| Revision as of 02:02, 21 October 2011 view sourceL-Zwei (talk | contribs)4,001 edits Undid revision 456611430 by 24.208.78.240 (talk)← Previous edit | Revision as of 14:49, 24 October 2011 view source Sheldon2213 (talk | contribs)3 edits ←Replaced content with 'Godzilla is the name of a chinese trucker.'Tag: blankingNext edit → | ||
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| Godzilla is the name of a chinese trucker. | |||
| {{About|the monster}} | |||
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| {| class="infobox" style="width: 21em; font-size: 90%; text-align: left" | |||
| |- | |||
| ! colspan="2" style="text-align:center; font-size:larger; background:#001; color:#ffa;"| Godzilla | |||
| |- | |||
| | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | ] | |||
| |- | |||
| ! First appearance: | |||
| | '']'' (1954) | |||
| |- | |||
| ! Latest appearance: | |||
| | '']'' (2004) | |||
| |- | |||
| ! Created by: | |||
| | ] | |||
| |- | |||
| ! Height: | |||
| | 50<ref name = "eniqfb">{{cite web|url=http://www.tohokingdom.com/kaiju/godzilla54.htm |title=''Godzilla'' (1954) |publisher=Tohokingdom.com |date= |accessdate=2010-04-13}}</ref>–100<ref name = "nevmso">{{cite web|url=http://www.tohokingdom.com/kaiju/godzilla_heisei.htm#91 |title=Godzilla (Heisei) |publisher=Tohokingdom.com |date= |accessdate=2010-04-13}}</ref> meters (164–328 feet) | |||
| |- | |||
| ! Weight: | |||
| | 20,000<ref name = "eniqfb"/>–60,000<ref name = "nevmso"/> tons | |||
| |- | |||
| ! Portrayed by: | |||
| | '''Shōwa Series''':<br />]<ref name="Godzilla">{{cite video|people=] (writer) and ] (writer/director)|title=]|medium=]|publisher=]|date=2006}}</ref><ref name="Am. Godzilla">{{cite video|people=] (writer) and ], ] (writers/directors)|title='']''|medium=]|publisher=]|date=2006}}</ref><br />]<ref name="Godzilla"/><ref name="Am. Godzilla"/><br />]<ref name="Godzilla"/><ref name="Am. Godzilla"/><br />Ryosaku Takasugi<ref name="Am. Godzilla"/><br />]<br />Shinji Takagi<br />Isao Zushi<br />]<br />'''Heisei Series''':<br />]<br />'''Millennium Series''':<br />]<br />] | |||
| |} | |||
| {{nihongo|'''Godzilla'''|ゴジラ|Gojira}} is a ], a Japanese movie monster, first appearing in ]'s 1954 film '']''. Since then, Godzilla has gone on to become a worldwide pop culture icon starring in 28 films produced by ] The monster has appeared in numerous other media incarnations including ], novels, ], ], and an ]. A second ] is currently being developed by ]. | |||
| With the ] and the ] incident still fresh in the Japanese consciousness, Godzilla was conceived as a monster created by nuclear detonations and a metaphor for ]s in general. As the film series expanded, some stories took on less serious undertones portraying Godzilla as a hero while other plots still portrayed him as a destructive beast. | |||
| ==Name== | |||
| {{nihongo|''Gojira''|ゴジラ}} is a combination of two Japanese words: {{nihongo3|"]"|ゴリラ|gorira}}, and {{nihongo3|"]"|鯨（クジラ）|kujira}}, which is fitting because in one planning stage, Godzilla was described as "a cross between a gorilla and a whale",<ref name=A>Steve Ryfle. ''Japan's Favorite Mon-Star''. ECW Press, 1998. Pg.22</ref> alluding to his size, power and aquatic origin. A popular story is that "Gojira" was actually the nickname of a hulking stagehand at Toho Studio.<ref>{{Cite web | |||
| |url= http://www.godzillaondvd.com/mediapageloads/still05.html | |||
| |title=Gojira Media | |||
| |work=Godzila Gojimm|publisher= Toho Co., Ltd. | |||
| |accessdate=November 19, 2010 | |||
| }}</ref> The story has not been verified, however, because in the fifty years since the film's original release, no one claiming to be the rumored employee has ever stepped forward and no photographs have ever surfaced. Kimi Honda (the widow of ]) always suspected that the man never existed as she mentioned in a 1998 interview that "the backstage boys at Toho loved to joke around with tall stories".<ref>Steve Ryfle. Pg.23</ref> | |||
| Godzilla's name was written in ] as {{nihongo3||呉爾羅|Gojira}}, where the ] are used for phonetic value and not for meaning. Many Japanese books on Godzilla have referenced this curious fact, including ''B Media Books Special: Gojira Gahô'', published by Take-Shobo in three different editions (1993, 1998,<ref>{{cite book|year= 1998 |title = B Media Books Special: The Godzilla Chronicles Ver. 2: The History of Toho Fantastic Movies, 1935-1998 |location= Japan |publisher= Take-Shobo |ISBN=4-8124-0408-8}}</ref> and 1999). | |||
| The Japanese pronunciation of the name is {{IPA-ja|ɡodʑiɽa||Godzilla.ogg}}; the Anglicized form is {{IPA-en|ɡɒdˈzɪlə|}}, with the first syllable pronounced like the word "god", and the rest rhyming with "gorilla". When Godzilla was created (and Japanese-to-English transliteration was less familiar), it is likely that the ] representing the second syllable was misinterpreted{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}}<!-- perhaps it was intentional? --> as {{IPA|}}; in the ] system, Godzilla's name would have been rendered as "Gojira", whereas in the ] system it would have been rendered as "Gozira". | |||
| ==Attributes== | |||
| {{Main|Powers and abilities of Godzilla}} | |||
| Godzilla's appearance has changed over the years, but many of his characteristics have remained constant. His roar has remained the same, only changing in pitch. Godzilla's approximate appearance, regardless of the design of the suit utilized for the creature, remains the same general shape, which is instantly recognizable: a giant, mutant dinosaur with rough, bumpy charcoal-grey ], a long powerful ], and jagged, bone-colored ]. Godzilla's iconic character design is a blended chimera inspired by various prehistoric reptiles, gleaned from children's dinosaur books and illustrations from an issue of ''Life'' magazine: Godzilla has the head and lower body of a '']'', a triple row of dorsal plates reminiscent of a '']'', the neck and forearms of '']'' and the tail and skin texture of a ].<ref>{{cite book|author= William M. Tsutsui |title= Godzilla on My Mind: Fifty Years of the King of Monsters |location= New York |publisher= ] |year=2003 |page=23}}</ref><ref>''Gojira'' Classic Media audio commentary</ref> Godzilla's dorsal plates have themselves altered in size and appearance over the years. | |||
| Godzilla's body and facial structure changed often from film to film. The first films depicted the creature with a more feral head and facial structure, to indicate his status as a feared threat. As the character became more of a heroic figure—particularly to children, who became a large part of Godzilla's target audience from 1965 until 1978 in the Showa era—the creature's shown as having human or near-human intelligence in most films. Godzilla was originally believed by many to be green when the original black and white film was produced, and promotional artwork in America and other English speaking countries depicted him as such. The creature was also depicted as being green in the ] cartoon and a number of toys in the United States prior to the Trendmasters toy line, which depicted Godzilla in his actual coloration. Godzilla actually has a greenish hue in '']'' and again in '']'', but returns to his classic charcoal gray in subsequent films in the Millennium series starting with '']''. | |||
| Although his origins vary somewhat from film to film, he is always described as a prehistoric creature, who first appeared and attacked Japan at the beginning of the ]. In particular, mutation due to atomic radiation is presented as an explanation for his size and powers. The most notable of Godzilla's resulting abilities is his atomic breath: a powerful heat ray of fire from his mouth. Godzilla is also depicted as being resistant to damage thanks to a tough hide and an advanced ], which itself became a focal point in '']'' and '']''. He is portrayed as being strong and dexterous, sometimes utilizing martial arts techniques in combat. Described as a transitional form between aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates in the original film, Godzilla is able to survive in the ocean for indefinite periods of time and is as adept a fighter underwater as he is on land. | |||
| These particular abilities are portrayed consistently among Godzilla's many incarnations, though he also possesses skills, often employed as weapons of last resort that are only seen on rare occasions to beat certain enemies. | |||
| ==Movie appearances== | |||
| {{Main|List of films featuring Godzilla}} | |||
| ===Toho productions=== | |||
| ====Showa series==== | |||
| The ] ''Godzilla'' film series began with the release of '']'' in 1954 and lasted until 1975, spanning fifteen films. As of 2011, this amounts to over half the ''Godzilla'' movies in existence. | |||
| In the original film, Godzilla is portrayed as a terrible and destructive monster born from nuclear materials. Following the first movie's success, Toho quickly followed up with the sequel '']''. In this film, Godzilla battles the monster ] beginning the trend where Godzilla would fight other giant creatures. In the fifth film, '']'', Godzilla takes the role of a hero - a role he plays until the end of the Showa series. As the protagonist, Godzilla is frequently charged with protecting Japan against other monsters, aliens, and other evil characters. | |||
| The Showa-era movies played on the fears and interests of audiences during the period in which they were made. For instance, ''Godzilla'' was designed to warn people about the negative side effects of nuclear weapons. Likewise, '']'' carried a message about the dangers of pollution. As space exploration and the ] were popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s, many of ''Godzilla'''s films featured fights with alien monsters or an alien invasion. For instance, in the movie '']'', an alien race takes control of Earth's monsters only to later lose control and be destroyed by their captives. | |||
| ====Heisei series==== | |||
| The ] ''Godzilla'' film series lasted from 1984 to 1995 totaling seven films for the second series. | |||
| The Heisei-era films differed drastically from the Showa-era films in a variety of ways. The most prominent difference being that Toho did away with portraying Godzilla as a hero. While occasionally Godzilla would take the role of an ], he was still hazardous to humanity. The Godzilla suit was updated to look more realistic and much more intimidating than previous outfits. Another significant difference is the series was given an overall plotline with story arcs. Each movie happened in some sort of sequence, and referenced previous movies to further the plot of the series. | |||
| As in the Showa era, the first movie of the Heisei era, '']'', had Godzilla as the only monster to make an appearance. All succeeding Heisei-era movies would have Godzilla fight other monsters. In this series' final movie, '']'', Godzilla dies after undergoing a nuclear meltdown. | |||
| In the same way the Showa era spoke to audiences of its time, the Heisei-era Godzilla films took on popular themes of the 1980s and 1990s. In '']'', the movie explores advancing technology and the negative effects of genetic engineering. '']'' touched on US-Japanese relations stemming from ] and introduced a time-travel plot. Other themes included commenting on research into hazardous material and making environmental statements. | |||
| ====Millennium series==== | |||
| The Millennium series of ''Godzilla'' films are the third film series. These six films were released from 1999 through 2004. | |||
| The Millennium series attempts to bring some Showa-era trends back (such as Godzilla being an anti-hero), with one exception, the lack of continuity between movies. Godzilla is, however, still a hazard and a destructive force in the Millennium series. | |||
| ===American films=== | |||
| {{See also|Godzilla (1998 film)}} | |||
| In 1998, ] produced a remake that was released between the Heisei and Millennium series. Directed by ], director of '']'', and starring ], the film - '']'' - takes place in ] and has no continuity to any of Toho's productions. Godzilla was also a mutated ] in the movie. Despite negative to mixed reviews from film critics and negative reception from fans of the original Japanese Godzilla,{{Citation needed|date=February 2011}} the film was a financial success, taking in nearly $380 million worldwide, and spawned an animated television series called '']'', which drew much better reception all-around.{{Citation needed|date=February 2011}} Toho would later reclassify the Godzilla in this movie as ], and feature it briefly in their film, '']''. Production members{{Who|date=February 2011}} of ''Final Wars'' stated in this American incarnation did not merit having "God" in the name.{{Citation needed|date=February 2011}} | |||
| For Select on release in 2012 or 2013 and 2014 ] acquired the rights to the character with plans to produce a new American ''Godzilla'' movie.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/36651/godzilla-officially-his-way-back-big-screen |title=Godzilla Officially on His Way Back to the Big Screen |publisher=Dreadcentral.com |date= |accessdate=2010-04-13}}</ref> Producers of the new film will be ], ], and ] while ], director of ''Godzilla vs. Hedorah'', Kenji Okuhira, and Doug Davison will be executive producers.<ref>{{cite web|author=By |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118017027.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 |title='Godzilla' stomps back to screen |publisher=Variety |date=2010-03-29 |accessdate=2010-04-13}}</ref> Very little is known about the project so far other than the film will feature a computer generated Godzilla. At the 2010 San Diego Comic Con, Legendary Pictures representatives were on hand to pass out t-shirts depicting a new Godzilla design. On January 4, 2011, ], director of '']'', was announced as director. Screenwriter ] is attached to write the script. ] submitted an initial first draft in October 2010, but was subsequently rejected by Legendary Pictures. | |||
| ==Television and printed media== | |||
| {{Main|Godzilla (comics)}} | |||
| In Japan, Godzilla was a frequent guest star on the tokusatsu series '']''. In it, Godzilla occasionally fought alongside the protagonist against other monsters, including ] and ], two monsters who had previously appeared in ''Godzilla'' films. | |||
| Godzilla made his American series debut in the 1978 ] Saturday morning show '']''. In this series, Godzilla had a nephew, Godzooky. In addition to his trademark atomic breath, which simply changed to fire in the cartoon, he was given the power to shoot laser beams out of his eyes. Godzilla could be summoned by his human friends, sea-explorers on the ship USS ''Calico'', with a signaling device or by the cry of Godzooky. The series ran until 1981. Several monsters were created for this show, including The Firebird, not the same as the one in Destroy All Monsters. That one was really an alien spacecraft that crashed through buildings and set them on fire. | |||
| A second series, based on the American '']'', aired on ]. The series featured the surviving baby Godzilla from the end of the live action film, which now had grown to full size. Godzilla traveled around the world with a team called HEAT, including scientist ], battling monsters. Godzilla had the abilities and physical forms of his parent, but the creators of the show gave him more powers and an attitude more resembling the original Japanese Godzilla. | |||
| In Japan, Godzilla (along with a plethora of other Kaiju) appeared in an animated toy show called '']'' that ran from 1997-1998.<ref>http://www.tohokingdom.com/tv/godzilla_island.htm</ref> | |||
| Godzilla has been featured in comic books, most often in American productions (from ] in the late-1970s, and from ] in the 1980s and 1990s). Japanese Godzilla manga comics are also available. | |||
| The Marvel series told original stories and attempted to fit into the official Toho continuity, while avoiding direct references to it. It integrated Godzilla into the ]. It was published from 1977 to 1979, fitting between the ] movies and the ]. This series described the adventures and confrontations of Godzilla in the United States. | |||
| Between 1996 and 1998 ] published four books by ] featuring Godzilla and other kaiju of the Toho franchise: ''Godzilla Returns'', ''Godzilla 2000'' (unrelated to the ]), ''Godzilla at World's End'', and ''Godzilla vs. the Robot Monsters''. The release of a fifth book, ''Godzilla and the Lost Continent'' was planned but was canceled when Random House's license for Godzilla expired. | |||
| On September 23, 2004 ''Godzilla on My Mind: Fifty Years of the King of Monsters'' by William M. Tsutsui was released by Palgrave Macmillan. The book was released to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Godzilla and looks into some of the ways Godzilla has become a simple part of everyday life for fans. | |||
| In 2010, IDW Publishing announced that they gained the rights for the license to Godzilla, and will release a new series titled ''Godzilla: Monster World'' (since renamed ''Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters'') in March 2011.{{Update after|2011|03|31}} They have promised appearances by Mothra, King Ghidorah, Rodan, and other popular monsters from the Toho shared universe as well as fresh new monsters. ] and Tracy Marsh co-wrote Kingdom of Monsters with Phil Hester supplying the art. Artist Matt Frank will also supply variant covers for multiple issues, each focused on a specific monster, such as Anguirus, Mothra, Rodan or King Ghidorah. | |||
| The first issue was released in March 2011 and focused on introducing Godzilla, who destroys Japan, and the Japanese Prime Minister even orders for nuclear weapons to be dropped on him, causing his trademark atomic ray. The first issue sold out within its first day. Godzilla, ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] | |||
| ], ], ], and ] are expected to make appearances in the comic. | |||
| ==Cultural impact== | |||
| {{Main|Godzilla in popular culture}} | |||
| ].]] | |||
| Godzilla is one of the most recognizable symbols of Japanese ] worldwide and remains an important facet of Japanese films, embodying the ] subset of the ] genre. He has been considered a filmographic ] for the United States, as well as an allegory of nuclear weapons in general. The earlier ''Godzilla'' films, especially the ], portrayed Godzilla as a frightening, nuclear monster. Godzilla represented the fears that many Japanese held about the nuclear attacks on ] and ], and the possibility of recurrence.<ref>'''', By Terrence Rafferty, May 2, 2004, NYTimes</ref> | |||
| As the series progressed, so did Godzilla, changing into a less destructive and more heroic character as the films became geared towards children. Since then, the character has fallen somewhere in the middle, sometimes portrayed as a protector of the world from external threats and other times as a bringer of destruction. Godzilla remains one of the greatest fictional heroes in the history of film, and is also the second of only three fictional characters to have won the ] Lifetime Achievement ], which was awarded in 1996.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fanpop.com/spots/godzilla/videos/7584880/title/godzilla-wins-mtv-lifetime-achievement-award-1996 |title=Godzilla Wins The MTV Lifetime Achievement Award In 1996 - Godzilla video |publisher=Fanpop |date=1954-11-03 |accessdate=2010-04-13}}</ref> | |||
| Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has named its newly acquired, fast interceptor vessel Gojira in deference to the Godzilla character and as an ironic comment on the Japanese whalers' activities. Its purpose is to target and harass Japanese whalers in defence of whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.<ref>http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/news-101129-1.html</ref> <ref></ref> | |||
| ==Awards== | |||
| * 1955 Japan Academy Award - Special Effects (''Godzilla'') | |||
| * 2007 Saturn Awards - Best DVD Classic Film Release (''Godzilla'') | |||
| * 1965 Japan Academy Award - Best Score (''Mothra vs. Godzilla'') | |||
| * 1966 Japan Academy Award - Special Effects (''Invasion of Astro Monster'') | |||
| * 1986 Japan Academy Award - Special Effects and Newcomer of the Year (''The Return of Godzilla'') | |||
| * 1986 Razzie Awards - Worst Supporting Actor and Wrost New Star (''The Return of Godzilla'') | |||
| * 1992 Japan Academy Award - Special Effects (''Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah'') | |||
| * 1993 Tokyo Sports Movie Awards - Best Leading Actor (''Godzilla vs. Mothra'') | |||
| * 1993 Best Grossing Films Award - Golden Award and Money-Making Star Award (''Godzilla vs. Mothra'') | |||
| * 1993 Japan Academy Award - Best Score (''Godzilla vs. Mothra'') | |||
| * 1994 Japan Academy Award - Best Score (''Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II'') | |||
| * 1995 Best Grossing Films Award - Silver Award (''Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla'') | |||
| * 1996 Best Grossing Films Award - Golden Award (''Godzilla vs. Destoroyah'') | |||
| * 1996 Japan Academy Award - Special Effects (''Godzilla vs. Destoroyah'') | |||
| * 1996 MTV Movie Awards - Lifetime Achievement | |||
| * 1998 Golden Raspberry Awards - Worst Supporting Actress and Worst Remake or Sequel (''Godzilla 1998'') | |||
| * 1999 Saturn Awards - Best Special Effects (''Godzilla 1998'') | |||
| * 2001 Saturn Awards - Best Home Video Release (''Godzilla 2000'') | |||
| * 2002 Best Grossing Films Award - Silver Award (''Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack'') | |||
| * 2004 ] | |||
| ==References== | |||
| {{reflist}} | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| * of ] (Japanese) | |||
| * | |||
| * {{IMDb character|id=0005212|title=Godzilla}} | |||
| * http://archive.tm5150.com/godzilla/ | |||
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Revision as of 14:49, 24 October 2011
Godzilla is the name of a chinese trucker.