When “Godzilla” roars into theaters this Friday, cinema’s greatest monster will go up against the world’s largest military, the U.S. armed forces.

But how much of a chance would the U.S. military actually have against a 355-foot tall radioactive Godzilla?

To find out, we spoke with the film’s Military Technical Advisor, retired Sgt. Maj. James Dever and asked how the U.S. military would hypothetically take on the monster, and, more importantly, whether they could do it.

“The military would be very successful,” said Dever. “With the manpower and the equipment we have, we’d definitely be successful in taking down Godzilla.”

“The armed forces would use all their means,” he added. “The Air Force would use their F-15’s and F-16’s… Marine Corps with their F-18’s and Harrier Jets, the United States Navy with their F-18’s and aircraft carriers. If that didn’t work, the ground troops would be moved in using the M1 Abrams tanks.”

Even though Dever predicted the military would win out in the long run, he did see two complications that would pose the most difficulties: Godzilla’s fiery “Atomic Breath” and the battle taking place in a densely populated city.

In the movie, Godzilla eventually surfaces in San Francisco.

“Once he’s in the city our major concern are all the civilians,” said Dever. “The military would put their combined effort to move all the civilians out before we could engage him.”

While Godzilla would realistically take on all branches, the movie primarily focuses on the U.S. Navy.

Many scenes in the film take place on aircraft carriers and the movie’s main protagonist, Ford Brody (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) is a Navy lieutenant.

According to Dever, the use of the Navy makes sense given its use of ships, sonar, and submarines would have the best advantage at tracking and taking down the amphibious monster.

“They [The Navy] have the advantage of tracking and following in the air and in the seas,” Dever told us.

Another pressing question in a real-life battle with Godzilla would be if the U.S. would consider using a nuclear weapon especially considering the monster’s radioactive history.

Dever said it may be an option if the military felt it could work. However, the ultimate decision would come from the President and would only be used after civilians were evacuated.

He added that even though the battle would be unlike any other, it wouldn’t be too long before Godzilla was eventually destroyed.

“It’s not a known thing fighting monsters,” said Dever. “But we’d give it our best, and hope he would go down in a day or two.”

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Origin: Here’s how the military would actually fight Godzilla
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Warner Bros./Godzilla Trailer

“Godzilla” opened in theaters late Thursday evening.

If you’ve seen the trailers, you know one of the coolest parts is a skydiving sequence, showing members of the military paratrooping from a plane in order to engage the monster.

Check it out:

You may have also noticed something that struck you as odd.

After the jump, you see these red streaks of smoke follow the paratroopers on the way down.

It doesn’t only appear in the trailers.

The smoke was also a big part of one of the film’s promotional posters.

Warner Bros.

Then in the film’s main trailer, while the U.S. military is attacking Godzilla with its standard weaponery like giant aircraft carriers, one of the scenes shows soldiers shooting tiny red flares toward the massive monster.

Obviously, red flares and smoke are no match for Godzilla, so why are they so prominent? What is their purpose?

When we spoke with the film’s military technical adviser, retired Sgt. Maj. James Dever, he explained how something as small as red flares could be effective against something as big as Godzilla.

“The use of the red flares was never to attack the creature,” said Dever. “It was used to divert the creature … to distract him.”

The flares — and red smoke — divert the monster’s attention long enough for the military to use its more powerful artillery or even clear the area.

In real life, the military uses smoke and flares in similar ways.

Smoke can be used to create smoke screens for cover and the different colors of smoke can signify enemy targets and identify landing areas for aircraft.

While flares can be defensive countermeasures, which can be seen in the clip below of a CV-22 Osprey military helicopter testing their flare defense system.

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Origin: Military advisor on ‘Godzilla’ explains why red flares are used to combat the monster
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Director Gareth Edwards’ new take on Godzilla takes full advantage of the latest advancements in CGI technology to bring the iconic monster back to life, bigger and badder than ever before, and the promotional posters and teaser trailers stirred up plenty of hype before the movie’s release. But would you be rushing into the movie theater if you saw the above poster?

Coming into Summer movie season this year, the first big blockbuster out at cinemas is (another) Hollywood version of Godzilla. It’s showing all across the world, including at cinemas in the tiny Penghu Islands off the western coast of Taiwan, and the poster that one of these island cinemas is using has been attracting a lot of attention.

There are a ton of awesome official posters out there depicting Godzilla through cityscapes and roaring at the heavens while helicopters circle him like flies. But for some reason this particular cinema in Taiwan has shunned all this over-the-top promo material and decided to opt for an original hand-drawn design. I imagine that the decision to go with this image went something along the lines of the manager realizing the night before opening day that they didn’t have a poster, and then getting his art-loving seven-year-old son to whip something up.

Despite its true creator trying their hardest to capture the power and might of Godzilla, its over-bitey expression is more derpy than terrifying, and those buildings don’t really look like they’d take too much effort to knock over. Also notice the weird two-fingered gesture the beast is making with his right hand. He’s either trying to play rock paper scissors with that skyscraper, or the artist thought it would be funny to include good old-fashioned some British swearing.

▼ For comparison, here’s an official Warner Bros/Legendary Pictures poster for Godzilla.

▼ News segment (in Chinese) about the Taiwanese poster.

Which poster do you prefer? I have to say that the official teasers have got me really hyped, but unfortunately here in Japan we have to wait until July 25 to see the movie in cinemas (what did we tell you about Japan and late movie releases!?). It really doesn’t seem fair considering this is Godzilla’s birthplace, but I suppose I’ll just have to make do with the extensive franchise back catalogue until then.

Source: 2ch Blog

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Origin: Hand-drawn Godzilla poster used at tiny Taiwanese movie theatre is beautiful in its own way
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Since his first appearance back in 1954, Godzilla has cut his teeth on dozens of films and taken down a number of enemies in the process. When it comes to the battle of the batter, however, it seems Godzilla and his mate Mothra have walked away defeated, as there’s no shaking off a coat of oil and Japanese breadcrumbs.

Spotted as part of a restaurant food display in Nagaragawa, Gifu Prefecture, photos of the creation have been popping up all over the internet. But the fun doesn’t stop there, as the restaurant also has a pair of tempura beetles on show. Another famous Japanese character, Medama-oyaji, also gets in on the food play by taking a dip in a bowl of ramen noodles.

A fried Godzilla and a tiny naked man with an eyeball for a head bathing his privates in your soup? What sounds like a crazy, made-up dream is often part of the sweet everyday in Japan. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Source: トゥギャッチ 
Images: TUKItoMoon Twitter

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Origin: Fried Godzilla with a side of Mothra: a plate of epic proportions
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Godzilla wants to pour you his own variety of shochu alcohol to celebrate his latest film’s worldwide success. To date, Godzilla has brought in US$477.6 million at the box office worldwide. Japan’s Konishi Brewing Company is marking the occasion by re-releasing its Choujugura shochu in a special collector’s edition Godzilla porcelain bottle.

Shochu grain alcohol is made from 100 percent barley and specially selected water.Godzilla can hold 720ml (about 24oz) of shochu, or enough to get you nice and toasty.

Konishi Brewing began plans for the release five years ago to mark the monster franchise‘s 55th anniversary. Sculptor Shigeaki Ito created the bottle with Godzilla film director Koichi Kawakita. However, it wasn’t released until 2011. The re-release is limited to 3,000 bottles for 10,800 yen each (about US$106).

Other than drink alcohol, Godzilla also loves to eat Snickers and play Skyrim in his spare time.

[Via Yattar Japan]

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Origin: Kick back with a glass of Godzilla shochu alcohol
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Every summer, as part of our effort to see as many brightly colored explosions as possible, my wife and I head to Kurihama in Kanagawa Prefecture to watch the neighborhood’s annual fireworks festival. In the past I always had to work on the day of the event, so we’d arrive just as they started launching the rockets, but this year I had the day off, so my wife suggested heading down early to do a little sightseeing. “We can go to Kurihama Flower World!” she offered, referring to the area’s expansive garden.

Sure, I thought, that might be kind of nice and romantic. I was a little surprised by her enthusiasm, though, since early July isn’t exactly the best time for flower viewing in Japan. It’s right in the gap between when hydrangeas and sunflowers are at their most beautiful, so what exactly did she want to check out there?

“We can see Godzilla,” she explained, which just might be the most convincing argument for going someplace ever.

Kurihama is part of the city of Yokosuka, which makes it about a 40-minute train ride from Yokohama Station. It’s a moderately developed neighborhood, with a port, ferry terminal, and handful of factories, but nonetheless there’s only one exit from Keikyu Kurihama Station.

Unfortunately, there’ s no bus to Kurihama Flower World, so unless you feel like shelling out for a taxi, you’re looking at a 15-minute walk to the front gate. After walking through the station’s turnstile, hang a left to exit the station building, then turn right once you’re outside at the bus and taxi rotary.

After a few minutes, you’ll come to a sign directing you to turn left for Kurihama Flower World.

▼ The official English name is a slight upgrade from the Japanese one, Kurihama Hana no Kuni, which translates as “Kurihama Flower Country.”

Oddly enough, even though you’re still 840 meters, or a little over a half-mile, away from the park entrance, this is the last sightseeing directory of this style you’ll pass by. Instead, as you walk in the direction the arrows point, keep an eye out for the vertical sign on the right side of the street that says Kurihama Hana no Kuni in Japanese.

Turn right in front of the sign, and you’ll be on the final approach to the main entrance.

After all this walking, there’s a pleasant surprise: entrance to Kurihama Flower World is completely free!

The park is incredibly spacious, and contains an outdoor foot bath, herb garden, restaurant, and lookout platform. Our destination, though, was the section of the park called Adventure Land.

▼ The reason we came

Because of the park’s size, there’s a tram called the Flower Train that shuttles adult guests around the grounds for 210 yen (US $2.05), or kids for 100 yen.

We’d just missed it when we arrived, which meant more walking, as Godzilla stands about 800 meters from the gate. On the plus side, this gave us more time to admire the gorgeous view. Flower World’s biggest botanical attraction is its sprawling poppy and cosmos field, and while neither flower was blooming during our visit, the late afternoon sunlight shining down into the valley, and the walls of greenery surrounding it, made us forget for a moment that we were just about an hour south of Tokyo.

But just what is Godzilla doing in this otherwise tranquil-looking park? The answer lies in the very first film in the series. When the creature emerged from the sea, his first step on solid ground was at Tatarahama, a beach that’s also in Yokosuka. In commemoration of this momentous moment in cinema/giant monster history, in 1958 a Godzilla slide for kids to play on was installed at Tatarahama.

Eventually, though, the years, elements, and countless tiny bottoms took their toll. By 1973, the slide was no longer fit for use, and had to be torn down. Just like in the movies, though, the giant lizard refused to be totally defeated, and more than 25 years later, Godzilla would rise again.

▼ Just 200 meters left to go!

Members of the community began gathering funds for a new Godzilla slide. Over 100,000 individuals got involved, as did 203 companies, including both local businesses and Toho, the studio behind the film franchise.

▼ Is that…?!

▼ It is!

Finally, in 1999, the King of the Monsters returned.

Compared to the Tatarahama version, Kurihama’s Godzilla is much closer to his on-screen appearance, with a fierce look to his eyes and rows of vicious fangs. With a height of 8.75 meters (28 feet, 8 inches), he’s not quite as big as the movie version, but with a weight of five tons, he could still cause quite a lot of damage if he decided to go on a rampage.

▼ Godzilla’s gargantuan toenail

▼ “Don’t climb on me, OK? It’s dangerous!” – A message from the big guy himself

▼ Godzilla, looking cooler than he did in his 1998 American film, and slimmer than in his 2014 one.

▼ At the base of the pedestal is a list of contributors who donated to the cause of bringing Godzilla back.

Intimidating as he may look, though, Godzilla’s slide isn’t exactly a test of courage, since it’s only about as high as his waist. The entrance is up a short flight of stairs that extends from between his legs, and a sign posted says that the slide is only for kids 12 and younger.

As a matter of fact, there’re much longer slides just a few steps beyond the statue.

Still, if you’re a full-grown fan who just absolutely has to slide down Godzilla’s tail, there is one loophole you can exploit. Kids under five are asked to have an adult accompany them, so you may want to consider adopting/kidnapping a small child before coming to the park.

▼ Or, you know, bring your own children or younger siblings.

But even though we didn’t get to experience the Godzilla slide ourselves, seeing Japan’s favorite giant monster up-close and personal was a real treat. Eventually it was time to go watch the fireworks though, and while saying good-bye was hard, as a resident of Kanagawa, I definitely sleep better knowing that the prefecture has its own resident kaiju defending it.

▼ Because you never know when Ghidorah might decide to start throwing his weight around.

Park information
Kurihama Flower World / 久里浜花の国
Address: Kanagawa-ken, Yokosuka-shi, Shinmeicho 1
神奈川県横須賀市神明町1番地
Website

Tatarahama Godzilla slide image: Kanazawa 19
All other images: RocketNews24

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Origin: We spend an afternoon in the park with the King of the Monsters at Kurihama’s Godzilla Slide
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There’s a pretty predictable pattern that merchandising for anime and youth-oriented movies in Japan follows. New hits get inexpensive trinkets, at a price point where kids can purchase them with their allowance. After a decade or two, higher-quality, items start to show up, like Sailor Moon jewelry and Gundam cars, which are priced more in line with what the franchise’s nostalgic and employed fan base is willing to spend.

Since it’s now been 60 years since the first Godzilla movie, some fans who weren’t even in preschool for the legendary kaiju’s debut are now getting close to retirement. With possibly a whole career’s worth of earning, prudent financial decisions, and wise investments, some Godzilla fans can afford to lay out big money to show their respect for the King of the Monsters, which is where this solid gold Godzilla figurine comes in.

Jeweler Ginza Tanaka opened its first store in 1892. Since then, the company has built a reputation as a reputable provider of high-end, non-reptilian accessories.

To commemorate Godzilla’s 60-year milestone, though, the company has decided to create a 24-centimeter (9.4-inch) recreation of the beloved monster. While it’s not nearly as big as the awesome 8.75-meter-tall, two-ton Godzilla slide we recently visited, Ginza Tanaka’s figurine still tips the scales at 15 kilograms (33 pounds).

The statue’s price tag is even heftier than its weight, though, as Ginza Tanaka’s creation sells for an eye-popping 150 million yen (US $1.47 million). Why so much? Because it’s made entirely out of 24-carat gold.

The design is based off of the creature’s appearance in the 1989 film Godzilla vs. Biollante, although Ginza Tanaka’s designers say they added a bit of extra muscle tone for their sparkly statue.

The golden Godzilla officially goes on sale July 20, but is committed to a series of public appearances soon after. From July 20 to 29, it’ll be on display at the G Haku Godzilla exhibit at the Hikarie building in Tokyo’s Shibuya. Next, it’ll move to the Ginza Tanaka flagship store in Ginza until August 10, before making the trip to Osaka for the G Haku exhibit at the Abe no Harukasu Kintetsu department store from August 14 to 24, then finally making the rounds of other Ginza Tanaka stores across Japan.

Presumably, though, the statue will eventually wind up gracing the home of whatever well-heeled fan steps up to but it. So if you’re a collector who’s been saving up your cash to make a bulk purchase of several thousand plastic Godzilla toys, here’s your chance to throw the same amount of money into your hobby in a way that’ll still leave you plenty of shelf space.

Related: G Haku, Shibuya Hikarie, Ginza Tanaka Ginza Branch, Abe no Harukasu Kintetsu
Sources: Hachima Kiko, Fashion Press
Top image: Fashion Press
Insert images: Ginza Tanaka, Terror Daves

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Origin: Japanese jeweler’s glittering gold Godzilla is amazingly detailed, shockingly expensive
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Since Godzilla, the King of Monsters, will be returning to his rightful home of Japan this week, it’s only right that he revisits a few of his favorite stomping grounds. In particular, this iconic giant will be paying a visit to the gardens of Tokyo Midtown, which coincidentally, are built on the same site that once belonged to the Ministry of Defense.

The replica which will be placed in the middle of Tokyo Midtown, will be built in 1/7 scale of Godzilla’s most titanic proportions to date, in his latest Hollywood rendition. Even though his appearance in Tokyo Midtown will only be from the waist up, this will still make the visible portion of him a whopping 6.6 (about 21.65 ft) meters tall, with a length from tail to head of 108 meters (about 354.33 ft). And as proof that Godzilla walked here all on his own, the garden will also feature an 18 meter (about 59 ft) footprint left behind by the behemoth.

Godzilla will be taking residence in the gardens from July 18 to August 31 for this “MIDTOWN meets GODZILLA” event as part of “MIDTOWN SUMMER 2014.” He will be open for public exhibition and photography between the hours of 11:00AM and 11:00PM. Once it hits 6:00PM, the replica will be lit up by a ray of light shining from the beast’s mouth. Between the hours of 7:00PM and 9:00PM, this will be accompanied by a special light show, occurring once every 30 minutes.

Legendary Pictures’ 2014 Godzilla is scheduled to begin showing in theaters throughout Japan beginning July 25.

Source: Anime Anime

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Origin: Godzilla looms over Tokyo garden
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As if the power of the sea weren’t terrifying on its own, a Brazilian artist managed to make the wrath of Poseidon even more fearsome with the addition of Japan’s most famous monster.

Hokusai’s The Great Wave off Kanagawa, arguably the most recognizable piece by the famous ukiyo-e painter, has been recreated by artist João Victor of Brazil with a modern, pop culture twist.

For those of you who may have forgotten about the beautiful artwork, here’s Hokusai’s original:

And here’s João Victor‘s version:

Those iconic boats seem to have disappeared, and that’s a good thing! The Great Wave is now even greater with the menacing profile of The King of Monsters, and we’d hate to witness the aftermath of a battle with the Godzilla wave!

Source: Japaaan Magazine
Image: Geek Room (João Victor)

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Origin: Godzilla makes waves in this beautiful recreation of a Japanese classic
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Now, we’re pretty sure that the mighty and terrible Godzilla hardly needs an introduction — he’s probably one of the most famous creations to come out of Japan. And the new Hollywood movie featuring a larger than ever before seen version of the monster, which was released late last month in Japan, seems to have gotten off to a good start here, having secured the number-one spot in the box office in its opening week.

It also happens that 2014 is quite a special year for Godzilla, as it marks the 60th anniversary since his very first movie came out from Toho in 1954. And now, to commemorate the  celebrity monster’s 60th birthday, Toho has collaborated with renowned German stuffed toy maker Steiff to create a version of Godzilla quite unlike anything we’ve seen before — Yes, it’s the special edition 60th anniversary stuffed Steiff Godzilla, and what’s more, we got to take a look at the actual doll in advance of its sale!

Sure, this stuffed Godzilla may not be made of gold, but we certainly expected him to look precious, since Steiff is known for their expert craftsmanship. They’re now taking pre-orders for the doll, and the actual product won’t become available for several months, but when we heard that one of them was being displayed at the Shinjuku Isetan Department for a limited time, we couldn’t resist heading to the store to get a peek!

▼Here he is on display at Shinjuku Isetan. Standing 50cm (approx 19.5 in) tall, he isn’t exactly gigantic, but he has a definite presence.

▼See him standing tall and proud on the white display stand.

▼The sign placed  by the doll explains that the doll is the result of a collaboration between stuffed toy manufacturer Steiff and Toho, and that the timing of the display was arranged to coincide with the release of the movie here in Japan on July 25.

▼A close-up look at Godzilla’s fierce yet somehow lovable face — yes, he’s fuzzy, and he’s a lovely light-chocolatey color.

▼Here’s a promotional flyer of the doll that was available next to the display. This is the front …

▼… and this is the back. We have to say, he looks pretty cool for a gigantic irradiated sea monster.

When we first heard about this collaboration, we have to say that we did have a slight moment of doubt about the fearsome Godzilla looking fuzzy and cute. But it appears the beast has more than risen to the task, having turned himself into quite an adorable furry toy.

Now, as cute as he may be, this stuffed Godzilla is a masterfully created Steiff product, which means he’s bound to come with, shall we say, a significant price tag. Yes, the fuzzy little fella is priced at 51,300 yen (US$500), but being such an obvious collector’s item for Steiff and Godzilla fans alike, the doll has been so well received that pre-orders for the first batch set to come out in November have already sold out, and they’re now taking advance orders for the next shipment which will become available in December. Well, it is a limited edition after all, as they’re producing just 1,954 dolls in honor of Godzilla’s birth year, and you have to admit he’s a beautiful piece of work, even if he doesn’t have moveable joints.

Unfortunately, August 5, which is when we went to see the Steiff Godzilla at Shinjuku Isetan, was the last day he was being displayed, so you can no longer see him there, but you can enjoy detailed pictures of the doll on the Steiff website, which do quite a good job of giving you an idea of what he actually looks like.

▼We’ll leave with you pictures from the official website, so that you can take a close look at the doll from different angles. Enjoy!

 Steiff Japan website

▼Definitely a cool profile there!

 Steiff Japan website

▼We love the spikes on his back!

Steiff Japan website

▼He may be fuzzy, but we think he still looks awesome, including the details of his face!

 Steiff Japan website

Reference: Steiff Japan website (Japanese)
Photos © RocketNews24 unless otherwise specified
Top image: Steiff Japan website 

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Origin: Godzilla turns fuzzy for his 60th birthday with adorable results, we stop by to say hi
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Ever since he attacked his first village in Japan in 1954, Godzilla has been broadening his horizons. Seeking out mightier foes and playing to bigger audiences, the giant monster has done what other beasts could only dream of – garnered a following as huge as himself, with fans still spreading across decades and continents around the globe. An impressive feat for a beast.

One continent certainly went above and beyond when welcoming the giant to their corner of the world, as these vintage posters show. From Poland to France, we take a look at some of the most amazing Godzilla artwork from Europe. We’ve never seen Godzilla look so different!

▼ Germany, 1954

▼ Czechoslovakia, 1956

▼ Poland, 1957

▼ Italy, 1957

▼ France, 1965

▼ Poland, 1965

▼ Poland 1967

▼ Poland, 1971

▼ Italy, 1971

▼ France, 1976

▼ France, 1977

▼ Poland, 1977

▼ Poland, 1978

Which poster did you like best? Let us know in the comments section below!

Sources: Kotaku Japan, io9.com

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Origin: Godzilla fights around the world in these rare vintage European posters
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We have a hard time imagining that anyone but the dimmest Gotham City resident would be especially shocked to learn that mysterious millionaire and occasional shut-in Bruce Wayne was the man behind the Dark Knight’s mask all along, but we doubt anyone saw this coming.

This series of fantastic photos taken by a blogger known only as Gigabeetle features modded Godzilla figures in a variety of hilarious poses. As well as revealing the true identity of the Big G, the pictures show a side to the monster that we never knew existed, catching him dancing around wearing top hats, doing his best Sailor Moon impressions, and, um, indulging in a little bit of nose powder…

Picked up by Kotaku Japan yesterday, these photos quickly became the talk of the town here in Japan. We think you’ll have no trouble understanding why.

▼ Sailorzilla invokes the power of the moon to make him purdy.

▼ Sirzilla, meanwhile, enjoys a tipple while sporting a magnificent moustache.

▼ Who knew Godzilla had such moves??

▼ Luizilla is what we imagine would happen if Bowser and Luigi had a baby.

▼ The less said about Blowzilla the better, really…

▼ And of course then there’s the man himself, Batzilla.

After seeing this, is anyone else waiting for a slot in Bruce Wayne’s forehead to open to reveal a team of hamsters working the controls??

There are many, many more hilarious Godzilla photos to be enjoyed over on Gigabeetle’s Tumblr, so be sure to head over and check them out. Fantastic work, Gigabeetle. Thank you, whoever you are!

Source: Gigablog via Kotaku Japan
Photos: Gigablog

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Origin: Godzilla…is…BATMAN!! (And Sailor Moon, and Luigi too, apparently) 【Photos】
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It’s hard to believe that Godzilla is celebrating his 60th birthday this week. The original black-and-white film was released  on November 3, 1954, and has since then spawned a whole franchise of subsequent movies and become a recognizable pop culture icon across the world.

To commemorate everybody’s favorite havoc-wreaking monster, a full screening of the original 1954 film accompanied by a live orchestral performance of the musical score will be held on Sunday, January 18 next year at Tokyo’s NHK Hall. What better way to ring in the new year than with a blast from cinematic history past?

The program for the 60th anniversary Godzilla Music Festival (生誕60周年記念 ゴジラ音楽祭) will be split into two parts. The first part will feature a live performance of “Symphonic Fantasia No. 1″ (SF交響ファンタジー第1番; otherwise known as the main Godzilla theme), which was composed by the prolific Akira Ifukube. The Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra will perform this piece, led by composer/conductor Kaoru Wada, who happens to be an apprentice of the late Ifukube. There will also be a “talk show” segment featuring Akira Takarada, an actor who starred in the original 1954 and several subsequent Godzilla films, along with Shiro Sano, who starred in some of the more recent films. The second part of the program will consist of a full screening of the original 1954 Godzilla film accompanied once again by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and female chorus Chor June. In addition, all event-goers will receive a special commemorative film bookmark upon entry.

According to event sponsor Toho Music, a similar Godzilla screening event to honor Ifukube held this past July at the Tokyo Opera City Tower was sold out, so you should order your tickets as soon as possible. Seats are priced according to three different groups, at 6,500 yen (US$57.23), 7,500 yen ($66.06), or 8,500 yen ($74.83) per seat. Promax Inc. supplies links on its website to three different vendors in Japan where you can buy your tickets (Japanese only, sorry).

Doors at the NHK Hall will open at 4:15pm and the program will begin at 5pm on January 18. This will be an event that both longtime Godzilla fans and newcomers alike can appreciate, so dig out your nostalgic, rubber reptilian suit and get pumped!

Original article by Anji Tabata
Sources/Images: Promax Inc., Toho Music
[ Read in Japanese ]

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Origin: “60th anniversary Godzilla Music Festival” will feature film screening and live music
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Terrible as it was, there was one good thing that came out of the 1998 American Godzilla movie. It was apparently so bad that franchise creator Toho Co. couldn’t bear to let it be the final on-screen appearance for the King of the Monsters, so the company made six more of its own Godzilla movies, culminating with 2004’s Godzilla: Final Wars.

Now, after a 10-year break, Toho is going back to its deepest kaiju well, announcing that a new, Japanese-produced Godzilla film will start filming next year.

This time, though, the reason for waking up Godzilla isn’t the embarrassing disappointment of an American-made offshoot. Just the opposite, as the impetus is the impressive box office performance of Legendary Picture’s 2014 Godzilla. Legendary’s reboot has earned some US$525 million worldwide, including 32 billion yen ($267 million) at theatres in Godzilla’s birthplace of Japan.

Filming is expected to start next summer and finish sometime in the fall, with the domestic theatrical release scheduled for 2016. The new Japanese film has no story connection to the 2014 version, so Legendary’s MUTOs won’t be making any appearances.

▼ The lower-calorie Japanese diet, though, means moviegoers probably stand a better chance of seeing Godzilla’s neck this time around.

Toho is yet to announce the new movie’s cast and ostensible villain monster, not has the company made any comment about whether or not the upcoming film is a standalone project or the jumping-off point for a new series of Japanese-made Godzilla movies. But while Godzilla, the character, is birthed by radiation, Godzilla movies come from ticket and merchandise sales, so provided that the big guy does as well at the box office in 2016 as he did in 2014, we might be seeing a lot of him over the next decade.

Source: Cinema Today
Top image: 1999 (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert image: Blogspot

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Origin: New, Japanese-made Godzilla movie to start filming next summer
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When it comes to skyscrapers, Godzilla has a lot more experience tearing them down than building them up. Honestly, we can’t think of a single notable example from his six decade-long body of work in which the King of the Monsters drafts and submits a successful architectural design.

Nevertheless, the world’s most famous kaiju is about to dip his toes in the construction world, by rearing his head, in full-size, above a new building going up in Tokyo’s Shinjuku neighborhood.

Tokyo’s ever-changing urban landscape is about to get a new addition in Kabuki-cho, the glitziest part of Shinjuku’s entertainment district. Scheduled for completion next April is the Toho Cinemas Shinjuku movie complex, replacing the older Shinjuku Toho Kaikan theater which closed down in 2008. At the top of the eight-story building is a terrace where visitors will be able to relax in the open air, marvel at the surrounding skyline, and tower in fear of the Godzilla Head bursting out the roof.

▼ When you and your date are so enthralled with each other that you don’t notice the 12-meter (39-foot) monster head behind you, then you know it’s love.

The full-scale recreation is based on the creature’s appearance in 1992’s Godzilla vs. Mothra, also known as the one with the twin singing fairies.

▼ Or, alternatively, as the one where Mothra cheats and has two of her larvae help her gang up on poor Godzilla.

With the building’s roof being 40 meters high, Godzilla’s head will be standing at just over 50 meters above street level, matching his stature in his 1954 cinematic debut. The plan is for the head to be illuminated at night, and for the head’s eyes and mouth to glow, accompanied by periodic roars.

Godzilla won’t just be looking hard at moviegoers and pedestrians, though. In the above render, you may have noticed that being built adjacent to the new Toho theater is the Hotel Gracery Shinjuku. The hotel’s managers aren’t worried about Godzilla spoiling the view from their guestrooms, though. In fact, they’re counting on him enhancing it, and are already taking reservations for special Godzilla View Rooms, which can be booked here at prices starting from 15,000 yen (US $125) a night for guests checking in from April 24.

All of this comes on the heels of Toho’s recent announcement that the studio will begin filming a new, Japanese-produced Godzilla film next year. And while fans will probably have to wait until 2016 before they can see the monster on movie screens, it’s good to know they’ll be able to see him in the Tokyo skyline a lot sooner than that.

Sources: Livedoor, RBB Today, Cinema Café, Hotel Gracery Shinjuku
Top image: Cinema Café
Insert images: Cinema Café, Wikipedia, Hotel Gracery Shinjuku

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Origin: Full-size Godzilla head to terrorize moviegoers and hotel guests in Tokyo starting next spring
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As two of Japan’s most well-known cultural ambassadors, it’s about time that the worlds of Pikachu and Godzilla collide. And we found some fake movies posters that do just that by combining the imagery of Japanese kaiju movie monsters with six classic pokémon. Click below to see Pikachu and five of his friends destroying cities, crushing buildings and causing quite a mess.

While Pikachu and his Pokémon crew might be some of the cutest video game characters around, the online gift and clothing retailer Fun.com recently made these six posters reimagining the cuddly creatures as gigantic and frightening kajiu. The pokémon channel legendary kaiju monsters, such as Godzilla and Mothra, to show off their frightening side as they apparently try out for the new Japan-made Godzilla movie.

▼ Full of electricity, rage and an all-around bad attitude, Pikachuzilla picks up train cars like they weigh nothing and causes havoc on everyone’s morning commute.

Image: Fun.com

▼ Butterfree is serving straight-up Mothra realness as his now football field-sized wings block out the sun and sprinkle toxic dust on innocent citizens below.

Image: Fun.com

▼ Already looking like a moody SOB, kaiju Charizard would have no qualms in turning entire cities to a pile of ash.

Image: Fun.com

▼ Normal-sized Blastoise maybe would use those fire-fighting-capable water cannons for good, but his kaiju self seems perfectly happy to let the city burn around him.

Image: Fun.com

▼ Want to take down a three-headed bird the size of a building? Good luck trying to confront the Dodrio that sees every angle and has no blind spot.

Image: Fun.com

▼ Maybe Grimer is misunderstood and just wants to be loved when his polluted and toxic body kills everything it touches. Unfortunately things won’t get better for him (or the city he eventually destroys) when he’s turned into the size of a kaiju monster.

Image: Fun.com

Did the kaiju movie posters succeed in making these pokémon a little less charming or are they just too cute? Are there any other pokémon you’d like to see given the kaiju makeover? Let us know in the comments below what you think!

Feature Image: Fun.com
Source: Kotaku Japan

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Origin: Pikachu meets Godzilla: 6 Pokémon get the kaiju movie monster treatment
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Giant monster movies were the Japanese reaction to the atom bomb and an allegory to the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Their message was clear, Godzilla is a fearsome monster that can occur when science and technology get carried away. These kaiju (Japanese for giant monster) were intimidating creatures designed to be the bad guy. It’s pretty easy to cheer for their destruction when they look super scary.

We don’t have a time machine to go back and check Toho’s original concept designs, but we are pretty sure they didn’t look anything like the “Godzilla Female Personification Project“. This version of Gojira has got a bit of the boom boom, and it makes us think the wrong thing.

It is very common to see popular anime and manga characters get gender-bended in fanart. It’s also pretty normal to see non-human characters and objects turned into females. DeviantArt has always been a fun place to see interpretations on the newest characterizations and strange combinations. Artist gamerag3, has been drawing up a swarm of kaiju personified as beautiful women.

▼Godzilla

Image: DeviantArt (gamerag3)

▼Rodan

Image: DeviantArt (gamerag3)

▼Destroyah

Image: DeviantArt (gamerag3)

These pictures hail not from the land of Godzilla’s origin, but from Taiwan, a country that is really emerging as a source of creativity in the world of manga and comics. Gamerag3 has also collaborated with other CG artists to create a 3-D version of his dynamic art.

Image: DeviantArt (Ke–Y & gamerag3)

Taiwanese artists have really started to get noticed and some of their major conventions like Fancy Frontier (the Taiwanese komiket) and Comic World Taiwan are attracting more and more attention worldwide. Names like Vofan, Takayama Kisai, Ping Fan and Chen Shu Fen may not be easily recognizable, but how about their illustrated works which include the Monogatari Series, True Love Story – Summer Days, and yet…, and Seifuku Shijo?

If this trend continues, we might soon be seeing a lot more Taiwanese names beside Japanese ones on store shelves. It seems this is still an ongoing project, but until new works are uploaded, let’s have more of these fun kaiju interpretations get you through the day.

▼Burning Godzilla

Image: Deviant Art (gamerag3)

▼The Life of Godzilla

Image: Deviant Art (gamerag3)

▼The Life of Rodan

Image: Deviant Art (gamerag3)

▼Godzilla Jr.

Image: Deviant Art (gamerag3)

Source: Erumaer
Top Image: Deviantart (gamerag3) 

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Origin: Kaiju are destroying the world…in their more voluptuous forms【Art】
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Bandai Namco Games announced it will release the new Godzilla game on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 in North America and Europe in July.

The game will get a retail release for PlayStation 4 in North America and Europe and a PlayStation 3 release via the PLAYSTATION Network.

Players will be able to control both the classic TOHO version of the monster and the 2014 American film Godzilla in the game. The game will also feature the Type 92 Maser tanks, Super X 2, Super X III, Super Mecha Godzilla, and MFS-3 — as well as Godzilla’s rivals: King Ghidorah, Biollante, Mothra, Mecha Godzilla, Jet Jaguar, Hedorah, and Destoroyah.

The “ultra-destructive Godzilla action” game commemorates the 60th anniversary of the titular monster by letting you play the monster itself against human civilization, as you clear missions by destroying buildings and weapons. The game recreates the camera angles that invoke the sense of scale, the fireworks explosions, and the latest techniques from the original tokusatsu (special effects) films.

Famitsu magazine described a backstory that takes its cues from TOHO‘s first Godzilla movies: Godzilla, who appeared in Tokyo in 1954 and was brought down by the secret weapon Oxygen Destroyer, has somehow made landfall again. As the players complete missions to destroy civilization, Godzilla will increase size and physical strength. Godzilla starts at 50 meters (164 feet) and can grow to double that size. Players gain points when Godzilla destroys the town, but the resistance from humanity becomes more difficult as the game goes on.

Godzilla for the PlayStation 3 arrived in Japan on December 18 for 7,600 yen (about US$64). The first copies of the game included an early unlock code for the Hollywood Godzilla (2014) as a bonus extra. Pre-orders included one of three randomly distributed “Heat Up Godzilla” reproductions of theater bonus figurines.

[Via Gematsu]

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Origin: Godzilla PS3/PS4 game’s release set for July
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Each neighborhood of Tokyo has its own unique feel, but it’s hard to top Shinjuku. Located in the heart of downtown, Shinjuku has just about everything you could ask for in a modern metropolis, boasting such attractions as a beautiful garden, extensive shopping options, an uncountable array of restaurants and bars, and the RocketNews24 offices.

And now, there’s one more reason to come to Shinjuku. A big one in fact, as the King of the Monsters, Godzilla himself, is literally watching over the district in the form of a life-size replica of the creature’s head peering down from one of its skyscrapers.

Shinjuku’s most densely packed section of entertainment options is the subsection known as Kabukicho. While the long-ago promised kabuki theater, from which the area took its name, has never materialized, Kabukicho will be getting a new movie theater soon when the currently under-construction Toho Cinemas opens.

While Toho runs a chain of theaters in Japan, the company’s primary business is film production, with its most internationally famous property being the Godzilla franchise. So to help the new building stand out in the crowded urban landscape of Shinjuku, Toho decided to recruit the movie icon’s help.

As we’ve been looking forward to for months, atop the theater is a 12-meter (39-foot) replica of Godzilla’s head, based on his appearance in the 1992’s Godzilla vs. Mothra (as opposed to his most recent, neckless form), with his steely eyes some 50 meters above the pavement.

Since the building isn’t finished yet, there weren’t any people wandering about the terrace that surrounds Godzilla’s neck, and it’s a little hard to really convey the sense of scale without someone standing next to it for comparison. From street level, though, we estimate that he could pop this compact car into his mouth whole like it’s a delicious piece of sushi

You’ll also notice that part of the structure continues skyward in a tower directly next to Godzilla’s head. That’s where you’ll find the Hotel Gracery Shinjuku, which will also be opening this spring and offering Godzilla View Rooms, which will allow you to see eye-to-eye with the kaiju just by looking out your window.

With fine dining and chaste businesses like bowling alleys, video arcades, and karaoke joints, Kabukicho isn’t exclusively a red-light district. That said, it does have more than its fair share of hostess bars, host clubs, and other racy forms of entertainment. When we stopped by to gawk at Godzilla, though, we couldn’t help but notice the street seemed freshly cleaned and the local atmosphere brighter and more wholesome. We’re not sure whether this was due to pressure from Toho or the intimidation factor of the giant monster keeping bar touts away.

The Toho Cinemas Kabukicho is scheduled to open April 17, with the Hotel Gracery Shinjuku receiving its first guests on April 24. And even though the people of Tokyo have been showing fleeing from Godzilla in dozens of movies, somehow we think that in real life they’ll be flocking to see the big guy instead.

▼ Welcome to the neighborhood!

Related: Toho Cinemas Kabukicho, Hotel Gracery Shinjuku
Photos: RocketNews24
[ Read in Japanese ]

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Origin: Godzilla appears in the Tokyo skyline atop new Shinjuku skyscraper! 【Photos】
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Do you like Evangelion? Do you like Attack on Titan?

Well then good news! It’s just been announced that the directors of both those movies, Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi, are working on the upcoming 2016 Japanese Godzilla reboot film. With both of them having plenty of experience creating huge mechs and huge Titans, we can only expect that this Godzilla movie is going to be… well, huge!

Thanks to the success of the 2014 Hollywood Godzilla movie, Japan has decided to make an even bigger and better version of its own, enlisting the help of Hideaki Anno (of Evangelion fame) and Shinji Higuchi (special effects director for the upcoming Attack on Titan live-action movie) as the director and special effects director respectively.

▼ It’s hard to tell from this picture, but they’re both actually 100 feet tall.

[映画]日本版『ゴジラ』総監督に庵野秀明！『進撃の巨人』樋口真嗣とタッグ！ cinematoday.jp/page/N0072052 http://t.co/Nh2DIyZoXN

—
シネマトゥデイ (@cinematoday) March 31, 2015

Anno and Higuchi have been friends for over 30 years, but this will be their first full-scale motion picture produced together. Higuchi is no stranger to the kaiju world, having worked on the 1984 Return of Godzilla and the ’90s Gamera films. Both directors want to give their all to make a film that will let Japan reclaim its position as the center of the giant-monster world.

That’s a lot of pressure to face, and it almost made Anno not want to accept the role as director/writer in the first place. He was initially offered the position in January 2012, but after the release of Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo, he fell into a deep depression and was not emotionally up to the task. Now, over two years later, he’s changed his mind and joined the team after learning that his friend Higuchi would be working on it as well.

Higuchi himself has been terrified of the expectations that are surrounding the first Toho Godzilla film to be released in over 12 years. Regarding the matter he said: “Being able to work with my friend is the only thing keeping me from running away from all the pressure.” But, just to make it clear that neither he nor Anno plan on letting a little stress get to them, he added: “We’ll have an amazing, horrific nightmare of a movie ready for you next year.”

The only other information that we have about the movie so far comes from a “Godzilla footprint” released with the tagline that “this footprint comes from a Godzilla even bigger than the 108-meter (354-foot) tall Hollywood one.” So if you had any thoughts about the upcoming Godzilla not being huge, consider them… squashed.

▼ Just look what happened to this poor little trilobite when he didn’t think Godzilla was that big either.

公開されたゴジラの足型…トリロバイト(三葉虫)が引っ付いてる（笑） http://t.co/MdEwSZxJxi

—
ミキティ@夏WF頑張るぞ (@WelcomeON) April 01, 2015

Filming for the movie is planned to start in spring 2015, and the release is scheduled for summer 2016. That’s plenty of time to get caught up on your Godzilla movie backlog if you start now!

Source: CINEMATODAY
Top/featured image: RocketNews24

Origin: Evangelion and Attack on Titan directors team up to create 2016 Godzilla movie
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