When we reported a while back about the giant Godzilla head that has taken up residence atop a Shinjuku skyscraper, we also mentioned how a nearby hotel, the Hotel Gracery Shinjuku, has been quick to set up special Godzilla Viewing Rooms to cash in on its proximity to the fanged monstrosity. Naturally, we headed over there as soon as we could to get a good look at that ugly ol’ head up close and personal!

The Hotel Gracery Shinjuku opened its doors to the media on April 9, and we sent our beloved Mr Sato along to have a poke around the Godzilla-themed rooms and report back on the view from inside the hotel itself. Apparently, the head was “huge, I’m talking mega, mega HUUUGE!” and Mr Sato also snapped a ton of photos, so you can see it for yourselves!

There are six special “Godzilla View Rooms” at the hotel which offer splendid and stunning views of the giant kaiju head rendered in elaborate detail.  All of the rooms are equipped with single beds only, which means couples will sadly not be able to pass an enchanted evening under the watchful gaze of Godzilla.

Apparently, every time you catch a glimpse of the view outside, you’re pretty much guaranteed to do a double-take due to the incredibly lifelike nature of the big model head.

▼ Check out those teeth!

The giant head also lets out a roar every now and then to assert dominance over the neighbourhood. (We’re wondering how anyone manages to get a good night’s sleep with a noisy Godzilla growling away outside of the window…)

On the 30th floor, there’s also a special Godzilla exhibition room, which is packed full of Godzilla memorabilia (and features twin beds).  Hmm, we might have some trouble sleeping with a giant Godzilla foot poised to strike like that. (Hopefully it’s not animatronic…)

Mr. Sato also discovered this interesting-looking box on the wall. We’re not sure what the green and red light-up buttons are supposed to symbolise. Perhaps it’s a secret device that only people who pay to stay in the room are allowed to tinker with. Still, Green Godzilla probably means that an attack isn’t imminent.

▼ Just look at that beady orange eye, watching you as you sleep. Those filmy curtains won’t protect you from his stare!

▼ It’s HUGE!

▼ There’s a nice view of Shinjuku somewhere behind that gaping maw.

▼ That nostril looks like it could accommodate a fully-grown adult.

▼ Proof that it is, after all, just a head.

▼ RAWR!

▼ Special amenities that come with each Godzilla View Room.

▼ The Godzilla Room on the 30th floor is all kinds of swanky.

▼ There’s even a miniature model of the Hotel Gracery in the room!

▼ And a model of Godzilla towering almost to the ceiling!

▼ Some nice 3D wall art including a big ol’ lizardy tail!

▼ And a full display of Godzilla movie posters!

▼ You can see the sights from the 30th floor.

▼ Freebies available in the Godzilla Room!

▼ There’s even special Godzilla-themed desserts available at the restaurant on the 8th floor. Um, is that blood, or raspberry sauce…?

If you’d like to book a room and check out the view for yourselves, visit the Hotel Gracery’s website!

Original Article by: Mr Sato
All photos © RocketNews24

Origin: A room with a (terrifying) view: Visiting the hotel that overlooks Godzilla’s giant head 【Photos】
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Godzilla, the gargantuan dinosaur-like creature that has starred in roughly 30 movies to date, has to be one of the most famous characters to ever come out of Japan. Since its first appearance on the screen in 1954, Godzilla has captured the fascination of fans around the world and has become one of the most recognizable symbols of Japan. Yes, there just seems to be something about Godzilla that we can’t get enough of, and even if you’re not a hard-core kaiju fan, we’re guessing that many of you saw the Hollywood movie that was released last year.

Now, the monster action in that movie was certainly spectacular to look at, but don’t you think it would be interesting to see some ideas for monsters that didn’t appear in the film? Well, that’s exactly what we’re sharing with you here today!

The beautiful illustrations shown here are the work of conceptual artist Josh Nizzi, who has done work on movies such as Transformers: Age of Extinction and The Avengers. Apparently, Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. had different artists create images of prospective monsters in the early stages of making their Godzilla 2014 film. If you’ve seen the movie, you’ll be familiar with the MUTO monsters they eventually decided on, but we think these creations by Nizzi look quite awesome too!

There are three Godzilla conceptual images that Nizzi has uploaded onto his website. One is of a sleek, dragon-like winged monster called the “Pterodactyl“.

The second features a multi-legged and heavily spiked monster called the “Rokmutul“, which looks like it may have been based on the dinosaur ankylosaurus.

The third Godzilla image on Nizzi’s site shows Godzilla fighting Rokmutul, naturally causing huge destruction to the surroundings.

The monsters look like they can kick some serious ass, don’t they? While the MUTOs that were used in the actual movie certainly looked fierce and cool, we think these images by Nizzi are definitely a delight to look at and we’d love to see monsters like these come to life on the screen!

And as all of you kaiju fans out there may already know, we have plenty of Godzilla action to look forward to in the next few years.  TOHO, the original creators of the Godzilla movie series, will be releasing a new Godzilla movie next year, their first since Godzilla: Final Wars in 2004, and which will be scripted by Neon Genesis Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno. Plus, the sequel to Hollywood’s Godzilla 2014 is scheduled to come out in 2018, this time with appearances by familiar monsters Mothra, Rodan and King Ghidorah. Now, that should be quite the kaiju fest!

We’ll certainly be watching out for more information on the new Godzilla movies, and if you want to see more amazing work by Josh Nizzi, you can visit his website here. Here’s a huge thanks to Nizzi for sharing his awesome art!

Source: Josh Nizzi website, Godzilla-Movies.com
Images: Josh Nizzi website

Origin: Check out cool artwork of monsters that could have been in the Godzilla 2014 movie!
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Recently, we brought you the news that you can now view an online animated sketchbook version of works by famous Japanese Ukiyo-e artist Hokusai. But what if you’re not content just looking at beautiful art online? What if you could see it every time you look down at your feet? Well, with these awesome printed sneakers from TeeFury.com, you can get some culture into your wardrobe while still looking cool!

Oh, and as an added bonus, they’ve stuck Godzilla’s ugly monster mush into the design, too!

The “Godzilla in the great wave” image was created by artist Marco Mottura, and we reported on it last summer when the design was first made available as a print. Mr. Mottura has now collaborated with TeeFury.com to bring his signature design to a pair of seriously sweet sneakers!

Priced at US$79.99 per pair, the sneakers can be ordered through the website. They come in a wide range of both men’s and women’s sizes, and the best news is that they ship all over the world.

You can also order T-shirts with the print on from the same website:

We’re glad to see more work from this talented artist, and even more pleased that we now have the opportunity to show our artistic appreciation through our fashion sense!

Source: Culture LAB
Images: TeeFury.com

Origin: Combine your love of Godzilla, ukiyo-e and fashion with these fresh kicks from TeeFury
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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You could make a long list about all the ways Japan is uniquely awesome (and as a matter of fact, we just did), but it’s not like every aspect of life in Japan is more enjoyable than in other countries. For example, taking care of paperwork at city hall or other government facilities is as boring as it is anywhere else in the world.

So why is it that this week people have been voluntarily visiting the Shinjuku ward office in the heart of Tokyo? Because they want to get a copy of the official residency document of the district’s newest resident, Godzilla!

It’s actually been a couple of months since the King of the Monsters moved into the neighborhood. In April, the Toho Cinemas Kabukicho/Hotel Gracery Shinjuku entertainment complex opened up, and the architectural highlight is the full-scale Godzilla head protruding from the theater’s rooftop terrace.

Being a busy part of a busy city, you have to expect at least a little bit of a paperwork backlog from Shinjuku’s civil servants. As of May 25, though, the cinematic icon is officially a resident of Shinjuku Ward, and to celebrate, the powers that be have even drawn up a special residency document listing the star’s name, date of birth, address, and other particulars.

ゴジラの住民票もらってきたー！3000枚限定だって！ http://t.co/Q8gFC35rXg

—
ほりゆーこ@酔っこら処 (@dybastar) May 29, 2015

The document reads:

Name: Godzilla

Address: Shinjuku-ku, Kabuki-cho, 1-19-1

Date of birth: April 9, 1954 [the year of the release of the very first Godzilla film]

Date of becoming a Shinjuku resident: April 9, 2015

Reason for special residency: Promoting the entertainment of and watching over the Kabuki-cho neighborhood and drawing visitors from around the globe in the form of the Godzilla head built atop the Shinjuku Toho Building.

Previous visits to Shinjuku Ward: 3 times; Godzilla (1984), Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991), Godzilla 2000 Millennium (1999)

▼ Now we’re curious to see if Kangawa Prefecture’s Yokosuka, site of the Godzilla slide, will follow suit.

Ordinarily, copies of residency documents are only issued to the individual named on the paper or to his or her authorized legal proxy. However, Shinjuku is relaxing the regulations in this case, and has issued 3,000 copies of Godzilla’s paperwork, with 500 allotted to the main ward office (located only a few minutes’ walk from the life-size Godzilla head) and 250 each to 10 other distribution points throughout the ward. These are being given out on a first-come, first-served basis to fans, and while this should technically be a grievous breach of privacy, it seems like Godzilla has magnanimously waived his legal rights to press charges against, step on the house of, or annihilate offenders with his atomic fire breath.

Source: Shinjuku Keizai Shimbun
Top image: RocketNews24/Shinjuku Ward (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert photo: ©RocketNews24

Origin: Godzilla gets official Tokyo residency papers, copies being given out free to fans
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Awesome as Godzilla may be, in most of his best-loved appearances it’s pretty easy to tell that the world’s most famous kaiju is being portrayed by a guy in a rubber suit. What’s less obvious, though, is how the creature’s unmistakable roar was created, and it turns out there’s actually a rather high-brow origin to the King of the Monsters’ signature sound effect.

While you’d never mistake a Godzilla movie for poignant, tender cinema, there’s no denying that his on-screen appearances are entertaining. Many of his films could also be described as surprisingly innovative, considering that they’re special effects-laden spectacles from a franchise that originated in an era where most people had only a vague idea of what computers were, let alone that they could take the place of practical effects.

But it’s not just the visuals that film studio Toho had to come up with clever ideas for in bringing Godzilla to life, but the sound as well. Godzilla’s name, pronounced “Gojira” in Japanese, is said to be a mash-up of the words gorira (gorilla) and kujira (whale).

It’s not exactly clear by what method the series’ creators determined that gorilla + whale = giant bipedal lizard with atomic breath, but when it came time to give their gargantuan star a voice, the initial plan was to splice together the roars of various intimidating-sounding animals. That didn’t work out as well as they’d expected, though, so they went with a different approach to produce the shrill yet reverberating cry that fans know and love.

First, they took a leather glove and covered it with pitch. Once it was treated, the sound engineers grabbed a contrabass, ran the glove along the strings, and recorded the sound. The recording was then played back in reverse, and the result was what we hear right before Godzilla dishes out a beating to any pretenders to the kaiju crown and/or destroys Tokyo.

Once you know the source, it’s actually pretty easy to hear the instrument in Godzilla’s roar, with its combination of screeching strings and rumbling timbre.

And if the idea of Godzilla having such a deep connection to the world of music is ruining your image of him as a towering personification of terrible power and ferocity, you could always choose to believe that he sounds the way he does because he just ate a bunch of contrabass players.

Source: Yahoo! Japan
Contrabass image: Wikipedia/AndrewKepert (edited by RocketNews24)
Godzilla images ©RocketNews24

Origin: The surprisingly classy secret of where Godzilla’s roar comes from
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Coming off mixed reviews of his live-action Attack on Titan film, fans may recall that Shinji Higuchi is also tasked with directing TOHO‘s upcoming Godzilla film with fellow tokusatsu lover Hideaki Anno. Helming the first Japanese Godzilla film in 12 years is no small feat. In fact, Higuchi almost turned down the offer because of the sheer amount of pressure that comes with directing such an iconic monster.

Details on what to expect are scarce and Higuchi isn’t allowed to say much. What he did reveal in an interview with the Associated Press is that Anno finished the script just recently and shooting will begin in September. Fans that took issue with the special effects and budget of Attack on Titan can expect a similar look. Higuchi calls the blend of actors moving through miniatures (a staple of the early Godzilla films), computer graphics, and special effects a “hybrid.” This was utilized on the Titans and the new Godzilla film will get the same treatment.

He also promises that this will be the scariest Godzilla yet, quoting the horrors of the real world, like 9/11, the March 11 tsunami, and subsequent Fukushima nuclear crisis having stripped the the world of its innocence. That said, he also says the film is going back to the basics.

“Perhaps we are all waiting for that horrible thing that’s within us that we fear.”

Higuchi and Anno previously collaborated on “Kyōshinhei Tokyo ni Arawaru” (Giant God Warrior Appears in Tokyo), Ghibli’s live-action tokusatsu short. Higuchi’s other special-effect director credits include Japan Sinks, the Gamera films, and the 1984 Godzilla film.

Source: ABC News

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Origin: Live-action Attack on Titan director teases Godzilla plans
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A notice posted at the Kamata bus station in Tokyo revealed that buses will not stop as usual at the station on Sunday morning, due to the filming of a movie titled “Shin Gojira” (New Godzilla).

Anime director Hideaki Anno and live-action Attack on Titan film director Shinji Higuchi are currently collaborating on TOHO‘s upcoming Godzilla film, the first new Japanese one in 12 years. Anno is serving as chief director and writer, while Higuchi is directing the new film and is also serving as the special effects director.

TOHO previously announced that filming for the new Godzilla film would begin this fall. TOHO will release the film in Japanese theaters next summer.

[Via Minna no Eva Fan]

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Origin: ‘Shin Godzilla’ movie listed on sign at Tokyo filming locale
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Last Sunday morning, dozens of Tokyoites ran screaming through the streets of the Kamata neighborhood. Ordinarily, this would be cause for concern, but for cinema fans the world over, this is actually something to celebrate, as the crowds, caught on video, are proof that filming has begun for the newest made-in-Japan Godzilla movie.

It’s been announced that Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno is directing the film, and that Shinji Higuchi, director of the live-action Attack on Titan movies, is handling the special effects. We also know that the movie’s working title is Shin Godzilla (“New Godzilla”), but other than that, details are still scarce. Is it a sequel? A reboot? Will Godzilla be portrayed as an intimidating villain, or as mankind’s protector from other, even more destructive foes?

We won’t know for sure until the movie opens next summer, but one thing we will definitely see when it does is panicked citizens fleeing en masse from the world’s most famous kaiju. Twitter user River happened to be in Tokyo’s Kamata neighborhood last Sunday morning, where the streets had been shut down for Shin Godzilla filming, and so he turned his own camera on the action.

ゴジラの撮影なんだって http://t.co/gh6FHN6u8C

—
りばー (@88River88) September 06, 2015

The Japanese movie industry doesn’t have anywhere near the level of clout that its American counterpart does, so it’s actually pretty unusual for film crews in Tokyo to actually get permission to shut down city streets. When you’re as big a star as the King of the Monsters, though, apparently exceptions are made.

Of course, this is just the start of filming, but it’s good to know that Shin Godzilla’s producers have checked off one of the boxes for scenes that must be included in a proper Godzilla movie. Here’s hoping soon we’ll get previews of the big guy destroying a building and showing off his atomic fire breath, preferably on any scriptwriter who suggests a Jurassic Park-style indoor chase scene.

Source: Hachima Kiko
Top image: Twitter/@88River88

Origin: Screaming crowds stampede through Tokyo as new Godzilla movie starts filming 【Video】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Itazura Banks are a series of cute little Japanese coin banks that look like cardboard boxes, each with an adorable animal hiding inside. You place a coin on the edge of the box and a sweet little kitty’s paw pops out to grab your money and keep it safe in the bank for you.

But if that all sounds a bit too cutesy for your liking, never fear—the newest Itazura Bank doesn’t contain a kitten or a panda, but Godzilla himself!

Place a coin on the calm sea, and the giant monster will loom up from underwater, eyes blazing and claw outstretched as he grabs your money and takes it into the depths of the ocean.

Rakuten

This pint-sized Godzilla roars victoriously as his own movie theme music plays in the background.

▼ I’d roar too if I had my own BGM.

Rakuten

Sensibly, the makers have resisted the temptation to call this item “Itazura Godzilla (“mischievous Godzilla”) in line with the rest of the range, and have gone instead for the no-nonsense name “Godzilla Bank”.

▼ Check it out!

The coin banks cost 2,970 yen (US$25), and are available to preorder now, shipping in early November.

With the Japanese reboot of the Godzilla franchise out in 2016, this coin bank should encourage fans to start stashing up their pennies (or should that be yennies?) for a trip to the cinema…or you could just use your savings to buy some more Godzilla merch. We won’t tell anyone.

Source: Toychan
Featured image: Rakuten

Origin: Automated Godzilla coin bank will make you King of the Moneysavers
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Attack on Titan’s adaptations to other forms of media have been sort of hit-and-miss. Sure, the animated TV series that followed up on the success of the original manga is the anime industry’s biggest hit in decades, but kind words for the two live-action movies have been few and far between.

Still, the upcoming video game version looks pretty cool, and as further proof that the series can still be cool in new formats is this awesome fan-produced stop-motion video that’s a crossover between Attack on Titan and Godzilla.

Jordan Tseng’s expertise may be with stop-motion models and CG, but the Taiwanese animator also apparently has a love for hand-drawn art and rubber suit practical effects. His newest project is a stop-motion retelling of Attack on Titan.

The first episode, “Shocked,” even seems to be trying to correct a problem that many fans have with the original show by jettisoning series protagonist Eren and instead putting the spotlight on cool-as-ice warrior Mikasa.

Much like the canonical Attack on Titan, Tseng’s version takes place in a city with medieval architecture and a surrounding wall that gets breached by naked and creepy colossi that hunger for flesh.

▼ None of the other Attack on Titan regulars show up, but Steins;Gate’s Kurisu makes a cameo.

But while Mikasa is fine standing around while one resident gets eaten, she’ll be damned if she’s going to let two of her neighbors die, so she springs into action, whipping out her blades and zipping across the skyline with her 3-D maneuver gear.

As fans of the original Attack on Titan can already predict, the monsters don’t stand a chance, because this is Mikasa we’re talking about here. She makes short work of her opponents, and despite their being made out of wood, there’s quite a lot of viscera produced in the Titan takedown.

But just when it looks like Mikasa has saved the day, she hears another thunderous footstep. Could it be another Titan?

Nope, it’s Godzilla!

Mercilessly, the video ends just seconds later, although Tseng is promising four more episodes in the series. While waiting for the second, you can pass the time by checking out some of his other projects, like these cool Fate/Stay Night and Dragonball fights.

But how will Mikasa respond to her city’s newest threat? Will she conclude that living to fight another day is the best choice, and look for a stop-motion escape vehicle? Or will the experienced giant-killer stand her ground and fight?

We can’t wait to find out.

Source: YouTube/Jordan Tseng h/t Kotaku Japan
Images: YouTube/Jordan Tseng

Origin: Stop-motion Attack on Titan/Godzilla crossover is disturbingly awesome 【Video】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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It has been announced that Noriyoshi Ohrai—the Japanese illustrator best known for producing remarkable poster art for Metal Gear Solid as well as for films including the Godzilla series and Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back—passed away from pneumonia yesterday morning at the age of 79.

With a career spanning over half a century and an impressive portfolio of artworks for novels, games and well-known international movie releases, fans around the world are mourning the loss of a great talent and taking a look back at his extraordinary body of work.

Ohrai’s passing has prompted many in Japan and around the world to post touching tributes on social media, including the below comment from celebrated video game designer Hideo Kojima. In the tweet, Kojima says that he grew up enjoying Ohrai’s art on book covers and at the cinema, and one of his childhood dreams was to ask Ohrai to illustrate for him if his games ever became famous. That childhood dream was realised with Metal Gear Solid and ANUBIS: Zone of the Enders.

僕は生頼範義さんのイラストで育った。生頼さんのイラストと挿絵で本を読み、生頼さんのポスターで映画を観た。いつか自分の作品が世に出る事があれば生頼さんにお願いしたい！それが子供の頃の夢だった。生頼さんにはMGSやANUBISのイラストを描いていただきました。ありがとうございました。

—
小島秀夫 (@Kojima_Hideo) October 27, 2015

A look back at the illustrator’s illustrious career reveals the breadth of his work and his exceptional ability to capture the mood, action and romance of some of the world’s most cinematic masterpieces.

Ohrai was the king of Godzilla movie posters, designing for eight titles, including Godzilla vs King Ghidorah in 1991.

▼ Just looking at the poster for 1993’s Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla would have been enough to sell tickets.

▼ He also designed the poster for the classic Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992).

Ohrai’s star rose even further when George Lucas saw his art for Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope in a science fiction magazine, which led to him being asked to design the poster for the next movie, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.

▼ Ohrai also created the action-filled poster for the 1986 film King Kong 2, also known as King Kong Lives.

▼ And he even designed the poster for The Goonies in 1985.

It’s hard to believe that these influential posters make up only a small portion of the incredible artist’s work. Despite the sad news of his passing, Ohrai’s creative vision has left a great legacy of art and made a lasting impression on pop culture that will continue to be enjoyed by generations for years to come.

Source: Huffington Post Japan
Top Image: Film on Paper (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert Images: Metal Gear Wiki, Film on Paper

Origin: Japan mourns the loss of legendary illustrator Noriyoshi Ohrai
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Did you know that each of Japan’s 47 prefectures has a designated monster that represents their region? The larger-than-life beings were born from the “Gotouchi Kaiju” (“Local Monsters”) multimedia project helmed by Professor Hiroshi Sagae, who’s worked on a number of kaiju-centric films such as Godzilla Millenium, Ultraman Saga and Gamera the Brave.

Now there’s a special crowdfunding campaign that’s calling on the masses to support the plight of the monsters as they strive to protect nature and promote greenery in their towns. Patrons who contribute to their favourite beast will be rewarded with cards, T-shirts or even a 3-D kaiju figurine but best of all, the funds raised for each prefecture will go towards supporting environmental projects in the region.

The Gotouchi Kaiju project features a comprehensive, well-thought out world of monsters to look over everyone from Hokkaido in the north all the way down to Okinawa in the country’s south. They’ve produced artworks, back stories, figurines and even a couple of short “demo” videos, putting the nation’s beasts in the middle of well-known towns, amid fearful citizens scurrying for safety, with all the classic style of a Godzilla film.

For a quick introduction to some of the kaiju and their towns, check out the short video below.

The monsters are only terrorising their towns because they don’t have enough nature to roam around in, which means we’ll have to do some environmental work to keep the peace. Contributing to the cause via Japanese crowdfunding site Campfire should do the trick, with options for donations starting at 500 yen (US$4.15), which will net you a specially marked thank-you card from your chosen monster, all the way up through badges and T-shirts to the top-tier donation of 100,000 yen ($830.94), which will get you the full package, including special products from the prefecture.

▼ Because monsters want to feel nature underfoot instead of glass shards and hard buildings.

With 47 kaiju begging for our attention, there’s certainly a lot to choose from. We’ll take you through some of our favourites below.

Hyogo Prefecture’s vision of terroir comes in the form of a tiger, posing as a wind god who lives on Kobe’s Mount Rokko and looks over the action at Hyogo’s famed Hanshin Koshien Baseball Stadium. Watch out for his special attack; the “Megaphone Blizzard”.

Kagoshima’s Sugindon takes its name from sugi, the cedar tree, which can be found in the ancient World Heritage forest of Yakushima, an island just off the coast. A donation to Sugindon will contribute to the re-planting of trees in the forest area. If you don’t take part, he might just hit you with his special fighting move, the “Pollen Attack”.

Nara Prefecture features an angry deer-beast known as Shinrock. He’s had enough of traffic in the city, using his “Horn Thunder” attack to let off steam. If you donate 100,000 yen to Shinrock, you’ll be able to receive a package which includes him as a carefully modelled 3-D figurine.

Ibaraki’s famed product, natto, or fermented soybeans, takes shape as a monster full of Bacillus, known as Bacillking. His attack is one of the league’s most perilous: super sticky threads. And just imagine the smell…

If you’ve spent some time in Osaka, you may have seen this famous creature at the shopping mall in its real-life form as the renowned Osaka obachan, a distinctive type of middle-aged woman common in the area and identified by her love of leopard print and loud, gregarious nature. Similarly, Osaka’s beast is dressed up in leopard print and stuns enemies with its voice.

To find out more about the monsters and to take part in the environmental project, be sure to visit the campaign page on Campfire’s crowdfunding website. If you’d like to take a look at some of their beastly figurines, take a look at their YouTube channel. You’ll be glad you did!

Source: ITmedia
Top Image: Campfire/gotouchikaiju
Insert Images: YouTube/Gotouchi Kaiju, Campfire/gotouchikaiju 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, YouTube/Gotouchi Kaiju

Origin: Kagawa’s Udon Monster joins Japan’s other local kaiju to help save the environment
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When raising a toddler, the one thing on every parent’s mind is: Nap time is critical. When you miss nap time, there can be tantrums, screaming, crying and your sweet little one can transform into a kaiju-like terror. One couples’ child had such an incident and it resulted in the destruction of Little Tokyo by Godzilly – King of Daughters. Luckily, dad was there to capture the rampage.

Residents thought it would be another normal day in tiny town, going about their everyday business. The military were even running a standard run of the mill mustering drill, expecting another day of pleasant boredom. And then…Godzilly, Godzilla’s adorable henchbaby, struck!

▼ The kaiju enters the stage.

▼ Little Tokyo doesn’t stand a chance against her.

▼ We wouldn’t want to be caught under that menacing, sparkly foot.

▼ The face of a terror

▼ Godzilly launches a powerful attack! She must have had blueberries that morning.

▼ A new challenger enters! Can Godzilly fend off Mothradog?!?

▼ Mothradog must power up before battle at the peanut power plant.

▼ Godzilly appears to be jealous of Mothradog’s powerful meal

▼ “…for neither can live while the other survives…”

Who knows if this rising child star will be able to break out of the typecasting that inevitably follows this kind of amazing performance, but more videos are planned as the epic battle of dog/moth hybrid and Godzilla-child simply must continue. Many questions remain, but the biggest is: Is this an example of great parenting or the greatest parenting? Only Godzilly can answer that one!

Source: Kotaro Blog
Screenshots: YouTube/SillySocks

Origin: Director dad displays dastardly deeds of dino daughter with cool special effects【Video】
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The upcoming Japanese-made film, which now has a release date and teaser video, will feature the largest Godzilla in franchise history.

Almost exactly a year ago, Japanese film studio Toho announced that it would be making its first Godzilla movie in 12 years. As if that wasn’t exciting enough, the film’s director will be none other than Hideaki Anno, the creator of hugely influential anime Neon Genesis Evangelion who’s been a kaiju fan since his formative childhood years.

But now there comes an even bigger piece of news: the size of the reptilian leading man himself. For the newest installment in the series, Shin Godzilla, Godzilla will stand 118.5 meters (389 feet) tall! Not only is that 10.5 meters taller than the version seen in Legendary Pictures’ American-produced 2014 Godzilla, it means that Shin Godzilla’s star will be larger than any other Godzilla in the franchise’s six-decade history.

With the film roughly half a year from release, the producers have revealed the first image of how the creature will appear in Shin Godzilla.

There’s a definite sinister quality to this Godzilla. Whereas many previous films’ versions have looked like a dinosaur, or even an anthropomorphized dinosaur, Shin Godzilla’s looks like a straight-up monster, with its unnervingly beady eyes and maw of giant, jagged teeth.

Japanese Twitter user @arakichi1969 lightened the picture to give an even better idea of the new design.

▼ Hey, look! Godzilla has a neck again!

【シン・ゴジラ】 発表されたゴジラのビジュアルは、露出を上げてみると、そのディテールがよく分かります。異常進化した？為か不揃いな歯並び、異様に小さい瞳、ただれたような体表！ https://t.co/lB9LNVv7BJ

—
情景師アラーキー/荒木さとし (@arakichi1969) December 09, 2015

The lack of humanizing qualities fits with the text on the promotional image, which translates as “Japan vs. Godzilla,” suggesting that Shin Godzilla will bring the setting back to Japan, and that Godzilla will be playing the role of the antagonist, not fighting to protect Japan from other, more destructive kaiju. As further proof, here’s a teaser video for the movie showing how Tokyo reacts when the big guy comes to visit.

Shin Godzilla is scheduled for release on July 29.

Sources: Eiga.com, Cinema Today via Hachima Kiko, Anime News Network
Top image: Cinema Today (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: Cinema Today, Twitter/@arakichi1969

Origin: Teaser gives us our first peek at Japan’s upcoming Godzilla movie—and he’s gonna be BIG!【Video】
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There’s a lot to look forward to in the Year of the Monkey—Here are just a few of the top Japan-related events you won’t want to miss in 2016!

1. Documentary: Behind the Cove (January 30)

This film, directed by Keiko Yagi, attempts to rebut the Academy Award winning movie The Cove. As we all know, there are two sides to every story, so this ought to be an interesting perspective.

The above poster asks “Why is Japan’s traditional food culture being targeted?” In Japan, The Cove prompted a plethora of negative reactions by the Japanese who felt their country had been singled out by a film that was “unwarranted, unfair, and manipulative” according to a press release for Yagi’s film. The Japanese Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries reportedly said, “It is regrettable that this movie is made as a message that brutal Japanese are killing cute dolphins.” Yagi calls for “understanding differences in food cultures and religions.” Whether or not one agrees with killing dolphins and whales, it’s probably worth at least listening to the other side of the story.

When RocketNews24 asked the director for reactions from Japanese people who have seen the film, she highlighted the following comments from a couple of viewers: “I don’t think people have looked deeply enough into the issues so I hope many people will watch the movie,” and “If you feel bitter after seeing The Cove, you will be delighted as this movie will free your heart.”

Showings in Japanese with English subtitles start in Shinjuku at K’s Cinema on January 30. Advance tickets are 1,300 yen (US$10.78) or 1,800 yen (about $15.00) at the door.

2. Theater: Takarazuka Performance of Rurouni Kenshin (Starts Feb. 5 in Kobe, April 1 in Tokyo)

Takarazuka Official Website

In the performing arts, we have the Takarazuka Review performing Rurouni Kenshin, the story of samurai redemption that started as anime before being transformed into a series of action movies and now, a musical by the all-female Takarazuka Theater in Japan (previous manga adaptations by the troupe include Lupin III, Black Jack and JIN). If the tunes are as rockin’ as those of the anime, it will be a treat for the ears as well as the eyes.

February 5 to March 14 at Takarazuka Grand Theater (Hyogo Prefecture), April 1 to May 8 at Tokyo Takarazuka Theater. Tickets can be ordered online (3,500 to 12,000 yen, that’s US$29 to $100).

3. Art: Setouchi Triennale (Starts March 20)

▼ Sou Fujimoto’s Naoshima Pavilion.

Setouchi Explorer (David Billa)

The Setouchi Triennale art show on the charming Kagawa Prefecture islands in the Seto Inland Sea is a treat for art aficionados and tourists alike. The venue, set across twelve idyllic islands in Western Japan as well as the town of Takamatsu on the mainland, the international art show is not only a chance to see installation art and projects by artists in residence, but it’s also a first-hand opportunity to experience the flavor of Japan’s local island cultures. The event is held every three years and for 2016 it will be carried out over 108 days and three seasons: spring (March 20 – April 17), summer (July 18 – September 4) and autumn (October 8 – November 6). Catch a ferry from Uno (Okayama Prefecture) or Takamatsu (Kagawa Prefecture) to get out to the islands.

Find out more about the festival at the Triennale website and see what’s new this year at Setouchi Explorer.

4. Anime: The 3rd annual “Anime Japan” Event (March 25-27)

AnimeJapan 2016 Official Website

The AnimeJapan Organization will hold this year’s AnimeJapan event at Tokyo Big Sight for three days from March 25–27. The weekend offers lots to see and experience including “Cosplayer’s World,” a food park, a production works gallery, and a business area to talk about expanding the anime business market (special registration required for the latter). An Open Stage will feature TV animations, interviews with actors, awards, talk shows, press conferences, etc. Upcoming trailer releases, exclusive talks with cast members and interviews will take place on the smaller Red, Green, and Blue stages for limited audiences (additional registration required for these smaller stages). Come join the world’s largest anime event!

Tickets on sale now at 1,600 yen (US$13.30) for general admission or 2,000 yen ($16.58) at the door.

5. Films: New Godzilla Movie (July 29)

Cinema Today

This year brings an abundance of great movie releases but perhaps the most anticipated—after a 12-year wait—is the new Shin Godzilla, directed by Shinji Higuchi (Attack on Titan). The good news is that the live-action film director promises that this kaiju movie will be scarier than the previous Godzilla endeavors, terrorizing audiences with modern anxieties such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters and nuclear accidents. The story board artist and special effects supervisor employs his hallmark techniques among miniatures in the same vein as those used in Attack on Titan. Fans have long anticipated another flick featuring monster, who has since become an official Tokyo resident, so here’s to hoping for a terrification of gargantuan proportions. See the trailer here.

6. TV: 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics (August 5-21 BST)

123Freevectors

Sure, the 2016 summer Olympic Games are taking place in Brazil, but if you want to see Japanese athletes compete, there’s no better place to watch them on TV than in Japan. Even if you don’t catch the televised Olympics, you’ll still get to see the results of the Japanese athletes’ victories hundreds of times over, just in case you missed them the first dozen replays. Do not underestimate the Japanese propensity to plaster their own athletes’ victories all over the screen 24/7 ad nauseam. If you have a favorite Japanese athlete, I hope they do well so you can revel in their rectitude! This is a time to look forward to not just victories, but also defeats and apologies by shamed athletes who didn’t get the Gold despite all the support from their compatriots at home. But forget it if your favorite athlete is from another country (you traitor!) and gets the Gold, because no other country’s medalists will be given air time that might take up the celebrity space reserved for the unfortunate losers and fallen heroes of Japan who will be interviewed instead. So if you love sports, best to be a sportsman about it and join the art of Japanese fandom. Like Hello Kitty or the color pink, there’s no point fighting these things here–you may as well just join the frenzy! Besides, you didn’t really want to watch anything else on TV, did you?

Keep your eye out for Japan’s Gold medal hopefuls at the XXXI Olympiad: 19-year-old Ami Kondo (judo), Kenta Chida (fencing, going for Gold after getting Silver in team foil event in London), and Paralympian Saki Takakuwa (track and field). Go Japan!

While the Olympics start on August 5 in Brazil, due to the nine-hour time difference, the Opening Ceremony will probably air live in Japan the morning of August 6.

7. Manga: Comic Con December 3-4, 2016

The Comic Con festival of pop culture and technology, the brainchild of Stan Lee and Steve Wozniak, debuts in the Silicon Valley, California in March. After that, the whole shebang will head east as the Marvel Comics founder and Apple co-founder bring their team to Tokyo for an inaugural event that is sure to please their antipodean manga, anime and technology fans. Celebrities, autographs, photo ops, and a chance to preview the latest in video game technology are just a few things on the cards. You’ll have the chance to buy merchandise and collector’s items as well as see exhibitions of some of the best comic and anime artists today—all compelling reasons to attend the extravaganza. And don’t forget to seize the chance to pitch your ideas to industry veterans! Check out the Tokyo Comic Con announcement event that was held in Shinagawa.

Tickets go on sale in March. The venue is the Makuhari Messe Convention Center—where the Tokyo Game Show is held. Keep an eye on the Tokyo Comic Con website for more information, or follow @TokyoComCon on Twitter.

8. Movie: Silence (late December 2016)

Wikipedia (InfamousPrince)

Based on the acclaimed 1966 novel by Shusaku Endo Silence has twice before been made into a movie. This time director Martin Scorsese tells the story of a 17th-century Christian missionary in Japan who is forced to apostatize. When two Jesuit Portuguese priests (Liam Neeson and Andrew Garfield) go to Japan to investigate the rumor, they find a country reeling from evangelism and the fear that the over 300,000 Christian converts will come to prefer religious teachings to those of their ruler, Ieyasu Tokugawa. This presentiment was further exacerbated by the relatively recent Spanish-colonial rule of the Philippines (1521-1898), and prompted the shogunate to ban Christianity in 1614. What followed was the wholesale slaughter of thousands of Christians. In addition, generations of Christian survivors suppressed their faith for the next 250 years until the Meiji government lifted the ban on practicing Christianity in 1873. Nagasaki is the home of the Endo Shusaku museum and many of the sites in this movie, which was actually filmed in Taiwan. Anyone who is a fan of Scorsese or who has an interest in 17th century Japan and Christianity won’t want to miss this historic drama with a U.S. release date of late December.

What other Japan-related events for 2016 are you looking forward to? Let us know in the comments section!

Origin: 8 Japan-related events to look forward to in 2016!
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Everyone’s favourite tokusatsu titan has a very important message for the people of Shinjuku this week.

Peering over the top of the TOHO Cinema just opposite a charming-looking peep show establishment, world-famous movie monster Godzilla looms large, surveying visitors to Shinjuku’s Kabukicho red-light district as they make their way up the street.

Godzilla has looked completely at home atop the building ever since his appearance early last year, but this week he looks a little different from usual. Since April 4, the movie monster can be seen clutching a cup of Isodine-brand mouthwash, a large banner reading “Yappari Isodine,” or “Isodine, naturally” hanging from his right hand.

The minty fresh addition to the enormous statue is due to remain on the cinema’s roof for just a week or so, so you’ll need to be quick if you want to see it in the fresh.

Why the sudden fondness for mouthwash, we’re not entirely sure, but perhaps Godzilla is not so subtly trying to remind the ladies and gentlemen who frequent the famous red-light district after dark that, if they must get up close and personal, they should at the very least practice good oral hygiene…

Photos © RocketNews24

Get a little closer:

A room with a (terrifying) view: Visiting the hotel that overlooks Godzilla’s giant head 【Photos】

This retelling of the classic tokusatsu tale looks to be surprisingly fresh and nostalgic all at the same time.

When the original Godzilla was released in 1954 by Toho, it was a parable for that nuclear weapons that hit the country a decade earlier. Godzilla itself was a living manifestation of the nuclear bomb which could not be matched by conventional weapons and indiscriminately laid entire cities to waste.

A little over half a century later, Japan faced yet another nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant triggered by the Tohoku Earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Again, the feeling of helplessness and despair among residents of Japan was awakened by a random act of nature.

It seems that these themes are what Shin Godzilla (to be known as Godzilla Resurgence outside Japan) is returning to in the upcoming film directed by Hideaki Anno (Evangelion) and Shinji Higuchi (Attack on Titan live-action films). In true Anno style, the towering monster slowly makes its way through urban areas with an air of chilling indifference as humans scramble to stop it with all the firepower they have.

While there are plenty of unmistakably Anno moments to be glimpsed here, a bunch of tanks firing at Godzilla is hardly a new trick. However, the trailer is also spliced with scenes of politicians and military struggling to deal with this disaster. You can even see people in dressed blue outfits eerily reminiscent of those worn by the Tokyo Electric Power Company during the Fukushima Daiichi disaster.

▼ Many scenes from the trailer look lifted straight out of 2011 news reports.

▼ An actual news report from April, 2011, about one of Tokyo Electric’s many apologies

This is where Shin Godzilla shows signs of being truly great just like the original 1954 version was: by capturing that very real sense of helplessness and fear the nation had felt at the hands of a massive force of nature, and by showing that reactions of rage and violence are about as effective as firing a gun at Godzilla.

At the moment, the million dollar question is whether the actual movie will live up to those epic themes hinted at in the trailer. The direction of Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi is certainly comforting to that effect. Even though Higuchi was at the helm of the disastrous Attack on Titan films, his tokusatsu track-record is pretty good and should keep the style in line with past Godzilla films.

▼ Refreshingly, this trailer doesn’t bother obscuring Godzilla’s appearance, hinting that the film may be about more than just a monster.

We’ve been misled by trailers before, however, so it’s still too early to tell whether this’ll be the smash we’re hoping for. We will just have to wait until 29 July, when Shin Godzilla is released, to see if it is truly the king of reboots.

Source: YouTube/Toho Movie Channel via Kotaku US

The staff of this year’s Godzilla Resurgence film have continued to play up that the film is helmed by chief director Hideaki Anno. Godzilla faced off against Unit-01 in this year’s April Fool’s joke on the film’s official website and Bandai Namco Entertainment and Granzella Inc.’s upcoming collaboration game Kyoei Toshi (City Shrouded in Shadow) also looks to have both the mecha and monster appearing at some point. Even frequent Godzilla designer Shinji Nishikawa drew a mock-up poster for Bandai’s Ichiban Kuji lottery in July.

A second visual featuring the two behemoths was added to the April Fools’ Day page, this time drawn by Yuji Kaida, an artist renowned as the “Kaiju Artist” for his work on giant monsters.

Kaida has previously worked on promotional and visual art for tokusatsu works like Ultraman, and more recently, the 2014 Godzilla film.

The popular images will be used as giveaway items for viewers who pre-order their tickets. The images will appear on clear files with a limited run of 55,555 on April 23.

Source: Anime! Anime!

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Get in the damn kaiju, Shinji.

While this summer’s Shin Godzilla (literally “New Godzilla”) is noteworthy for being the first Japanese-produced outing for the King of the Monsters since 2004, the really big news is that Hideaki Anno, creator of landmark anime series Evangelion, is directing the film. Technically, he’s a co-director, sharing the title with Shinju Higuchi (director of the live action Attack on Titan films), but not only is Anno getting top billing in the movie’s promotional materials, and his directorial style is all over the trailer for Shin Godzilla.

As such, the popular opinion is that the newest installment of the kaiju franchise is very much Anno’s baby, so much so that many are half-jokingly wondering if we’ll ever get a Godzilla/Evangelion crossover. We’ve already seen some professional-grade artwork teasing such a possibility, and now comes this figure of Mechagodzilla painted in the colors of Evangelion Unit-01.

Billed as “The miraculous collaboration,” the figure is officially called the Mecha Godzilla Test Type Version. Starting with the Mechagodzilla design as its base, the figure not only repaints the robotic monster in the colors of Evangelion Unit-01, it also looks to have extended the spiky protrusions along its back, making the finished product even more evocative of the anime bioweapon.

Standing 17 centimeters (6.7 inches) tall, the PVC Mecha Godzilla Test Type Version is available exclusively through 7-Eleven Japan. It’s priced at 3,880 yen (US$36), but that also includes a ticket to see Shin Godzilla in theaters. While that might seem like an underhanded way to force people into purchasing two things at once, if you’re the kind of fan who’s in the market for an Eva Godzilla figurine, we can’t imagine you aren’t also planning on seeing Anno’s upcoming film.

The figure can be ordered online here through the 7-Eleven Net website. Be advised, though, that production is limited to just 4,000 units, so if you want to get your hands on one, you’ll have to act with the same sort of speed panicked Tokyoites display in fleeing from Godzilla in the films in which he stars.

Source: IT Media
Featured image: 7-Eleven Japan (edited by RocketNews24)
Top, insert images: 7-Eleven Japan

Even Godzilla feels lethargic some days!

With a new Godzilla film coming up fast on the horizon, it’s time for the marketing machine to get to work cranking up our excitement for the new movie. That would usually mean dramatic trailers with loud “BAAAAAAAARRR” sound effects and maybe some generic dubstep, but it looks like the people helping hype the new monster movie aren’t really feeling very excited. In fact, based on this new collaboration, we’d say they’re feeling more lazy and lethargic than anything.

That’s because they’ve teamed up with Sanrio to produce merchandise featuring Godzilla and our favorite lazy egg Gudetama!

▼ Godzilla even repurposes one of Gudetama’s catchphrases, saying:
“I’ll give it a proper go in July,” when the movie will be released.

We suppose, though, that the pairing isn’t entirely crazy — after all, Godzilla does seem to spend most of its off-screen time sleeping in the ocean! And we can only imagine all that destruction really takes a lot out of the world’s favorite kaiju, so feeling lazy and unmotivated like Gudetama actually makes a lot of sense!

▼ “STOP IT!” “Shooo!”

▼ “I’m too tired to go around being violent.”

▼ “I want to be alone.”

As you can see, it’s not just Godzilla getting in on the lack of action as other kaiju, like baby Mothra and King Ghidrah, will also appear on merchandise. As for the exact products you’ll be able to buy with these cute-and-lethargic characters, it looks like everything from smartphone cases to T-shirts will be available. You won’t be able to buy any of the products until June, though, so you still have time to save a bit of cash.

But if you’re more interested in classic images than modern retellings, you’ll want to check out these photos of Japan from 1908. There’s a distinct lack of giant monsters, but they’re still beautiful glimpses into the past!

Sources/images: Sanrio, Shin-Godzilla, Twitter/godzilla-jp