GODZILLA THE ART
GODZILLA THE ART is a groundbreaking project where contempreorary artists from Japan and around the world engage with Godzilla in their own ways. Transcending the boundaries of film, these creators offer bold reinterpretations that reflect the spirit and concerns of today.
With animator Mengji Yoro as the general producer, a variety of works by leading creators will create a new image of Godzilla in the modern imagination.
Tickets are available here!
Mori Art Center Gallery
6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku https://godzillatheart.com/
￥500 - 6,700
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Tokyo Weekender
2 hours ago
- Tokyo Weekender
The Convoluted Chronology of Godzilla: Why the Monster King Isn't Just One Kaiju
Godzilla is one of the oldest film franchises in the world. (But not the 'longest-running.' That title is still claimed by Japan but it belongs to a series of softcore porn movies .) In 2024, the world celebrated 70 years of the King of the Monsters smashing buildings, fighting other kaiju, and embodying the horrors of nuclear weapons. One problem with that, though. Technically, the giant dinosaurian creatures from the 33 live-action Japanese Godzilla movies are not always the same giant dinosaurian creature, meaning that there isn't one kaiju that's been continuously appearing in cinemas for more than seven decades now. Confused? Let us explain. List of Contents: 'Godzilla' Is More of a Species Name New Era, New Godzillas Godzillas of the 21st Century Related Posts 'Godzilla' Is More of a Species Name We don't mean that 'Godzilla was portrayed by different actors in a series of reboots so it's not the same Godzilla.' No. Christopher Reeve's Superman and David Corenswet's 2025 incarnation have different backgrounds, looks, and powers, yet they're still the same character. However, within the Godzilla cinematic universe there are numerous creatures that are called Godzilla but which are (as far as we know) unrelated to each other. In total, the Godzilla franchise may feature anywhere from 3 to 7 of these monsters, depending on how pedantic you want to get. All but two Godzilla movies acknowledge the 1954 original where Godzilla is ultimately killed by the fearsome Oxygen Destroyer weapon that reduces it to a pile of bones. So, almost every 'Godzilla' outside the first movie is actually the second giant dinosaurian creature to attack Japan while its predecessor chills at the bottom of Tokyo Bay. And this isn't some made-up fan theory. The second movie in the franchise, Godzilla Raids Again (1955) , is a direct sequel to the original and clearly states that the atomic ancient beast fighting the Ankylosaurus-like Anguirus belongs to the same species as the Godzilla that rampaged through Tokyo a year ago, but it's not the same kaiju. That one is still an underwater Halloween decoration in that timeline. The title of Godzilla Raids Again is thus a little misleading because the monster that appears in the film actually only raids for the first time. New Era, New Godzillas Godzilla movies are typically classified by Japanese eras. The Showa-era films (1954 – 1975) were famously loose with the idea of continuity and tone (in 1969's All Monsters Attack , the titular monsters only appear in the dreams of a latchkey kid dealing with bullies… and jewel thieves.) Nonetheless, the Showa movies undisputedly feature at least two different monsters belonging to the 'Godzilla' species. Let's say that the creatures from between the Godzilla Raids Again and Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975) movies, which can be enjoyed in any order, are the same monster despite some differences in design and behavior. We will tentatively call this kaiju 'Godzilla 2,' and the 1954 version 'Godzilla 1.' During the Heisei era (1984 – 1995), Godzilla 2 was written out of existence. Within the universe kickstarted by the once-again-misleadingly-titled The Return of Godzilla (1984), only the first movie happened and then Japan enjoyed 30 years of peace until a brand-new Godzilla appeared. Technically speaking, this one was Godzilla 3. There are just too many differences between Godzilla 2 and 3 for them to be the same 'reimagined' kaiju. For one, the latter is MUCH bigger. The Showa version was 50 meters high. The Heisei one is 80 meters high and also has a 'a nuclear reactor heart,' a 'magnetic honing instinct' and feeds on nuclear energy. There's even a case to be made that Godzilla 3 only hung around for a few years and was replaced by Godzilla 4 in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991), where the creature's origin was retconned to make it a Godzillasaurus, a dinosaur roughly the size of a T-Rex, which was mutated by radiation. In the previous movies, it was heavily implied that Godzilla was always kaiju-sized and that nuclear bombs only awakened it or possibly only gave it the atomic breath. Whatever you want to call it, the Heisei Godzilla died in Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995) and was replaced by a new mutated Godzillasaurus. If you count the 1991 version as a new character, then the ending of the 1995 movie gave us Godzilla 5 (the third monster to appear in that one movie's universe.) Godzillas of the 21st Century Godzilla 5 was rewritten out of the franchise when the whole series rebooted during the franchise's Millennium era (1999 – 2004). The first film in the series, Godzilla 2000: Millennium, once again ignores everything except the first movie but also notably shrinks the 'new' Godzilla back to about 50 meters. Still, we can probably count it as a variation of Godzilla 2. However, we cannot extend the same courtesy to the monster in Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack , aka GMK (2001), since THAT Godzilla is a supernatural creature created by the accumulated energy of vengeful ghosts of those killed in WW2. No, really. If you've been generous with the counting, this is Godzilla 6. Hideaki Anno's Shin Godzilla (2016) might give us #7. In Anno's universe, for the first time ever, the 1954 movie isn't a shared canon, and Godzilla is a whole other type of monster that starts out as an aquatic animal before evolving through amphibian and land forms. This actually new Godzilla (befitting the 'Shin' in its title, which means 'new') was very different from Godzillas 1 – 6. It shot lasers from its dorsal fins and tail, could reproduce asexually, and ultimately started evolving into hive-minded humanoid creatures after recognizing humanity as a powerful threat. Interestingly, the Godzilla from Godzilla Minus One is very easy to categorize. Since the entire movie is essentially a not-so-stealth remake of the 1954 original, then the titular monster is just a riff on Godzilla 1. Yes, there are many differences between it and the 1954 kaiju, but there are many differences between Superman from the Fleischer cartoons and Zack Snyder's movies, yet it's still the same character. But, as we've seen, this does not apply to ALL cinematic Godzillas. Turns out, there isn't just one King of the Monsters. There is an entire monster dynasty. Discover Tokyo, Every Week Get the city's best stories, under-the-radar spots and exclusive invites delivered straight to your inbox. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy . Related Posts The Marketing Blitz That Helped Make the Original Godzilla a Success Beyond Godzilla: 5 Underrated Kaiju That Deserve the Spotlight A Beginner's Guide To Watching Akira Kurosawa Films
Asahi Shimbun
05-08-2025
- Asahi Shimbun
VOX POPULI: Astro Boy, Godzilla embody contrasting sides of nuclear power
Gojira (Godzilla), the product of a nuclear test in the sea, is an embodiment of 'kaku no kyofu' or 'the horror of nuclear weapons.' Tetsuwan Atomu (Astro Boy), the robot that represents the best of science, symbolizes 'genshiryoku no heiwa riyo' or 'the peaceful utilization of nuclear power.' Godzilla inspired terror while Astro Boy brought hope, according to literary critic Norihiro Kato (1948-2019). The word 'nuclear' can be translated into Japanese as 'kaku' or 'genshiryoku.' The former, which is usually used to qualify weapons (as in 'kaku heiki'), has an ominous ring to it. On the other hand, 'genshiryoku," or nuclear power, is associated with a bright future. And precisely because Japan is an atomic-bombed nation, it has always held high hopes for the peaceful use of nuclear power. Back in the 1950s, the United States considered gifting Hiroshima a nuclear power plant. That was because the fallout from U.S. nuclear tests over Bikini Atoll in 1954 resulted in a surge of anti-nuclear movements in Japan, and Washington sought to 'pacify' Tokyo with this perceived 'peace offering.' Such an idea would be utterly inconceivable today. Over the years, the 'myth of the safety of nuclear power' has been shattered, particularly after the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant accident in 2011. But in this 80th anniversary year of Japan's defeat in World War II, the government is setting a new nuclear power plant construction project in motion. How could this ever be? It is as if Astro Boy, who is supposed to have disappeared, has returned to life. And Godzilla, also, is as high-spirited as ever. Leaders of a global superpower are threatening to use nuclear weapons, in total disregard of the pleas of anti-nuclear pacifists. And at home, a politician is being praised, of all things, for blurting out, 'Nuclear armament is the cheapest option.' How should we deal with nuclear power in the days to come? We discovered Godzilla's terrifying power through extreme grief. And we experienced firsthand how our expectations for Astro Boy turned into disillusionment. Isn't that usually the case? —The Asahi Shimbun, Aug. 5 * * * Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
Japan Today
04-08-2025
- Japan Today
Mighty Atom: How the A-bombs shaped Japanese popular culture
In the 80 years since the World War II attacks, stories of destruction and mutation have been fused with fears around natural disasters By Katie Forster and Kyoko Hasegawa From Godzilla's fiery atomic breath to post-apocalyptic anime and harrowing depictions of radiation sickness, the influence of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki runs deep in Japanese popular culture. In the 80 years since the World War II attacks, stories of destruction and mutation have been fused with fears around natural disasters and, more recently, the Fukushima crisis. Classic manga and anime series "Astro Boy" is called "Mighty Atom" in Japanese, while city-leveling explosions loom large in other titles such as "Akira", "Neon Genesis Evangelion" and "Attack on Titan". "Living through tremendous pain" and overcoming trauma is a recurrent theme in Japan's cultural output "that global audiences have found fascinating", said William Tsutsui, a history professor at Ottawa University. The U.S. nuclear bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 left around 140,000 people dead. It was followed days later by the bombing of Nagasaki that killed around 74,000 people. Some poetry "portrays the sheer terror of the atomic bomb at the moment it was dropped", but many novels and artworks address the topic indirectly, said author Yoko Tawada. "It's very difficult for the experience of the atomic bomb, which had never existed in history before, to find a place in the human heart as a memory," she told AFP. Tawada's 2014 book "The Emissary" focuses on the aftermath of an unspecified terrible event. She was inspired by connections between the atomic bombs, the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster and "Minamata disease" -- mass mercury poisoning caused by industrial pollution in southwest Japan from the 1950s. The story "is less of a warning, and more a message to say: things may get bad, but we'll find a way to survive", Tawada said. Godzilla's skin Narratives reflecting Japan's complex relationship with nuclear technologies abound, but the most famous example is Godzilla, a prehistoric creature awakened by U.S. hydrogen bomb testing in the Pacific. "We need monsters to give a face and form to abstract fears," said professor Tsutsui, author of the book "Godzilla on My Mind". "In the 1950s, Godzilla fulfilled that role for the Japanese -- with atomic energy, with radiation, with memories of the A-bombs." Many people who watched Godzilla rampage through Tokyo in the original 1954 film left theaters in tears, he said. And "it's said that the special effects people working on Godzilla modeled the monster's heavily furrowed skin after the keloid scars on the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki." In the nearly 40 Godzilla movies released since, nuclear themes are present but often given less prominence, partly to appease American audiences, Tsutsui said. Even so, the series remains hugely popular, with 2016 megahit "Shin Godzilla" seen as a critique of Japan's response to the tsunami-triggered Fukushima disaster. 'Black Rain' "Black Rain", a 1965 novel by Masuji Ibuse about radiation sickness and discrimination, is one of Japan's best-known novels about the Hiroshima bombing. But the fact Ibuse was not an A-bomb survivor is part of a "big debate about who is permitted to write these stories", said Victoria Young of the University of Cambridge. "How we talk about or create literature out of real life is always going to be difficult," she said. "Are you allowed to write about it if you didn't directly experience it?" Nobel-winning author Kenzaburo Oe collected survivor accounts in "Hiroshima Notes", essays written on visits to the city in the 1960s. "He's confronting reality, but tries to approach it from a personal angle" including his relationship with his disabled son, said Tawada, who has lived in Germany for four decades after growing up in Japan. "The anti-war education I received sometimes gave the impression that Japan was solely a victim" in World War II, she said. "When it comes to the bombings, Japan was a victim -- no doubt" but "it's important to look at the bigger picture" including Japan's wartime atrocities, she said. As a child, illustrations of the nuclear bombings in contemporary picture books reminded her of depictions of hell in historical Japanese art. This "made me consider whether human civilization itself harbored inherent dangers", making atomic weapons feel less like "developments in technology, and more like something latent within humanity". © 2025 AFP
