Godzilla is a fictional daikaiju or, "giant monster" and the titular character featured in the Godzilla film series produced by Toho Company. He is typically personified as a giant, mutated dinosaur-like creature with large, scaly fins and the capability of projecting beams of atomic radiation from its mouth. Affectionately thought of as "King of the Monsters", Godzilla first stomped his way into the public consciousness in 1954 with the seminal classic, Gojira, directed by Ishirô Honda. Since then, the character has been featured in dozens of sequel films, re-interpretations and remakes, as well as two animated television programs; to say nothing of the merchandising, which includes toys, collectible figurines, video games, clothing, lunch boxes, etc.
The original Godzilla film series is considered part of the Shōwa period, and encompasses all films made between 1954 and 1975. Beginning in 1984 and continuing on through the 1990s, all Godzilla films are considered part of the Heisei period. Films from both periods are considered part of their own respective continuities. From 2000 onward, Godzilla films produced by Toho are identified as belonging to the Millennium period, and has a very loose continuity, with many films simply serving as one-shot stories with no canonical interconnectivity to the other films. Toho joined forces with Legendary Pictures in 1998 to produce a U.S. remake of Godzilla. Legendary rebooted the franchise again in 2014.
Iterations[]
Original[]
The original Godzilla appeared and was seemingly destroyed in the 1954 film Gojira. The canonicity of this film is common to many later iterations of the Godzilla character. The original Gojira is the same Godzilla that appears in the Hisei period of films from the 1990s.
Showa period[]
This iteration of Godzilla did not die as a result of Serizawa's oxygen destroyer, and as such, is a different Godzilla altogether. Whereas the original Gojira was a destroyer of humanity, this Godzilla was a defender of mankind, and often fought up against other daikaiju. This Godzilla also developed a coterie of allies including Mothra, Rodan, and Anguirus. This Godzilla also had a son named Minya.
Heisei period[]
Continuing from the continuity of the original 1954 film and its Americanized 1955 remake, Godzilla, King of the Monsters, this iteration of Godzilla resurfaced in Godzilla 1985, and continued on through the 1990s, ultimately dying in battle against Destroyah. He was succeeded by a "son" character, Junior, who evolved into an adult Godzilla by the end of the final film.
'Zilla[]
The 1998 American version of Godzilla featured a giant iguana-like monster, which spawned numerous offspring. The parent Godzilla and most of the offspring were destroyed by the end of the film, but one survived, and grew into adulthood where it shared in adventures with Niko Tatopoulos in Godzilla: The Animated Series.
Millennium period[]
The Millennium period began with Godzilla 2000, and included several stand-alone films which were not tied into any specific continuity.
MonsterVerse[]
- See also, Godzilla (X)
MonsterVerse is the shared cinematic universe of Legendary Pictures's giant monster, or kaiju, continuity. The franchise begins with the 2014 American reboot of Godzilla and continues with the 2017 film Kong: Skull Island before circling back around to Godzilla: King of the Monsters in 2019.
Notes & Trivia[]
- The character of Godzilla was created by writer and director Ishirô Honda and co-writer Shigeru Kayama.
- Godzilla won a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996 and was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004. The only other fictional green reptile to make his mark in the Hollywood pavement is Kermit the Frog.
- Godzilla was referenced in Iron Man #121 in April, 1979. At the time, Marvel Comics carried the license to create stories about Godzilla.
See also[]
Media
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