出典 : Amazon.co.jp
Godzilla, Japan’s most iconic monster, the Godzilla series, which began in 1954, is still in production as of 2019, with several hiatuses.
How has the Godzilla series evolved? Also, which of the many works should I watch? Many people must be curious about it.
So we have compiled the following information about the Godzilla series.
・Beginning of the series
・Series expansion in the country
・Series Expansion Abroad
・Movies you should see in the domestic version
・Movies you should see in the Hollywood version
By learning about the series and then watching the films, you can discover new discoveries and have more fun.
If you want to look back on the series from the first Godzilla to the latest, please take a look at this article.
The Beginning of the Godzilla Series
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How did the Godzilla series begin in the first place?
The idea for Godzilla came from the nuclear tests that took place at Bikini Atoll. Godzilla was born as a result of an attempt to embody the nuclear threat, partly due to witnessing the horror of nuclear weapons during World War II.
The slogan at the time of its birth, “The Fallen Son of Nuclear Weapons” and “The Symbol of Human Fear,” conveys the fact that Godzilla was created as an object of fear.
Series expansion in the country
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Domestically produced Godzilla films are classified into the following three series
・The Showa Series
・VS Series
・Millennium Series
There has been no series development since the end of the Millennium series, with only one film, Shin Godzilla, in 2016. We will also discuss the Godzilla animated series, although it is not a special effects film.
The Showa Series
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The Showa Series created the basis of Godzilla. The Showa Series has produced the following 15 films from Godzilla in 1954 to Mechagodzilla Strikes Back.
・『Godzilla』(1954)
・『Godzilla Strikes Back』(1955)
・『King Kong vs. Godzilla』(1962)
・『Mothra vs. Godzilla』(1964)
・『Three Great Monsters The Biggest Battle on Earth』(1964)
・『Invasion of Astronomical War』(1965)
・『Godzilla, Evila, Mothra, and the Great South Sea Duel』(1966)
・『Monster Island decisive battle Son of Godzilla』(1967)
・『Destroy All Monsters』(1968)
・『Godzilla Minilla Gabarra All Monsters March Forward』(1969)
・『Godzilla vs. Hedorah』(1971)
・『Earth Attack Order Godzilla vs. Gaigan』(1972)
・『Godzilla vs. Megalo』(1973)
・『Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla』(1974)
・『Mechagodzilla Strikes Back』(1975)
Godzilla was born as an object of threat and fear to humanity.
After a battle with Anguirus in the second film, “Godzilla Strikes Back”, the basic structure of Godzilla versus monsters became the basis of the series.
Godzilla was a threat to mankind, but in the fifth film, “The Greatest Battle on Earth”, Godzilla was portrayed as an ally of mankind for the first time. From then on, he was portrayed as a righteous hero who defeated the monsters.
He has been depicted as a hero who flies in the sky, speaks with speech balloons and other comical elements to make him more friendly.
After he became a hero of justice, Godzilla’s form also became more gentle. One of the ways to enjoy the Showa series is to check the differences in Godzilla’s modeling between the different works.
VS Series
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Even after the Heisei era, Godzilla’s works have been based on Godzilla vs. the monsters, and they are called the VS series since the word “VS” is added to the title.
The VS series has produced the following seven films from 1984’s Godzilla to 1995’s Godzilla vs Destroyer.
・『Godzilla』(1984)
・『Godzilla vs. Biollante』(1989)
・『Godzilla VS King Ghidorah』(1991)
・『Godzilla vs. Mothra』(1992)
・『Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla』(1993)
・『Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla』(1994)
・『Godzilla vs Destroyer』(1995)
In the Showa series, Godzilla was portrayed as an ally of mankind and a hero of justice, but in the VS series, Godzilla is consistently portrayed as a threat to humanity.
The VS series is characterized by a three-way struggle between Godzilla, the enemy monster, and humanity.
With the exception of 1984’s Godzilla, the VS series has had a unified worldview, and the Godzilla shape has hardly changed at all. Throughout the series, the way of life of one Godzilla can be seen.
