Gills.

[Diabolik]

In what will probably be the most nit-picky to devisive design choice, I thought we'd hash it out here?

I'm growing to love them. It makes "real world" sense--which seems to be what the movie is going for. It's a weird, but almost obvious design choice that I think I'm going to love more and more. I can imagine Godzilla living under water for years, maybe even decades...just waiting.

I REALLY hope there's an underwater scene with little bubbles coming.

Now WHAT SAY YOU!?

[MouthForWar]

Don't care

[metal_bryan]

[gojira_fan]

[jellydonut25]

I can't vote in this...

because "I could care less" means I have some level of care, and it could be lower. Where's the option for "I couldn't care less"?

[Godzilla21]

As long as cities are stomped out, atomic breath is unleashed, back spikes are bigger than the last toy photo, and Bryan Cranston says "Godzilla... is.... the danger" then I'm happy.

[Mysterio]

I am not a fan of them myself.

[Snowdenzilla]

I care more about their function.

There's still a possibility that this is a design element and won't even be mentioned or shown as being anything special.

[GFan]

[GoDziLLaX]

I don't mind the gills.. Sure, they are a radical shift in the sense that nothing like them has every been used.. But to me they are less radical than any one of GINO's physical traits or demeanor.

[Jorzilla]

My hated of this is well documented, but hey, lets get it out there and visible one more time.

I don't really care as a design element, but I fall in the a category of thinking they are distracting and tacky for the overall design. I DO care if they are functional and described as such in the movie either through function, description or god forbid lighting up akin to the back spines. I would put them in the same category of unnecessary and unwanted addition as:

*Feathers (I mean Godzilla was based on a dinosaur).
*Quils being an extension of the feathers comment since he's irradiated.
*Webbed feet or hands.
*Horizontal stance, though this isn't necessarily a deal breaker on a design, I just have a strong preference for a hominid shape.

The reason primarily as a reclassification of a Godzilla species in biological taxonomy, as well as what I would gladly admit is a slippery slope of: Well if gills make sense from a realism perspective since he's aquatic, then why not give him fins and webbed hands/feet? Which is why I believe realism shouldn't be a deciding factor in the design, or even my acceptance of a design if I believe it is bad. Before anyone calls me out on it, I see pro-biological taxonomy logic and my argument against realism in Godzilla as being distinct: a movie's universe should only follow believability, and violation of taxonomy breaks believability for me. You cannot have a reptile with gills. Reptiles have fully formed lungs.

I think we all have a line that we would cross of when Godzilla is no longer classified as such (Zilla is a great example), and for me, personally, I have a low tolerance for what I interpret as fundamental changes to the character and his origin. Less we see a Godzilla with all the features I listed above. I don't think many people would argue a monster was Godzilla if it was a horizontal T-Rex, with feathers, gills, webbed feet/hands and fins; yet individually I have seen designs or have heard recommendations which incorporate one or more of these elements. My tolerance for against radical change prevents me from liking the gills. I have a low tolerance for it.

Lastly my criticism is leveled from the perspective of, would I do it, or could I see any Godzilla fan making this addition? By in large I think the answer is no, I've never recalled seeing a piece of fan art with this feature prior to the initial leak of Godzilla's design. From that perspective it fails my internal test of whether or not it is a logical decision or progression of the design. I don't think anyone would argue that the addition isn't radical. To further illustrate where I'm coming from: I'd be curious to see if anyone believes that any classic Japanese Godzilla is actually IMPROVED by the addition of gills.

NOW: Before anyone says well G2K, GMK design is radical, or Godzilla has flown, stfu (responses I have fielded many times due to this opinion), I would like to point out that it is not what I am discussing in this topic. Those designs and elements have their own merits and faults within the context of their own movies and the overall franchise. I don't think a discussion on whether or not Godzilla should have 4 toes or 3 is what we should spend time discussing, I would gladly share my opinion on those matters in their respective threads. I WILL say that up until this point, and with the exception of Zilla, by and large previous Godzilla designs are remixes and re-imaginings of existing designs an element which may once be radical can eventually be accepted, such as jagged spikes. I see gills as a new element which exists outside what has been established as a trait for a Godzilla design, and something that I do not believe can or should be accepted as a standard trait going forward.

Now the question is: Will this discussion be kept civil?

[jellydonut25]

My equivalent to the gills would be ears. I don't care either way. Ears no ears; gills no gills. Makes no difference. I personally think it's a pretty apt analogy to counter Jorzilla's claim that since gills have never before been featured, it's inappropriate unlike say spiky spines or pupiless eyes where those are riffs on an already existing element and are thua different from gills. The ears thing (and gills thong) is an outright addition/removal of a feature and not just a riff on something already existing. I caree as much about gills as I do about ears: not at all.

[Jorzilla]

[lhb412]

I've never really liked the ears at all. I accept the ears. I don't hate the ears. I wouldn't want an image of G '54 without the ears because it'd look incomplete, but I don't like the ears.

Honestly, I like gills more than I like the ears, and I haven't even seen the movie where Godzilla has gills yet.

[Jorzilla]

[Jorzilla]

This might be a little silly, but my immediate emotional response when they were first pointed out to me was basically:

"An American Godzilla has progressed from being a Tun-Fish-Eating-Monster to a Tuna-Monster"

[canofhumdingers]

I chose hate them, but in reality that's too strong a word. I personally don't really like them, largely b/c I don't like the way they look, but it's not utterly ruining anything for me either.

[Jorzilla]

[jellydonut25]

How the gills likely came into existence:
*artist drawing*
"Hmmm...what if I just kinda threw some gills on here? Looks pretty cool to me. Could also make for an interesting visual swhen he uses his breath. Nobody will really notice or care about a few extra ruffles on his neck."

Oh the poor fool...

[Jorzilla]

[william newell]

Gills? I really don't care as I don't find them distracting. Now those God-awful feet, as I've said before, have no place on an aquatic bi-ped. (Even though they certainly aren't a deal breaker, but if we're going to air design quibbles... )

[GFan]

[Hybrid Gojira]

The gills and feet don't really bother me. The gills aren't my preference, but it's one of those things that I'm sure we see more of in the movie. It's hard to rush to judgment when we don't know much about them except the rumors, but I don't find them distracting nor do they take away from this design being Godzilla. It's such a non issue that I could even grow to like the idea once I see the film.

Besides, legendGoji is not a second GINO in the slightest.

Edit: fixed typos. Auto correct..ugh.

[Mysterio]

Yeah this is worlds better than GINO. I don't care for the gills, the feet, or the weird limp bear-paw look I've seen pop up a few times. But I'm still excited for the movie and I'll deal with it. I can't think of a movie I haven't nitpicked... not even my favorite movies are without SOMETHING that annoys me.

I don't like ears on my Godzillas either.

I just hope he doesn't have nipples...

[Shonokin]

Since he's got a history of staying under water for extremely long periods of time, gills would make sense. In as much as a gigantic radioactive dino-something makes sense in the first place.
What are the gills for (if they are gills)? What are the fins for? What are the human-like arms for? How does he shoot radioactive stuff from his mouth? How is he 107 meters tall and not crushed under his own weight? If you want to parse Godzilla out scientifically you are left with very little.