraying her people to help him she is ruthlessly executed in front of him. A normal man would be somewhat traumatized by this but Glenn gives absolutely zero fucks and enlists the aid of a local inventor to thwart the invading Xiliens once and for all.

This was a fun jaunt through space, the creative team clearly has a handle on this type of film by now and it shows. Adding flying saucers, spaceships, and alien planets helps keep things fresh.

Godzilla continues evolving into a hero, his almost childish antics forced into the film against Honda’s wishes. In fact, it would be half a decade before the legendary director would step back into the chair.

This new DaisensoGoji suit boasted a head slightly larger than that of the MosuGoji design, characterized by a round face and jaws. Its torso appeared thinner and relatively smaller in proportion to the rest of the body compared to earlier iterations. Unlike the MosuGoji suit, the fingers were grouped together rather than held apart, and the claws were less sharp and prominent—a feature consistent in subsequent Godzilla suits until the 84Goji suit. The dorsal plates and tail of the DaisensoGoji were intricately detailed, and its eyes were movable.

Godzilla himself seems much more nimble and agile in this one, perhaps Planet X has lower gravity, but it’s fun to see a more expressive Godzilla doing what he does best.

***

Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964)

Director: Ishiro Honda

Written by: Shin’ichi Sekizawa

Released the same year as Mothra vs Godzilla, this film introduces us to the villainous monster-mainstay, King Ghidorah.

Having fallen to earth in a meteor, Ghidorah’s awakening is foretold by the mysterious Prophet of Venus, a missing princess possessed by the last descendants of a ruined planet and hounded by ruthless assassins.

When the three-headed titan awakens it falls to Godzilla and Rodan to battle the creature, but they are too busy battling one another to care.

It is only through the intervention of the all-round class act, Mothra that the three unite and drive Ghidorah from the earth.

There are some great scenes in this one, Mothra playing the voice of reason between Godzilla and Rodan makes for an amusing visual and the handicap match final between the three of Earth's mighty defenders and the evil space dragon never fails to entertain.

I’ve never been a fan of Ghidorah’s early look, resembling something made piecemeal from three different monsters it looks especially clunky here, most noticeably when the monster takes flight but you have to give credit to the sound designer for embuing him with a distinct and alien roar that would become an eerie signature for decades to come.

In "Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster," the MosuGoji suit underwent modifications, notably receiving a new head with altered facial characteristics. The enhancements included movable eyes, a reduction in the upper lip and teeth, and elongation of the tongue, extending beyond the lower teeth. These alterations were necessitated by damage incurred during the preceding film, particularly during scenes where Godzilla collided headfirst with Nagoya Castle and subsequently when his head briefly caught fire. This variant of the suit is also referred to as the SanDaikaijuGoji.

Overall, this is an enjoyable movie that places Godzilla reluctantly on the side of good and further cement his transition from villain to hero.

***

Mothra vs Godzilla (1964)

Director: Ishiro Honda

Written By: Shin’ichi Sekizawa

The writer-director duo from Kong Vs Godzilla returns to duty as Godzilla collides with yet another Kaiju, this time in the form of a benevolent Titan, Mothra.

When savage storms wash Mothra’s egg ashore it is quickly claimed by greedy businessmen who seek to profit from it. Seeking to reclaim her egg Mothra sends two fairy-like emissaries from Infant Island, but they narrowly escape capture themselves until they find refuge with a trio of reporters covering the scene.

When a sleeping Godzilla is awakened, the reporters travel to Infant Island, a once beautiful haven now ravaged by nuclear testing to beg for Mothra’s help. But why should the peaceful Titan offer aid, when her plea fell on deaf ears?

A huge step up in quality from the previous movie, this is a far more engaging affair, showing the pitfalls and dangers of greed and selfishness. Above all, it is the selflessness and courage of Mothra that acts as a beacon of hope amidst the chaos. Coming fresh out of her movie debut four years earlier, Mothra would go on to become a staple character in the Godzilla franchise.

It’s always cool to see Godzilla fight a physically different type of monster. Much like the four-legged Anguirus from Godzilla Raids Again, Mothra’s flight brings new elements to the battle, mighty wings beat hurricane-force winds and the ability to sweep Godzilla off his feet.

Ultimately Mothra sacrifices herself to protect her egg but when all hope is lost, two baby Mothra’s are born! This larval tag-team takes turns aggro’ing Godzilla until he is hopelessly entangled in webs and the day is saved once more.

The MosuGoji suit is widely acclaimed as one of Godzilla's finest, distinct from its predecessor, the KingGoji, much like the KingGoji stood apart from ShodaiGoji and GyakushuGoji. Its physique is sleek, with a bell-shaped body featuring a prominent breastbone and knees. The hands are adorned with slender, menacing claws, each finger distinct. Its dorsal plates closely resemble those of the KingGoji.

Facial features are sharply defined, with pronounced brows and fierce, large eyes capable of movement, although in one scene, Godzilla appears pupil-less as his eyes roll upwards. Notably, during filming, the suit suffered damage when Haruo Nakajima tripped on set, causing the suit's upper jaw to wobble as it moved. Despite this setback, Eiji Tsuburaya chose to repair the suit and retain the scene, impressed by the footage.

This would be Godzilla’s final outing as the villain during the Showa era and his gradual turn from the dark side was soon to begin.

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