Buzz
Godzilla, the iconic creature featured in numerous films, cartoons, and comics, has become a worldwide pop culture legend. His fame even reached the eccentric North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il, who kidnapped a director to create his own version of the monster. But that's just one of the many fascinating details surrounding the King of All Monsters.
10. The Backstory
The devastation caused by the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki left an indelible mark on Japan’s people. Within moments, entire cities were obliterated, with thousands perishing from burns and radiation sickness in the aftermath. This tragedy, alongside the incident involving the Lucky Dragon 5, a Japanese fishing boat that accidentally ventured into U.S. nuclear test zones in the South Pacific, played a key role in inspiring the creation of Godzilla.
Gojira (a Japanese fusion of the words 'gorilla' and 'whale') premiered in 1954. This radioactive creature was inspired by a mix of various species, including the Tyrannosaurus rex and an alligator. Its rough, textured skin was a representation of the keloid scars endured by survivors of the atomic bombings. While the later Godzilla films embraced a more lighthearted tone, the original movie served as a dark commentary on the destructive powers of technology. It quickly became a huge box office success, marking the highest-grossing opening day in Japanese film history.
9. Deeper Meaning
In the early days of the franchise, Godzilla symbolized the United States and its atomic bombing of Japan. However, as relations between the two countries began to improve, Godzilla's significance shifted. The character became a symbol of Japan itself, cherished by the Japanese people.
Other kaiju also carried symbolic weight. When China started testing nuclear weapons, they were associated with King Ghidorah. The enormous pterosaur Rodan was often seen as representing the Soviet Union. Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) was frequently interpreted as a metaphor for the US occupation of Okinawa, with Godzilla representing Japan and his mechanical rival symbolizing the United States. Even today, tensions on Okinawa remain, with American military personnel regularly accused of mistreating the local population. There are also claims that the US military used the island to store dangerous chemicals and weapons, including Agent Orange.
8. The Creators Behind The Iconic Mask
The 2014 reboot of the franchise, Godzilla, introduces a CGI monster inspired by a mix of Komodo dragons and bears. However, the original Godzilla came to life without the aid of computers. Elji Tsuburaya, Toho's Visual Effects Department head, was charged with bringing the first version of Godzilla to the screen. Tsuburaya's background in directing wartime propaganda films made his effects so convincing that Americans believed his footage was real combat footage.
Originally, Tsuburaya planned to use stop-motion animation, similar to the techniques used in King Kong, but the high cost of this method forced him to switch to a rubber suit. The actor selected to wear the first Godzilla suit was Haruo Nakajima, a martial artist who added great intensity to the role. It was a grueling experience—the suit, constructed from melted tires, weighed 100 kilograms (220 lbs), making it hard for Nakajima to move or see, and unbearably hot under the studio lights. After each scene, a cup of sweat had to be drained from the suit.
7. The Legendary Roar
Apart from his immense size, Godzilla's most distinguishing feature is his terrifying, otherworldly roar. The creators of the original 1954 film experimented with a variety of animal sounds to produce the creature’s voice, but none quite fit. The film's composer, Akira Ifukube, eventually suggested using a musical instrument to achieve the eerie tone they desired. His idea worked, and the roar was produced by dragging a leather glove coated with pine tar across the strings of a double bass.
In later Godzilla films, new versions of the iconic roar were created. For the 2014 remake, sound designers Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn experimented extensively to find their perfect version of the roar. While they refuse to disclose their exact method, they did reveal that they rented massive speakers from the Rolling Stones to test it on the streets of Burbank, California. Despite informing the public in advance, Aadahl recalls that scared locals were calling the Burbank police, convinced the roar was real.
6. Zilla
While some reboots, such as Christopher Nolan’s Batman series, are considered superior to their originals, few films have been as widely criticized as the 1998 Godzilla, starring Matthew Broderick. Despite its success at the box office, the film was loathed by both critics and fans. Roger Ebert’s review described it as, “a cold-hearted mechanistic vision, so starved for emotion or wit.” Other critics were even more scathing. In a bizarre twist, one of the songs featured in the movie, Rage Against the Machine’s “No Shelter,” directly critiques the film with the line, “Godzilla, pure motherf–king filler, get your eyes off the real killer.”
A major complaint about the 1998 film was the complete redesign of the title character—this version was a gigantic, mutated iguana, devoid of the charm and character of the original Godzilla. Toho later rebranded this version of the monster as “Zilla.” Although (spoiler alert) the creature meets its end at the conclusion of the movie, Toho resurrected Zilla for Godzilla: Final Wars. In that film, Zilla faces the original Godzilla, destroying the iconic Sydney Opera House in the process, but is swiftly defeated.
5. Bambi Meets Godzilla
Despite its terrifying origins, Godzilla has been featured in various animated series, including a 1970s production by Toho and Hanna-Barbera. The series, which centered on a team of researchers, presented a kinder Godzilla who often came to the aid of his human companions. Additionally, it introduced 'Godzooky,' Godzilla’s small nephew, who was likely a nod to Scrappy Doo.
Following the 1998 movie, another animated series was produced and initially did well, but couldn't compete with the rise of Pokémon, leading to its cancellation after 40 episodes. Perhaps the strangest Godzilla-related cartoon is the 1969 short film *Bambi Meets Godzilla*, directed by Marv Newland. This brief, hand-drawn, black-and-white animation, which lasts less than two minutes, mainly features the opening credits. In it, Bambi peacefully grazes to the tune of 'Call to the Dairy Cows' from the opera *William Tell*, only for Godzilla’s massive foot to crush the innocent deer in the end.
4. Enemies
Throughout countless films, Godzilla has battled an array of peculiar and often outlandish foes, many of which were simply bizarre rubber creations. One of the most ridiculous villains appeared in *Godzilla’s Revenge*, a 1969 film aimed at young audiences. In it, a bullied boy experiences dreams involving giant monsters. The antagonist, Gabara, is a strange cat-lizard creature possibly inspired by the demonic Japanese Oni myth. His roar, oddly enough, sounds like laughter.
Mothra is a constant presence in Godzilla films, always fighting on the side of good. She’s just as formidable as the insects buzzing around your porch light, only on a much grander scale. However, there have been other formidable foes, including Destroyah, who managed to deal a fatal blow to Godzilla. But the most incredible enemy in Godzilla's gallery is King Ghidorah, a terrifying three-headed monster inspired by the mythical hydra. Ghidorah's complex design and the difficulty in maneuvering him (requiring an actor inside an enormous suit and a crew of puppeteers to move his limbs) led special effects coordinator Elji Tsuburaya to limit his screen appearances in the monster's early films.
3. Physically Impossible
In terms of size, the 2014 incarnation of Godzilla is the largest yet, towering at an impressive 106 meters (350 feet) tall and weighing over 160,000 tons. Over the years, Godzilla has continued to grow in size to keep up with the increasingly taller buildings surrounding him. Of course, such massive creatures can only exist in fiction for a reason—Godzilla's size is simply physiologically impossible. There are numerous academic papers that delve into why Godzilla couldn’t exist. For one, his skeletal structure could never support his enormous body, even if it were made of titanium. Additionally, the heat produced by his muscles would be overwhelming, and there’s no conceivable way for his heart to pump blood to all his extremities.
On the more grotesque side of things, Godzilla often endures significant damage during his confrontations with humanity and other colossal monsters, frequently toppling and then rising again, only to come back stronger. Unfortunately, the force generated by such a heavy body falling from a great height would be immense, likely causing the creature to explode upon impact. For a striking example of this phenomenon, the physics of falling giants was discussed by J. B. S. Haldane in his 1928 essay: “You can drop a mouse down a thousand-yard mine shaft; and, on arriving at the bottom, it gets a slight shock and walks away, provided that the ground is fairly soft. A rat is killed, a man is broken, a horse splashes.”
2. King Kong vs. Godzilla
As one of the most iconic giant monsters, the clash between King Kong and Godzilla was almost inevitable. While Godzilla was much taller—around six times the size of Kong, who stood at 7.5 meters (25 ft)—movies have often adjusted creature sizes for dramatic effect. When these two titans collided in 1966's King Kong vs. Godzilla, they were depicted as roughly the same size. To level the playing field, Kong was given the power to control electricity, countering Godzilla's deadly thermonuclear breath. As is typical of Toho productions, the movie didn’t rely on groundbreaking special effects, featuring two men in rubber suits duking it out.
Over the years, a curious legend has emerged surrounding the film. According to the myth, the Japanese version of the movie had Godzilla triumph, while the American cut depicted Kong as the victor. While both versions did include notable differences, such as introducing English-speaking characters for a broader U.S. audience, the battle between the two monsters remained consistent. The climactic fight unfolded on Mount Fuji before spilling into the ocean. In the end, only Kong is seen rising from the sea, leaving the result of their epic showdown ambiguous.
1. Madzilla
The Make-A-Wish Foundation has long been dedicated to making children's wishes come true, especially those facing life-threatening illnesses. In 2013, a particularly heartwarming event unfolded in San Francisco when thousands gathered to cheer on five-year-old Miles Scott as he lived out his dream of being Batkid for the day, embarking on a thrilling adventure.
In 2014, Make-A-Wish reached out to a five-year-old boy from Chicago named Maddex, who dreamed of starring as Godzilla in a movie. Maddex, who is battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia, endures an agonizing series of treatments, including spinal taps. Throughout his journey, Godzilla has been a source of comfort, with his home filled to the brim with toys, shirts, and comic books featuring the legendary giant lizard. Thanks to the efforts of countless volunteers, Maddex's dream was brought to life in a five-minute short film, complete with aerial shots from helicopters and appearances by local legends such as Mike Ditka. Dressed as a monster named “Madzilla,” Maddex wreaks havoc on the city and faces off against other monstrous foes. The short film was slated for release in August 2014.
