Godzilla films from onetime directors

[tbeasley]

Some directors have helmed multiple films in the series - Ishiro Honda (8), Jun Fukuda (5), Kazuki Omori (2), Takao Okawara (4), Masaaki Tezuka (3) - while other have only been involved in a single film. Which are your favorites?

[Reaper G]

"Hedorah" was the first Godzilla movie I saw, so Banno got my vote.

[Benjamin Haines]

Godzilla vs. Hedorah is my favorite of these movies but Godzilla: Final Wars and Shin Godzilla are high up there for me and I also like The Return of Godzilla and GMK a lot.

Hedorah remains one of the most unique Godzilla films ever made even now. I love the way it blends horror, sci-fi, and environmentalist themes with a distinctly early-'70s flavor. The cast does a good job of carrying the story and the rivalry that builds between Godzilla and Hedorah is palpable. The movie is just a blast, zany music and cartoon interstitials included.

[jellydonut25]

Wow. When you lump them all together like that, it becomes pretty apparent (at least to me personally) that the one-off director films are represent the least enjoyable bunch as a whole. Again, that's just for me personally and where I rank the movies.

[lhb412]

I really like a few of these, but right now I'm gonna give Shin the edge, GMK under that, Hedorah behind that, then Return, Raids, Final Wars, and Spacegodzilla.

Of course, Kaneko and Anno are still working, and who knows; maybe they won't be onetime directors in the end. Of course, even if he's a onetime Godzilla director it's hard to think of Kaneko as one with four kaiju films and several Ultraman episodes under his belt.

[DannyBeane]

SpaceGodzilla and GFW are the only films I don't really care for. GRA is one of my all time favs. Smog Monster and G 85 are always in rotation. GMK has its moments.

[Specium Ray]

I voted for Hedorah as a reflex before realizing Shin was on the list. Shin might be a better movie, but I have like Hedorah for longer :p

[H-Man]

I voted for Banno, Hashimoto, Kaneko, and Anno. The other three directors made some of my least favorite series entries.

[Benjamin Haines]

[O.Supreme]

[Specium Ray]

Wasn't Banno somehow indirectly responsible for Legendary?

[Benjamin Haines]

[lhb412]

[kiryugoji04]

His original idea for a Godzilla film seemed pretty interesting. Basically Versus meets the Ebirah scene from Final Wars but with Godzilla in Ebirah's place and stretched out to a full movie, yeah? I'd watch that.

[klen7]

^ I would hate that.

[kiryugoji04]

I think it would be a pretty unique take on the genre. Could look incredible if it was pulled off with traditional tokusatsu effects like the aforementioned Ebirah scene.

[jellydonut25]

I think Kitamura without Tomiyama hanging over him, forcing him to do certain things, could me a really good and very interesting Godzilla film.

Kaneko too, for that matter.

I'd not hate to see either one get an auteur crack at a Godzilla film.

[lhb412]

[kiryugoji04]

I think it was supposed to be escaped criminals, a la VERSUS. Or maybe even criminals forced into the job like a Suicide Squad sort of deal? Dunno. I definitely remember the word "criminals."

[H-Man]

[tbeasley]