Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)

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Godzilla Films
GMK
Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla
Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.
Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla
The Japanese poster for Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla
Alternate titles
Flagicon Japan.png Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (2002)
See alternate titles
Directed by Masaaki Tezuka
Producer Shogo Tomiyama
Written by Wataru Mimura
Music by Michiru Oshima
Distributor TohoJP
TriStar PicturesUS
Rating Not Rated
Budget ¥1,000,000,000
Box office ¥1,910,000,000
Running time 88 minutes
(1 hour, 28 minutes)
Aspect ratio 2.35:1
Rate this film!
4.42
(86 votes)


Startup - Resonance - Smashed Ice (起動・共鳴・氷砕)
„ 

— Japanese tagline

Fight 'til crumbled!
„ 

— International tagline

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (ゴジラ×メカゴジラ,   Gojira tai Mekagojira, lit. Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla) is a 2002 tokusatsu kaiju film produced by Toho, and the twenty-sixth installment in the Godzilla series, as well as the fourth in the Millennium series. The film was released to Japanese theaters on December 14, 2002.[1]

Yet another reboot to the Godzilla continuity, Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla reintroduces Godzilla's popular foe Mechagodzilla for the Millennium series. When a second Godzilla attacks Japan in 1999, the Japanese government dredges up the bones of the original Godzilla from 1954 and uses them to construct an anti-Godzilla weapon: codenamed Kiryu. Kiryu is completed by 2003, when Godzilla returns to menace Yokohama. Kiryu is sent to combat Godzilla, but the monster's roar awakens the first Godzilla's spirit within the machine, causing Kiryu to go berserk. Kiryu's lead scientist Tokumitsu Yuhara races to rectify this error in the machine before Godzilla makes landfall again. But even if Kiryu is fixed, the question remains if the government would willingly launch it again.

Plot

After a second Godzilla attacks Tateyama in the year 1999, the Japanese government decides to commission a robot constructed from the original Godzilla's bones, with help from the country's top scientists. Four years later, the cyborg, called Kiryu, is finished and inducted into the Japan Self-Defense Forces along with its human pilots, the Kiryu Squadron. At the same time, Godzilla shows up once again, even though the JSDF seemed to finally defeat him. In the midst of the first battle, the original Godzilla's soul inside Kiryu is awoken by Godzilla's roar, and brings with it the memories of his death years ago. This action makes Kiryu extremely angry and he proceeds to destroy the city around him. Horrified, the Kiryu Squadron can only watch in terror and alarm as the rampaging cyborg destroys more city property than Godzilla did.

Kiryu is brought back to headquarters for further work. Meanwhile, Kiryu's main pilot, Lieutenant Akane Yashiro, tries to settle matters involving second lieutenant Susumu Hayama, scientist Tokumitsu Yuhara and his distressed daughter, Sara, who thinks that using Kiryu to fight is wrong and that it should be friends with Godzilla. Kiryu was put out of commission, until Godzilla once again attacked. The prime minister of Japan realized how dire the situation was, and he sent Kiryu into battle. Missiles and lasers were fired.

The two creatures clashed, slowly knocking into each other. Missiles, masers, the wrist blade, and all of Kiryu's lesser weapons were used to contend with Godzilla at a close range. Kiryu sent Godzilla into a centrifugal throw as it began to charge its ultimate weapon: the Absolute Zero Cannon. Unfortunately, Kiryu was downed before it could be used. Its pilot, Akane Yashiro, managed to take manual control of the robot as the machine was recharged by an AC-3 White Heron. Kiryu was sent back into battle, disabling Godzilla's heat ray and unleashing its Absolute Zero Cannon. Godzilla managed to survive the brutal attack, although it dealt him a massive chest injury. Kiryu's power supply was exhausted, and the Absolute Zero Cannon was destroyed. Godzilla returned to the sea, as Japan could only watch on in a bittersweet stalemate.

Staff

Staff role on the left, staff member's name on the right.

Cast

Actor's name on the left, character played on the right.

  • Yumiko Shaku   as   Lieutenant Akane Yashiro, Kiryu Squad Operator
  • Shin Takuma   as   Professor Tokumitsu Yuhara
  • Kana Onodera   as   Sara Yuhara
  • Koh Takasugi   as   Lieutenant Togashi, Kiryu Squad Commander
  • Yusuke Tomoi   as   Lieutenant Susumu Hayama, Kiryu Squad AC-3 White Heron Units 3 and 6 Pilot
  • Shinji Morisue   as   Hayama's older brother
  • Junichi Mizuno   as   Lieutenant Kenji Sekine, Kiryu Squad AC-3 White Heron Units 3 and 6 Pilot
  • Eiji Oki   as   Television host
  • Tomohiko Ebihara   as   AC-3 White Heron pilot
  • Jun Aoki   as   White Heron pilot
  • Masahiko Sakata   as   Analysis department worker
  • Hiroaki Iyama   as   Air Self-Defense Forces executive
  • Midori Hagio   as   Professor Kaoru Yamada, microwave scientist
  • Akira Shirai   as   Professor Shinji Akamatsu, robotics engineer
  • Naomasa Musaka   as   Professor Goro Kanno, low temperature physicist
  • Yukikazu Kano   as   Hishinuma
  • Takeo Nakahara   as   Staff Sergeant Ichiyanagi
  • Koichi Ueda   as   Dobashi, Director General of the Defense Agency
  • Kumi Mizuno   as   Prime Minister Machiko Tsuge
  • Akira Nakao   as   Prime Minister Hayato Igarashi, formerly Minister of Science and Technology
  • Musashi Miura   as   JSDF personnel
  • Yoko Sato   as   Iyama disaster site announcer
  • Katsumi Ide   as   NWK Announcer
  • Ken Yamamoto   as   Type 90 Maser Cannon gunner
  • Hiroshi Nishioka   as   Hishinuma's subordinate
  • Anzu Nagai   as   Sara's friend
  • Hitomi Tomashino   as   Sara's friend
  • Yuki Takahashi   as   Sara's friend
  • Nobuhiro Nishihara   as   Sara's friend

Actor's name on the left, character played on the right.

  • Paul Kaminski   as   Foreign journalist
  • Maria Theresa Gow   as   Foreign journalist
  • Hideki Matsui   as   Himself
  • Takehiro Murata   as   Tateyama convenience store clerk
  • Taro J. Sugisaka   as   Man evacuating by car
  • Shingo Yanagisawa   as   Man crushed by Godzilla in Tateyama
  • Katsuo Nakamura   as   Yasushi Torisawa
  • Misato Tanaka   as   Tsujimori, nurse at Shinagawa East Hospital
  • Toshiyuki Nagashima   as   Lieutenant Miyagawa
  • Shosuke Tanihara   as   Trooper Kudo
  • Naomi Fujiyama   as   Evacuating patient in Shinagawa
  • Minoru Tanaka   as   Defense Agency Technical Institute security guard
  • Tetsu Watanabe   as   Special executive B
  • Jun Eto   as   Special executive
  • Mitsuru Fukikoshi   as   Announcer in Tateyama
  • Sawako Kitahara   as   Yuhara's wife
  • Yasuo Kurashiki   as   Ground SDF trooper
  • Tsutomu Kitagawa   as   Godzilla / First Generation Godzilla / Maser Cannon crew
  • Hirofumi Ishigaki   as   Kiryu / Maser Cannon crew
  • Masaaki Tezuka   as   JXSDF officer
  • Wataru Mimura   as   Refugee
  • Hiroshi Kashiwabara   as   Refugee
  • Masahiro Yokotani   as   Refugee
  • Makoto Kamiya   as   Refugee
  • Shinji Nishikawa   as   Kiryu mechanic
  • Yasushi Torisawa   as   Kiryu mechanic
  • Hiroshi Maruyama   as   Kiryu mechanic
  • Kenji Suzuki   as   Maser Cannon crew
  • Akihiko Hirata   as   Dr. Daisuke Serizawa (stock footage)

Appearances

Monsters

Weapons, vehicles, and races

Gallery

Main article: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla/Gallery.

Soundtrack

Main article: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (Soundtrack).

Alternate titles

  • Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (literal Japanese Title)
  • GXMG (abbreviated title)
  • Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (III) (Australia)[2]

Theatrical releases

View all posters for the film here.

  • Japan - December 13, 2002[1]   [view poster]Japanese poster

U.S. release

American Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla DVD cover

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla was released on DVD in the United States by TriStar Pictures in 2004. TriStar used Toho's uncut international print of the film, including both Omni Productions' English dub and the original Japanese audio.

Box office

Budgeted at roughly $8,500,000, Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla opened in Japan on December 13, 2002, and earned $2,253,231 in its opening weekend. It went on to gross approximately $16,000,000 in Japan, making it the second biggest of the Millennium Godzilla films at the box office. It sold approximately 1,700,000 admissions.

Reception

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla is generally liked by Godzilla fans for introducing what some consider the best incarnation of Mechagodzilla.

Mike Pinsky of DVD Talk gave the film three stars out of five, saying: "While I did have some minor complaints, [this is] a fine entry in the series." Pinsky said "the plot is more interesting than most giant monster movies," and "the battle scenes, which are the main reason anyone watches these films to begin with, were great." Matt Paprocki of Blog Critics said the film is "pretty flawed, [but] those of us who still love seeing Japan get trampled are in for a treat." Stomp Tokyo praised the "great monster fight action" but criticized the "uncompelling non-monster scenes." Giving the film a "B+" score, Mark Zimmer of Digitally Obsessed said that it's "a good deal of fun and one of the better entries in the series." Digital Monster Island gave the film a "B" rating, calling it "a fun and exciting film that should please most kaiju fans."

Video releases

Toho DVD (2003)

  • Region: 2
  • Audio: Japanese

Universal Laser & Video DVD (2003)

  • Region: 3
  • Discs: 1
  • Audio: Japanese (2.0 Mono), Cantonese (2.0 Surround and DTS)
  • Special Features: Japanese trailers for Godzilla 2000 and Godzilla vs. Megaguirus
  • Notes: Includes traditional and simplified Chinese subtitles. Out of print.

TriStar DVD (2004)[3]

  • Region: 1
  • Discs: 1
  • Audio: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), Japanese (Dolby Digital 5.1)
  • Special Features: Trailers

Madman DVD (2004)

  • Region: 4

Sony Blu-ray (2014)

  • Region: A/1
  • Discs: 2
  • Audio: Japanese (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1), English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1)
  • Special Features: Teaser for Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack and trailer for Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla
  • Notes: Packaged with Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack.

Videos

Trailers

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla Japanese trailer

Trivia

External links

References

This is a list of references for Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla. These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: [1]

  1. 1.0 1.1 ゴジラ×メカゴジラ|ゴジラ 東宝公式サイト (official Godzilla.jp page)
  2. Godzilla - Millennium Series Boxset - DVD - Madman Entertainment
  3. Amazon.com: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2004)
  4. Toho Special Effects Movie Complete Works. Village Books, 2012. Pages 276-279. ISBN 9784864910132.
  5. Godzilla X Mechagodzilla 2003 (Toho SF Special Effects Film Series SPECIAL EDITION). Toho Publishing, 2003. ISBN 4924609838.

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