Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)

Godzilla films
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Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla See alternate titles Directed by Masaaki Tezuka Producer Shogo Tomiyama, Takahide Morichi 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 (88 votes)

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“	Startup - Resonance - Smashed Ice (起動・共鳴・氷砕)	„
	— Japanese tagline

“	Fight 'til crumbled!	„
	— International tagline

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (ゴジラ× (たい)メカゴジラ,   Gojira tai Mekagojira) is a 2002 tokusatsu kaiju film directed by Masaaki Tezuka and written by Wataru Mimura, with special effects by Yuichi Kikuchi. Produced by Toho Pictures, it is the 26th installment in the Godzilla series as well as the fourth in the Millennium series. It stars Yumiko Shaku, Shin Takuma, Kana Onodera, Koh Takasugi, Yusuke Tomoi, Koichi Ueda, Kumi Mizuno, and Akira Nakao. The film was released to Japanese theaters by Toho on December 14, 2002. Columbia TriStar Home Video released the film on DVD in the United States in 2004.

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 first Godzilla from 1954 and uses them to construct an anti-Godzilla weapon codenamed Kiryu. Kiryu is completed in 2003, when Godzilla returns to menace Yokohama. Kiryu is sent to combat Godzilla, but the monster's roar awakens the first Godzilla's soul within the cyborg, causing Kiryu to go berserk. Kiryu's lead scientist Tokumitsu Yuhara races to rectify this error in the cyborg before Godzilla makes landfall again. But even if Kiryu is fixed, the question remains if the government would willingly launch it again. Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla was followed by a direct sequel, Godzilla: Tokyo SOS, in 2003.

Plot

45 years after the original Godzilla's attack on Tokyo, a second Godzilla emerges and attacks Tateyama in 1999. The JXSDF is unable to defeat or even harm the monster. During the battle, Type 90 Maser Cannon operator Akane Yashiro accidentally backs into another vehicle, sending her commanding officer and its other occupants right into Godzilla's path, where they are killed. Akane is demoted in the aftermath and the Japanese government decides to commission a cyborg constructed from the first Godzilla's bones with help from the country's top scientists.

Four years later in 2003, the cyborg, named Kiryu, is finished and inducted into the JXSDF along with its human pilots, the Kiryu Squad. To Akane's surprise, she is made the primary pilot of the squadron, though Second Lieutenant Susumu Hayama still blames her for the death of his brother. A demonstration of Kiryu's abilities, including the Absolute Zero Cannon, which can effectively disintegrate enemies, is held for officials. At the same time, Godzilla reappears at Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea paradise, prompting the JXSDF to immediately deploy Kiryu. During the battle, Kiryu unleashes most of its weaponry against Godzilla, who is seemingly too shocked to respond. Just before Akane uses the Absolute Zero Cannon to finish him off, Godzilla roars, causing Kiryu to freeze and remember its past life. Godzilla uses the opportunity to slip back into the sea, while an enraged Kiryu proceeds to rampage through the city for several hours before running out of power.

Kiryu is brought back to headquarters for further work, including weapon upgrades and computer software improvement. Meanwhile, Akane tries to settle matters with Hayama, and meets with scientist Tokumitsu Yuhara, who offers to buy her dinner, and his daughter Sara. Realizing that Godzilla's roar triggered Kiryu's rampage, he is able to implement system countermeasures to prevent it from happening again. However, due to mounting concerns, Kiryu is put out of commission for the time being.

When Godzilla appears for a third time, the JXSDF finds itself helpless without Kiryu's assistance, and Prime Minister Hayato Igarashi caves and allows the machine to be sent into battle with Akane at the controls. The fight appears to be going well, with Kiryu making use of most of his lesser weapons to contend with Godzilla, who is eventually knocked down. However, when Akane attempts to use the Absolute Zero Cannon, Godzilla uses a blast of his atomic breath to send Kiryu flying, and the weapon's misfire causes the cyborg's receiver to be damaged. Akane enters the maintenance hatch to take manual control of the cyborg as an AC-3 White Heron diverts massive amounts of power from the surrounding area to recharge it. With Kiryu back in the fight, Akane gains the upper hand and begins flying Godzilla out to sea while preventing him from using his atomic breath. However, both monsters plunge into the ocean as the Absolute Zero Cannon is charging, which allows Godzilla to survive the blast at point-blank range while the weapon itself is destroyed. With Kiryu's power supply exhausted and considerable damage sustained by the cyborg, Akane and the JSDF can only watch as Godzilla retreats with a massive chest wound, ending the conflict in a draw.

Staff

Main article: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla/Credits.

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

• Directed by   Masaaki Tezuka
• Written by   Wataru Mimura
• Executive producer   Shogo Tomiyama
• Co-executive producer   Takahide Morichi
• Associate producer   Ritsuko Suzuki
• Music by   Michiru Oshima
• Cinematography by   Masahiro Kishimoto
• Edited by   Shinichi Fushima
• Production design by   Yukiharu Seshimo
• 1st assistant director   Atsushi Kaneshige
• Director of special effects   Yuichi Kikuchi
• 1st assistant director of special effects   Shorei Noma

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

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   AMF 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 Godzilla (KiryuGoji) First Generation Godzilla (ShodaiGoji) Kiryu Mecha-Trilobite Mothra (stock footage) Gaira (stock footage)

Weapons, vehicles, and races Type 90 Maser Cannon AC-3 White Heron Type 90 Tank AH-1 Cobra Type 82 Command Vehicle Type 96 Armored Personnel Carrier Type 88 Surface-to-Ship Missile Hatsuyuki-class destroyer (DD-122 Hatsuyuki) Asagiri-class destroyer (DD-158 Umigiri) Hatakaze-class destroyer (DDG-171 Hatakaze) Shirane-class destroyer (DD-143 Shirane) Oxygen Destroyer (stock footage) Atomic Heat Ray Gun (stock footage) Type 66 Maser Cannon (stock footage)

Gallery

Main article: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla/Gallery.

Soundtrack

Main article: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (Soundtrack).

Alternate titles

Godzilla x Mechagodzilla logo

• Godzilla × Mechagodzilla (literal Japanese title)
  • Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (alternate translation)
• GXMG (abbreviated title)
• Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (III) (Australia / New Zealand DVD title)
• The Return of Mechagodzilla (Powrót Mechagodzilli; Poland)

Theatrical releases

View all posters for the film here.

• Japan - December 13, 2002   [view poster]
• South Korea - January 2003

U.S. release

U.S. 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 the 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 was "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)

• 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

Japanese Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla trailer #1 Japanese Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla trailer #2

Trivia

• The continuity of what has been dubbed the "Kiryu Saga" by fans reaches beyond the continuity of the Godzilla series; the film makes reference to the events of such classic Toho tokusatsu kaiju films as Mothra and The War of the Gargantuas, with the film's theater program even alluding to the events of Rodan and Varan. The sequel to Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla, Godzilla: Tokyo SOS, also makes reference to Space Amoeba, and even includes Kamoebas in the monster cast. A book, released in Japan on the heels of the film's release, lays out a timeline of monster attacks included in the "Kiryu Saga." Included in the timeline are the monsters Rodan, the Meganulons, Varan, Mothra, Maguma, Manda, Dogora, Frankenstein, Baragon, the Giant Octopus, Sanda, Gaira, King Kong, Gorosaurus, the Giant Sea Serpent, and the other two monsters from Space Amoeba, Gezora and Ganimes. The only monster that is not included is Mechani-Kong.
  • The 2016 book Godzilla Against Type-3 Kiryu (Mechagodzilla) Completion adds still more monsters to the timeline: Kumonga in 1967, Anguirus and Gigan in 1972, and King Ghidorah in 1999. King Ghidorah was overcome by the combined efforts of the JSDF and Mothra.
• Japanese baseball player Hideki Matsui, whose nickname is "Godzilla," makes a cameo in this film. 2002 was Matsui's last year playing in Nippon Professional Baseball; he signed with the New York Yankees six days after Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla was released.
• Hamtaro, Godzilla's theatrical partner at the time, is referenced in the film with one of Sara's classmates being dressed as Hamtaro's owner Laura Haruna and carrying a hamster resembling Hamtaro.
• Misato Tanaka, Toshiyuki Nagashima, and Shosuke Tanihara, all of whom starred in Masaaki Tezuka's previous Godzilla film Godzilla vs. Megaguirus, make cameo appearances in this film. Each of their characters, Tsujimori, Miyagawa, and Kudo respectively, share their names with the characters they played in the aforementioned film.
• Takehiro Murata, known for his roles in the Godzilla series such as Kenji Ando in Godzilla vs. Mothra and Yuji Shinoda in Godzilla 2000: Millennium, appears in a cameo in this film as the convenience store clerk picking up cans in Tateyama who witnesses several Type 90 Maser Cannons drive past.
• Director Masaaki Tezuka cameos in the film's post-credits scene as an AMF officer. Several other staff members who worked on the film or other prior entries in the franchise, including concept artist Shinji Nishikawa, special effects director Kenji Suzuki, writer Wataru Mimura, and many others also make cameo appearances.
• Suit actors Tsutomu Kitagawa (Godzilla) and Hirofumi Ishigaki (Kiryu) both cameo as Maser Cannon crew members in the film, along with Kenji Suzuki.
• A partial replica of the ShodaiGoji suit was constructed for this film to portray the original Godzilla during flashback scenes. It was worn by Tsutomu Kitagawa.
• In the film's screenplay, the initial Prime Minister of Japan was a man, but was changed to a woman when Kumi Mizuno was cast for the role.
• According to the book Godzilla X Mechagodzilla 2003 (Toho SF Special Effects Film Series SPECIAL EDITION), Anguirus was originally planned to appear in this film and battle Kiryu, but was scrapped. Anguirus was also considered to appear as a corpse in the film's sequel, Godzilla: Tokyo SOS, before being replaced by Kamoebas.
• Akane Yashiro, Tokumitsu Yuhara, and his daughter Sara appear in the reference-filled end credits of Godzilla Singular Point.
• Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla is one of three Godzilla films to reuse a shot from the 1975 Toho film Conflagration of an oil refinery explosion, along with Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah and Godzilla Final Wars. Kiryu's missiles were added to the shot.

External links

• List of firearms used in the movie

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]

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