One of my favorites is Yoshimura from Ebirah. He stood out from all the other human protagonists, probably due to his backstory of being a professional criminal, and had a rogue character that would be popularized by Han Solo nine years later.
The Godzilla Thread - Plus other giant monsters, no matter how popular or obscure
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I like Yuji Shinoda from Godzilla 2000, maybe more for what he represents than his character. A loose association of crazy amateur Godzilla spotters, like storm chasers or something, makes great sense in a world where giant kaiju have been wandering around for decades. But he does sell that attitude of combined obsessive enthusiasm and workmanlike weariness.
I vote for Miki too. She has an interesting kind of arc over the Heisei series. I don't know if I agree with going completely sympathetic with Godzilla, but the development with one person over a number of films makes more sense than an entire world joining the Godzilla fan club at a snap of the fingers, like some other movie series... I agree that she should have been used more.
Worst for me was either Godzilla final wars or that Godzilla 3d anime trilogy. The best was Shin Godzilla followed by Biollante.
I'll give Legendary Serizawa a shoutout because he's like the only human character in the monsterverse who has a truly great scene.
Which felt similar in some ways to one of my other favourite scenes.
Which felt similar in some ways to one of my other favourite scenes.
RumblyTumbly
kiwifarms.net
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For all the talk that human characters don't matter in these movies, I have to say that my favorite entries are typically with the ones that have the human characters I find the most interesting or get emotionally attached to:
My favorites:
1] Dr. Serasawa from Gojira [1954] = He's kind of the gold standard of Godzilla characters. The entire message and drama of the movie hinges on his decisions, and his sacrifice ultimately makes him the hero of the film. He's actually not the "lead" (as that would go to either Ogata or Emiko) but he feels like the most fully fleshed out character in the picture.
2] Mr. Tako from King Kong Vs. Godzilla [1962] = Look, KK V G is a silly movie, and he perfectly embodies that silliness. With his over the top and comical presentation, the guy was an instant hit with me as a kid. He's also the driving force of the film as his desire to sponsor King Kong ultimately causes all the problems, showing how greed is mankind's undoing.
3] Kumayama from Mothra Vs. Godzilla [1964] = From one greedy business man to another, Kumayama is basically Mr. Tako, but without the goofiness. He's a ruthless and thoroughly irredeemable businessman looking to exploit Mothra's egg to his own ends. He's not only deliciously evil, but he gets his comeuppance in grand fashion as his business partner screws him out of money and their greed driven dispute leads to their downfall at the hands of Godzilla.
4] Detective Shindo, Princess Salno, and Malness from Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster [1964] = The human subplot of this movie ranks among the series' most interesting and bizarre. You have a princess who believes she is an alien prophetess, an assassin trying to ruthlessly kill her, and good ol' Detective Shindo doing his damndest to protect her. He's such an easy hero to root for, and its made all the more fun when he's thrown into such a bizarre and intense situation.
5] Astronaut Glenn & Miss Namikawa from Godzilla Vs. Monster Zero [1965] = Dare I say, this is the definitive Godzilla couple? Their love story has got to be the best in the franchise, right? Nick Adams brings an obvious charisma and western charm to this Japanese production and it works out quite well. His friendship and chemistry with Akira Takarada's Fuji character, that I'd believe that they met up for drinks after shooting. And Namikawa, played by the lovely Kumi Mizuno, is the alien soldier turned hero as her love for Glenn forces her to lend a hand in helping to save the world, while sacrificing herself in the process (a common theme in the series).
6] Saeko from Son of Godzilla [1967] = The concept of the island girl/jungle woman was done with Daiyo in Godzilla Vs. The Sea Monster, and while fans seem to remember her more by virtue of being played by Mizuno, I always preferred Saeko from Son of Godzilla. Part of that is because of how she befriends the baby Godzilla, serving as almost like a surrogate mother to the little guy. She's also quite charming when paired up with potential love interest, Maki Goro.
7] Kuronuma from Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla [1974] = As a whole, I prefer the Planet X aliens from Godzilla Vs. Monster Zero, but if we're going to compare individual characters, Kuronuma, the alien commander of this film, takes the cake as one of the best Godzilla villains. He's just so slimy, evil, and cocky, that he's so much fun to hate. The arrogance on his face as he dispatches Mechagodzilla to kill Godzilla is enough to get any kid fan to root for Godzilla even more.
8] Dr. Mafune and Katsura from Terror of Mechagodzilla [1975] = The father/daughter pairing provided one of the best human dramas in the franchise. Dr. Mafune, a mad scientist who aligns himself with aliens to take vengeance on humanity. These leaves his daughter Katsura, turned into a cyborg by the aliens to save her life, torn between her loyalty to her father, her alien programming, and her love for Ichinose. Its one of the most interesting dramatic set ups in the series and pays off in a big way at the end as Katsura sacrifices herself (again, recurring theme) to save the day.
9] The Prime Minister from The Return of Godzilla [1984] = Look at the look on this guy's face. He looks like he's got the weight of the world on his shoulders with every decision he makes. He captures the dark despair of the situation, but also the quiet and respectable resolve of leadership.
10] Col. Gondo and SSS9 from Godzilla Vs. Biollante [1989] = I love Gondo's role in the story as a guy head of an anti-Godzilla unit that is left stagnant for years after Godzilla's last defeat, but then is suddenly thrust into action when Godzilla reappears. He's also a funny and likable guy, which makes his death hit a little harder. And SSS9, to me, is like the Darth Maul of Godzilla. He's just this soulless and evil death dealing bad ass assassin, and he gets a fitting over the top death.
11] Mr. Shindo from Godzilla Vs. King Ghidorah [1991] = His history and bond with Godzilla provides some emotional moments in the film, culminating in what might be the greatest scene in the entire Godzilla series.
12] Miki Segusa from the Heisei Series [1989-1995] = It feels right to include the franchise's most prominent recurring character. We meet Miki as a young psychic helping out the anti-Godzilla team, and ultimately becoming an advocate for the big guy, giving her a significant role all the way through the series. Its fun to have her perspective on things as the arc of the series progresses.
13] Yuki from Godzilla Vs. Spacegodzilla [1994] = One of the great things about the Heisei films was how it took advantage of its tighter continuity. Col. Gondo's death from 4 films earlier carries weight as we find out Yuki was his close friend, forcing him into an Ahab like hunt to get revenge on Godzilla.
14] Shinoda, Io, Yuki, & Katagiri from Godzilla 2000 [1999] = I have my issues with Godzilla 2000, but one of the film's best components is its ensemble cast. The family dynamic that forms between the members of the Godzilla Prediction Network lets to some cute moments, and one emotional one towards the end, and Katagiri makes for a fun and over the top dick head villain.
15] Admiral Tachibana and Hirotoshi Isayama from GMK [2001] = Isayama is the creepy old guy that serves as a prophet for the guardian monsters, and he makes for a nice creepy presence in the film that adds to the fantasy based tale the movie is going for. He's also played by the same guy that played Dr. Who in King Kong Escapes (not the Dr. Who you're thinking of). And Admiral Tachibana emerges as the story's hero as he has a family history with Godzilla, going back to his original attack in 1954, and is ultimately the one that has to stop him. He has a quiet dignity about him that makes him easy to respect.
16] Captain Gordon from Godzilla: Final Wars [2004] = Played by real life MMA fighter Don Fyre, Gordon has an obvious bad-assness to him and more of a western action hero vibe. He's not the best actor in the world or anything, but he's just so much fun to watch and perfectly matches the chaotic and cartoon vibe of the movie.
16] Joe Brody from Godzilla [2014] = Underutilized for sure, but we all feel that way because Cranston's performance really was very good. If the character had survived, he'd have had a shot at being one of the very best Godzilla characters of all time. But for the limited screen time he has, Joe Brody leaves an impression and is the emotional core of the movie.
17] Dr. Ichiro Serasawa from the MonsterVerse [2014-2019] = Ken Wantanabe's role serves as not only a reference to the series' past, but also serves the role as kind of a Dr. Loomis for the MonsterVerse. He is in tune with the monsters, specifically Godzilla, and understands them in a way that no one else does. He's sort of like Godzilla's voice. When the monster can't talk, you have a Dr. Serasawa or Dr. Loomis to tell you what its thinking, and he fills that role very well. Its pays off spectacularly in King of the Monsters as Serasawa sacrifices himself to save Godzilla.
18] Rando Yaguchi and The Cast of Shin Godzilla [2016] = Some people reviewing this film said that the characters of this film were dull, and I don't think that's a fair assessment. I look at this film in a way where the entire country of Japan is the main character of the film, and it starts out as a bureaucratic and inefficient government that is too rigid and slow moving to deal with Godzilla appropriately. They have to change their ways and become a group of individualistic and creative minds to appropriately deal with the problem, resulting in probably the series' most creative method of defeating a giant monster. This shift in the country's approach is facilitated through the various characters that inhabit the story and led by Rando Yaguchi, the lightning rod that leads the charge for this change. One of Shin Godzilla's strengths is how it displays individualistic thinking and creative ideas solve problems more than directionless board meetings and bureaucratic red tape.
19] Metphies from The Anime Trilogy [2017] = The Anime Trilogy has a lot of problems and its filled with some dull and bland characters. All true statements, but Metphies is the lone standout as he's a mysterious puppet master pulling the strings throughout the story. His true intentions are made clear in Planet Eater, the final film, as he encourages his cult to summon Ghidorah, resulting in the trilogy's finest moments. He's a weird yet charismatic cult leader and is the lone standout in an otherwise dull cast of characters.
20] Jia from Godzilla Vs. Kong [2020] = Weird to count the Kong associate character as one of the top Godzilla characters, but she's in the same movie as Godzilla, so she counts. Anyways, its weird to say it, but the blind deaf child is actually the best human character for the movie. She serves a similar function to Wantanabe in that she's the speaker for the monster, in this case Kong, but the bond between monster and human there feels a lot closer, and adds more to Kong's story.
EDIT: Oh and I forgot the Fairies! Mothra's priestesses that communicate to and for Mothra. The Shobijin, The Cosmos, The Small Beauties....whatever you want to call them. They've appeared across many continuities, but my favorite version of them are the originals: The Peanuts. The singing duo proved to be the most charming and remarkable of Mothra's fairies. And through the three films they were in, they get to evolve as characters. In Mothra 61? They are pure victims and basically the macguffins to motivate the monster. In Mothra Vs. Godzilla, they are the speakers for Mothra that sadly aren't listened too until its too late. Then in Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster, they are political ambassadors, celebrities, heroes, and the translators for the monsters. Quite change for the Small Beauties! Also, their version of the Mothra Song and the song Sacred Spring are two classic pieces of music that won't leave you after you hear it.
My favorites:
1] Dr. Serasawa from Gojira [1954] = He's kind of the gold standard of Godzilla characters. The entire message and drama of the movie hinges on his decisions, and his sacrifice ultimately makes him the hero of the film. He's actually not the "lead" (as that would go to either Ogata or Emiko) but he feels like the most fully fleshed out character in the picture.
2] Mr. Tako from King Kong Vs. Godzilla [1962] = Look, KK V G is a silly movie, and he perfectly embodies that silliness. With his over the top and comical presentation, the guy was an instant hit with me as a kid. He's also the driving force of the film as his desire to sponsor King Kong ultimately causes all the problems, showing how greed is mankind's undoing.
3] Kumayama from Mothra Vs. Godzilla [1964] = From one greedy business man to another, Kumayama is basically Mr. Tako, but without the goofiness. He's a ruthless and thoroughly irredeemable businessman looking to exploit Mothra's egg to his own ends. He's not only deliciously evil, but he gets his comeuppance in grand fashion as his business partner screws him out of money and their greed driven dispute leads to their downfall at the hands of Godzilla.
4] Detective Shindo, Princess Salno, and Malness from Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster [1964] = The human subplot of this movie ranks among the series' most interesting and bizarre. You have a princess who believes she is an alien prophetess, an assassin trying to ruthlessly kill her, and good ol' Detective Shindo doing his damndest to protect her. He's such an easy hero to root for, and its made all the more fun when he's thrown into such a bizarre and intense situation.
5] Astronaut Glenn & Miss Namikawa from Godzilla Vs. Monster Zero [1965] = Dare I say, this is the definitive Godzilla couple? Their love story has got to be the best in the franchise, right? Nick Adams brings an obvious charisma and western charm to this Japanese production and it works out quite well. His friendship and chemistry with Akira Takarada's Fuji character, that I'd believe that they met up for drinks after shooting. And Namikawa, played by the lovely Kumi Mizuno, is the alien soldier turned hero as her love for Glenn forces her to lend a hand in helping to save the world, while sacrificing herself in the process (a common theme in the series).
6] Saeko from Son of Godzilla [1967] = The concept of the island girl/jungle woman was done with Daiyo in Godzilla Vs. The Sea Monster, and while fans seem to remember her more by virtue of being played by Mizuno, I always preferred Saeko from Son of Godzilla. Part of that is because of how she befriends the baby Godzilla, serving as almost like a surrogate mother to the little guy. She's also quite charming when paired up with potential love interest, Maki Goro.
7] Kuronuma from Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla [1974] = As a whole, I prefer the Planet X aliens from Godzilla Vs. Monster Zero, but if we're going to compare individual characters, Kuronuma, the alien commander of this film, takes the cake as one of the best Godzilla villains. He's just so slimy, evil, and cocky, that he's so much fun to hate. The arrogance on his face as he dispatches Mechagodzilla to kill Godzilla is enough to get any kid fan to root for Godzilla even more.
8] Dr. Mafune and Katsura from Terror of Mechagodzilla [1975] = The father/daughter pairing provided one of the best human dramas in the franchise. Dr. Mafune, a mad scientist who aligns himself with aliens to take vengeance on humanity. These leaves his daughter Katsura, turned into a cyborg by the aliens to save her life, torn between her loyalty to her father, her alien programming, and her love for Ichinose. Its one of the most interesting dramatic set ups in the series and pays off in a big way at the end as Katsura sacrifices herself (again, recurring theme) to save the day.
9] The Prime Minister from The Return of Godzilla [1984] = Look at the look on this guy's face. He looks like he's got the weight of the world on his shoulders with every decision he makes. He captures the dark despair of the situation, but also the quiet and respectable resolve of leadership.
10] Col. Gondo and SSS9 from Godzilla Vs. Biollante [1989] = I love Gondo's role in the story as a guy head of an anti-Godzilla unit that is left stagnant for years after Godzilla's last defeat, but then is suddenly thrust into action when Godzilla reappears. He's also a funny and likable guy, which makes his death hit a little harder. And SSS9, to me, is like the Darth Maul of Godzilla. He's just this soulless and evil death dealing bad ass assassin, and he gets a fitting over the top death.
11] Mr. Shindo from Godzilla Vs. King Ghidorah [1991] = His history and bond with Godzilla provides some emotional moments in the film, culminating in what might be the greatest scene in the entire Godzilla series.
12] Miki Segusa from the Heisei Series [1989-1995] = It feels right to include the franchise's most prominent recurring character. We meet Miki as a young psychic helping out the anti-Godzilla team, and ultimately becoming an advocate for the big guy, giving her a significant role all the way through the series. Its fun to have her perspective on things as the arc of the series progresses.
13] Yuki from Godzilla Vs. Spacegodzilla [1994] = One of the great things about the Heisei films was how it took advantage of its tighter continuity. Col. Gondo's death from 4 films earlier carries weight as we find out Yuki was his close friend, forcing him into an Ahab like hunt to get revenge on Godzilla.
14] Shinoda, Io, Yuki, & Katagiri from Godzilla 2000 [1999] = I have my issues with Godzilla 2000, but one of the film's best components is its ensemble cast. The family dynamic that forms between the members of the Godzilla Prediction Network lets to some cute moments, and one emotional one towards the end, and Katagiri makes for a fun and over the top dick head villain.
15] Admiral Tachibana and Hirotoshi Isayama from GMK [2001] = Isayama is the creepy old guy that serves as a prophet for the guardian monsters, and he makes for a nice creepy presence in the film that adds to the fantasy based tale the movie is going for. He's also played by the same guy that played Dr. Who in King Kong Escapes (not the Dr. Who you're thinking of). And Admiral Tachibana emerges as the story's hero as he has a family history with Godzilla, going back to his original attack in 1954, and is ultimately the one that has to stop him. He has a quiet dignity about him that makes him easy to respect.
16] Captain Gordon from Godzilla: Final Wars [2004] = Played by real life MMA fighter Don Fyre, Gordon has an obvious bad-assness to him and more of a western action hero vibe. He's not the best actor in the world or anything, but he's just so much fun to watch and perfectly matches the chaotic and cartoon vibe of the movie.
16] Joe Brody from Godzilla [2014] = Underutilized for sure, but we all feel that way because Cranston's performance really was very good. If the character had survived, he'd have had a shot at being one of the very best Godzilla characters of all time. But for the limited screen time he has, Joe Brody leaves an impression and is the emotional core of the movie.
17] Dr. Ichiro Serasawa from the MonsterVerse [2014-2019] = Ken Wantanabe's role serves as not only a reference to the series' past, but also serves the role as kind of a Dr. Loomis for the MonsterVerse. He is in tune with the monsters, specifically Godzilla, and understands them in a way that no one else does. He's sort of like Godzilla's voice. When the monster can't talk, you have a Dr. Serasawa or Dr. Loomis to tell you what its thinking, and he fills that role very well. Its pays off spectacularly in King of the Monsters as Serasawa sacrifices himself to save Godzilla.
18] Rando Yaguchi and The Cast of Shin Godzilla [2016] = Some people reviewing this film said that the characters of this film were dull, and I don't think that's a fair assessment. I look at this film in a way where the entire country of Japan is the main character of the film, and it starts out as a bureaucratic and inefficient government that is too rigid and slow moving to deal with Godzilla appropriately. They have to change their ways and become a group of individualistic and creative minds to appropriately deal with the problem, resulting in probably the series' most creative method of defeating a giant monster. This shift in the country's approach is facilitated through the various characters that inhabit the story and led by Rando Yaguchi, the lightning rod that leads the charge for this change. One of Shin Godzilla's strengths is how it displays individualistic thinking and creative ideas solve problems more than directionless board meetings and bureaucratic red tape.
19] Metphies from The Anime Trilogy [2017] = The Anime Trilogy has a lot of problems and its filled with some dull and bland characters. All true statements, but Metphies is the lone standout as he's a mysterious puppet master pulling the strings throughout the story. His true intentions are made clear in Planet Eater, the final film, as he encourages his cult to summon Ghidorah, resulting in the trilogy's finest moments. He's a weird yet charismatic cult leader and is the lone standout in an otherwise dull cast of characters.
20] Jia from Godzilla Vs. Kong [2020] = Weird to count the Kong associate character as one of the top Godzilla characters, but she's in the same movie as Godzilla, so she counts. Anyways, its weird to say it, but the blind deaf child is actually the best human character for the movie. She serves a similar function to Wantanabe in that she's the speaker for the monster, in this case Kong, but the bond between monster and human there feels a lot closer, and adds more to Kong's story.
EDIT: Oh and I forgot the Fairies! Mothra's priestesses that communicate to and for Mothra. The Shobijin, The Cosmos, The Small Beauties....whatever you want to call them. They've appeared across many continuities, but my favorite version of them are the originals: The Peanuts. The singing duo proved to be the most charming and remarkable of Mothra's fairies. And through the three films they were in, they get to evolve as characters. In Mothra 61? They are pure victims and basically the macguffins to motivate the monster. In Mothra Vs. Godzilla, they are the speakers for Mothra that sadly aren't listened too until its too late. Then in Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster, they are political ambassadors, celebrities, heroes, and the translators for the monsters. Quite change for the Small Beauties! Also, their version of the Mothra Song and the song Sacred Spring are two classic pieces of music that won't leave you after you hear it.
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Mr. Shindo from Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah is the only human character I actively remember from my viewing a long time ago due to his direct connection to Godzilla and fond remembrance for the creature that saved him and his unit. The climax where they meet again was so well done, probably one of the best scenes in the entire series.
As an aside, Final Wars is a dumb but indulgent fun movie that is great for laughs. I remember being in high school and showing it to some normie friends and they were laughing the whole time. It was great. The SGT Slaughter stand in was also a memorable human character for how camp it was.
As an aside, Final Wars is a dumb but indulgent fun movie that is great for laughs. I remember being in high school and showing it to some normie friends and they were laughing the whole time. It was great. The SGT Slaughter stand in was also a memorable human character for how camp it was.
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Dr. Serizawa (54), for being a major contributing factor to the movie being so tragic and sombre.
Miki Segusa, because what can I say? I grew up with Heisei series, I love Heisei series and Miki is the face of it. She also has an interesting character arch for a kaiju movie character.
Steve Martin \ Mr. Martin (85), for his ending speech alone. I know it's a character from an American edit but that's probably how most of us seen the movie for the first time.
Gengo and Tomoko (Godzilla vs. Gigan) for having some fun, not sugared-up couple dynamics going on, for Gengo's ineptitude and Tomoko's combat prowess.
X \ The Controller (Final Wars) for his comical overacting and the joy he takes in being a villain.
Gondo (Godzilla vs. Biollante) for being an amazing badass who talks shit to the big G himself.
Nanbara (Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla) for being the creepy looming presence in the background for most of the movie.
Glenn and Namikawa because hey, even a monster movie can use some tragic romance from time to time and the actors have good chemistry together.
Miki Segusa, because what can I say? I grew up with Heisei series, I love Heisei series and Miki is the face of it. She also has an interesting character arch for a kaiju movie character.
Steve Martin \ Mr. Martin (85), for his ending speech alone. I know it's a character from an American edit but that's probably how most of us seen the movie for the first time.
Gengo and Tomoko (Godzilla vs. Gigan) for having some fun, not sugared-up couple dynamics going on, for Gengo's ineptitude and Tomoko's combat prowess.
X \ The Controller (Final Wars) for his comical overacting and the joy he takes in being a villain.
Gondo (Godzilla vs. Biollante) for being an amazing badass who talks shit to the big G himself.
Nanbara (Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla) for being the creepy looming presence in the background for most of the movie.
Glenn and Namikawa because hey, even a monster movie can use some tragic romance from time to time and the actors have good chemistry together.
Anguirus is a good boi who dindu nuffin, the hoomans just keep firing at him.
And he's got a cool ability, too. Subs I watched kept calling him a girl, though, but the sub quality has been all over the place for this series thus far.
And he's got a cool ability, too. Subs I watched kept calling him a girl, though, but the sub quality has been all over the place for this series thus far.
Shokaract
kiwifarms.net
There is a sub out for episode 5?
Yeah. Not the best sub job in the world, but it's not unintelligible.
Not him, no.
But there's cameos by human characters from the movies in the credits. Just a couple I recognized off the bat.
ah, I can understand mistaking that version of Jet for Zone
Saw GvK today. First time in a theater after a year and a half. It's unsettling how empty and quiet it was.
Anyway, movie was fun. Vastly preferred KotM, but this one wasn't a slouch either.
Also, just found out this was a thing. Rate me late if you have to.
It's great to see people keeping this game alive.
Anyway, movie was fun. Vastly preferred KotM, but this one wasn't a slouch either.
Also, just found out this was a thing. Rate me late if you have to.
It's great to see people keeping this game alive.
The worst part was that we didn't get to see Kong get drunk on berry juice like in the Showa version.
Shokaract
kiwifarms.net
Newest episode of Singular Point is my favorite so far. Its the halfway mark for the anime, and it seems like things are really starting to pick up. This is building up to be one of my favorite Godzilla medias. With half the season left to go, i really hope they don't drop the ball.
There's talk of a sequel, but it's on the down low for now. The purported title of it, though, is "Son of Kong".
EDIT: I like this shot of Beira Burn's inbox from Singular Point. It's not even junk mail but he has a lot of funny junk in it.
EDIT: I like this shot of Beira Burn's inbox from Singular Point. It's not even junk mail but he has a lot of funny junk in it.
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