Godzilla eras mirror each other?
Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 5:53 pmHas anyone else noticed the startling similarites in the two eras of Godzilla films if you include the Millenium series in the Heisei series?
For instance, if you divide each era into decades, you have...
Showa (50s, 60s, 70s)
Heisei (80s, 90s, 00s)
When compared, each corresponding decade is nearly identical.
- 50s and 80s each contain 2 films with serious tones that set up the rest of the series.
- 60s and 90s contain movies that are fairly formulaic, feature a false "end" to the series, as well as many other similarities.
- 70s and 00s are the experimental stages and inevitably end each era.
The similarities are really amazing when you analyze the films individually, though...
50s and 80s
The first film in each series is stark, serious, and only features Godzilla. The sequel comes with a brand new monster for Godzilla to face. This new monster is killed by Godzilla and the military implements their plan to put Godzilla out of commission. Also, the second film doesn't do as well as the first in the box office.
60s and 90s
Existing, popular monsters act as the foes in the first films of these decades. Godzilla, likewise is still very much the bad guy.
The second films are nearly identical, seeing as how the 90s entry is more or less a remake of the 60s film. After this film, the comparisons of this decade get slightly more vague, but are still fairly obvious.
As the decades continue, Rodan is introduced in a film or two and space monsters are injected into the plots. Furthermore, islands soon become a common setting, though they aren't the primary settings in the 90s as they are in two of the 60s films. Perhaps the most glaring similarity is the introduction of Godzilla's son, who appears as a main character for 3 consecutive films after his debut.
At the end of each of these decades' series of films, Toho announces that they will end the Godzilla franchise with a bang. This occurs, but doesn't last long, especially concerning the 60s film.
70s and 00s
This is where experimentation with style, plots, and characters begin occurring more frequently. Though All Monsters Attack was made in 1969, I'll include it in the 70s decade for the sake of argument.
The first films (G2K and All Monsters Attack) essentially ignore the continuity of prior films and dwell in their own universes.
The next two films are admittedly different on a grand scale. However, Hedorah and Megaguirus are both brand new monsters and each features a young boy as a main character. (Yeah, I'm grasping at straws here)
GMK and Megalon have more in common than you think, though. Both films tried to diverge from the norm in a drastic sense. Megalon made Godzilla an absolute hero, while GMK made him the villain. Both films mark the extremes of the respective experimentation periods.
Next comes the most blatant similarity of all. The next two films in each eras BOTH feature Mechagodzilla. In fact, the second films are both direct sequels as well.
Final Wars is perhaps the odd ball out.
Obviously, there's tons of general and specific similarities between these two eras. This isn't to mention that each one lasts almost exactly 20 years.
Any ideas as to the cause of this, or any reasons as to why you think I'm completely wrong?
Perhaps this could even give some insight into how the next series may play out?
For instance, if you divide each era into decades, you have...
Showa (50s, 60s, 70s)
Heisei (80s, 90s, 00s)
When compared, each corresponding decade is nearly identical.
- 50s and 80s each contain 2 films with serious tones that set up the rest of the series.
- 60s and 90s contain movies that are fairly formulaic, feature a false "end" to the series, as well as many other similarities.
- 70s and 00s are the experimental stages and inevitably end each era.
The similarities are really amazing when you analyze the films individually, though...
50s and 80s
The first film in each series is stark, serious, and only features Godzilla. The sequel comes with a brand new monster for Godzilla to face. This new monster is killed by Godzilla and the military implements their plan to put Godzilla out of commission. Also, the second film doesn't do as well as the first in the box office.
60s and 90s
Existing, popular monsters act as the foes in the first films of these decades. Godzilla, likewise is still very much the bad guy.
The second films are nearly identical, seeing as how the 90s entry is more or less a remake of the 60s film. After this film, the comparisons of this decade get slightly more vague, but are still fairly obvious.
As the decades continue, Rodan is introduced in a film or two and space monsters are injected into the plots. Furthermore, islands soon become a common setting, though they aren't the primary settings in the 90s as they are in two of the 60s films. Perhaps the most glaring similarity is the introduction of Godzilla's son, who appears as a main character for 3 consecutive films after his debut.
At the end of each of these decades' series of films, Toho announces that they will end the Godzilla franchise with a bang. This occurs, but doesn't last long, especially concerning the 60s film.
70s and 00s
This is where experimentation with style, plots, and characters begin occurring more frequently. Though All Monsters Attack was made in 1969, I'll include it in the 70s decade for the sake of argument.
The first films (G2K and All Monsters Attack) essentially ignore the continuity of prior films and dwell in their own universes.
The next two films are admittedly different on a grand scale. However, Hedorah and Megaguirus are both brand new monsters and each features a young boy as a main character. (Yeah, I'm grasping at straws here)
GMK and Megalon have more in common than you think, though. Both films tried to diverge from the norm in a drastic sense. Megalon made Godzilla an absolute hero, while GMK made him the villain. Both films mark the extremes of the respective experimentation periods.
Next comes the most blatant similarity of all. The next two films in each eras BOTH feature Mechagodzilla. In fact, the second films are both direct sequels as well.
Final Wars is perhaps the odd ball out.
Obviously, there's tons of general and specific similarities between these two eras. This isn't to mention that each one lasts almost exactly 20 years.
Any ideas as to the cause of this, or any reasons as to why you think I'm completely wrong?
Perhaps this could even give some insight into how the next series may play out?