If this were a typical week, the highlight of Godzilla-related discussion might have been the two new sculpts coming out for the Bandai Movie Monsters series. The frozen Godzilla is the first real merch we have for Godzilla’s fifth form, after all.
Or, y’know, the Japanese Blu-Ray release of Shin Godzilla. They tweaked some scenes from the theatrical version, and there was also copious behind the scenes stuff and deleted scenes. (Dear Funimation: I know you’re going to skip on extras, but we’d be happier if you didn’t.)
But all of that went out the window with Anime Japan’s booth reveals for the new Godzilla anime.
As we previously noted, the film will be titled Godzilla: Kaijuu Wakusei (from here on, I’ll just say “Monster Planet”), but that’s just the start; it’ll be released in November and be the first film in a trilogy! Right away this is exciting and somewhat concerning – do they have all the scripts written? What sort of release cycle are they shooting for? Hopefully we don’t wind up in a Rebuild of Evangelion scenario, but let’s give them the benefit of the doubt.
There was a lot of neat stuff at Anime Japan, including a human-sized model of one of the anime’s mecha suits. Visitors were also given a file with a history of the world in-universe, which is certainly intriguing, listing various monster attacks throughout the early 21st century (there’s Godzilla, Rodan, and Anguirus, but also some deeper cuts like Orga, Dagahra, Dogora, and Kamacuras. Also, “Operation Hedorah” involving biological and chemical weapons, which sounds like a great idea), and first contact with two(!) different alien races, the Birsard and the Exif. Wondering what the Exif look like? We’ve got one in the released character profiles:
The whole planet gets evacuated by 2048, but 20 space-years (20,000 earth years) later, humanity returns to reclaim the Earth from the monsters when their target world winds up being pretty inhospitable as well. The whole thing gives me shades of World Without End, Gunbuster, Planet of the Apes, and more, but it’s definitely taking the Godzilla franchise into unexplored territory. Here’s looking forward to November!
There was also a lot of non-Godzilla stuff this week!
- We have a trailer for Adam Wingard’s Death Note movie. I think Light looks a little gothy as opposed to the pretty boy of the source material, but we’ll see how it turns out.
- A trailer for the new season of Mystery Science Theater 3000, complete with Reptilicus and an Inframan nod.
- Netflix is also getting a live-action show based on Blazing Transfer Student, AKA “that Kazuhiko Shimamoto manga adapted into one to the greatest OVAs never commercially available stateside”. My mind is sort of blown; posting the anime OP since there’s no trailer or anything yet for the live-action one.
- A teaser for the new Mazinger Z movie:
- The trailer for the live-action Blood C movie could use more monsters:
- The Astro Boy prequel Atom the Beginning continues to look like a show to watch next season.
- Toku will be airing Ultraman 80 in the US starting tomorrow (for the handful of people who actually get the channel).
- Sentai Filmworks licensed Gatchaman Fighter. They just need to get the live-action movie to complete the franchise now, right?
- Speaking of Gatchaman, we’ve got a new trailer for the Tatsunoko mash-up Infini-T Force.
- I guess the Eagle Talon crossover ads for Suicide Squad must have gone over well, because now a whole DC Super Heroes vs. Eagle Talon movie is in the works. It looks amazing.
- Want to see Stan Lee in full hype mode? See the latest trailer for The Reflection:
- Mamoru Oshii got interviewed about the Hollywood Ghost in the Shell flick (I keep wanting to say “the new movie”, then remembering that’s actually the title of a different GitS picture), and pretty much had only good things to say. Then he tried to pitch his other famous cops-&-mecha opus Patlabor, so here’s hoping Hollywood is listening.
- A pretty fun fan film for Chroma Squad:
Whew, that’s a lot of cool stuff. Let’s call it a wrap for this week; as always leave a comment if we missed something and seeya next time!
Update: sure enough, something slipped by – Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewsky’s biography of Ishiro Honda is up for preorder!
Maser Patrol 