Satsuma

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Satsuma
A Satsuma in Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack
Subtitle(s) Special Defense Navy Submarine
(防衛海軍・特殊潜航艇,  
Boeikaigun Tokushusenkōtei
)

Special Submarine
(特殊潜航艇,   Tokushusenkōtei)[1]
Deep Sea Sub
Length 6 meters[2]
Standard displace-
ment
880 metric tons[note 1]
Targets Godzilla
Piloted by Taizo Tachibana, Yutaka Hirose
Attaches to Aizu
First appearance Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack

The Satsuma (薩摩 (さつま)) is a fictional model of Japanese military submarine, three of which appear in the 2001 Godzilla film Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack.

Name

Despite onscreen text in Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack writing the Satsumas' name in hiragana as さつま, text on the hulls of the craft write it in kanji as 薩摩. Three total units of Satsuma exist, individually designated SS-01, SS02 and SS-03. Onscreen text introduces them by the full title Special Defense Navy Submarine "Satsuma" (防衛海軍・特殊潜航艇「さつま」,   Boeikaigun Tokushusenkōtei Satsuma), though the film's international visuals change this to Deep Sea Sub "Satsuma". Prior to the Satsuma name being finalized, concept art for the craft identified it as a DSRV Manned Mini Dive Pod (DSRV有人小型潜水ポッド,   Dī Esu Āru Bui Yūjin Kogata Sensui Poddo).

Development

The Satsuma were portrayed through a combined use of practical props and CGI. A 60 centimeter, 1/10-scale prop and 18 centimeter, 1/33.3-scale prop were constructed to portray the SS-01.[1]

History

Millennium era

Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack

A Satsuma first appears at the beginning of the film when it is sent to find a lost U.S. submarine near Guam. Near the wreckage of the sub, the Satsuma spots the glowing dorsal fins of Godzilla. Later, Admiral Taizo Tachibana takes command of a Satsuma and attempts to hit Godzilla with a D-03 Missile. The first missile, fired by Commander Yutaka Hirose from another of the Satsumas, accidentally hits King Ghidorah instead, and Tachibana is soon swallowed by Godzilla. Later on, Tachibana manages to fire a D-03 Missile through Godzilla's neck from the inside, opening a gaping wound. Godzilla attempts to use his atomic breath, but it fires out of the wound in his neck instead. Eventually, the sub manages to escape through the wound before Godzilla makes a final attempt to use his atomic breath, only to explode just as he tries to fire a blast of his atomic breath at the escaping Satsuma.

Books

GODZILLA: Monster Apocalypse

The Satsuma was one of the vehicles constructed by humanity to combat the kaiju overrunning the globe.

Video games

Gallery

Notes

  1. While the 2012 publication Toho Special Effects Movie Complete Works attributes the 880 metric ton measurement to the ship's weight, text written on its hull clarifies this as its standard displacement.

References

This is a list of references for Satsuma. 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 Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack. Asahi Sonorama. 10 January 2002. p. 45. ISBN 4-257-13044-X.
  2. Toho Special Effects Movie Complete Works. villagebooks. 28 September 2012. p. 274. ISBN 4-864-91013-8.

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