Category: 1954-75: Showa Series

Tokyo is in ruins. The city is a smoldering, twisted, wrecked disaster. Steve Martin, a foreign correspondent from the U.S., awakens in a hospital “overflowing with the maimed and the dead.” Many of the survivors are suffering from radiation poisoning. Martin begins to recount his story.

He was on his way to Cairo, Eqypt, but was going to make a stop in Tokyo to visit college friend Dr Serizawa. While riding in his plane, sailors on a fishing vessel spot boiling water and are blinded by a bright light. The ship slips beneath the ocean, but radio operators manage to send out a distress signal. Martin and security officer Tomo Iwanaga push their way past the crowd into the office of the Nankai Shipping Company. The company dispatches a rescue ship, but it also catches fire and sinks. Martin reports back to United World News, that a total of eight ships have been destroyed under similar mysterious circumstances.

A fishing ship discovers survivors floating in the water, but they die shortly from “shock and strange burns.” The natives of Odo Island have also recovered a survivor, who also soon died. Martin and Iwanaga are among the investigators questioning the natives, who claim they saw a monster. Overnight, a fierce storm develops while Martin and Iwanaga are trying to sleep in a tent. A horrific roar is heard and buildings are smashed and torn. Many people die. There was much more in the storm than just rain, wind, and lightning.

Survivors of the Odo Island disaster testify before a government panel, all agree it was a creature that destroyed their village. Martin joins a research team lead by Dr Yamane and includes his daughter Emiko, marine officer Ogata, the man she loves. Emiko, however is engaged to Dr. Serizawa. The research team combs over the wreckage of the village at Odo Island. They find many radioactibe hot spots, including a footprint of a huge animal.Yamane finds a trilobite, thought to have been extinct for millions of years.

A prehistoric creature suddenly rises from above a hill, terrifying the inhabitants and visitors of the island. The beast returns to the ocean, leaving footprints on the beach sand. Dr Yamane tells a government committee he believes Godzilla, as the natives of Odo Island call the monster, is a cross between land-living and sea-living creatures originally from the pre-historic Jurrasic period. Repeated nuclear testing has apparently caused Godzilla to reappear.

Emiko, who is in a marriage arranged in her childhood, tries to tell Serizawa she is in love with Ogata. Before she can, he shows her the results of his experiments. He drops a ball-bearing sized object into a fish tank, killing all the fish. He swears her to secrecy to keep its destructive powers from becoming known. The Japanese Navy drops depth charges into the ocean near Odo Island in an effort to kill Godzilla. Yamane becomes morose: Godzilla should be studied, not destroyed.

Partiers on a pleasure cruise in Tokyo Harbor are the first to see Godzilla, who swims out to sea. The Japanese Defense Force mobilizes to defend the nation. Their efforts are futile when Godzilla returns. He crashes through an industrial sector, with hundreds of people fleeing and finally returns to the sea. Plans are made to use existing high voltage lines ringing Tokyo to electrocute Godzilla. Martin is standing by at the press office, to record a report of Godzilla’s destructive path through Tokyo.

Godzilla rises from the harbor and makes his way to shore. He rips through the electronic barrier as though it is made of sewing thread and paper mache. The military fires on Godzilla, but he shrugs it off. The efforts of the Japanese military are only an annoyance to Godzilla as he continues to stomp through the city, smashing and setting buildings on fire.

Martin is hospitalized, recovering from his injuries. Emiko admits that Serizawa showed her the oxygen destroyer, which removes oxygen from water, disintegrating anything in the water. Ogata and Martin convince Emiko she needs to convince Serizawa the oxygen destroyer must be used against Godzilla. Ogata confronts Serizawa about the oxygen destroyer. The scientist locks himself in the lab, but Ogata breaks in. After a brawl, a plea by Ogata, and viewing the awesome destruction on TV, Serizawa agrees to use the weapon against Godzilla.

Serizawa insists on joining Ogata in placing the oxygen destroyer in Tokyo Bay. Godzilla awakens from a sleep and begins moving toward the two men. Ogata returns to the surface, but Sarizawa remains underwater and activates the oxygen destroyer. The water bubbles and froths. Serizawa reports that it is working, and tells Ogata to “live happily with Emiko.” He cuts the cables to his diving suit.

The shipped is rocked by the bubbling water. Godzilla rises for moment and roars in agony before slipping under again. His flesh disintegrates, then his bones.

Martin reports, “The menace was gone. So was a great man. But the whole world could wake up and live again.”

original story by Shigeru Kayama
screenplay by Takeo Murata and Ishiro Honda
new scenes written by Al C. Ward
directed by Terry Morse and Ishiro Honda
music by Akira Ifukube

Human Cast: Raymond Burr (Steve Martin), Takashi Shimura (Dr. Yamane), Momoko Kochi (Emiko), Akihiko Hirata (Dr. Serizawa)

Monster Cast: Godzilla

Notes: This is the English language U.S. version. Gojira is the original Japanese language version.

LogBook entry by Robert Parson

Tsukioka is to flying over the ocean looking for schools of fish.  He finds a large school of tuna, and radios the location back to headquarters.  The word is relayed to a fishing ship at sea.  Hidemi is one of the radio dispatchers at headquarters.  On an open channel, they set up a date for that night. 

Tsukioka is dispatched to rescue Kobayashi, who encountered engine trouble while looking for schools of fish. After reuniting with his friend they become alarmed by loud, strange sounds.  They look up to find a giant bipedal monster fighting with another, four legged beast with a spiked, hard back and spiked tail.  The pilots escape when the monsters fall into the ocean and continue to battle underwater.

A conference is called with military officials and scientists.  One of the scientists says both creatures are from the same family of prehistoric fire monster. The bipedal beast is known as a Gigantis, the other is an anguilasorous.  He reads from a textbook that they may have been awakened by nuclear testing.  Dr Yamane, visiting from Tokyo says it will be impossible to kill the monsters.  He shows a movie with a Gigantis ravaging the city.  As the movie ends, Yamane says the Gigantis could only be killed by the oxygen destroyer, but the developer has died. He says, though, the monsters appear to be sensitive to light and could be lead away from the city.  

Planes, ships, and submarines are dispatched to seek the Gigantis, which has been spotted and appears to be heading to Shikoku.  Instead, Gigantis shows up in Osaka. Some flares dropped by airplanes distract Gigantis and he moves away. A group of prisoners is being transferred out of Osaka, when they overpower their guards and escape.  Following a high speed chase, their stolen truck slams through a barrier and crashes into a gas storage facility, catching fire.

Gigantis hears the explosion and is attracted by the flames. He makes his way back toward Osaka. Tanks and planes fire on him as he makes shore, but they are ineffective. He blasts one of the attack planes with his nuclear breath, causing it to crash.  The other creature, now called Anguirus, comes ashore and attacks Gigantis.  The military continues to fire on them as they fight.  Gigantis uses his fiery breath against Anguirus, having little affect, but catch the nearby buildings on fire.  The flames spread as the monsters continue to battle. The fight rages on with buildings crumbling as the monster fall on them.

Gigantis finally gains the upper hand by by biting into Anguirus neck.  Mortally wounded, Anguirus tumbles into the water.  Gigantis sets him on fire, causing more buildings to catch fire.  Gigantis leaves, but the city is in flames.

The fires die down by morning.  Osaka is in ruins.  Buildings are burnt, twisted, broken, and crumbled.  Very little is left standing.  Hidemi’s father makes plans to rebuild the ruined cannery.  He transfers Koabyashi to the Hokkaido branch, which will be temporary headquarters for the cannery.  Tuskioka and Hidemi stay in Osaka to help in the reconstruction. 

Now based in Hokkaido, Kobayashi is hard at work in his air search for fish.  Hidemi and Tsukioka arrive in Hokkaido and tel him the reconstruction is nearly complete. Gigantis is reported to have destroyed a fishing vessel. A world-wide alert is issued – Gigantis could strike anywhere, even the U.S.!

Tsukioka is flying over the ocean, and is among those involved in the search.  Back at headquarters, Kobayashi enters the radio room and ask for advice from Hidemi on what women want.  Tsukioka reports Gigantis is swimming toward Kamiko Island.  Kobayashi rushes off, leaving his notebook behind.  Hidemi opens it and discovers Kobayashi had been secretly in love with her. 

Kobayashi arrives at the island and takes over the watch so Tsukioka can return to report back.  He tells the military officials they can trap Gigantis into an inlet and then attack the monster.  The war planes and frigates leave to do battle with Gigantis, with Tsukioka now pressed into service with the air force.

Kobayashi reports back that Gigantis is making his way back to beach for the open ocean.  In an attempt to stall him until the military arrives, Kobayashi buzzes Gigantis.  Moments later, the military jets arrive and drop bombs on the beast, which fail to kill him. Kobayashi buzzes Gigantis again, who blasts at the plane with his nuclear breath, causing it to crash into a snowy mountain.  Tsukioka watches as his friend dies, but the resulting avalanch that partly buries Gigantis gives him an idea.  He instructs the fighter pilots to drop their bombs on the mountain in hopes Gigantis will be completely buried.  They drop bomb after bomb, but it’s not enough.  A tearful Hidemi reports to her father that Kobayashi has died.  The planes return to base to be armed with more powerful rockets.

The fighter jets return and begin launching rockets into the mountain.  An avalanche of snow and ice fall onto Gigantis. The beast, now neck deep, sweeps the sky with his nuclear fire, but to no avail.  Seeking revenge for the death if his friend, Tsukioka fires into the mountain once more. This finally buries the monster.  Tsukioka mourns Kobayashi’s death as he returns from his mission.  The nation prays for those killed by the beast and those killed in the attack on Gigantis.  Back in Osaka, Tuskioka and Hidemi are relieved – they can live their lives in peace.

original story by Shigem Kayama
screenplay by Takeo Murata and Sigeaki Hidaka
directed by Motoyoshi Oda (original Japanese version) and Hugo Grimaldi (U.S. version)
music by Masaru Sata (see notes below)

Human Cast: Hiroshi Koizumi (Syouichi Tsukioka), Setsuko Wakayama (Hidemi Yamaji), Minoru Chiaki (Kouji Kobayashi)

Monster Cast: Godzilla (AKA Gigantis), Anguirus

Notes: This was was originally released in U.S. theaters as Gigantis, The Fire Monster and was later renamed. The Japanese language version was released in 1955. The U.S. version of Yamane’s film includes a segment on the prehistoric lives of the Fire Monsters. This segment does not exist in the Japanese version. The Japanese version ends with Tsukioka flying back to headquarters following the death of Godzilla; the English version adds an epilogue with Tsukioka and Hidemi reflecting on the monsters and looking forward to a peaceful life. Other than this, the U.S. version had a few shortened scenes that did not significantly impact the storyline. Much of the original music from the Japanese version was replaced in the U.S. version. The U.S. version also opens with stock footage of missiles and nuclear explosions with a voice over warning about the dangers of nuclear proliferation.

LogBook entry by Robert Parson

A Japanese scientist has discovered that red berries, that grow only on one South Pacific island, has great medical benefits, but the islanders are reluctant to allow them to be exported. There is also a giant monster on the island. Pacific Pharmaceutical dispatches a team to the island to harvest the berries and and bring back the monster for an advertising gimmick.

A U.S. nuclear submarine crashes into an iceberg in the Arctic Circle. As the seamen attempt to escape a watery grave, they hear a horrific roar and flames race along the inside of the bulkhead. They have released Godzilla. A Japanese outpost in the North Pacific is destroyed by Godzilla.

A team from the pharmaceutical firm arrive at Faro Island to negotiate with the islanders. They are bought off with a transistor radio and a pack of cigarettes. The team hires some natives and mount and expedition to look for the monster. They hear a monstrous roar and flee to the village. A child is sent to retrieve some red berry juice to treat an injured team member. The storage building is attacked by a giant octopus! As the villagers attempt to fight it off and giant ape appears and wrestles with the octopus. It retreats to the ocean. The ape drinks up the berry juice stored in large pottery. He collapses in a drunken stupor. The natives rejoice. The team straps the ape, known as King Kong, to a raft to bring him to Japan. Experts believe Kong and Godzilla are instinctively drawn to each other in a fight to the death.

Kong flails about on the raft. Explosives on the raft are set off in an attempt to kill him, but he manages to escape, and heads to Japan to intercept Godzilla. They meet and toss boulders at each other. Kong is scorched by Godzilla’s nuclear breath and retreats. The Japanese Defense Force attempts to stop Godzilla’s march toward with a giant trench filled with gasoline, which leads him to fall into a pit surrounded by explosives! He picks himself up and continues on. A blockade of high-voltage lines is set up around Tokyo. After being shocked, he moves away. But now, Kong is running toward the city, which is hastily being evacuated. The electrical blockade fails to stop the ape, in fact the electricity seems to make him stronger.

Kong walks around Tokyo unchallenged. He picks up a train car, drops a woman into his hand, throws the car down, and carries her off. He climbs the Japanese Diet building. Missiles with red berry juice are fired above the great ape. He inhales the juice and collapses in a drunken stupor. The woman slips from his hand and she is rescued.

Godzilla is spotted at Mount Fuji, and a team of helicopters carry Kong there. When he is released, Kong slides down the mountain, slamming into Godzilla knocking the lizard off the mountain. When Godzilla returns, Kong ambushes him and grabs his tail. Godzilla brushes him, and forces him to back off with a blast of his nuclear fire. He resumes the battle and the pair grapple some more, with Godzilla managing to knock the ape to the ground. As Godzilla blasts Kong and the nearby countryside, an electrical storm builds up. The lightning rejuvenates Kong, who presses the battle even harder than before. They roll off the mountain into the ocean. Kong rises from the ocean and swims back to Faro Island. Godzilla is nowhere to be seen, but his fate is unclear…

Japanese screenplay by Shinichi Sekizawa / English screenplay by Paul Mason and Bruce Howard
directed by Inoshiro Hondo (Japanese – see notes below) and Thomas Montgomery (English)
music by Akira Ifukube (see notes below)

Human Cast: Michael Keith (Eric Carter), Harry Holcombe (Dr. Arnold Johnson), James Yagi (Yutaka Omura), Tadao Takashima (Osamu Sakurai), Kenji Sahaka (Kazuo Fujita), Ichiro Arishima (Mr. Tako)

Monster Cast: King Kong, Godzilla

Notes: Director Ishiro Honda was credited on screen as Inoshiro Hondo in several Godzilla movies when translated into the English language. For the movie’s U.S. release, Akira Ifukube’s original score was replaced by stock music from the Universal Studios library. The original Japanese premiere date was August 11, 1962.

LogBook entry by Robert Parson

In the aftermath of a powerful storm, rescue and recovery teams are cleaning up Kurata Beach on Iwa Island. Reporter Ichiro Sakai and photographer Junko Nakanishi and discover an unusual blob floating among the debris. Meanwhile, at another beach, a mammoth egg is floating offshore and a team of fishermen is sent to pull it onto the beach.

Professor Miura examines the egg, which is at least three stories tall, trying to shrug off questions from Sakai. Self-described “Great Entrepreneur” Kumayama orders Miura to leave the egg alone, since he purchased it from the islanders and plans on exploiting it for financial gain. Later at the hotel, Junko, and Muira are discussing the sale of the egg, and Muira says there’s nothing that can be done. They spot Kumayama entering the hotel and follow him to a room. The businessman turns over the contract for the egg over to Shiro Torahata, the president of Happy Enterprises, who unveils plans for a tourism center featuring the egg, where they will easily make at least “a billion dollars!” They are interrupted by the Shobijin, two young girls about a foot tall, who plead for the egg to be returned. They try to capture the Fairy Twins, but they manage to escape. Sakai enters the room, mistaking the rowdy search for the tiny girls for a fight.

Sakai meets Muira and Junko in a glen near the hotel, where he tells them he overheard the plans by Torahata and Kumayama. The twins approach the newspaper people and the scientist, and ask them to return the egg to Mothra Island. The island had changed dramatically for the worse as a result of nearby nuclear testing. A recent hurricane had caused the egg to wash away. The fairies advise the three that if the egg hatches the creature inside could cause “great damage” while foraging for food. Mothra, also known as “The Thing” also wants the egg returned. The reporters and the scientist are surprised to find a giant moth in the brush behind them.

At the construction site, Sakai, Junko, and Muira are trying to convince Kumayama and Torahata to turn the egg over to the islanders. The two businessmen will hear nothing of it, until they see the Shobijin, who are being carried in an ornate case. The girls again plead for the return of the egg, but instead the entrepreneurs offer to buy the girls to include them as part of the tourist attraction. The reporters and the scientist leave, taking the twins with them. Back at the hotel, Sakai promises to write a negative story about the business venture, but admits public opinion is powerless against the law. The Shobijin slip away. The three return to the glen, just in time to watch Mothra and the twins fly off.

The villagers who sold the egg are demanding payment in full for the remainder of the contract that has not yet been paid. Kumayama calls Torahata and advises him about the villagers’ demands. Torahata is willing to loan Kumayama the money the villagers demand if he uses his share of the company as collateral to secure the loan. Kumayama reluctantly agrees. Sakai is frustrated with the public ambivalence to his articles about the egg. Editor Arota pushes Sakai to try harder and be more compelling. Arota receives a newstip that Kumayama is trying to hatch the egg. Junko rushes in and tells Sakai that Muira needs to see him urgently.

Muira decontaminates Sakai and Junko, who are both radioactive. He tells them the mysterious blob they discovered following the storm is also radioactive. They return to the beach which has since been drained of floodwaters, to test for radioactivity. Junko has been trying to take a picture of the property, but the land has been moving. The ground heaves, and steam is released from underground. The Geiger counter ticks madly. A giant tail emerges from the ground, followed by the rest of Godzilla. He shakes off the dirt and walks off toward Nagoya.

In the industrial sector, Godzilla crashes through oil pipelines and belches his terrible atomic fire. An army of fire trucks heads to the fires as residents try to evacuate. Looking behind them in panic, they watch the beast pull down a giant tower. As he continues through Nagoya, he trips and falls onto a pagoda, wrecking it as he tries regain his footing. U.S. military officials conferring with Japanese officials say they will use the Frontier Missile, “the newest and most powerful rockets the unit has ever developed.” U.S. warships offshore try to contain Godzilla to a beach using the missiles. Godzilla is temporarily stunned, but gets up again to continue his rampage.

Muira, Sakai and Junko are sent to Mothra Island to ask for the creature’s help in defeating Godzilla. Because of the devastation to their island caused by nuclear testing, the islanders and the twins are hesitant to implore the Thing to help them. But Junko and Sakai appeal to their humanity and compassion. The Shobijin appeal to Mothra to assist, who agrees. But Mothra is dying and will not return. However, a new Mothra will be hatched from the giant egg.

Kumayama attacks Torahata, wanting his money back because the tourist attraction has failed. Pulling money out of the safe, Kumayama is shot in the back by Torahata. As Torahata tries to escape from the hotel, he is killed when Godzilla tears down the building. Godzilla smashes the egg’s incubator, causing the egg to roll away. Mothra shows up to protect the egg and the people of Japan, and uses a yellow dust to disable Godzilla. As he writhes on the ground, he blasts Mothra with his nuclear fire, mortally injuring the flying creature. Mothra manages to make her way to the egg to die.

With Mothra dead, Japanese Defense Forces attempt an attack on Godzilla. A line of electrical towers are powered up as the beast approaches. The “artificial lightning” serves only to annoy him, and he pulls some of the towers down. As the Shobijin sing to the egg, Godzilla struggles as he is trapped by nets and is zapped with more “lightning.” The high voltage overloads the system, shuts it down, and melts the towers, allowing Godzilla to escape his bonds.

The egg hatches! Two Mothra larvae emerge! They follow Godzilla as to Iwa Island. The larvae spin a cocoon onto Godzilla. He becomes fully cocooned by the spray and falls into the ocean. The larvae swim off to Mothra Island.

written by Shinichi Sekizawa
directed by Inoshiro Honda
music by Akira Ifukube

Human Cast: Akira Takarada (Sirou Sakai), Yuriko Hoshi (Junko Nakanashi), Hiroshi Koizumi (Dr. Miura), Yu Fujiki (Jirou Nakamura), Kenji Sahara (Jirou Torahata), Emi Ito (Shojibin), Yumi Ito (Shojibin), Yoshihumi Tajima (Kumayama)

Monster Cast: Godzilla, The Thing (Mothra), Mothra Larvae

Notes: This is the U.S. version of Godzilla Vs. The Thing. The movie was originally released in Japan as Mothra Vs. Godzilla in 1964. The Frontier Missile scene does not exist in the original Japanese language Mothra Vs. Godzilla; instead, Japanese audiences saw a scene of military officials laying plans and issuing orders for an attack on the approaching Godzilla.

LogBook entry by Robert Parson

As a group of scientist and reporters watch the night skies for “flying saucer people,” several meteors come crashing to the ground. One slams into the foot of a mountain. Princess Salina Salno of the Himalayan country of Selgina is fleeing to Japan, under a threat of assassination. She is mesmerized by a bright light and hears a mysterious voice urging her to get off the plane. It explodes moments after she steps off.

A prophetess, claiming to be from Mars, appears to warn people of future trouble. She says Earth is the brink of destruction. Detective Shindou, who was assigned to protect the princess before her plane blew up, is alarmed when he notices the similarities between the Martian prophetess and Salno, and begins to guard her unofficially. Meanwhile, the assassins travel to Japan to determine whether the prophetess is the princess, and kill her if she is.

The prophetess warns visitors at a volcano that Rodan is buried beneath and they should leave immediately. They refuse to listen, and the pterodactyl-like creature breaks free. Later, she predicts that a ship about to set sail will be destroyed. She is taken off the ship by the sister of Detective Shindou, reporter Naoko Shindou. They are followed by the assassins to a hotel. Shortly afterwards, Godzilla destroys the ship.

Naoko leaves the prophetess in the room while she meets her brother in the lobby. The assassins break into the room get her to admit she is the princess. Just then, Shindou and and Naoko return. Shindou exchanges gunfire with the assassins, who escape. They take the princess to see a doctor.

Following Rodan, Godzilla walks ashore, destroying buildings as he continues his way inland. Scientists studying the meteor witness it growing and flashing from within. The rock cracks open and explodes revealing the flying three headed golden space beast, Ghidrah.

While undergoing psychological testing, the princess predicts that Ghidrah will destroy the Earth just as it did Mars thousands of years ago. Godzilla and Rodan are fighting nearby.

At a meeting with the Japanese Diet, the Fairy Twins of Infant Island suggest that Ghidrah could be defeated if Mothra, Godzilla, and Rodan joined forces. The meeting is interrupted when Ghidrah attacks. The monster spews lightning from each of his three mouths, ripping much of the city to shreds. The Twins sing out to the larval Mothra, who begins the trek to Japan.

Under hypnosis, the princess tells Shindou and the Doctor that several Martians escaped Ghidrah’s attack, and the descendents remain on Earth with only the power to foretell the future left from their advanced civilization. With the ongoing battle between Godzilla and Rodan approaching, the assassins break into the hospital. Shindou engages them in a gunfight, and they flee again. The princess and the hospital staff evacuate the building as the fight wages on.

Mothra arrives at the battlefield and debates the other two on whether they should combine forces to fight Ghidrah. The two creatures have had nothing but trouble with mankind, and refuse to help. The killers are careening down the highway to get away from Godzilla and Rodan, when they are caught in a rock slide created by Ghidrah. One assassin manages to escape the crushed vehicle, carrying a rifle.

Mothra fights Ghidrah alone, but is injured by one of the space monster’s lightning blasts. Godzilla, apparently have a change of heart, arrives and grapples with Ghidrah. He, too, is injured. Rodan flies in and taunts Ghidrah, drawing it away while Godzilla and Mothra recover.

With Rodan under assault, Godzilla and Mothra arrive to fight. The princess, who has slipped away from protection, is praying for Ghidrah to be defeated. The lone assassin finds her and shoots at her, causing her to fall onto a ledge. She regains her senses and is once more fully the princess, and no longer the prophetess. Shindou is again forced into a gunbattle with the assassin. He loses his gun, but tries to shield the princess. As the killer takes aim, Ghidrah blasts the top off the cliff, creating a rockslide that takes the assassin with the falling rocks.

Godzilla, Mothra, and Rodan triple-team Ghidrah. Mothra rides Rodan and sprays a cocooning spray on the the space monster, while Godzilla pulls its tail. Godzilla flings Ghidrah away, injuring the beast. Still covered in cocoon spray, Ghidrah gives up the fight and flies away.

Surrounded by a press gaggle, Princess Salno prepares to return home and thanks Shindou for saving her life. Godzilla and Rodan watch as Mothra swims off to return to Infant Island.

screenplay by Shinichi Sekizawa
directed by Inoshiro Honda
music by Akira Ifukube

Human Cast: Yosuke Natsuki (Shindou), Yuriko Hoshi (Naoko Shindou), Hiroshi Koizumi, Takashi Shimura, Emi Ito, Yumi Ito (The Peanuts), Eiko Wakabayashi (Princess Salno)

Monster Cast: Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan, Ghidrah (King Ghidorah)

Notes: This is the English language translation released in the U.S. The original Japanese language version is titled Ghidorah: The Three Headed Monster, and was released in 1964. In the original Japanese version, the prophetess was from Venus, not Mars. There is a short scene with a reporter talking to the Chief of Police Detectives at the beginning that is deleted from the U.S. version. Other than that, there are a few scenes that have been trimmed in the U.S. version, including the final monster battle which seems slightly shorter.

LogBook entry by Robert Parson

A U.N. science team is preparing for a super secret weather experiment on Sollgel Island in the South Pacific, and are experiencing strange readings on their instruments. Reporter Goru Maki surprises the team when he parachutes into the secret outpost. A preying mantis, roughly the size of a tall man encroaches on the research station, but is scared away by gunfire.

The next day, the scientists put their experiment into action. During the countdown, Maki rushes off to look for a mysterious woman he saw the day before. Due to outside interference with their equipment, the experiment goes horribly wrong and creates a terrible hot and radioactive storm, that lets up four days later.

As Maki and Kusumi survey the island for damage, they are surprised by giant preying mantis, who has grown to 160 feet long as a result of the radiation. They rush to one of the weather stations, and find three “Gimantis” unearthing a giant egg.

The next day, the Gimantis are successful at breaking open the egg, and a “baby Godzilla,” some 20 feet tall, rolls out, only to be attacked by the other beasts. Godzilla arrives onshore and wrecks the research station. The radio interference experienced earlier was apparently caused by the cries of the infant, known as Minilla. Godzilla battles the Gimantis, burning one with his nuclear breath as it attempts to escape. One hits Minilla in the face with a boulder, enraging The King of the Monsters. He pounds it into the ground and burns it. The third flies off to fight another day. Godzilla walks off, leaving Minilla behind, trying to crawl. The woman, who has watched all this, pulls a giant fruit from a tree and calls to Minilla. The small monster manages to get to his feet and accepts the fruit. Godzilla returns and offers his tail to Minilla, who hops on and rides as Godzilla walks off again.

The woman finds Maki in a nearby cave. Riko Matsumiya agrees to return to the now smashed research station. It turns out, she is the daughter of an archeologist who had died while on the island. Her mother died in childbirth. The scientists move their research station to her cave.

Minilla is kicking around boulders while Godzilla naps, with his tail swishing back and forth in his sleep. Minilla uses the tail as a jumprope, but accidentally jumps on it, waking Godzilla. He apparently admonishes Minilla, who wanders off and finds Riko and Mako frolicking on the beach. Godzilla wakes from his nap and finds Minilla at the beach. The baby throws a tantrum and throws himself on the ground. Godzilla pulls the baby by the tail and drags him back

At the cave, several of the scientists come down with a high fever. Riko says they can be cured of the mysterious illness by drinking Red Water, but must pass Godzilla and walk through Spiga’s Valley. However, Spiga, a giant spider, is asleep. Riko and Maki head off to find the Red Water.

At the pool with the Red Water, Godzilla is teaching Minilla monster skills, starting with roars. Minilla’s for now is a high pitched squeal. Godzilla encourages him to create nuclear breath. But he can only create smoke rings. Godzilla steps on the baby’s tail, and Minilla blasts fire. The lesson done, the pair nap. Riko and Maki fill their canteens and leave. They return with the water and administer it to the ailing scientists. With their equipment smashed and giant monsters roaming the island, Kusumi admits it may be time to end the weather controlling experiments.

Riko is gathering herbs and awakens a Gimantis. It knocks her uncoscious, but not before she call for her friend, Minilla. Minilla blows smoke rings at the giant preying mantis, but it only serves to irritate the bug. The fight awakens Spiga. Maki finds Riko, and the pair run to safety. Godzilla arrives to rescue his son. A blast from his nuclear breath cause the Gimantis to run off.

Spiga finds the cave with the humans and traps them with its web. The radio has been repaired, but someone must go outside to erect an antenna. Riko and Maki volunteer. Outside, they spot Minilla, who is fighting with Spiga. Kusumi suggests freezing the monsters. There is just enough of the weather controlling equipment left to do so.

The fight between Minilla and Spiga continues. The giant spider has covered the baby with webbing. The Gimantis shows up and fights with Spiga, who covers it with webbing also. The freezing device is launched. Godzilla wakes from a nap, and finds the three other monsters. Godzilla throws a boulder at it and pulls the baby from the webbing. Spiga tries to cover Godzilla with the web. The scientists blow the weather device, causing the temperature to drop.

Minilla uses its nuclear breath to burn the webbing covering Godzilla, who then blasts Spiga. As the beasts battle, the scientists float off in a life raft to meet the rescue ship. It begins to snow. The weather control experiment is a success!

Godzilla disables the Spiga with his nuclear breath. Both Godzilla and Minilla deliver the killing blow with their nuclear breath, and walk toward the beach. The snow is getting deeper and ice is forming on the ocean around the beach. Minilla trips and falls. The ever patient Godzilla walks back to gather up his son. Together, they hibernate until warmer weather. A submarine arrives to pick up the scientists.

screenplay by Shinichi Sekizawa and Kazue Shiba
directed by Jun Fukuda
music by Masaru Sato

Human Cast: Tadao Takashima (Prof. Tsunezou Kusumi), Bibari Maeda (Riko Matsumiya), Akira Kubo (Goru Maki)

Monster Cast: Godzilla, Gimantis (Kamacuras), Minilla, Spiga (Kumonga)

Notes: The English translation of this movie identifies Kamacuras as Gimantis, and Kumonga as Spiga. Also, Riko is know as Saeko in the Japanese version. The subtitles of the North American DVD identify them with the original names. Minilla is known only as “Baby Godzilla” throughout the North American version of the movie.

LogBook entry by Robert Parson

In the far flung future of 1999, mankind has established a moonbase, with regularly scheduled flights. Meanwhile, an underwater base has been established near Ogasawara Island. All the Earth’s monsters have been gathered together and confined with “scientific walls” on a nearby island known as Monsterland.

The underwater base and Monsterland are attacked by an unknown force. The humans and monsters all succumb to a yellow gas. Rodan attacks Moscow, causing great amounts of property damage. In Paris, Barugon breaks through the ground and destroys the Arc de Triomphe before moving on to the rest of the city. Mothra attacks Beiping, China and the snake-like Manda assaults London. Godzilla invades New York city and blasts the waterfront, including the U.N. building.

A spaceship on an exploration mission is ordered to return to the moonbase, but spots a UFO on the way back. Back at the moonbase they are told to return to Earth, and to land at Monsterland. At the underwater base, they discover the humans at the base and the monsters are now under the control of an alien race known as the Kilaaks. The Kilaaks want to create a Scientific Civilization on Earth, and demand the humans surrender or face annihilation. The crew refuses to surrender and manages to escape, taking Dr. Otani with them. Kyoko, still under control of the Kilaaks, slips away and returns to her controllers.

During interrogation at a remote island resort, Otani throws himself out a window. A fierce gunbattle to recover Otani’s body ensues, with Kyouko leading a Kilaak- influenced team. The team manages to escape. An autopsy of Otani’s body reveals some sort of control device embedded in his neck. The monsters are also believed to have the same devices embedded into them. Using his moonship, Katsuo begins a search for the transmitters.

Security agents checking travelers for signs of the embedded controllers, but Kyoko gets away because the agents cannot find one. Rodan and Godzilla appear in Tokyo and begin smashing buildings. Manda shows up and tears down an elevated train. Japanese Defense Forces fire on the beasts, but to no avail. Mothra arrives to join in the melee. In the end, Tokyo is turned into twisted, ruined wreckage.

Meanwhile, the Kilaaks have evacuated Monsterland and established a new base underground at the hot springs in Izu. Kyoko arrives at the human base of operations with a message from the Kilaaks– agree to live under alien rule and the giant creatures will be returned to Monsterland. In a brief struggle with Katsuo, he rips the earrings off her ears and discovers the earrings were being used to control her. But she remembers nothing about her days spent under Kilaak influence.

Katsuo tries to penetrate the Kilaak base with the moonrocket, but is turned away by Godzilla. JDF tanks fire on the base, but Kilakk technology freezes the tanks in place, allowing Godzilla and Angurius to crush them. As the moonbase attempts to follow a Kilaak ship to Mount Fuji, the aliens set Rodan to chase it away.

A foot patrol near Mount Fuji is scared off by Godzilla, but several members of the team, including Katsuo finds a hidden entrance. It turns out to be a trap. The Kilaaks show them the underground base with several spaceships, including the one spotted earlier on the moon. At a new base on Ogasawara Island, the humans discover that the transmitter controlling the monsters is on the moon. Katsuo takes his moonship and crew back to the moon and destroys the transmitter. They also discover the Kilaaks turn to lumps of coal when exposed to cold temperatures.

The humans have created a device that can control the monsters, and set the creatures to attack the base at Mount Fuji. But the Kilaaks have one more trick up their sleeve – the space monster King Ghidorah. Anguirus takes on the golden beast, which lifts it into the air and drops it. The earth shakes, revealing the Kilaak base. Ghidorah lands atop Anguirus and stomps on him. Godzilla, coming to the aid of Anguirus, grabs Ghidorah, who tries to fly off. The King of the Monsters holds onto Ghidorah and keeps it from escaping. The monsters team up to crush the space monster. As it lays defeated, a flaming monster appears and destroys the human base and the machine controlling the monsters. Godzilla, however, “knows who his real enemies are” and destroys the alien base.

In his moonship, Katsuo chases the flaming monster and discovers it is only a Kilaak ship operating at an extremely high temperature. He fires a freeze missile at it, causing it to lose its fire and crash to the ground. The aliens have been defeated. The monsters return to Monsterland.

screenplay by Kaoru Mabuchi and Ishiro Honda
directed by Ishiro Honda
music by Akira Ifukube

Human Cast: Akira Kubo (Katsuo Yamabe), Yukiko Kobayashi (Kyoko Manabe), Kyoko Ai (Kilaak Commander), Jun Tazaki (Dr. Yoshida), Yoshio Tsuchiya (Dr. Otani), Kyoko Ai (Kilaak Leader)

Monster Cast: Godzilla, Rodan, Anguirus, Mothra (larva), Gorosaurus, Manda, Kumonga, Varan, Barugon, Minilla

Notes: Monsterland is also known in other movies as Monster Island. Even though a voice-over identifies Barugon as the beast that attacks Paris, the creature that actually breaks through the surface is Gorosaurus. Manda’s first appearance was in Toho’s Atragon. Varan first appeared in Varan the Unbelievable. In Son of Godzilla, the spider-like Kumonga is known as Spiga. ADV’s 50th Anniversary Special Edition DVD of Destroy All Monsters has no chapter stops, but does include a bonus CD of the original soundtrack. This is the favorite Godzilla movie of theLogBook.com writer Robert Parson, who says Destroy All Monsters is “enthusiastically ridiculous.”

LogBook entry by Robert Parson

Astronauts Glenn and Fuji are sent to investigate a mysterious Planet X, which is beyond Jupiter. Back on Earth, Fuji’s sister Haruno is dating failed inventor Tetsuo Torii, who Fuji disapproves of. Tetsuo, meanwhile, is awarded a contract from toymaker World Education Corporation for one of his gadgets, the Ladyguard Alarm, which makes a high pitched wail – but his invention is put into development limbo.

Shortly after landing on Planet X, Glenn and Fuji are surprised by thunder and lightning. They discover a highly advanced civilization, that has been driven underground due to continual attacks by Monster Zero, known on Earth as King Ghidorah. The beast damages a water plant, causing the Controller and his staff to leave for a short time, but not before isolating the astronauts in a darkened room. When they return, the Controller asks to borrow monsters Zero-1 and Zero-2 Godzilla and Rodan to defeat Monster Zero. In exchange, Planet X will provide Earth with a miracle drug that will cure all disease.

Even though Earth officials agree to allow the aliens to capture Godzilla and Rodan, Glen and Fuji are cautious. They suspect Planet X is in a severe water shortage, and may have more malevolent plans. Glenn rushes off on a date with Miss Namikawa, the representative from World Education Corp. When he returns, he tells Fuji he suspects the woman of collaborating with the Controller. A short time later, they discover that the Controller and others from Planet X are already on Earth. The aliens encapsulate Godzilla and Rodan in giant bubbles and transport them, Glen, Fuji, and Dr Sakurai to Planet X. On the way, the humans discover the aliens are able to control the flying saucers, animals and planets with their minds.

Tetsuo follows Namikawa to a remote island and discovers the truth: she is an alien collaborator. He’s captured.

Planet X is under assault by Monster Zero. Godzilla and Rodan are released from their bubbles to battle the three headed space monster. After a short fight, they drive away Zero. Glenn and Fuji slip away during the battle and find an oddly beautiful gold park-like room. Namikawa enters the room, wearing the Planet X uniform, but she fails to recognize Glenn, then a second Namikawa enters. Glenn and Fuji are captured by a group of the aliens. The Controller decides not to press charges and releases the pair to Dr. Sakarai. They leave in a replica of their original ship with the medical cure, leaving Godzilla and Rodan behind.

Back on Earth, they discover the tape they brought back doesn’t have instructions on how to produce the miracle drug. Instead, it contains a demand by the Controller to place the Earth under the control of Planet X as a colony, or be destroyed. Riots breakout worldwide. In an abandoned and heavily damaged building, Glenn finds Namikawa wearing a Planet X uniform. She admits she is an alien, but has fallen in love with the astronaut. The two are surrounded by aliens. Before Glenn is led away, she secretly slips a note into his pocket. The aliens kill her for falling in love with a human.

The aliens arrive, and order the humans to surrender within 24 hours or face death. They have brought Godzilla, Rodan, and Ghidorah to Earth and are controlling them with magnetic waves. Glenn, who has been tossed into a cell with Tetsuo, finds the note from Namikawa. She writes that the aliens from Planet X can be defeated through the use of a certain sound. Tetsuo realizes his Ladyguard Alarm emits that sound. Pulling one out of his pocket, he turns it on, rendering their guards helpless. They escape and report their discovery to Dr. Sakurai.

The Xns release Godzilla, and Rodan to attack. The pair smash buildings and knock over bridges in Japan, and Godzilla sets the countryside on fire, while the aliens blow up land-based weapons. Ghidorah joins them as they press the attack into an urban area, devastating the city.

The Ladyguard Alarm signal is broadcast on radio and TV stations. As the aliens try to regain control over their saucers, the humans bring to bear a weapon that disrupts the magnetic waves controlling the monsters, causing them to collapse. They continue to fire the magnetic wave disruptors at the saucers, which are careening out of control. The Controller orders his minions “into the future, the dimension we have never seen.” He presses a button, blowing up the saucers and their island HQ.

Freed from the alien’s grip, Godzilla and Rodan turn on Ghidorah. While the wrestle, they fall over a cliff into the ocean. Ghidorah flies out of the water, but Godzilla and Rodan whereabouts are not known. But it’s not believed the earth monsters are dead. Glenn is advised he will be returning to Planet X as an ambassador to the remaining inhabitants.

screenplay by Shinichi Sekizawa
directed by Inoshiro Honda
music by Akira Ifukube

Human Cast: Nick Adams (Astronaut Glenn), Akira Takarada (Astronaut Fuji), Kumi Mizuno (Miss Namikawa), Keiko Sawai (Haruno Fuji), Jun Tazaki (Dr. Sakurai), Yoshio Tsuchiya (Controller of Planet X), Akira Kubo (Tetsuo Torii)

Monster Cast: Godzilla, Rodan, King Ghidorah / Monster Zero

Notes: The original Japanese language version is known as Invasion Of Astro Monster, and was released in 1965, but even in the Japanese language version, the creature is called Monster Zero or King Ghidorah, not Astro Monster. Among the differences in the Japanese and English versions: a change in the opening theme, the Controller offers “only” a cure for cancer (rather than a cure for all disease), and instead of Glenn being appointed as Ambassador to Planet X, both Glenn and Fuji are dispatched to conduct a survey of Planet X in the original Japanese version.

LogBook entry by Robert Parson

Poor little Ichiro. He’s bullied nearly everyday on the way home from school. Not only that, his parents work long hours and are seldom at home. He is often watched over by Toy Consultant Shinpei Inami, who lives in an apartment nearby. Meanwhile, bandits have gotten away with more than 50 million yen in a bank heist.

Ichiro fantasizes about visiting Monster Island. Once there, he watches Godzilla defeat several Kamacura and the Giant Condor. He also spots several other giant creatures. Ichiro makes friends with Minilla, Godzilla’s son, who is also being bullied by the monster known as Gabara. Inami wakes Ichiro from his dream.

Ichiro is playing outside when he is spotted by his own bully, also named Gabara. He runs off to an abandoned warehouse. He finds a driver’s license and carries it off. Little does he realize, the bandits are hiding out there, and the driver’s license belongs to one of them!

Once at home, Ichiro again visits Monster Island. Searching for Minilla, he instead finds the giant Gabara and runs away. He finds Minilla hiding from Godzilla, who wants to teach Minilla to fight his own battles. But he agrees to introduce Ichiro to his father. Godzilla is engaged in a battle with Ebirah. The giant lobster is defeated in short order. He then battles the giant spider, which is beaten back with Godzilla’s nuclear breath. Gabara walks onto the scene. Minilla grows to some fifty feet and blows smoke rings at Gabara, which only irritates the bully. Gabara beats up Minilla, who shrinks himself again and runs off. Several fighter jets launch missiles at Godzilla, but the enraged beast crushes and destroys most of the jets. He calls out to Minilla to teach the youngster some monster fighting skills. Godzilla shows how to use nuclear fire, but Minilla can only blow smoke rings. Godzilla stomps on his son’s tail, who then blows fire at some brush.

Ichrio is awakened when the bank robbers snatch him and take him back to the warehouse. One of the robbers goes to steal a car, while the other stays behind and watches over Ichiro. The boy covers a hole in the floor with newspaper. He then closes his eyes and returns to Monster Island.

Minilla is again fighting Gabara, who is getting the upper hand. Ichiro encourages his friend, who then blasts his new nuclear breath onto Gabara’s face. Enraged, Gabara lunges forward, but Minilla moves away and the bully konks his head on the wall of a cliff. Minilla runs to Godzilla, but the King of the Monsters refuses to fight his son’s battle. Minilla re-enters the fray and is being beaten down. Godzilla uses his nuclear breath and forces Gabara to retreat. Ichiro and Minilla discuss how to defeat the bully. When Gabara steps on a fallen tree, Minilla jumps on the other end, causing the bully to fly off, head over heels. As Godzilla passes the fallen creature, Gabara bites his leg The two giant monsters wrestle and Godzilla throws him over his shoulder. The bully finally leaves.

The robbers tie Ichiro, planning to use him as a hostage to get away, but the car won’t start. Ichiro remembers what Minilla told him: “Godzilla says we have to fight our own battles and not be cowards.” He slips his bonds and makes his break from the car, running off to the warehouse, with the bandits in hot pursuit. He leads them to the third floor. Meanwhile, Inami spots his stolen car at the warehouse with a money bag inside. He dashes off to call the cops. One of the bandits falls through the hole in the floor that was covered with newspaper, and breaks his leg. The second robber spots Ichrio and gives chase. Ichiro fantasizes the robber is the monster Gabara, and uses a fire extinguisher to vanquish him. The police have now arrived and take the bad guys into custody.

At breakfast the following morning, Ichiro’s mother promises to spend more time with the boy. On the way to school he is confronted by his own bully, Gabara. This time, however, instead of running, he fights and knocks the kid to the ground. Now equals, Ichiro, Gabara and their friends walk to school.

written by Shinichi Sekizawa
directed by Ishiro Hondo
music by Kunico Miyauchi

Human Cast: Tomonori Yazaki (Ichiro Miki), Eisei Amamoto (Shinpei Inami), Sachio Sakai (Bank Robber), Kazuo Suzuki (Bank Robber)

Monster Cast: Godzilla, Minilla, Kamakura, Gabara, Gorosaurus, Manda, Anguilas, Giant Condor, Ebirah

Notes: This movie was originally titled Godzilla- Minilla- Gabara- All Monsters Attack in Japan. Much of the monster footage seen in this movie was culled from previous Godzilla movies.

LogBook entry by Robert Parson

Pollution is continually worsening. Scientist Yano examines a very strange looking fish that looks like a giant tadpole. He has a collection of other strange looking fish that have been preserved on his shelves. Meanwhile, some sort of beast attacks fishing vessels in the Sea of Japan. It has a strange resemblance to the odd fish brought to Dr. Yano earlier. Dr. Yano goes skindiving near the attack to look for evidence. Instead, he finds the ocean floor littered with trash. On shore, Ken discovers the oysters have no meat in them and that dead sea creatures are in the wash. Suddenly, the giant tadpole with blazing red eyes leaps out of the water and flies over him! Yano and the giant tadpole meet underwater. Later that day, Dr Yano is bedridden from the attack, gravely injured with an ugly grey wound across half his face. Ken has named the beast “Hedorah.”

Following a trail of pollution, Hedora crawls ashore. It finds a pair of smokestacks and breaths in the noxious fumes, growing even larger. Godzilla, who Ken has speculated is frustrated and angry about the pollution, confronts Hedorah. The polluted beast leaps at Godzilla. Hedorah’s own horrible odor brings down the King of the Monsters. As they continue to grapple, Godzilla is able to bring himself back up and swings Hedorah around, splashing muck everywhere. Godzilla eventually flings away Hedorah. He uses his nuclear breath against the creature, which flees to the ocean. Godzilla gives chase, but cannot find the other monster.

Once in the ocean, Hedorah regains strength, and the ability to fly. After some forensic testing, Dr Yano realizes the Hedorah is mineral, not animal. He suspects it arrived on Earth in a meteor and the pollution caused it to grow. It also creates sulfuric acid as a deadly, corrosive smog.

Hedorah reappears in the skies above Japan. Where it flies, people collapse from the noxious fumes it emits. If they have direct contact with the toxic mist, they dissolve to skeletons.

Using a tiny piece of Hedorah, Dr. Yano finds that an electrical shock can dry out and destroy the polluted beast. Meanwhile, a group of young adults has gathered at Mount Fuji to protest pollution and celebrate life at the same time.

Hedorah continues its path of destruction toward Mount Fuji. Godzilla is there and steers the monster away from the partygoers. As the two beasts face each other, Dr. Yano finds out the giant electrodes the humans plan to destroy Hedorah with are not yet finished. Hedorah knocks Godzilla to the ground and advances towards the partiers. They throw torches at the creature, but they are nothing more than matchsticks. Hedorah emits its noxious fumes, killing many of them. As it moves to kill those remaining, Godzilla fires a nuclear blast ahead of Hedorah, distracting it.

The two wrestle, but Hedorah’s deadly fumes overpower the King of the Monsters. Hedorah carries Godzilla to Mount Fuji, drops him into a crevice, and oozes nasty polluted muck into the crevice. Godzilla appears doomed. Can the military set up the electrodes before Hedorah destroys he world?

As the Army Commander discusses the plan with the still injured Dr Yano. Godzilla and Hedorah continue their struggle, falling down the side of Mount Fuji and crashing into the power lines! The Commander orders new lines installed quickly.

By this time, Hedorah is larger than Godzilla, and is getting the upper hand in the continuing battle. Godzilla lies wounded and Hedorah leaves the battlefield toward the still non-functioning electrodes. Trying to keep the monster near, the solders blink their headlights. It moves closer to the headlights and the soldiers, but there is still no power. Everyone is waiting for the coming death.

A nuclear blast activates the electrodes! Godzilla has energized the devices. He fires another blast and the electrodes dry Hedorah out, causing it collapse. Godzilla shoves his hand inside and pulls out two shiny globes. He again activates the electrodes, vaporizing the globe/hearts. A smaller Hedorah emerges from the remains of the other and flies off. Godzilla uses his nuclear breath as a jet and flies backwards to the escaping Hedorah. But the smaller, weaker Hedorah is no match for a rejuvenated King of the Monsters. Godzilla grabs the monster and he flies them back to the electrodes, which have new powerlines attached. The humans turn on the juice, but it’s not enough. Godzilla uses his nuclear breath again to reactivate the electrodes, finally causing Hedorah to shrivel up. Godzilla rips the guts out of Hedorah. Before the guts can become new Hedorahs, he activates the electrodes and shrivels them up.

Godzilla turns and leaves. He is angry, however. He may have defeated Hedorah, but pollution is still destroying the world.

written by Kaoru Mabuchi and Yoshimitsu Banno
directed by Yoshimitsu Banno
music by Riichiro Manabe

Human Cast: Akira Yamauchi (Dr. Yano), Hiroyuki Kawase (Ken Yano), Toshie Kimura (Toshio Yano), Keiko Mari (Gara Takatori), Toshio Shibamoto (Yukio Keuchi)

Monster Cast: Godzilla, Hedorah

Notes: The opening title sequence is obviously inspired by Maurice Binder’s title sequences for the James Bond movies. The movie’s original title was Godzilla Vs. Hedorah; when imported to North America, the distributor renamed this movie Godzilla Vs. The Smog Monster, and replaced the theme song with the English language song “Save The Earth.” Since then, the “commonly available” version that usually airs on TV and is now on DVD has restored the original title and the Japanese language theme song. However, Godzilla Vs. The Smog Monster is readily available on an apparently properly licensed disc that is packaged with Godzilla Vs. Megalon.

LogBook entry by Robert Parson

Comic book artist Gengo Kotaka is engaged by World Children’s Land to assist in developing a theme park in Japan, featuring a tower shaped like Godzilla. As he reports to work one day, he is nearly knocked over by a woman running out of the building, who is being chased by several men. She drops an audio tape as she dashes off. Inside, he meets the chairman of the Japanese branch of World Children’s Land. The Chairman tells Gengo that the woman is an “enemy of peace.”

Returning home, Gengo is mugged by the woman and one of her cohorts, who demand the tape. They tell Gengo that Children’s Land is the real enemy of peace, based on journals left by Machiko’s missing brother. Gengo accepts their story, and leads them to a locker in which he had hidden the tape. They play back the tape, which emits a strange sound. At the Godzilla tower, the Chairman and his henchmen pick up the sound, the “Action Signal.” It’s also heard by Godzilla and Anguirus at Monster Island. The King of the Monsters dispatches Anguirus to investigate the mysterious sound.

Gengo and his new friends conduct background checks on World Children’s Land and the Chairman, only to find many irregularities. The most surprising is that the Chairman died a year ago. Apparently, the Chairman and the others are taking over the bodies of recently deceased humans. Back at the tower, the Chairman receives a message from Nebula Space Hunter M in preparation of an invasion. He orders the playing of “Action Signal 1.” Just then, Anguirus arrives at a nearby bay. The army swings into action, and is able to turn back the spiked monster.

Snooping around at the Godzilla Tower, Gengo finds Machiko’s brother. He is caught and run off, but followed by the chairman?s henchmen. Gengo, Machiko, and Shosaku are about to be killed, when Gengo’s sister arrives and beats them away. Meanwhile, Godzilla and Anguirus are making their way to Japan. At the same time another Action Signal is played, which calls space monsters Gigan and King Ghidorah. Gigan is a horned bipedal Cyclops-type creature with multiple fins on his back, hooks for hands and a buzzsaw in his abdomen.

Gengo and his sister attempt rescue Machiko’s brother from the Godzilla tower, but are captured by the aliens. One of the Chairman’s henchmen reveals they are the advance force for creatures from Nebula Space Hunter M, which has very nearly been destroyed by pollution. The aliens are in reality the only surviving race of that planet: giant cockroaches. Controlled by the aliens, Ghidorah and Gigan arrive on Earth. The monsters are ordered to attack Tokyo. The pair rip through the city as if it were simply model buildings.

Godzilla and Anguirus arrive. Gigan leaps into the air, but is brought down by a mighty blast of Godzilla?s nuclear breath. Godzilla is, in turn, felled by Ghidorah’s lightning bolts. But both Gigan and the King of the Monsters get up. Ghidorah sets the oil storage tanks afire, and Godzilla pulls Anguirus from the flames. Meanwhile, Machiko and Shosaku mount a rescue mission for their friends in the Godzilla tower. A weather balloon is floated to the imprisoned friends, who escape by sliding down a rope.

The battle between the kaiju continues and is moving closer to the theme park. Godzilla and Ghidorah wrestle while Gigan focuses his attentions on Anguirus. But Gigan leaps into the air toward Godzilla. The space monster uses the buzzsaw in his abdomen and slices a huge gash in Godzilla’s shoulder. Godzilla stumbles in pain into the theme park and is startled to find the tower shaped in his image. As he approaches the tower, the aliens shoot lasers from the tower at the monster, which knocked Godzilla off his feet.

A small task forced lead by Gengo carries explosives into the tower, since the interior is lightly defended. While they do so, the monster battle continues, with Gigan taking a slice out of Anguirus. Moments later, the explosives destroy the tower from inside. As it burns, the aliens revert to their original cockroach shape. The tower explodes, releasing the control the aliens held over space monsters.

Even without direction, Gigan and Ghidorah are able to put the other two monsters on the ropes. Godzilla is able to gather a second wind and manages to subdue Gigan. Ghidorah, which has been watching from the sidelines, is attacked by a rejuvenated Anguirus. The three headed monster however lifts the spiked beast into the air and drops him. Godzilla and Anguirus double-team the other monsters by having Anguirus jump backward onto the golden monster, which then collides into Gigan. Godzilla stomps onto one of the necks of Ghidorah, but the golden creature rolls free. Without leadership and facing the overwhelming force of Godzilla and Anguirus, the two space monsters flee.

screenplay by Shinichi Sekizawa
directed by Jun Fukuda
music by Akira Ifukube

Human Cast: Hiroshi Ishikawa (Gengo Kotaka), Tomoko Umeda (Machiko Shima), Yuriko Hishimi (Tomoko Tomoe), Minoru Takashima (Shosaku Takasugi)

Monster Cast: Godzilla, Gigan, King Ghidorah, Anguirus

Notes: Godzilla speaks! You’ll recall that in Ghidrah, The Three Headed Monster the Fairy Twins translate a discussion between Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra. But here, Godzilla and Anguirus speak in English. The Japanese version reportedly uses comic book type balloons. Originally released in Japan as Earth Attack Command: Godzilla vs. Gigan.

LogBook entry by Robert Parson

An underground nuclear test in the Aleutian Islands has widespread environmental effects, even as far away as Monster Island in the South Pacific. Godzilla and the other monsters are in distress and attempt to escape the earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and storms.

The effects are also felt in Japan, where inventor Goro Ibuki, his son Rokuro, and Goro’s friend Hiroshi Jinkawa are enjoy a day at the lake. An earthquake creates a crack in the lake bed, draining the water underground. The day ruined, they return to Ibuki’s home, where the door is unlocked and open. They are attacked by several mysterious men, who flee. Hiroshi gives chase, but they manage to escape. The attackers were apparently trying to find information about the robot Ibuki is building. The leave behind an unusual red sand, which is revealed to have come from deep undersea.

Now completed, the robot is activated and named “Jet Jaguar.” The mysterious agents snatch Rokuro and use him as ploy to get into the house, using a sleep gas to knock out the two men and the boy. Receiving orders from the Emperor of Seatopia, they program the robot to lead Megalon to “the target.”

At the undersea kingdom of Seatopia, Emperor Antonio informs his subjects they are going to war against the Earth because the nuclear testing has already destroyed a third of the country. He unleashes the giant monster Megalon. The giant winged beetle with a glowing antenna and sharp, serrated claws rises to the surface.

A Seatopian agent has tied up Ibuki and his son in the back of a truck and is heading toward the cracked lake, with plans to take them to the undersea kingdom. Back at the house, Hiroshi breaks free from his bonds, knocks out a Seatopian agent, and escapes to rescue the others.

Megalon arrives at the lake, meeting Jet Jaguar who leads him to Tokyo. The city is being evacuated, and army units are being sent in. The truck drivers throw the Seatopian out of the cab, and decide to dump the container with Ibuki and his son into the dam instead of going to the lake. Megalon interrupts their task and they run off. The monster smashes the dam, releasing the water into the valley below. The container slips off the truck, but Megalon bats it over the mountain. The doors crack open spilling out the pair.

The army is making a valiant attempt to stop Megalon before he gets to Tokyo, but the beast breaks through the line and uses a laser emitting from his antenna to destroy the defenders. In an army helicopter, Ibuki uses the transmitter to override the Seatopian programming and sends Jet Jaguar to get Godzilla. Realizing the King of the Monsters will arrive soon, the Seatopians request assistance from Space Hunter Nebula M, who send Gigan.

Megalon arrives in Tokyo and uses his antenna laser to destroy huge sections of the city. Jet Jaguar meets with Ibuki and reports that Godzilla is on the way. However, Ibuki no longer controls the robot – it has reprogrammed itself “for survival.” It flies to meet Megalon, and grows to match the monster’s size in order to do battle.

Jet Jaguar is barely able to hold his own against Megalon, when Gigan appears. Caught between the two monsters, the robot tries to fly off. But Megalon knocks him out of the sky with his antenna laser. On the ground, the beasts knock Jet Jaguar around. Just as it appears hopeless, Godzilla arrives and throws some kaiju karate moves on Megalon and Gigan while Jet Jaguar licks his wounds.

Both of the monsters are seriously injured and lying on the ground. Gigan manages to get back up, flies toward Godzilla, and slashes Godzilla in the shoulder with the buzz-saw blade in his abdomen, This enrages Godzilla, who blasts the space monster with his nuclear breath, knocking it out of the sky. Gigan threatens to decapitate Jet Jaguar, but Godilla blasts Gigan again, who retreats to Megalon. The creatures surround Godzilla and Jet Jaguar with a ring of fire, but the robot lifts Godzilla out of the inferno. The allies thrash Megalon and Gigan, causing Gigan to flee like a wounded bully back to Space Hunter Nebula M. Godzilla and Jet Jaguar continue to beat on Megalon, who falls into a crevice that leads back to Seatopia.

Defeated, the Emperor orders all exits to the surface closed. Godzilla returns to Monster Island. Jet Jaguar shrinks to human size and returns to his creator.

written by Shinichi Sekizawa
directed by Jun Fukuda
music by Riichiro Manabe

Human Cast: Katsuhiko Sasaki (Goro Ibuki), Hiroyuki Kawase (Rokuro Ibuki), Yutaka Hayashi (Hiroshi Jinkawa), Robert Dunham (Seatopia Emperor Antonio)

Monster Cast: Godzilla, Megalon, Jet Jaguar, Rodan, Angirus

Notes: Jet Jaguar was based on a design created by a school child as part of a Toho-sponsored contest. He was originally intended to be in his own movie, but studio execs didn’t think he could stand alone. The English language translation pronounces the robot’s name as “Jet Jag-you-are.” While there is no “official” DVD release of this movie in North America, it does show up on TV from time to time, and there is a Mystery Science Theater 3000 version on DVD.

LogBook entry by Robert Parson

During a ceremonial dance on Okinawa, a woman faints after experiencing visions of monsters destroying a city. Masahiko, a reporter sent to cover the ceremony, later visits a cave and discovers a radioactive metal, which later analysis reveals is Space Titanium. Meanwhile, his brother, who is developing a marina, finds another cave containing ancient artifacts, apparently honoring an ancient god, King Caesar. Paintings on the wall predict an attack by a monster that will destroy the world, but two other monsters will save the world.

Mainland Japan is being rocked by a series of earthquakes, with a “moving epicenter,” and Godzilla emerges from a volcanic eruption at Mount Fuji. His roar, however has a strange metallic sound. As he begins his rampage, Anguirus attacks. The two battle, but Godzilla seriously wounds the spiked creature, who retreats to fight another day. Godzilla marches off. At the scene of the battle more of the Space Titanium is found.

Godzilla is crashing through an industrial sector in Tokyo, destroying oil storage tanks and pipelines. Suddenly, a second Godzilla appears. The two thrash around, destroying more of the industrial sector, when the skin is ripped from one of the Godzillas. It is a cyborg made of Space Titanium, and is controlled by aliens. MechaGodzilla launches missiles from its fingertips and lasers from its eyes. Godzilla uses his nuclear breath. Both are injured. Godzilla retreats to the ocean and MechaGodzilla is recalled by his controllers.

While investigating the cave on Okinawa, Professor Miyajima, his daughter, Eiko, and Masahiko are grabbed by the ape-like aliens from the “Third Planet of the Black Hole,” who have taken human form. They demand that Miyajima help repair MechaGodzilla, and threatens to kill the others unless he complies. Meanwhile, on a remote island Godzilla is recovering from his wounds.

Miyajima has finished his repairs to MechaGodzilla. The alien controller throws him into the execution room with Eiko and Masahiko. The room is filled with hot, pressurized steam. Keisuke and an Interpol agent, who has been investigating the aliens, break into the stronghold and rescue the others from the deadly steam.

King Caesar awakens from his ages-long sleep. The aliens send MechaGodzilla after the giant creature, which looks like a giant floppy-eared lion-dog cross with a menacing toothy grin in a stone face.

MechaGodzilla unleashes a laser blast at King Caesar, but the ancient god reflects it back. Caesar hides behind a giant rock when the metal monster fires his finger missiles. The two continue to grapple and Caesar is tossed aside like rag doll, when Godzilla arrives. The King of the Monsters and MechaGodzilla battle while King Caesar recovers. Caesar pulls himself up and MechaGodzila launches a full attack with all of its ordnance. Godzilla is seriously wounded, but manages to shake it off. With new magnetic abilities, Godzilla pulls the metal monster toward him. Godzilla grabs it from behind and Caesar begins smashing at it from the front. Godzilla rips the head off the cyborg, defeating it.

As the alien base explodes, Godzilla returns to the sea and Caesar returns to his slumber.

written by Jun Fukuda and Hiroyashu Yamaura
directed by Jun Fukuda
music by Masaru Sato

Human Cast: Masaaki Daimon (Keisuke Shimizu), Kazuya Aoyama (Masahiko Shimizu), Akihiko Hirata (Professor Hideto Miyajima), Hiromi Matushita (Eiko Miyajima)

Monster Cast: Godzilla, MechaGodzilla, King Caesar, Anguirus

Notes: The city-destroying vision the young woman has at the beginning the movie features King Ghidorah, who is otherwise not seen in the movie.

LogBook entry by Robert Parson