Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla

Godzilla films
← Godzilla vs. Megalon	Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla	Terror of Mechagodzilla →

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla Alternate titles Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster (1977) See alternate titles Directed by Jun Fukuda Producer Tomoyuki Tanaka Written by Jun Fukuda, Hiroyasu Yamaura; Shinichi Sekizawa, Masami Fukushima Music by Masaru Sato Special effects by Teruyoshi Nakano Production company Toho Eizo Distributor TohoJP, Cinema SharesUS Rating GUS, 1976, PGUS, 2004, 12UK Running time 84 minutesJP (1 hour, 24 minutes) 80 minutesUS (1 hour, 20 minutes) Aspect ratio 2.35:1JP 2.39:1US Rate this film! 4.34 (90 votes)

“	Flying through space and firing missiles! A dreadful Godzilla, whose whole body is a weapon, appears! Godzilla's 20th anniversary film (宇宙をとびミサイルを撃ち込む！全身が武器の凄いゴジラが現われた！ゴジラ誕生20周年記念映画)	„
	— Japanese tagline

“	Godzilla battles his robot double to prevent destruction of the Earth!	„
	— International tagline

“	See the mighty Godzilla in a fight to the death with his cosmic double! All new! Never seen before!	„
	— American taglines

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (ゴジラ対メカゴジラ,   Gojira tai Mekagojira) is a 1974 tokusatsu kaiju film directed by Jun Fukuda and written by Hiroyasu Yamamura with Fukuda from a story by Shinichi Sekizawa and Masami Fukushima, with special effects by Teruyoshi Nakano. Produced by Toho Eizo, it is the 14th installment in the Godzilla series as well as the Showa series. It stars Masaaki Daimon, Kazuya Aoyama, Reiko Tajima, Bellbella Lin, Hiromi Matsushita, Akihiko Hirata, Hiroshi Koizumi, Goro Mutsumi, and Shin Kishida. The film was released to Japanese theaters by Toho on March 21, 1974, as part of the Spring Toho Champion Festival. Cinema Shares released an edited English-dubbed version of the film titled Godzilla vs. the Bionic Monster to American theaters through Downtown Distribution in 1976, retitled Godzilla vs the Cosmic Monster in 1977.

The film which introduced Mechagodzilla, one of Godzilla's most popular foes, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla was also the final Godzilla film to be directed by Jun Fukuda and scored by Masaru Sato. When archaeologist Saeko Kanagusuku deciphers an ancient Okinawan prophecy foretelling of a monster which will appear to destroy the world, Godzilla suddenly appears from the crater of Mount Fuji and goes on a rampage. However, Godzilla's friend Anguirus attacks him, aware that this Godzilla is actually an impostor. The real Godzilla soon arrives to challenge his double, exposing it as a robotic duplicate called Mechagodzilla. Mechagodzilla is under the control of the Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens, who aim to use it to conquer Earth. Saeko and her ally Keisuke Shimizu now race to awaken the Okinawan guardian deity King Caesar to defeat Mechagodzilla, pursued by the sinister alien agent Yanagawa and shadowed by the mysterious INTERPOL agent Nanbara. The film was followed by a direct sequel, Terror of Mechagodzilla, in 1975.

Plot

During a snowstorm, Anguirus appears and roars. As he does so, a nearby volcano erupts and Godzilla's roar is heard, but he is not seen.

While observing a traditional Okinawan ceremony being performed by Azumi royal family descendant Nami, Keisuke Shimizu and his brother Masahiko witness her suddenly freeze in terror and collapse. Nami's grandfather runs to her and asks what is wrong, to which she replies she has seen a vision of a monster laying waste to civilization and trampling on those who try to flee. Afterward, Keisuke drops Masahiko off at Gyokusen Cave as he heads to his job at an excavation site on the island. Inside the cave, Masahiko finds a bizarre piece of metal, and brings it to Professor Hideto Miyajima at Mount Fuji. Miyajima remarks that the metal is unlike any found on Earth, and likely originated from outer space, giving it the name "Space Titanium." As Miyajima studies the metal more closely, an earthquake suddenly strikes his laboratory. Miyajima's daughter Ikuko mentions that these tremors have been occuring frequently over recent days. Meanwhile in Okinawa, Keisuke investigates a cave that has recently been uncovered, and is joined by government archaeologist Saeko Kanagusuku. Inside, they find a mural that seems to depict a prophecy, along with a statue of King Caesar, the legendary guardian monster of the Azumi royal family of Okinawa. Saeko begins deciphering the prophecy, observed in secret by two mysterious men. Saeko boards a plane for Tokyo, and runs into Keisuke on the flight, who is also traveling there to visit family. Saeko reports that she has deciphered much of the prophecy: "When a black mountain appears above the clouds, a monster will appear to try and destroy the world. But when the red Moon sets and the Sun rises in the west, two monsters will appear to save the people." She says she is going to visit Professor Wakura in Tokyo to see if he can help decipher more of the prophecy. One of the shady men that was observing Saeko earlier is also on board the plane, and introduces himself to Saeko and Keisuke as a freelance reporter. He says he hopes she will share her story with him, as he will "make a lot of money" if he reports on it. Just then, the passengers notice a strange cloud formation that resembles a black mountain. Saeko is concerned this is the black mountain from the prophecy.

When Keisuke and Saeko arrive in Tokyo, he accompanies her to Professor Wakura's house and reveals that Wakura is actually his uncle. That night, Wakura works with Saeko to decipher the prophecy, but the other strange man who was stalking her, Yanagawa, breaks into the house and holds her and Wakura at gunpoint, demanding they give him the statue of King Caesar. Keisuke enters the room and attacks Yanagawa, successfully disarming him in a brief fistfight before he flees the house. Keisuke tries to pursue Yanagawa, but finds he has escaped. As Keisuke stares out into the night, the other observer continues watching from a distance. The next day, Mt. Fuji suddenly erupts and expels a huge rock from its crater. The rock bursts open to reveal Godzilla, appearing unusually hostile and aggressive and with a different roar. Saeko is astonished to learn that the evil monster predicted by the prophecy is Godzilla. Godzilla begins rampaging through the countryside, destroying buildings in his path as he gradually makes his way to Tokyo. Suddenly, the ground opens up beneath Godzilla and he trips and falls. Anguirus soon surfaces from underground, roaring before leaping at Godzilla and attacking him. Knowing his brother is near Mt. Fuji, Keisuke drives there to try and help him, remarking how strange it is that Anguirus attacked his friend Godzilla. As the battle rages on, Anguirus slams into Godzilla with his spiky carapace and tears off some of his skin, revealing metal underneath. Godzilla retaliates and brutally beats Anguirus, finally breaking his jaw and sending him retreating back underground. Godzilla roars victoriously and continues on his way to Tokyo. Keisuke finds the road blocked by debris left by Godzilla and Anguirus' battle, and notices a chunk of metal lying nearby. Keisuke brings the metal to Miyajima's laboratory, and he identifies it as also being Space Titanium. Miyajima says he wants to get a closer look at Godzilla, and travels to Tokyo with Keizuke, Masahiko and Ikuko. There, they witness Godzilla obliterate the port area of the city with his atomic breath. As Godzilla rampages, a second Godzilla suddenly appears from underneath a building. This Godzilla roars at the other, and the two beasts begin fighting. During the battle, the second Godzilla reveals a large portion of metal underneath the other's skin. Miyajima realizes that the Godzilla that emerged from Mount Fuji is actually a cyborg impostor, or a "Mechagodzilla." With the ruse exposed, Mechagodzilla sheds its disguise and reveals its true mechanical form. Mechagodzilla bombards Godzilla with missiles from its fingers and laser beams from its eyes. Godzilla fires his atomic breath at the mechanical monster, which counters with its eye beams, causing an explosion that knocks Godzilla into Tokyo Bay and badly damages Mechagodzilla's head controls. Mechagodzilla flies away, while Godzilla vanishes. Miyajima believes Mechagodzilla is being remotely controlled by aliens, and asks Masahiko and his daughter to accompany him to Gyokusen Cave in Okinawa.

When Miyajima and the others reach the cave, they are held at gunpoint by two strange men wearing silver jumpsuits. They are brought into a secret lair inside the cave, and are greeted by Kuronuma, who introduces himself as the leader of the Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens' invasion force. Kuronuma has Ikuko and Masahiko taken to the execution room, and promises Miyajima they will be spared if he helps them repair Mechagodzilla. Kuronuma then gives the order for the alien agent Yanagawa to retrieve the statue of King Caesar before anyone uses it to awaken the monster. Miyajima reluctantly agrees, and gets to work on fixing Mechagodzilla. Keisuke and Saeko, meanwhile, begin traveling to Okinawa on board the cruise ship Queen Coral, bringing the King Caesar statue with them. Elsewhere, Godzilla is repeatedly struck by lightning, but manages to harness its electrical power to produce a magnetic force field. One night, Yanagawa breaks into Saeko's cabin and steals the King Caesar statue, only to be attacked by Keisuke, who was waiting for him. After a brief scuffle, Keisuke shoots Yanagawa in the face, revealing part of his true green ape-like face underneath it. Yanagawa takes the statue and runs onto the ship's deck, pursued by Keisuke. Yanagawa ambushes Keisuke and takes his gun, and prepares to shoot him, only to be shot and sent falling overboard with the statue by a hidden assailant. Saeko runs onto the deck and finds Keisuke, telling him the statue is gone. As she and Keisuke stand on deck, the "freelance reporter" reveals himself and says the two of them should be talking about love on a night like this. When the Queen Coral arrives in Okinawa, Keisuke reveals that the statue that went overboard was a duplicate, and he had kept the real statue in a safe on the ship. When Saeko and Keisuke arrive at the hotel where Miyajima and the others were staying, they learn none of them have been seen in several days. Keisuke heads to Gyokusen Cave to search for them, while Saeko stays behind at the hotel with the statue. At the aliens' base, Miyajima completes his work on Mechagodzilla, only to be thrown into the execution chamber with Masahiko and Ikuko. Kuronuma activates the chamber, which releases hot steam and produces intense heat in order to boil the prisoners alive. When Keisuke searches the cave, he finds Miyajima's special metal pipe, which contains positive and negative electrodes that allow it to destroy the circuits in machinery. Keisuke is then held at gunpoint by a Black Hole Planet 3 Alien, who is himself shot by the "freelance reporter" from earlier. The strange man finally introduces himself as Nanbara, an INTERPOL agent. Nanbara reveals that INTERPOL had been following the aliens for six months, and he started following Keisuke once he got caught up in the aliens' scheme. Nanbara takes the alien hostage and forces him to give them access to the aliens' base. They manage to overpower two aliens and steal their uniforms, then open up the execution chamber to free Miyajima and the others. Two more aliens arrive and hold them all at gunpoint, but Nanbara quickly shoots and kills them both.

The humans flee the aliens' base and prepare to get in Keisuke's car, but Nanbara anticipates a trap and uses a wire to turn the ignition from outside the vehicle, activating a car bomb set by the aliens. Kuronuma assumes the humans are killed once the car explodes, and prepares to launch Mechagodzilla. As dawn approaches, the Moon takes on a red color and begins to set, further completing the Azumi prophecy. Nanbara tells Keisuke and the others to get the King Caesar statue and awaken the monster while he goes back into the aliens' base and deals with them. Masahiko and Miyajima insist on accompanying Nanbara, and the three of them go back into the aliens' base. Keisuke returns to the hotel to retrieve Saeko and the statue, then travels to Izumi Castle. There, they find two aliens holding Nami and her grandfather hostage, demanding they hand over the statue. Before Keisuke can give the aliens the statue, Nanbara's partner Tamura shoots and kills them both. As the Sun rises, it produces a mirage that makes it appear that another Sun is rising in the west, bringing the prophecy even closer to completion. The statue is placed on a pedestal, and fires two beams from its eyes at a cliffside, revealing King Caesar sleeping within. Kuronuma launches Mechagodzilla and orders it to destroy King Caesar while he's sleeping. At that moment, Nanbara, Masahiko and Miyajima enter the aliens' control room, only to be trapped by their security system. The men are handcuffed and forced to watch Mechagodzilla on a monitor. Because King Caesar can only be awakened by a member of the Azumi royal family, Nami runs down to the beach and sings a sacred prayer to the beast. King Caesar awakens, and is promptly attacked by Mechagodzilla. King Caesar reflects the machine's eye beams back at it, but cannot withstand Mechagodzilla's finger missiles. King Caesar hides behind a mountain, which Mechagodzilla cuts in half with a beam fired from its chest. Mechagodzilla charges at King Caesar and begins savagely beating him, then throws him into a ditch. As Mechagodzilla prepares to fire its finger missiles, it turns to witness Godzilla surface from the water. Saeko remarks that the prophecy has finally come true: Godzilla is the second monster prophesied to appear and save the world. Godzilla joins forces with King Caesar and battles Mechagodzilla, but the Earth monsters are outmatched by the machine's countless weapons. Mechagodzilla unleashes a hail of missiles and lasers at Godzilla and King Caesar, who struggle to keep their footing. Before Godzilla can finally reach Mechagodzilla, it takes off and flies into the air, blasting Godzilla in the neck with its eye beams and causing him to bleed profusely and fall to the ground. Mechagodzilla fires several missiles at the fallen Godzilla, which become lodged in his flesh. Godzilla gets back on his feet and begins emitting a magnetic force field, pulling electrical towers into his body and pulling Mechagodzilla out of the sky. Mechagodzilla finally falls to the ground and is grabbed by Godzilla, allowing King Caesar to run toward it and ram into it over and over again. Mechagodzilla tries to retreat but is weighed down by Godzilla, who pulls it back to the ground. Godzilla grabs Mechagodzilla's head and twists it around until it finally causes the machine's entire head and neck area to explode and fall off.

While Kuronuma is astonished by Mechagodzilla's defeat, Nanbara picks the lock on his handcuffs and frees his hands, then throws the two halves of Miyajima's pipe at opposite ends of the aliens' computer, causing it to malfunction. Nanbara runs behind one of the aliens and, using him as a shield, shoots and kills Kuronuma. The computer begins sparking, and triggers the aliens' entire base to self-destruct. Nanbara unlocks Miyajima and Masahiko's handcuffs, then they all escape from the base as it is rocked by explosions. As the aliens' base goes up in smoke, Mechagodzilla's wreckage explodes along with it, sending Godzilla falling into the ocean below as shards of Space Titanium fall from the sky. Godzilla surfaces shortly afterward and then swims away, while King Caesar returns to his slumber inside the cliff. Keisuke, Saeko, Ikuko and Masahiko then return the King Caesar statue to its rightful place in Azumi Castle, with Nami's grandfather remarking that the spirits of the Azumi royal family can now rest in peace.

Staff

Main article: Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla/Credits.

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

• Directed by   Jun Fukuda
• Written by   Hiroyasu Yamaura, Jun Fukuda
• Based on a story by   Shinichi Sekizawa, Masami Fukushima
• Executive producer   Tomoyuki Tanaka
• Music by   Masaru Sato
• Theme song "Miyarabi's Prayer" and promo song "Defeat Mechagodzilla"
  • Performed by   Bellbella Lin
  • Written by   Jun Fukuda
  • Arranged and composed by   Masaru Sato
• Cinematography by   Yuzuru Aizawa
• Edited by   Michiko Ikeda
• Production design by   Kazuo Satsuya
• First assistant director   Tsunesaburo Nishikawa
• Director of special effects   Teruyoshi Nakano
• First assistant director of special effects   Koichi Kawakita (uncredited)

Cast

Main article: Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla/Credits.

Actor's name on the left, character played on the right. Masaaki Daimon   as   Keisuke Shimizu, construction engineer at Expo '75 Kazuya Aoyama   as   Masahiko Shimizu, Shimizu's brother Reiko Tajima   as   Saeko Kanagusuku, archaeologist at Shuri University Bellbella Lin   as   Nami Kunigami, Azumi princess Hiromi Matsushita   as   Ikuko Miyajima, Miyajima's daughter Akihiko Hirata   as   Professor Hideto Miyajima, physicist Hiroshi Koizumi   as   Professor Wakura, archaeologist at Johoku University Goro Mutsumi   as   Kuronuma, Supreme Commander for the Black Hole Planet 3 Alien Conquest of Earth Shin Kishida   as   Nanbara, INTERPOL detective Kenji Sahara   as   captain of the Queen Coral Daigo Kusano   as   Yanagawa, Black Hole Planet 3 Alien Agent R1 Takayasu Torii   as   Tamura, INTERPOL detective Yasuzo Ogawa   as   construction foreman Masao Imafuku   as   Tengan Kunigami, Nami's grandfather Koji Ozaki, Kanemitsu Arikawa, Takanobu Toya, Yuichi Yanagisawa, Takamitsu Watanabe   as   Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens Shinya Kashima   as   hotel front desk worker Yoichiro Kitagawa   as   reporter Isao Zushi   as   Godzilla Kazunari Mori   as   Mechagodzilla Kinichi Kusumi   as   King Caesar / Anguirus Akio Kusama, Takuzo Kumagai   as   construction site workers (uncredited)

International English dub Matthew Oram   as   Keisuke Shimizu / Tengan Kunigami / Professor Wakura / Kanagawa radio announcer Barbara Laney   as   Saeko Kanagusuku Michael Kaye   as   Professor Hideto Miyajima / Tamura / Black Hole Planet 3 henchmen / captain of the Queen Coral / construction foreman Michael Ross   as   Kuronuma / Black Hole Planet 3 henchmen / hotel desk clerk Hal Archer   as   Nanbara / Masahiko Shimizu / Black Hole Planet 3 henchmen Elizabeth Oram   as   Nami Kunigami / Ikuko Miyajima Italian dub Pino Colizzi   as   Keisuke Shimizu Angelo Nicotra   as   Masahiko Shimizu Micaela Esdra   as   Saeko Kanagusuku Germana Dominici   as   Nami Kunigami Serena Verdirosi   as   Ikuko Miyajima Luciano De Ambrosis   as   Professor Hideto Miyajima Arturo Dominici   as   Professor Wakura Michele Gammino   as   Nanbara Gianni Marzocchi   as   captain of the Queen Coral Antonio Guidi   as   Yanagawa Alessandro Sperli   as   construction foreman Bruno Persa   as   Tengan Kunigami

Appearances

Monsters Godzilla (MegaroGoji) Mechagodzilla Fake Godzilla King Caesar Anguirus King Ghidorah (stock footage)

Weapons, vehicles, and races Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens

Gallery

Main article: Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla/Gallery.

Soundtrack

Main article: Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla/Soundtrack.

Alternate titles

• Showdown in Zanpamisaki: Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (残波岬の大決斗 ゴジラ対メカゴジラ,   Zanpamisaki no Daikettō Gojira tai Mekagojira, early Japanese title)
• Godzilla vs. the Bionic Monster (original United States title)
• Godzilla vs. Bionic Monster (original United States poster title)
• Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster (revised United States title; United Kingdom)
• Godzilla vs. Cosmic Monster (revised United States poster title)
• Godzilla vs. The Mechagodzilla (Godzilla 1998 Database title)
• Cybergodzilla, Machine of Destruction (Cibergodzilla, máquina de destrucción; Spain)
• Godzilla Against Cybergodzilla, Machine of Destruction (Godzilla contra Cibergodzilla, máquina de destrucción; Spanish video title)
• Godzilla Against Cybergodzilla (Godzilla contra Cibergodzilla; Spain (Catalonia))
• MechaKing Against Godzilla (MecaKing contra Godzilla; Mexico)
• King Kong Against Godzilla (King Kong gegen Godzilla; West Germany; Austria)
• King Kong - Monsters from the Depths (King Kong - Monster aus der Tiefe; German 8mm title)
• Godzilla Against the Robot (Godzilla contro i Robot; Italy)
• Terror of Mechagodzilla (Terror MechaGodzilli; Poland)
• Godzilla Against the Mechagodzilla (Godzilla a Mechagodzilla ellen; Hungary)
• Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (Godzilla vastaan Mechagodzilla; Finnish video title; Godzilla Mechagodzilla ellen; Hungarian video title; Godzilla kontra Mechagodzilla; Polish video title; Godzilla gegen Mechagodzilla; German DVD title)
• Duel of Giant Monsters (Jättihirviöiden kaksintaistelu; Finland)
• Robot Against Godzilla (Ρομπότ εναντίον Γκοτζίλα Robót enantíon Gotzíla; Greece)
• The Odyssey of the Monsters (A Odisséia dos Monstros; Brazil)
• The War of the Monsters (A Guerra dos Monstros; Portugal)
• Godzilla Against Mechanic Monster (Godzilla contre Mecanik Monster; France)
• Invasion from the Ape Planet (Invasion från Applaneten; Sweden)
• A Showdown Between Two Monsters (Obračun dva čudovišta; Yugoslavia; Obračun dveh pošasti; Yugoslavia (Slovenia))

Theatrical releases

View all posters for the film here.

• Japan - March 21, 1974   [view poster]
• United States - November 19, 1976 (Godzilla vs. the Bionic Monster title), July 14, 1977 (Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster title)   [view poster]
• West Germany - 1974   [view poster]
• Brazil - May 5, 1975
• Italy - 1975   [view poster]
• United Kingdom - June 1977   [view poster]
• France - April 6, 1977   [view poster]
• Mexico - 1977   [view poster]
• Poland - 1977   [view poster]
• Portugal - September 27, 1978   [view poster]
• Hungary - 1989   [view poster]
• Thailand   [view poster]
• Yugoslavia   [view poster]
• Egypt   [view poster]
• Iran   [view poster]

Foreign releases

U.S. release

U.S. Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster poster

In 1976, Cinema Shares purchased the North American distribution rights to Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla from Toho and released the movie through Downtown Distribution under the title Godzilla vs. the Bionic Monster, simply written as Godzilla vs. Bionic Monster on the theatrical release posters. As they had done with Godzilla vs. Megalon the same year, Cinema Shares utilized the Toho-commissioned international English dub. In July 1977, Universal Pictures threatened a lawsuit against Cinema Shares, claiming that the title was too similar to their two TV series The Six Million Dollar Man (1973-1978) and its spin-off, The Bionic Woman (1976-1978), which were running at the time. Cinema Shares then re-titled the film Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster, again simply written as Godzilla vs. Cosmic Monster on the theatrical release posters.

As with most of the other 1970s Godzilla films, the Japanese version of Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla featured several scenes with violent content and strong language. However, unlike in the past, Cinema Shares retained the violent monster action, including a shot of Godzilla spraying blood from his neck. The edits include:

• Altered: A new title card. In the Japanese and international versions, Godzilla's name flashes several times while a volcano erupts in the background. As Masaru Sato's music plays, the full title is revealed. In the Cosmic Monster version, the screen turns bright red (covering up the original title) and the film title and copyright information appear, along with the American theatrical release poster artwork. In TV versions of the film, the artwork was cropped out of this title screen.
• Deleted: The opening credits.
• Deleted: Saeko's recitation of the Okinawan prophecy after she and Shimizu witness a cloud that looks like a black mountain.
• Deleted: A "damn" uttered by Kuronuma just before Mechagodzilla sheds its Fake Godzilla disguise.
• Deleted: A moment in Shimizu's fight with the Black Hole Planet 3 Alien Yanagawa at Professor Wakura's house, in which the alien attempts to smother him with a pillow while beating him with his fist.
• Deleted: Yanagawa slashing Shimizu's hand with his knife during their fight aboard the Queen Coral, as well as the alien stumbling backwards, clutching his face in agony, after Shimizu shoots him.
• Deleted and altered: Masahiko's line "I wanna go inside with you" is spliced into Nanbara talking to Shimizu about his intent to return to the aliens' base and instructing him to go to Azumi Castle, taking the place of the INTERPOL agent saying "...and take care of those bastards."
• Deleted and altered: Shimizu, Saeko, and Ikuko's arrival at Azumi Castle is spliced into Nanbara's strangulation of the aliens; consequently, the act is not shown, only its lead-up and aftermath.
• Deleted: Shimizu saying "That bastard" under his breath after more aliens shoot at him, Saeko, and Ikuko.
• Deleted: The final shoot-out between Nanbara and three of the aliens is severely shortened, with Kuronuma falling to the ground dead as soon as Nanbara fires the first shot. Although the shots which fell the other two aliens are removed, they are still both seen dead as well.
• Deleted: After King Caesar returns to his resting place and Godzilla to the sea, the Azumi princess Nami and her grandfather return the statue of King Caesar to Azumi Castle as Keisuke, Saeko, Ikuko and Masahiko look on. Another King Caesar statue accompanies the end title. Cinema Shares cut this short epilogue, with the exception of the final shot of the statue. A red bar appears on the right side of the screen, with "THE END" overlaid on it.

Cinema Shares would later re-release their edit alongside their edits of Godzilla on Monster Island and Godzilla vs. Megalon in 1978 as part of a Godzilla Triple Bill.

In 1988, New World Entertainment acquired from Toho the English-dubbed international versions of Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla and Godzilla vs. Gigan for home video release through its New World Video division. Both films were subsequently released as a double feature on LaserDisc from Image Entertainment, and along with New World's previously-issued Godzilla 1985, later reissued on VHS from budget distributor Starmaker Entertainment. Beginning in 1994, the film could be seen on the Sci-Fi Channel as Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster. Except for a new title card to reflect the different title, this version was derived from the transfer released by New World Video. The Sci-Fi version is slightly censored, removing the blood when Shimizu's hand was cut and both utterances of "bastard". When the channel aired the film again in 2002 as Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, these parts were retained.

In 2004, TriStar Pictures released the film on DVD, with Japanese and English audio options. The DVD has since gone out of print, but the film was released on Blu-ray by The Criterion Collection in 2019 as part of its Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954-1975 box set.

United Kingdom release

UK Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster / Beyond Atlantis poster

Lancair Films brought Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster to UK theaters in June of 1977, as part of a double feature with Beyond Atlantis. It received an "A" rating from the British Board of Film Censors (BBFC) in March of 1977. This version of the film was released on VHS by Hokushin Audio Video Ltd. in 1980. The international version of the film was released in the UK in 1998, when Carlton Home Entertainment released it on VHS. Sony released the Japanese version of the film on Blu-ray in 2019 as part of The Criterion Collection's Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954–1975 box set, with the international English dub available as a secondary audio option. The BBFC rated the film 12 for "moderate violence," although the Carlton VHS release was previously given a PG rating.

Reception

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla has remained popular among fans in recent years due to its jazzy music, colorful special effects and entertaining monster fights. The film's robust themes and fairly complex plot stand out against a time when the Godzilla franchise was being fueled by increasingly lower production values. It is widely considered the best of the 1970s Godzilla films, and is one of the most popular films in the series.

Video releases

Power Multimedia DVD (1999)

• Region: N/A
• Discs: 1
• Audio: English (Mono), Mandarin (Mono)
• Special features: None
• Notes: Presents an unaltered 16mm transfer of the film's international version, albeit cropped to 1.33:1. Includes traditional and simplified Chinese subtitles. Out of print.

Toho DVD (2002)

• Region: 2
• Discs: 1
• Audio: Japanese (2.0 Mono and 5.1 Surround)
• Subtitles: Japanese
• Special features: Audio commentary by Teruyoshi Nakano and Yasuo Kurashiki, theatrical trailer, scans of the theatrical program, "Mechagodzilla Encyclopedia," Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla teaser trailer, still gallery, Shisa information, map of Okinawa locations in the film, examination of Mechagodzilla's design by Shin'ichirou Kobayashi

Siren Visual Entertainment DVD (2003)

• Region: 4
• Discs: 1
• Audio: English (2.0 Mono)
• Subtitles: None
• Special features: None
• Notes: Cropped 1.33:1 aspect ratio. Transfer derived from a 16mm print of the edited U.S. version. Packaged with Destroy All Monsters (same disc). Out of print.

TriStar Pictures DVD (2004)

• Region: 1
• Discs: 1
• Audio: Japanese (2.0 Mono), English (2.0 Mono)
• Subtitles: English, French
• Special features: Trailers
• Notes: Out of print.

Madman DVD (2006)

• Region: 4
• Discs: 1
• Audio: Japanese (2.0 Mono, 5.1 Surround), English (2.0 Mono)
• Subtitles: English
• Special features: Theatrical trailer, image gallery, trivia
• Notes: Cropped to 2.55:1.

The Criterion Collection Blu-ray (2019) [Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954–1975]

• Region: A/1 or B/2
• Discs: 8
• Audio: Japanese, English
• Subtitles: English
• Special features: All bonus features on Criterion's Godzilla Blu-ray, 1990 Ishiro Honda interview by Yoshimitsu Banno, interview with director Alex Cox, interviews with actors Bin Furuya and Tsugutoshi Komada, 2011 interview with critic Tadao Sato, Toho Unused Special Effects Complete Collection, trailers, illustrated hardcover book with an essay by Steve Ryfle and liner notes on each film by Ed Godziszewski
• Notes: Uses a new English subtitle translation. Sony distributed a Region B/2 version of the set in the United Kingdom.

Videos

Trailers

Japanese trailer International trailer U.S. Godzilla vs. Bionic Monster TV spots U.S. Godzilla Triple Bill TV spot Italian trailer West German trailer Mexican video trailer

Miscellaneous

1994 Sci-Fi Channel bumpers Dialogue in the international dub cut from Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster Original U.S. end title

Trivia

• Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla was Godzilla's 20th anniversary film.
• Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla was released as part of the 1974 Spring Toho Champion Festival alongside Casshan: An Immortal Challenger; Samurai Giants: The Duel at Sesshogawara; Heidi, Girl of the Alps; Ultraman Taro: The Vampire Flower is a Girl's Spirit (a blow-up of Ultraman Taro episode 11); and Hello! Finger 5.
• This was the first Godzilla film to credit the monster suit actors' respective roles on screen.
• With the identification of voice actress Barbara Laney in 2024, the fully uncredited international English dub of Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla became the first English language dub of a Showa, Heisei or Millennium series Godzilla film to have its cast fully identified.
• Special effects director Teruyoshi Nakano adopted Mechagodzilla's walk from the formal movements of kabuki.^{[citation needed]}
• The suit used to portray the disguised Mechagodzilla in this film would later be used at the end of Terror of Mechagodzilla to show Godzilla swimming away.
• Strangely, when Nami the Azumi princess has her vision at the beginning of the film foretelling of a monster coming to destroy mankind, it is portrayed through film stills from Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster and Submersion of Japan with flames overlaid on them. King Ghidorah can clearly be seen in the shots, and his roar is used as background sound; however, King Ghidorah does not appear again at any point in the remainder of the film, nor is he ever mentioned by name.
• Ryuhei Kitamura, the director of Godzilla Final Wars, has stated that Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla is his favorite Godzilla film, with King Caesar being his favorite kaiju.^{[citation needed]}
• This would be Anguirus' last film appearance for 30 years. Anguirus was planned to appear in multiple scrapped films during this time, including Godzilla vs. Ghost Godzilla and Godzilla X Varan, Baragon and Anguirus: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack, but did not ultimately reappear until 2004's Godzilla Final Wars.
• Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla is one of the bloodiest Godzilla films. With the death of Eiji Tsuburaya in 1970, the series began to become more graphic in order to compete with rival monster films, like the Gamera series. Such scenes of gore include the fight between Mechagodzilla (as Fake Godzilla) and Anguirus where Mechagodzilla breaks Anguirus' jaw in a brutal display; during the first fight between Mechagodzilla and Godzilla when Godzilla falls into the ocean and blood rises to the surface; and during the second fight between them when Mechagodzilla repeatedly fires its eye beams at Godzilla's neck, prompting blood to spray out of the wounds.
• This film marks the second time Godzilla draws strength from lightning; the first was in Ebirah, Horror of the Deep, and the third in The Return of Godzilla.
• Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla is the last Godzilla film directed by Jun Fukuda. Fukuda was originally intended to direct a late-1970s Godzilla film, tentatively titled King of Monsters: Resurrection of Godzilla, but was transferred to The War in Space instead.
• Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla is the first Godzilla film to feature a beam lock, not counting the clashes between Godzilla and Minilla's atomic breaths and Kumonga's webbing in Son of Godzilla. The beam lock does not last long, but it happens when Godzilla breathes his atomic breath and Mechagodzilla shoots its eye beams during their first battle. The beams lock for a few seconds before the combined rays explode, sending Godzilla hurtling into Tokyo Bay and causing Mechagodzilla to short-circuit.

External links

• Godzilla vs. The Bionic Monster filmbook in Famous Monsters of Filmland #135 (July 1977)
• Godzilla vs. The Cosmic Monster title card

References

This is a list of references for Godzilla vs. 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]

Bibliography

• Motoyama, Sho; Matsunomoto, Kazuhiro; Asai, Kazuyasu; Suzuki, Yoshitaka; Kato, Masashi (28 September 2012). Toho Special Effects Movie Complete Works. villagebooks. ISBN 978-4-86491-013-2.

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