Eiko Maru

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Eiko Maru
The Eiko Maru in Godzilla
Piloted by Unnamed Captain
First appearance Godzilla (1954)

The Eiko Maru (栄光丸,   Eikō Maru, lit. Glory) is a fictional Japanese vessel which appeared in the 1954 Godzilla film Godzilla.

History

Showa era

Godzilla

Underway en-route to Japan, the Eiko Maru was suddenly struck by an intense light. A few of the ship's passengers and crew on its deck had barely enough time to see the light and react to it in horror before everyone outside was suddenly killed by its mysterious power, crippling the Eiko Maru and instantly setting it ablaze. As the ship began to sink, the radiomen and navigators on duty at the bridge attempted to send a distress signal via Morse code, but died along with the ship's captain after the bridge's windows imploded from the weight of the water around them, drowning the people inside. The Eiko Maru disappeared below the waves shortly afterwards. The destruction of the Eiko Maru resulted in the voyage of the Bingo-Maru, which was also destroyed by the unknown phenomenon. After the Bingo-Maru sank, survivors of both ships travelled by raft to Odo Island, where they were eventually found by an expedition sent to retrieve them. However, this expedition would ultimately uncover the existence of Godzilla to the world.

Filmography

Trivia

  • The Eiko Maru is the first vehicle to appear in any Godzilla series film. It also holds the distinction of being the very first object to appear in Toho's kaiju films.
  • The destruction of the Eiko Maru may be seen as an allegory to the Lucky Dragon No. 5 incident that occurred in 1954. Although the Lucky Dragon No. 5 was not destroyed, it was irradiated by fallout from the Castle Bravo thermonuclear test on Bikini Atoll, with its radioman dying shortly after the boat returned to Japan from radiation sickness which exacerbated a Hepatitis C infection.
  • The Eiko Maru is referenced in the opening scene of Shin Godzilla through the name of Goro Maki's yacht, the Glory-Maru. The Eiko Maru's name translates to "glory" in English.
  • The Eiko Maru is also referenced in episode 33 of Godziban, as the word "Eiko" is seen written on the side of Young Serizawa's ship.
  • Another ship named the "Eiko" appears in episodes 2, 4, and 5 of Godzilla Singular Point.

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