Mysterious Bones: Difference between revisions
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|dt =Mysterious Bones | |dt =Mysterious Bones | ||
|species =Various deceased creatures | |species =Various deceased creatures | ||
|nicknames =Kaikotsu, {{tt|Skeleturtle|Fan name}}, {{tt|Kame no Gaikotsu|Turtle's Skeleton}} | |nicknames =Kaikotsu, {{tt|Skeleturtle|Fan name for the turtle skeleton}}, {{tt|Kame no Gaikotsu|Literally 'Turtle's Skeleton'; fan name for the turtle skeleton}} | ||
|written =[[Shinichi Sekizawa]]<ref name="SF">{{harvnb|Toho|1985|pp=123-142}}</ref> | |written =[[Shinichi Sekizawa]]<ref name="SF">{{harvnb|Toho|1985|pp=123-142}}</ref> | ||
|firstappearance =''[[Mothra vs. Godzilla]]'' | |firstappearance =''[[Mothra vs. Godzilla]]'' |
Revision as of 22:01, 13 November 2022
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The Mysterious Bones (怪骨 of various creatures appear on Kaikotsu)Infant Island in the 1964 Godzilla film Mothra vs. Godzilla. One such skeleton, resembling a turtle, seems to still be moving.
Name
The graveyard of bones is known only by the name Kaikotsu (怪骨), translating to "Mysterious Bones." This name seemingly originated with a pair of officially licensed ornaments released by Cast in 2012; the turtle-like skeleton was fully named Mysterious Bones of Infant Island (インファント島の怪骨, while a group of other skeletons was called Other Mysterious Bones of Infant Island Infanto-tō no Kaikotsu) (インファント島の別の怪骨. Officially licensed T-shirts were also sold of the former, translating the "Mysterious Bones of Infant Island" name into English as Infant Island's Kaikotsu. This turtle skeleton, which has become particularly popular among fans, was nicknamed Skeleturtle by Chris Mirjahangir of Infanto-tō no Betsu no Kaikotsu)Toho Kingdom before the official name was known.[2] Another unofficial fan nickname for the creature, "Kame no Gaikotsu" (亀の骸骨, was coined by Miles Imhoff, also from Toho Kingdom. Kame no Gaikotsu, lit. Turtle Skeleton)[2]
Development
The screenplay for Mothra vs. Godzilla described whale ribs and giant broken-up seashells as appearing on Infant Island, and noted it as a subtle protest against nuclear testing.[1]
Though it is unknown exactly who decided on or created the skeletons seen in the final film, the turtle-like Mysterious Bones may have been included as a reference to the 1962 Italian documentary Mondo Cane, also known as A Dog's Life. The film contains a large number of documented atrocities to nature and animals, including turtles on the radiation-contaminated Bikini Atoll beaches, many of which were dead or dying from the continued fallout from nuclear tests. The dried bones of the turtles move in the wind, similar to the Mysterious Bones' movement.
Design
The turtle-like Mysterious Bones are purely white and gray, with black eyes and a bland, pale shell with no visible scutes. It has a fairly long neck, and very short limbs, which have tiny bone fragments visible. Though it could be interpreted as either a skeleton bobbing in the wind or a living creature moving its head back in forth in Mothra vs. Godzilla, it is unambiguously portrayed as a living creature in Godzilla: Rulers of Earth. Other Mysterious Bones which appear include a giant skull and rib cage connected by a miniature spine, and several smaller birdlike skulls, some of which possess visible appendages.
Origins
Within the context of Mothra vs. Godzilla, Skeleturtle's direct origins are unknown. It is possible that it was either a larger turtle killed by nuclear testing or a species of turtle affected by the atomic radiation contaminating Infant Island.
History
Showa era
Mothra vs. Godzilla
When Ichiro Sakai, Junko Nakanishi, and Professor Shunsuke Miura traveled to Infant Island to beg Mothra for help in defeating Godzilla, they witnessed how the island had been devastated by nuclear tests. The island was littered with the skeletal corpses of numerous creatures, some giant, which had been killed in the fallout. One particular skeleton, resembling a large turtle, sat among the remains scattered around the group's landing site and swayed its head back and forth as if alive. As the group traveled up a ridge, they found yet more skeletons before being ambushed by a party of natives.
Comics
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth
Skeleturtle fled from the battle between Mothra and Battra on Infant Island in Godzilla: Rulers of Earth #19.
Gallery
- Main article: Mysterious Bones/Gallery.
Trivia
- Despite its obscurity, the Mysterious Bones received two officially licensed ornaments from Cast in 2012. The turtle-like skeleton also received a T-shirt and later became one Cast's first three miniature ornaments in 2018.[3]
- Skeleturtle appears in the officially-licensed Godzilla book Shinji Nishikawa: Drawing Book of Godzilla, as sketches made by Shinji Nishikawa on the inner back cover and last page of the book.[4]
Videos
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References
This is a list of references for Mysterious Bones. 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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Bibliography
- Toho SF Special Effects Movie Series Vol. 2: Mothra/Mothra vs. Godzilla. Toho. 1 January 1985. ISBN 4-924609-04-8.
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