Monster Zero x SciFi Japan - Archive Only

I've been thinking about this a lot lately, especially after showing Megalon and Gigan to a group of friends at my house. Why do we group Showa films together so tightly? For example: Godzilla vs. Hedorah is completely different than the original Godzilla movie, but they are still in the same "series." I actually think it could be argued that there are four (going on five) groups of Godzilla movies instead of three going on four. They are as follows:

Golden Age Godzilla Films: Gojira (1954) - Destroy All Monsters (1968): 14 years, 9 films.

Hero Godzilla Films: Godzilla's Revenge (1969) - Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975): 6 years, 6 films.

Heisei: No difference. 11 years, 7 films.

Millennium: No difference. 5 years, 6 films.

Godzilla's Revenge is the splitter between the series, it was the movie that signaled: This franchise is now kid-centric. Godzilla's motivations and personality completely change after this moment, even in Destroy All Monsters he was fighting the Japanese Military.

So, what are the benefits of the split?

- No continuity issues. It's always confusing to whether or not Gigan takes place prior to, or before Destroy all Monsters (at least it's not clear). If you consider Destroy All Monsters to be the crowning cap of the first series, problem solved (expect for how the heck Godzilla found himself stuck inside of an island).
- Complete distinction between the different main filmmakers involved (except for Honda and Fukuda).
- Distinction between the tones of the series. Godzilla's Revenge herald in the pure Kids Movie, Hero Era.
- Each series 'feels' distinct between each Showa series, Heisei and Millennium.


I know that this wont be adopted by the larger community because the Showa, Heisei, Millennium series has become so ingrained. Showa film's are still grouped together due to their close proximity in release dates. However, when discussing Godzilla films going forward I will probably use this distinction in non-online, fan-centric discussion. For example, when watching these films with friends.

I agree with this division and promoted something similar in a blog post a while back. You're right: the series changes dramatically in tone, style, and more between DAM and Godzilla's Revenge, it's a very clear delineating point.

I think my brain makes a logical break in the same location, but while there is a shift between those two subsets, its not as major as the shifts between the big 3.

Another distinction is that Godzilla's Revenge was the first Godzilla film produced specifically for Toho's Champion Matsuri Film Festival series. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure every subsequent Showa Godzilla film also debuted at those film festivals.

That would make Destroy All Monsters the last Godzilla movie of the Showa Series that was produced and intended for general audiences in Japan.

My distinction between the series mostly comes from the filmmakers and approach. I don't think this break in the Showa series is nearly as dramatic, nor do I really see the benefit of splitting it. It just seems like unnecessary confusion. I agree that the Golden Age sufficiently came to an end with Destroy All Monsters, but I don't think that's a reason to split the series up any more than it already is.

I've always tended to break the Showa era into four distinct categories. The "origins" era spans the 50s, and consists of mostly sober movies. Not just the first two Godzilla flicks and Rodan, but even The Mysterians and Varan are definitely darker and more serious-minded than most of what was to come.

Then comes the Golden era, when the production process on the movies became more streamlined, the effects techniques were largely perfected, and the films were treated as major events. This runs from Mothra through War of the Gargantuas.

After that, budget cuts and an increasing sense that these movies should be targeted primarily for a more juveline market give us the Tropical Island years, spanning from Sea Monster through Yog.

Finally, the 70s were... well, they were ever-so-70s, by and large. Disillusioned, even harsh and ugly, screaming into the darkness, and oh so bizarre.

I find this thread to be very silly.

If that was the criteria alone, The Return of Godzilla is a Showa film, and the Heisei series includes the new Legendary movie.

To me there's definitely pre and post-DAM in terms of quality. But watching the Showa series chronologically the first time I saw that Godzilla's change from villain to hero was very gradual and almost natural. People tend to think it went from the seriousness of the original to something like Megalon from the first sequel and that's a misconception I can't stand.

1968 - Destroy All Monsters - Godzilla's living on Monster Island in the beginning and the end.
1969 - Godzilla's Revenge - Godzilla is living on Monster Island, but in the imagination of a little boy.
1971 - Godzilla vs. Hedorah - No mention of Monster Island. Godzilla just shows up when needed.
1972 - Godzilla vs. Gigan - Godzilla is once again living on Monster Island.
1973 - Godzilla vs. Megalon - Godzilla is still living on Monster Island.

^^ I sometimes refer to these movies as the Monster Island series.

Revenge intrigues me somewhat, as I sometimes got the idea that Godzilla didn't even exist in that world, except inside the head of the little boy. I also sometimes wondered if, in terms of continuity, if Revenge and Hedorah were meant to be skipped in the big, bad, Godzilla timeline, and DAM went straight to Gigan. Know what I mean?

It always seemed to me that Revenge is supposed to take place in the real world. It's just a story about a young kaiju fan and how his hobbies helped him grow up while his parents worked. It's not a part of the "timeline" of the other Showa films.