Another decade has come and gone for Godzilla. Sixty years and the King of the Monsters voyages into a new era of rampaging. Gareth Edwards' Godzilla is a success, the sequel is set to open in 2018 and Toho has created a “Strategy Council” to maintain Godzilla's popularity until the next film. (This Council's plan has yet to be revealed.) After all this time the original 1954 masterpiece continues to influence the genre and filmmakers alike. Though Godzilla's legacy has not been restrained to his own series.
His title may be the “King of the Monsters”, but he's arguably king of something much larger. Godzilla is the father, even grandfather, of an effects-heavy, Japanese fantasy style that has been alive since the his inception. Godzilla (1954) started a beloved tradition that was completely different from Hollywood filmmaking. It was exciting, strange and constantly pushed the limits of what it could do. In celebration of his 60th anniversary I have compiled a completely bias list of Godzilla's most notable offspring outside the main series. These are Japanese/co-Japanese productions and series that I believe represent the best of Godzilla's legacy.
Madame White Snake (1956)
Featuring special effects by Godzilla's Eiji Tsuburaya, Madame White Snake is a fantasy/period piece based on Chinese legend. Although it's not the standard monster/sci-fi fare the genre is known for, its use of miniatures and other familiar techniques led some to call it the first tokusatsu in color.
Rodan (1956)
Ishiro Honda directed other movies before returning to the giant monster genre. The film would tackle post-trauma while characters dealt with not one, but two flying reptiles. In addition to introducing audiences to one of the most beloved monsters of all time, Rodan was also the first kaiju film in color. Who knew Rodan would return eight years later to become a top tier monster in the Godzilla series?
The Mysterians (1957)
This is one of my favorite movies of all time. The Mysterians is an extravagant, colorful sci-fi epic born of Eiji Tsuburaya's imagination and Ishiro Honda's optimism. The film's colorful style, production design and basic story would be replicated in many of the 1960s toku/Godzilla films. The alien wardrobe may have also inspired the popular Super Sentai series.
Moonlight Mask (1958)
Japan's first live action, television super hero set the bar for future toku heroes that would come down the pipeline. After 130 episodes the series was infamously canceled when a boy died replicating Moonlight Mask's many, impossible feats.
Mothra (1961)
If the look of Japanese sci-fi had become more vibrant and colorful with The Mysterians, then Mothra was the movie to push it into more fantastical territory. An ambiguous monster born for the sake of social commentary, Mothra added additional fun to the genre's weighty themes.
Toho's Frankenstein Duology (1965-1966)
Toho's take on the Frankenstein monster isn't particularly true to Mary Shelly's character, but it was beautifully integrated into the genre by Ishiro Honda and Eiji Tsuburaya. Frankenstein Conquers the World and War of the Gargantuas are examples of international markets wanting a cut of the 1960s kaiju boom. United International Pictures co-produced both films which stared Nick Adams and Russ Tamblyn, respectively. War of the Gargantuas has a massive cult following amongst even well known directors. Homages to the monster battles are found in Kill Bill, Hott Fuzz and Crank 2.
The Gamera Series (1965-present)
Considered a “rip-off” by some, the Gamera series is the direct result of Toho's success with Godzilla and the popularity of the kaiju genre. Despite comparisons, Daiei did an excellent job of separating Gamera from Godzilla as both a unique creature and a children's film series. The later Gamera movies are arguably some of the greatest kaiju films of all time.
The Daimajin Trilogy (1966)
Possibly Daiei's crowning achievment in the 1960s, Daimajin represents some of the darker stories in the genre. The films are period pieces revolving around a giant shogun statue that comes to life. It's also one of the few examples of Akira Ifukube scoring music outside of Toho's doors.
Ultra Q (1966)
This is the first television series produced by Eiji Tsuburaya's own Tsuburaya Productions and the first in the long running “Ultra Series”. The series features characters investigating the supernatural and aliens-- Often running into a monster-of-the-week scenario. Many of these monsters would return in Ultraman.
Ambassador Magma (1966-1967)
Osamu Tezuka, known best for creating Astro Boy, holds the honor of creating the first, full colored tokusatsu television series. It's also unique for its blend of animation and live-action; and it's a whole, whole lot of fun!
Ultraman (1966-1967)
Although Ambassador Magma beat it to television by a mere week, Tsuburaya Production's first, full colored television series is the one most genre fans remember. Unlike anything that had been seen before, Ultraman skyrocketed the popularity of the “giant hero”. Ultraman spawned countless sequels and movies. The current 2014 series is Ultraman Ginga S.
The Kamen Rider Series (1971-present)
Although I've only been privy to later series, it's clear that Kamen Rider is a massive part of tokusatsu and to remove the many incarnations from history would leave a great gap in the genre. The original was something of a tactical, crime series with action scenes. More fantastical elements were introduced as the franchise evolved. The current series is Kamen Rider Drive.
Goranger and the Super Sentai Series (1975-present)
Although not considered part of the Super Sentai series until the mid-90s, Goranger began the long running tradition of a multicolored team fighting for justice. Although Goranger has yet to be released in North America its influence is felt in the Power Ranger series. The Super Sentai series has continued almost every year since the late 70s. Each series introduces a new team with its own theme-- Such as cars, magic and dinosaurs. The current series is ToQger, a team with a locomotive theme.
Spider-Man (1978-1979)
Like King Kong and Frankenstein, the series isn't particularly true to the traditional Spider-Man mythos, but it's a knee slapping take on the popular hero. Stan Lee praised it for the great action sequences and Toei would adopt the idea of Spider-Man's giant mecha for future Super Sentai series.
The Power Rangers Series (1993-present)
The Power Rangers follow a similar suit as the Americanization of Godzilla (1954). Although the fights and special effects footage are lifted directly from Super Sentai, English speaking actors replace the Japanese cast with brand new storylines. Power Rangers is currently the most popular and perhaps the only tokusatsu series that regularly airs in North American. The original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was adapted from Zyuranger. The current series is Power Rangers Super Megaforce, which is a hybrid adaptation of Goseiger and Gokaiger.
Ultraman: The Next (2004)
Although it was completely upstaged by the hype surrounding Godzilla: Final Wars, Ultraman: The Next was the true toku film event of the year. The film was a modern retelling of the original Ultraman series. It featured some of the genre's best effects and a bold new vision for the Ultra hero.
Negadon: The Monster from Mars (2005)
Negadon is a CG animated, indie short carefully done as a throwback to the golden age of kaiju eiga. The movie was in production for two years before being broadcast on Japanese television. Its cult popularity brought the film to North America on the SyFy channel and region 1 DVD.
No doubt the original Godzilla stands apart from many of these films, but its impact is undeniable. These movies and series have created long lasting legacies from Godzilla's own influence and many of them continue to thrive today. Here's to 60 more years of Godzilla's kingdom.
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