Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters (2017)

Director: Hiroyuki Seshita, Kobun Shizuno

Written By: Gen Urobuchi

The first in a trilogy of Netflix animated movies, POTM introduces us to a broken band of survivors who fled Earth at the end of the 20th century after the world was ravaged by Kaiju and most savagely, Godzilla.

For 20 years these interstellar refugees have drifted the cosmos in search of a habitable planet but with their resources running low, the decision is made to return to Earth. One warp jump later and the bedraggled survivors return to an unrecognizable Earth. Due to the complexities of faster-than-light travel, 20,000 years have passed on Earth while only 20 years have for our unlucky spacefarers.

Expedition leaders soon find that Godzilla has survived and a plan is made to kill the beast once and for all, but nothing is as it seems on this inhospitable version of our homeworld.

Go big or go home is the motto here with the film making the most of its animated format to include a mutated planet, giant spacecraft, battle mechs, and the largest iteration of Godzilla to date. I was not overly impressed with the Godzilla design on show here, but I’ll reserve judgment for now.

The plot is further complicated by humanity’s integration with two alien species who are identical to humans in appearance, it can be hard to tell who is who and what is what. One of the alien species, the Exif can usually be identified due to their elfin appearance and religious leanings but I couldn’t easily identify the other race, the Bilusaludo.

The film was enjoyable, if easily forgettable. There are some pretty sweet action scenes and the spacecraft is very well done.

The anime Godzilla, known as AniGoji, combines the classic silhouette of Godzilla with unique traits inspired by Kongōrikishi statues. This muscular design emphasizes Godzilla’s power, evokes the enormity of trees, and gives it a deity-like presence. The goal was not anatomical accuracy but to create an imposing figure. During the head profile design phase, features such as hair curls, horns, Varan-like fins, and lower jaw spikes were considered but ultimately rejected in favor of simple chin spikes for Godzilla Earth. The blue eyes of the monster are meant to convey intelligence, akin to a philosopher.

The motif of trees was chosen for the anime Godzilla’s design after establishing the concept of Godzilla as the "peak of the evolution of life." Co-director Kobun Shizuno explained that this choice was influenced by several factors: trees are the largest and most widespread organisms on Earth, they can live for thousands of years with minimal requirements of light and water, and their hard, fibrous tissues both protect and support their massive structures. 

Additionally, trees' biology includes trace elements and the generation of electrons through photosynthesis, suggesting that a plant-based Godzilla could emit powerful electromagnetic waves. Shizuno elaborated, "We expanded from the idea of a plant undergoing super-evolution, incorporating metallic elements into its cellular structure, transforming its entire body into a power generator. I heard that plants are actually at the top of Earth's evolutionary hierarchy. In this 'planet of the monsters,' I envisioned Godzilla as a massive 'world tree' at the center of its unique environment."

Creating CG model maquettes for Godzilla involved a process similar to clay molding, where a general shape was defined first and details were gradually added. Some concept maquettes included moss coloration on the back, upper dorsal plates, and other areas less likely to rub against surfaces.

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