As the most recognizable giant monster in fiction, Godzilla, or Gojira as it’s known in Japan, is synonymous with the Kaiju genre.
Since its debut in 1954, Godzilla has rampaged its way into the mainstream pop culture landscape, leaving a massive footprint in various media, and directly inspiring the tokusatsu genre in Japan.
With the recent successful release of its latest cinematic entry, Godzilla Minus One, and the announcement of a sequel to the well-received Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), it’s safe to say the legendary monster has entered a new era of popularity.
Though the newer films have reimagined Godzilla and rebooted the franchise, the first film, Godzilla (1954), was a product of its time and as such, very deeply rooted in the political climate of post-World War II Japan.
Created and directed by Ishiro Honda, brought to life by Eiji Tsuburaya’s practical special effects, and produced by Toho, Godzilla served as a heavy-handed allegory to nuclear weapons and their consequences, drawing direct parallels to the horrifying atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Atomic age
The film was a poignant representation of collective trauma and fears borne out of the new atomic age, striking a chord with Japanese audiences, and making it an instant classic.
The film would soon see an international release in the USA, with the Godzilla, King of the Monsters! (1956), though this version was infamous for its egregious Americanization, re-editing and redubbing scenes with American actors and scrubbing most of its themes, resulting in a dumbed-down simple monster movie. Despite this, the film was a relative success and introduced Godzilla to American audiences.
With its popularity in Japan, Godzilla inevitably spawned a rapidly expanding franchise. With each subsequent sequel, the titular monster’s character would evolve and change from a beast of mindless destruction to something more nuanced. Godzilla’s extensive franchise history is split into traditionally categorized four eras, each having its own characteristic looks and tone.
The early Showa era films (1954-1975), began with a serious tone but very quickly changed Godzilla into a friendlier anti-hero type of character, fighting off a variety of villainous monsters.
Geared towards children
Eventually, the former destructive force of nature would be considered an outright superhero, with its films being geared primarily toward children. This era would introduce many of the staples of Godzilla lore, such as Mechagodzilla, its primary antagonist King Ghidora, Godzilla’s son Minilla, and many iconic reoccurring monsters like Rodan and Mothra.
The Heisei period (1984–1995) rebooted the franchise, starting with a direct sequel to the original 1954 film, ‘The Return of Godzilla’ (1984), returning Godzilla to its roots as a force of nature.
The films of this era were more mature and explored a lot of Godzilla’s origin and back-story.
Though Godzilla would eventually become more antiheroic again, even having another offspring character like Minilla, the films would maintain it as a largely tragic figure. The Heisei films maintained continuity and even had a long-term character arc for Godzilla. However, not a lot of what was introduced in this period would carry over to later eras of the franchise.
The Millennium era (1999–2004), would reboot Godzilla once again, with the release of Godzilla 2000: Millennium (1999).
Most of the films of this era would have no continuity with each other and were largely episodic, returning to the more monster-mash style of films of the Showa era.
As such, they did not have any major common signifying characteristics, having a tone varying anywhere between serious and campy.
Reiwa era
The current Reiwa era (2016 to present), was kickstarted with Shin Godzilla (2016), rebooting the series again, this time retelling the first film in a modern age, reflecting the feelings of Japan’s frustration with the mismanaged government response to the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, and the resulting Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Toho has announced its intentions to release a new film every couple of years, from 2021 onwards. This is completely independent from the American series of films by Legendary Pictures, which has started up its own era of Godzilla in the West, incorporating Godzilla into the planned Monsterverse alongside fellow classic movie monster, King Kong.
Godzilla transcended its Japanese origins to become a global cultural phenomenon. Since its debut, the franchise has earned the world record for ‘longest continuously running film franchise’, with 38 films and more in production on the way.
Godzilla’s enduring appeal lies in its ability to adapt to the evolving fears and concerns of society.
Whether serving as a cautionary tale about the consequences of human folly or a symbol of resilience in the face of overwhelming challenges, Godzilla remains a versatile and compelling character.
