SHIN GODZILLA RETROSPECTIVE: Hideaki Anno's Terrifying Rebuild of The King

[@billygarcia9885]

Toho: I don’t know, 4 different versions of Gojira? That seems a bit- Bandai: LUCRATIVE. MAKE IT NOW.

[@iqmalaidil3414]

Bandai Namco being Bandai Namco. And fortunately, it was good thing for once.

[@ryanparker4996]

SHUT UP AND *MAKE* MY MONEY

[@GamerMinilla]

M E R C H A N D I S I N G

[@thienphucvu9654]

Toho: but that too- Bandai: think about the possibility toho ,the MONEY that we will have

[@foxdavion6865]

Say what you want about Bandai, but they somehow found a way to be a profit driven corporation while also caring about what their fans want at the same time. Which is rare these days.

[@mog-myownbestfriend]

This is the first time I have ever heard somebody say that the ending bit with the half-mutated tail was meant to show how close to annihilation we were and not just a reveal of what was to come, and that is honestly some positivity I could really use

[@thenumbah1birdman]

It's both, if we go by the film

[@logicplague]

I forget where I heard the quote, "If a committee defeated Godzilla, then Godzilla will become a committee."

[@ctdaniels7049]

@@logicplague [cut to the micro-godzilla-oids getting lost on the Tokyo metro system and getting into cartoonish hijinks]

[@aidenmb7932]

@@ctdaniels7049 I need this

[@GacMan47]

If I remember correctly, he's frozen temporarily until they find a permanent solution.

[@purplehaze2358]

I think the thing I appreciate about this depiction the most is that, despite being entirely CGI, by intentionally animating it to look and act like a suit, they actually made it look more realistic than if they had animated it to look like a living thing.

[@kenny3001]

That's because shin godzilla used motion capture

[@Killdust99]

With a mix of actual models being made for the film as well

[@owensreviews625]

What I really love about this film is how they’re really able to bring Godzilla back to being a destructive force of nature like in the original. Super excited to see what Anno will do with both Ultraman and Kamen Rider.

[@boogerman908]

He just needs sentai to collect em all

[@nathan_drake1237]

Not only that, apparently there doing a cinematic universe with all characters so that’s very interesting in itself in my opinion

[@UltraGanjagirl420]

Watched Shin-ultra an last night. Somehow it kept it’s original campy charm but also somehow could be really cool. Definitely worth seeing if you love Anno.

[@junrosamura645]

@@UltraGanjagirl420 My wife wants to see that since she is an ultra fan. I'll go in with low expectations and see what happens.

[@ultrakoichi]

Anno didn’t directed the Ultraman it was directed by higuchi. But kamen rider is and there’s anno’s shin super heroes universe like the marvel avengers.

[@damianstarks3338]

Shin Godzilla is definitely one of the most terrifying versions of Godzilla.

[@Mer0lk]

And still nowhere near as terrifying as baby Minilla.

[@damianstarks3338]

@@Mer0lk 😂🤣 hilarious.

[@WahyuSetiawan-sz4lc]

Yeah, it really shows that godzilla is something to be terrified of. A real monster.

[@zelnickno.2348]

probably is lol that is unless you watch teh original godzilla whihc is just terrifying

[@Succubus_L0li]

Shin Godzilla with Shin = "True" is rather fitting as Shin Godzilla is basically a faithful recreation of the very first Godzilla movie ever made, which is a Horror Genre which very fast on the next movies after the first Godzilla goes from a horror movie monster to becoming a protector of the Earth's natural order. You can look it up.

[@nobodyyouknow1065]

Turns out that Godzilla is way more scary when the JSDF are all great shots.

[@bryanphillips6088]

There's something to be said about the tension that a story creates when the characters are good at what they do and things still go wrong. You can really only pretend to be surprised when a film does the "dumb guy does dumb thing then bad things happen" that's all too common.

[@samcooper2474]

@@bryanphillips6088 agreed, very refreshing to see man falter at something that's beyond their capabilities rather than their own stupidity because 'movies'. Though personally I have nothing against such tropes, it is nice nonetheless.

[@GSTE_]

@@bryanphillips6088 well I mean I don't remember any of the 90s or 2000s characters not being good at what they do when they are trying to attack godzilla. Especially in the 90s ones where they throw everything they have at godzilla, even at points almost killing him and he just instantly reverses whats been done and destroys everything. But that does happen a lot in other films, but not usually in godzilla films.

[@bryanphillips6088]

@@GSTE_ Oh I was referring to movie plots in general, not specifically Godzilla. A good example would be Masrani in Jurassic World when he decides that he needs to be the one to pilot the helicopter to chase down Indominus. It's neither surprising nor suspenseful when it goes catastrophically wrong. The opposite would be the characters in Shin Godzilla, which are all very good at what they do and yet unable to stop the monster. Watching them intelligently work the problem is far more entertaining than watching them create their own problems.

[@truesoulghost2777]

@@bryanphillips6088 Disney Star Wars sequels. Lol

[@scoobers90]

"As a tragic figure that doesn't comprehend what's happening to it as it rages and screams from a pain it can't define..." A line this fantastic is part of why I love this channel! Keep doing what you're doing, Mr. Draper.

[@derpyplayground]

He does understand somewhat

[@ProjektTaku]

@@derpyplayground not really. He just wanders across the city, causing destruction. He does somewhat retaliate when firing the energy beams from its back, but that might just be reflexive, and even its atomic breath scene seems like its just letting the energy out of its body, not intentionally causing destruction.

[@flying-axolotls4683]

A fact about Shin: Since he was frozen and can’t be moved shin is still in there watching everything and anything going by and is always suffering.

[@Nikki_the_G]

Says who?

[@Dave175]

Me, I’m Godzilla

[@DonnaBrooks]

A creature always suffering is not a fun fact. There's nothing fun about suffering. The creature has not been shown to be malevolent. The destruction he caused was due to his size. Humans attacked HIM first, in aircraft, during his third stage.

[@Dave175]

@@DonnaBrooks Hey, I have a lot of fun suffering

[@aaronwright485]

@@DonnaBrooks By fun fact they mean an interesting thing you might not have known

[@jacobcox4565]

The scene where Gojira first uses his atomic death ray actually horrified me the first time I saw it. Gojira bending over and violently throwing up a pyroclastic flow made me feel its pain, it's like it was violently ill from radiation poisoning. When Gojira focused its beam and sliced through buildings, it actually scared me. The music, the imagery, everything about that scene is what makes Godzilla/Gojira. Not the epic monster brawls of the Monsterverse, not the campiness of the 60s, but the raw emotion of seeing such destruction. The feeling of helplessness as the world burns and people die all around. Being in awe of humanity's defiance in the face of oblivion and seeing them fight til' their very last breath, until the tortured creature that has caused so much pain and suffering is no more.

[@BiggyZ32]

Absolutely agreed. The entire time I just sat there dead silent with my mouth open in shock. The accompanying music piece was perfect for it

[@Deridus]

In a very real way, watching the JSDF Tanks opening up and manuevering was what scared me the most because of it's real-world implications. We have rarely seen Armor go at it in a grand meleé since Kursk and Desert Storm, if ever. We will have to wait and see once this current Russo-Ukraine war ends, but I have't actually heard of anything demonstrating overwhelming force. Seeing the best of Humanity unleashing its' might is a rare treat, and all the morr terrifying for it.

[@VeritabIlIti]

The Monster verse really overdoes humanity's involvement. The entire plot in King of The Monsters where they're awakened by eco-terrorists was a) quite rude to eco-terrorists (how dumb would you have to be) and b) shouldn't have even worked. Shin displays perfectly what the Monster verse keeps trying and failing to do: how to make the human side actually compelling and not just a distraction from Kaiju fights

[@1r0zz]

meanwhile at Legendary: let's make a gozzilla movie without much gozzilla and a dumb wrestling ending! even better! let's make a big american monkee and make it better than godzilla by plotarmor for cultural imperialism!"

[@1r0zz]

@@VeritabIlIti if by monster-verse you mean the western de**cation, well. it tells wonders that the first godzilla movie have godzilla for like 4 minutes on screen and the sequel have more screentime of a helicopter than the battle between monsters in the background... I could understand big dumb fight movies in hollywood, but the perversion of those movies? wasn't there one where a japanese person kamikaze nuke himself for powering up godzilla? godzilla, the creature born as identification of NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST IN JAPAN?!

[@Comicbroe405]

It's honestly really cool how Anno did this film while reinterpreting HIS own franchise with the Eva rebuilds. And both this one & the final Eva movie ended up being great.

[@Comicbroe405]

Also the love towards Kotm makes me happy. It's underrated!

[@notsusan]

The last Eva movie blew me away. I've been a fan since the first VHS copies showed up in the US when I was in jr high, Shinji is probably the fictional character I've had the strongest connection with in my life -- I went in fully prepared to be completely disappointed, and left feeling completely satisfied. That's a miracle, straight up.

[@Comicbroe405]

@@notsusan Absolutely. It's crazy how some don't like it at all.

[@notsusan]

@@Comicbroe405 I feel like a lot of the people who didn't like it were shippers and Asuka fans, and TBH a lot of those people aren't really in it for the story. Pity.

[@Zeiss120]

Technically he wasn't working on EVA when he went to make this film. He had to take a break, and is the reason why the last movie took so long. And honestly as a fan of both franchise and being a selfish prick, this one didn't have to get made.

[@The_Rutabaga]

I feel like Shin will only become more appreciated with time. I still remember sitting in the theater and thinking this was exactly the kind of change Godzilla needs and deserves.

[@maesi6974]

Indeed, I was washing the dishes today and remembered how great this movie was

[@SilverGummiShark]

The more I learn about this film and the production behind it, the more I love it.

[@cyrus138]

Saw it in the theaters too and I haven't shut up about it.

[@alexsilva28]

I mean it won 7 academy awards in japan and was a commercial success internationally. I don't see how it could be more appreciated

[@JazziG59]

I just pretend it didn’t happen. Such a strange film.

[@BubblegumCrash332]

I was lucky enough to see this in Theaters. It quickly became one of my favorites. 54,84 and Shin I can watch anytime. I like my Godzilla solo, evil and dark.

[@clash79]

I like 84 better than Matt as well. These three definitely share a connective thread, which is made quite apparent with each movie starting with it’s own version of the boat scene

[@BubblegumCrash332]

@@clash79 85 was the first Godzilla film I saw as a child in the 80s..I love it flaws and all. But love or hate you have to acknowledge how great that soundtrack is

[@zeppelin_4743]

Theater was the best way to experience this movie 10/10

[@lambdaweaponscache5394]

Lucky you! My cousin saw it in theaters in LA. This is my favorite Godzilla film as of now.

[@KaijuSlayer54]

Facts

[@asteranightshade2981]

To me Shin Godzilla is a story of a mind that wants to die, but a body that refuses to let it. I see it as a tragedy, and it is by far one of my favourite movies.

[@maylabrown4584]

Very happy to hear working on Shin Godzilla helped Ano with his depression, makes watching the movie that much better

[@chikex]

This episode was everything I was hoping for, including Shin Godzilla as the best film. Shin Godzilla was the only Godzilla film to truly show me how frightening the concept of Godzilla could be, from the perspective of what an entity like that could truly do, to the true ineffectiveness of government in the face of such overwhelming disaster, to the utter helplessness we all know is there, but we try to fight and deny. I also am throwing my vote for an animation perspective-but do NOT forget the 70s cartoon when you do it. Yes, it is INCREDIBLY cheesy by today's perspective, but it played its part in bringing Godzilla to America's consciousness...even if they made many people assume Godzilla was green...

[@mickeymouse7726]

Such a creative redesign of Godzilla probably the coolest atomic breath sequence

[@theonewhouploadsnothing1704]

While this movie has cemented itself as one of my favorites, I am glad that Toho kept him from going too far into making Godzilla/Eva 3. I feel that if they allowed Godzilla to evolve further then it would’ve ruined the impact and messages it had. But that’s my two cents on it. Also probably an unpopular opinion, this movie shouldn’t have a sequel, it’s in too much of a “razor’s edge of apocalypse” for it to continue for me. Also if a Kaiju was brought into a sequel then it have to somehow rival or briefly overcome Gojira, which has Dragon Ball levels of power creep all over it.

[@PhoenicopterusR]

They could definitely introduce other kaiju as long as they're careful to focus less on increasing power, and more on a situation that requires creativity to solve. Although I agree they should leave this one as a standalone, if not for that reason, then to let the whole situation and the emotions rest, and the final scene be a mysterious warning.

[@BlueScarabGuy]

I kinda like the further concepts and forms as an extension of the film's story itself, honestly. I hadn't heard about the whole "godzilla becoming an entire universe and transcending reality" stuff, but it just further strengthens the message of the film's excellent final shot: look how close we were to oblivion, if we hadn't come together. It's a little meta. Toho's gotta stop Anno from making the movie spiral beyond any hope of victory for humanity, before it's too late! Stop the story here or we're all doomed!

[@Nomadestra]

Here's why I don't think it will ruin it. Anno is respectful to the legacy of Godzilla. Shin is a love letter to the original Gojira. However, Anno is clever and I think if the humanoid 5th form were to be used how I think Anno will use it, it would make sense. Shin is evolving to adapt to the new problems that humanity is using against him. With nuclear disaster inevitable and with him now knowing defeat, or at least the stalemate he's in, thematically it only makes sense for the humanoid 5th form to be used as Godzilla's attempt at a bridge to humanity, an offering of peace. It can't communicate, so this will be Shin's only way to make things right. Godzilla will always be a force of nature, though, so naturally this form won't last amd he'll continue to evolve into further more frightening forms. None of this will weaken the overarching themes of Godzilla, because in the end people will still misunderstand his attempt at peace, and thus the Godzilla we know will come right back.

[@ToastyNoneofyourbusiness]

I agree. I feel like if they had gone with the godzilla zombies, the general republic would have considered it godzilla's "jumping the shark"

[@Wyattoons]

I appreciate that you include Godzilla 98 in your list. It’s not a good movie and really only borrows the name to tell it’s own story, but it does exist. And I’m kind of bothered that so many try to retcon reality and pretend it never happened. It happened. And that’s okay.

[@richardball5843]

At least it led to Godzilla: The Animated Series. That was great imo.

[@chasedownall6492]

@@richardball5843 Godzilla Jr. is more of a Godzilla than his dad ever was. It was a good movie, of course, but it wasn't a good Godzilla movie.

[@danielsgarden9283]

@@chasedownall6492 EXACTLY. it wouldn’t be AS hated then as it is if it wasn’t a Godzilla movie. It’s not Godzilla movie but i find it perfectly fine and sometimes enjoyable though stupid it’s really not that bad

[@devmag52]

@@danielsgarden9283 more like Jurassic Mutation

[@maureenobrien4968]

Tomorrow it will be 24 years since it came out, and people are still beating the dead horse to this day. Why can’t we move on?

[@BlueScarabGuy]

The Masterpiece. I'll never get over the contrast between seeing Godzilla 2014 and Shin in theaters. When Godzilla whipped out the atomic breath in G14, it was the moment everyone in the theater cheered. As Shin Goji's back began to glow, I felt the audience of destruction-loving kaiju nerds all preparing to cheer once more...and then, nothing but gasps and hands over mouths in absolute horror as Goji's jaw split and a sea of smoke and flame engulfed the screen. Few times have I seen such a swift reversal of catharsis. As I've said in my comments on your other kaiju videos, I can't praise Shinji Higuchi's effects work enough. While the giant Hollywood effects and TJ Storm's performance were great at bringing the Monsterverse king to life, Shin Goji's CG monster is just as effective in an entirely different way, his motion capture playing much like a suit performer, or honestly even MORE limited in motion than a man in a costume...which makes the sudden moments of speed and power all the more shocking, like a coiled snake striking without warning.

[@chrisnicholson3231]

I got to see シン・ゴジラ at the Toho Cinemas theater in Shinjuku. Fans, spray, shaking seats, the works. It was AWESOME. Already familiar with Japanese bureaucracy, I caught all jabs and in-jokes. Was surprised when one of my friends started giggling as the creature knocked down an office building. Then she leaned over and whispered that she used to work in that building. Such is the realism of that movie, using then-current Tokyo as the setting. It definitely left an impression on me. Like you, I've seen all of the series and シン・ゴジラ is my favorite.

[@HelloBoy145]

You are one lucky MOFO.

[@Polymerata]

"Spray, *Shaking seats* " Something's not right but I can sense it

[@ProfessorKB]

God I loved this series of yours. Shin Godzilla is my favorite by a mile. Though this is 100% a product of the culture and country it was created it in, the incompetency of the government and the bullshit of bureaucracy is extremely relatable all over the world

[@PersonWMA]

I always found this movie relaxing to watch. If there was ever a way to get away with "Bureaucracy The Nail Biting Drama", this was it. Your interpretation of the film, especially how humanity collectively rising up to meet Godzilla as a god of its own is an interesting take.

[@maliklofton9148]

Your Godzilla series is so great. I had no idea there was so much lore behind the creation of the kaiju and it's different incarnations.

[@armada5534]

This is, in my opinion, still remains to be the BEST modern Godzilla movie, in story, design and cinematography, *EVER*. I cannot wait to see what Anno and Higuchi have in store for tommorow's Shin Ultraman and next year's Shin Kamen Rider.

[@Ghidorah_Stan64]

An animated retrospective on Godzilla would be truly incredible. It’s ironic since when it comes to the 98’ Godzilla movie it’s widely considered one of the worst pieces of media in Godzilla history, while at the same time it’s animated counterpart is praised as one of the greatest interpretations of Godzilla by fans, and in my opinion surpasses any other animated Godzilla series.

[@samcooper2474]

It's not just that G98 is a bad g movie, but as a standalone blockbuster flick it's just nothing special. The creature is mediocre, the action is boring and there are is no deep or meaningful theme or narrative. Even the showa films had more meat on them beyond just being campy man in suit flicks. And if I have to hear one more brainless cretin praise it for being 'realistic' I'm going to bash myself with a hammer. There is NOTHING realistic about that movie.

[@Exel3nce]

i can only think of garbage when hearing animated godzilla

[@sebastienvondoom8615]

@@Exel3nce I don't know, Singular Point isn't bad.

[@samcooper2474]

@@Exel3nce nah, at least the anime gave us Godzilla Earth which is a far better and more interesting concept for the big G than what the 98 film ended up doing. Will admit that Singular Point was kinda crap though.

[@Exel3nce]

@@samcooper2474 is that true

[@Marb315]

Shin Godzilla is the scariest Godzilla has, and maybe will ever be. I'm looking forward to Shin Kamen Rider even though I have no attachment to that character because I trust that Anno is able to make something special of it

[@stephenvelez9710]

Shin Godzilla is a pure horror film. Absolutely adored it!

[@kenidocleveland4359]

Absolutely LOVE the Nakamura theme playing in the background....excellent touch

[@coolgoyim1133]

What I appreciate with the shin godzilla version is that it reminded people of how godzilla is a destructive titan and a representation of calamities. I really hope in the future shin gojira gets its sequel

[@pious83]

I remember watching the ending to Shin Godzilla, thoroughly impressed. Yet also thinking I need to see Shin Ghidorah!

[@stevejamieson8468]

A Shin Kevin would be awesome

[@The_Joestar]

There is an official Shin Ghidorah! He's featured in the 3/4D ride Anno created

[@Wolfbarr01]

@@stevejamieson8468 "hey there friends, my name is Kevin and today we are doing something a little bit different" *CITY EXPLODES*

[@GuessWho7197]

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the 90s American animated series. I remember even as a kid not caring for the movie, but really enjoying the cartoon that spun off of it. Haven't watched it since, so it'd be cool to see if I just had weird tastes as a kid or if it really was a diamond in the rough.

[@venom74799]

Nah. The animated version in the 90’s was legit and I still like it. The 98 godzilla movie has been universally panned and I despise it. Your taste is fine.

[@animeking1357]

I also feel the same. The movie is pretty bad but the cartoon series is chef's kiss.

[@PhoenicopterusR]

The cartoon was definitely a great "monster of the week" cartoon. I don't know anyone who looks back on it negatively.

[@HimitsuHunter]

Godzilla Vs Biollante being in the top 4 made me outright smile. Can't agree more with your full top 4.

[@chifang705]

As someone who grew up with Godzilla, watched all the old movies as kid with my dad, found weird animated versions and still go on binges of Godzilla watching Shin Godzilla has got to be my absolute favorite He might look like a gross af lizard worm, but he's my gross af lizard worm.

[@Rhodair]

Godzilla "doing the worm" on the world's buildings and boats

[@NonExistingName]

Great analysis! Shin godzilla is easily one of my fave movies ever. You mentioned that godzilla is utterly emotionless however, and I just have to bring up the split second shot of godzilla closing its eyes right before unleashing its atomic breath. That tells me It knew the destruction it was about to bring, and didn't want to see it. That one moment showed so much emotion.

[@cartmanofsp]

I took that as a protective sort of membrane covering his eyes.

[@FromCharlieToMike]

This movie brought me to tears. The history woven in regarding the bombing from the U.S. was so impactful. You could really feel the weight of the situation. And Godzilla himself, wow. My favorite Godzilla movie by far.

[@YOUPIMatin123]

To tears? Damn. Sad.

[@FromCharlieToMike]

@@YOUPIMatin123 It was.

[@very_not_emo]

@@YOUPIMatin123 jaded mfs when people enjoy things:

[@JustDandyGuy]

Excellent finale to an amazing retrospective Hope to get that Evangelion video! Takes from new viewers to Neon Genesis Evangelion is always interesting.

[@mothballsva]

hideaki anno is really something else. his push of reimagining and reinventing beloved series with an enormous bang is undeniable and impressive. shin godzilla is an incredible film.

[@logandotson5600]

Hearing you talk about EVA with Gunship playing in the background felt right. Excellent video.

[@TOKYOTOYBANZAI]

Fantastic retrospective. My all-time favorite Godzilla film, and one of my favorite movies. Saw it opening night here in Japan and it blew my mind. Going to see Shin Ultraman tomorrow night! Cannot wait!!!

[@MattDraper]

What are your thoughts on Shin Godzilla and what are your favorite Godzilla movies?

[@owensreviews625]

I personally really dug Shin Godzilla. A Godzilla film from the man behind Neon Genesis Evangelion? Sign me up! And as for my favorite Godzilla films, my top three would be the following: 1. Godzilla (1954) 2. Godzilla vs King Gidorah (1991) and finally 3. Godzilla: Final Wars (2004).

[@Mitsuraga]

Shin Godzilla good. Really illustrated for me what I didn't like about the American films from Legendary Pictures. Godzilla should mean something if the story is going for anything more than goofy monster action. And let's see... in no particular order (besides release date), my top 5 favourite Godzilla films are Mothra vs. Godzilla, Godzilla vs. Megalon, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, Godzilla vs. Biollante, and Godzilla vs. Destoroyah. This is not including the original 1954 film, which is a masterpiece and places #1, by default. Also feel like I should give Godzilla (1984) an honourable mention, since it's probably the next runner-up to the five I listed. By the way, I agree that Against Mechagodzilla is easily the best of the Millennium era. I love Akane as a character and never forgave Tokyo S.O.S. for unceremoniously replacing her.

[@alexgeorge501]

they really should of done an Evangelion VS Shin Gojira crossover, now that's a battle the world would NEVER forget!

[@Enshohma]

Godzilla vs Hedorah: I agree, it's ambition and style over substance but it excels in those regards, like a weird but memorable dark children's book brought to cinematic life. Plus, Hedorah is a fantastic and underrated kaiju antagonist. GMK, Godzilla vs Biollante, King of the Monsters 2019, both Showa-era Mechagodzilla films, Godzilla vs The Sea Monster, Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla, Shin Godzilla, and the 1954 are also huge favorites but Hedorah is my own personal bias.

[@thelonewolfajx3641]

You know it's kinda ironic how I literally found your channel Because I wanted to look up godzilla history I'm a die hard godzilla fan My favorite Era is Heisie My top 5 godzilla movies are as followed 5. Godzilla vs Kong because it was honestly a great way to get back into theatures and that team up had me going man 4.Godzilla vs Biolantte it's honestly a hidden gem that doesn't get talked about as much as I think it would 3 Godzillla Vs mecha G 2 love the cuteness of baby godzilla and it has a great story and love the Way it ended plus super Mecha G favorite version 2.is probably Shin Godzilla it can go head to head with any godzilla movie really like how is said matt it was talked about and doesn't need to be explained anymore 1. Godzilla Vs Destroya emotional send-off ending loved Godzilla Jr horror elements A direct Tie in with the Original 1954 movie Great effects and a Mourning godzilla Imo the best godzilla movie Thank you Matt I'm a huge supporter of your channel and I love your in depth review of ever vid you've made I'm a die hard horror Godzilla and Marvel fan and I love hearing another person's in depth review of these things Long Live The King

[@tokutexascosplay5066]

I remember going to Alamo Drafthouse to watch this subbed in my city back in 2016. I thought it was spectacular and my opinion of it gets better as time goes by. This is definitely on of my top 3 Godzilla movies. I can't wait what Hideaki Anno does with Shin Ultraman!! (my other favorite tokusatsu franchise)

[@SpiderusPrime]

Perfect timing for Shin Ultraman coming out this Friday in Japan.

[@androyus]

Yes, definitely do more!: Earth Trilogy & Singular Point Evangelion & Rebuild ALL Gamera movies!! 😁

[@chancepaladin]

absolute top-tier movie and i'm never going to forget the lidless, happy look on gojira's face as he rumbles down the road on his tummy saying hi to all his new friends

[@someguy5581]

Hi from Japan. Thank you for this great video explaining what this film was like to us!!!

[@mullaoslo]

I love shin godzilla.. Even got to see it in the cinema a couple of years after it released..

[@-Tidae]

Shin's my favorite of all because of the design, concept, and execution, but what I appreciate the most is it goes back to what Godzilla originally was, a representation of natural or human disaster (and not big monsters 1v1)

[@scout360pyroz]

One thing that struck me about the government wasn't straight up incompetence. He displays their ineffectiveness, but it comes across as very understandable. I honestly felt sorry for the old guys struggling to come up with a rapid response, estimate the damages, try and fail to get decent info on the monster, etc. A big standout was how fast everything moved compared to how fast those characters wanted it to move, and the unwillingness of many of the initial people they reached out to to give definite analysis. They felt like politicians who were genuinely trying to be effective once definite evidence of it being a creature emerged, but were left high and dry initially, and never recovered.

[@bZman]

I was lucky enough to see Shin when it dropped in a limited event here in US, I have watched the blu ray more times than I can count too. It is really one of the single most impressively realistic and horrifying interpretations of Godzilla I could ever have imagined. I would love to see Toho continue to let true visionaries run wild with their interpretations of Godzilla while still allowing Legendary to continue with the Monsterverse.

[@adjustedbrass7551]

I bet you were excites for Minus One

[@oops6876]

Out of curiosity, now that Minus One and GxK have arrived, where would you rank them overall? Really love your videos btw. Your channel has become one of my favorites on KZbin over the last few months ❤️

[@jmalmsten]

As we've had Shin Evangelion, Shin Godzilla, now Shin Ultraman and coming later is Shin Kamen Rider... I am very much expecting a full on Shin-Universe of franchises. Maybe a multiple dimensional thing to explain why these Shin-characters haven't heard of each other. Yes, I know the owners of the rights might not be as willing to put all of these things in one storyline. But still. One can hope. It may not even be good. It might be the worst thing ever filmed. I just think it would be an interesting experiment.

[@bbrbbr-on2gd]

Love these long form essays about things you passionate about, good work. 👍

[@CashMoneyReckadz]

Shin Godzilla is what the actual debut movie would have looked like, had the monster not been thought of until 2016 which is why this is my number #1 pick of the franchise. The second half of the movie was jaw-dropping across the entire theater. The sheer power and agony displayed were incredibly well done and worth the LONG wait from Toho.

[@ZimmZutinZayai]

Shin Gojira was an amazing interpretation of the classic Japanese monster. I don't even compare it to the Legendary films, which I, honestly, equally adore. Let's hope there's more Shin in store for the near future.

[@stevejamieson8468]

I would have liked to have Shin team up with Legendary Godzilla and Kong team up against the most recent MechaGodzilla and Gigan.

[@DragONheart27X]

Oh yeah the Legendary films are like the flipside of Godzilla's mythos. I won't mind a Shin Mothra film from Anno.

[@jjamv9373]

@@stevejamieson8468 I feel like that contradicts shin Godzilla tho

[@williamjohnson3790]

Yet another banger and a great way to cap off the Godzilla retrospective! When I first watched this, the fire breath scene is what truly stuck with me. When any new Godzilla film comes out, I get hyped when I see the spines start shining, my inner 12 year old going "oh SNAP, he's gonna do the THING". And then seeing the large-scale far-reaching destruction of his fire bomb breath followed by it being pressurized into the thin beam. I saw it tear through the city and I was... horrified. Buildings are splitting apart and entire city blocks are being charred, not because of any malice on Godzilla's part, but simply because of a natural process he has to do to expel energy. While I did know that this modern interpretation of Godzilla was a larger metaphor on the Fukushima disaster, I think that scene in particular is what made the helplessness of witnessing the destructive capacity of nature with no immediately apparent recourse very real.

[@Novataros]

I said it before, but I’d love to see a retrospective on animated Godzilla series

[@matthewlugo2417]

The anime?

[@Novataros]

@@matthewlugo2417 there have been a number of them

[@matthewlugo2417]

@@Novataros what are u even talking about

[@spencerclark6113]

@@matthewlugo2417 there's two animes, a 70's cartoon, and the companion cartoon to the '98 american movie. The latter two have a significant impact of their own on the series and kaiju tropes, while the anime came out very recently.

[@loganwendigo937]

Oh hey a new video about my favorite Godzilla Movie! Going to see Shin Godzilla on the big screen is still one of my best time I have ever had in a theater

[@tristansylvester1079]

I think the recent Godzilla v Kong movie not giving Godzilla much of an arc worked well honestly. It made him feel sinister, and I'm shocked they let Godzilla be so much more powerful than Kong (I thought realistically he should be, but for merchandising reasons I thought they'd make them more even) as in pretty much all of his appearances Godzilla stomps hard, and from the very start he knew more than the other characters in the movie. Knowing exactly what the villain was trying to accomplish. It was a really interesting part for him to play I felt

[@filiperodriguesaquin]

An animated retrospective would be really nice! I love the 90's spinoff cartoon, it has its heart on the right place :3

[@thomasdeen2099]

unlike its shitty parent

[@darthva31]

I love Anno's more unique take on Godzilla. Can't wait to see his adaptations of other classic toku series with Shin Ultraman and Shin Kamen Rider.

[@hafirenggayuda]

Shin Ultraman quite good, although I feel it lost Shin Goji's "realism". Then again ultra series is more into fantastic side

[@thomasc9719]

It's starting the video with "The Rising Sun" that did it for me. Hell yea!

[@tableclothninja]

i NEED a sequel to this film, i really hope they revive it

[@alyssaj6579]

Shin Godzilla was honestly the first interpretation that genuinely disturbed and scared me. Hes nightmare fuel in this movie...

[@AV57]

I find it somewhat terrifying that a god would be born into such agonizing pain and confusion, and almost immediately attacked by humanity as he attempted to get a grip on reality. It’s such an understandable position for a massively powerful being to lash out.

[@alejandroreyes8878]

I've been looking forward for this... Thanks

[@potatohat3994]

Legit one of my fav movies of all time and def one of my fav Godzilla movies of all time. Last summer I did a Godzilla marathon and after so many movies, this felt like such a breath of fresh air in a great way and is such a cool version of the monster. Can’t wait for shin ultraman!!!

[@bluboy2317]

I love this channel it goes so In depth and talks about the symbolism and representation of morals and philosophical themes 😭

[@michaelheffner7684]

I think I speak for all of us when I say “we’d adore a Gamera retrospective”. If not for everything, then at least the fantastically cheesy theme song from the classic films

[@spookytadpoles_94]

Man this video is fantastic. Anno is such a definitive creative force, between this , his independent live action films and his building and rebuilding of evangelion. I’m so excited to see shin kamen rider!

[@mariamaravilla9005]

I watched Shin Godzilla last night because of this video =) I gotta say it's exactly what I would've wanted from "Godzilla but done by Hideaki Anno", his directing style is very his. It reminded me in particular of one of my favorite Eva episodes, Lilliputian Hitcher, with human intelligence and cooperation being the real weapon to save the day

[@Gio-Rider]

This was perhaps my favorite series of videos on your channel. Keep the love for the big G high

[@DTyrannosaurus]

Is putting Shin at the top of this list controversial at all? Serious question. I’ve been a Godzilla fan for, no joke, like 45 years, and when I saw Shin, it instantly become my favorite - and still is.

[@alejandroreyes8878]

To me, this is the greatest Godzilla rendition since 1954 Gojira... Terrifyingly magnificent, tragic, relevant and captivating

[@SuperThebillybob]

Loved your Godzilla videos. Shin Godzilla is a modern sci-fi masterpiece. Weirdly it's so good that when I watched it back to back with Man of Steel last year it made me recontexulize that movie and its commentary on ecological collapse and the failures of government and military might as parallels in both. Anyways, Goji rules, I fuck with the original Gojira, Monsterverse GvK and KotM, and Godzilla vs Mothra. Heisei is still a blindspot for me. Would love to see more kaiju or Anno videos from you. Hell yeah, Godzilla.

[@Joemama-xz3fk]

This video was made literally the day i did my school report on this movie Fantastic video fam, did my favorite movie justice👌👌👌

[@wren7195]

Fan-flippin-tastic, thanks for making this. Shin scared me, deeply to the bone, more than any horror flick I'd ever seen. The music, the realistic incompetence of the people in charge, and above all that terrifying creature. Like you said, he was a walking reactor, almost dismissive in the way he causes harm just by existing. When he calls forth that horrifying beam in the darkness, while "Who Will Know?" plays in the background... I teared up, and legitimately had nightmares that evening. One of, if not the, best Godzilla movies ever made. Thank you so much for this incredible analysis and behind-the-scenes video, I loved every minute of it! Any possibility you could do a deep dive of Singular Point? As a theoretical physicist I really enjoyed the sci-fi of that anime, it was trippy and fun.

[@pragyankalita7848]

I too enjoyed Godzilla singular point

[@zillastudios8430]

Shin godzilla. Some say hes in pain. Some say he merely acts. Some say hes a benevolent force. But he will always be.... The king of monsters, and nuclear power personified

[@alanzelaya7648]

Well said. Well done. Thank you.

[@CinemaSeven]

My favorite Godzilla and one of my favorite movies period. Glad to see a video on it.

[@GrindHouse1990]

I love this movie and I saw this movie in theaters and so far is my favorite Godzilla even though I haven’t seen all the films, I might watch the whole series now…oh boy 😅

[@JadeFoxAlpha]

This is the only Godzilla movie I've gotten to watch in theaters, and what a choice it was. This is such a superb movie. There's so much I love about it. The layers of comedy and tragedy, the spectacle and terror of actual military power that you could feel, and the horror of the most hideous and terrifying Godzilla ever made. I love this movie.

[@MitsurugiR]

This Godzilla is by far the most unsettling, I love how hopeless everything feels throughout the whole film.

[@silverwing4107]

Thank you so much, Matt. I've been a Tokusatsu/Monster movie fan for over a decade, and Godzilla has been with me my whole life since my childhood. I have been following your channel since your first Showa Era video and all the way to the end of your Reiwa Era video. Your Video Essay is one of the best movie review youtubers I have seen on KZbin. Our ranking of the 33 live-action Godzilla movies so far has a lot in common. I'd love to see your video reviews of the Gamera, Mothra, Kong, and other Showa Toho monster universe movies (trust me, some of them are as good as the Godzilla movies themselves, many of the monsters in Destroy All Monsters came from those movies). Also, please to review the animated version of Godzilla, which I'm sure many of our fans would really love to see it. Thank you again for the wonderful video.

[@jikorijo4516]

Really well done video! As a longtime Godzilla/Gainax/Anno fan, I'd been looking forward to this video when you first started your Godzilla marathon and after I saw your glowing review of Shin Godzilla on Letterboxd. Here are some tidbits I wanted to share: - The photo of Goro Maki is, in reality, a picture of Japanese New Wave film director, Kihachi Okamoto. Anno has stated that Okamoto is his favorite film director and, at the Hideaki Anno Exhibition that started in 2021 and continuing currently in Japan, cited several of Okamoto's films as having influenced him (Westward Desperado, Fort Graveyard, Japan’s Longest Day, The Human Bullet, The Battle of Okinawa, and Blood Type: Blue). Anno even wrote the liner notes for the laserdisc release of The Battle of Okinawa and has claimed to have watched the film over 100 times. - Shin Godzilla's co-director, Shinji Higuchi, was also an uncredited special effects assistant for The Return of Godzilla (aka Godzilla 1985). - 23:01 - Speaking of that competitiveness, I thought it was interesting that both Legendry's Godzilla and Shin's had scenes where buildings are used to knock down Godzilla. Only in Shin, it doesn't actually work. Almost as if Toho were showing how their version of Godzilla was far more powerful or that a couple of buildings couldn't actually stop Godzilla. - 23:59 - Another small reference to the original 54' Godzilla film is that Shin also begins with a shot of a running boat. Thanks for all the hard work on these Godzilla videos! I'll be looking forward to your future videos, especially ones centered on Eva or any other Gainax/khara/Anno projects! Omedetō! ;)

[@KnightLightXL]

This has become my favorite Godzilla film, this was one of the first films in the franchise to give me the feeling of terror and concern, I love Godzilla for all its interpretations from the original force of nature to the goofy protect of the earth. This feels like Godzilla return to form but brought into the modern age, I love it and do consider it one of my favorites

[@kenmaru777]

Its scary how nature disasters created this cool Kaiju I, I can't thank disasters I'm proud and love how Japan transformed depression to fun and hope Thank you Anno, Japan I had a worst depression in my life, and, Godzilla vs Kong was a hope for me Its so funny now to think about my thoughts then: "I will watch GvsK and than kill myself" No, its scary☠️ Just... Don't give up guys Life is hard, insanely hard but... 😢 There are things that I can't lose in my life, I want to live, I want to feel happiness Thank you Anno, Japan, Internet

[@blarghinatelazer9394]

Thank you for sharing your story.

[@blarghinatelazer9394]

@Qagmez 7668 They're talking about how Godzilla has affected them personally. How such an iconic character was born from real-life horrors, and how the series has inspired them. Their anecdote about Godzilla v Kong details how they had intended on committing suicide after watching the movie, as one last happy thing for them to enjoy. They end their comment with a call to not give up on life, no matter how hard it can be. It's a beautiful comment, really.

[@WoodsAreBeautiful]

Mucho Texto

[@JohnnyMontilla]

Very good video!

[@Godzilla-tu2cd]

Such a great movie. I can't wait for future movies from Toho and Legendary long live the king🤴

[@MadotsukiGaming]

Shin Godzilla has to be one of my favorite Goji films too, everything is great about it.

[@carsonsmith7314]

And thus, it ends. As I said before, Long Live the King! EDIT: GO GO GODZILLA!

[@johnpittsii7524]

Thanks for the video Matt. Big godzilla fan. Much ❤

[@zGamerGodz]

this video totally sold me on the movie. ive now watched it and it was fascinating and a bit goofy and some of the horror elements worked pretty well but the overall experience was pretty much ''eh it was pretty good, i dont feel i wasted my time.'' but damn did i love the design of gozilla, it was fanfuckintastic. unsettling mix of believeable and ludicrous, goofy and terrifying. (the second form is my absolute favourite that thing was a fuckin treat on the eyes) every time gozilla was on screen the movie came to life while in a very gozilla fashion it lost most of its steam when it cut from the monster and tried to have a story around the humans.

[@GageM808]

Movie looks great definitely going to give it a watch. Thanks, the series has been amazing!

[@bryandacote8109]

I'm a very casual Godzilla fan. my first was the 1998 movie. I still have a soft spot for it since it set up my preference for Godzilla VS Humanity. For a while the 1954 movie (more specifically the 1955 Americanized version) was my favorite cuz to me it was the only Godzilla movie with a brain cuz it had something to say. But Shin Godzilla has topped it and is one of my favorite movies. which is funny to me since I didn't like Evagalion

[@theebronks]

great analysis and commentary; Shin is probably my favorite Godzilla film though I've admittedly struggled to really get into the franchise.

[@Deadwolf27]

You mean to tell me Godzilla vs Space Godzilla ain't number 1? No but seriously thank you so much for this video and all the work that went into it!

[@Racavanian2]

As a 45 year old fan, growing up with easily accessible videos thru Betamax, and VHS rentals, seeing Shin Godzilla for the first time gave me goosebumps. It's a well written fantastical sci-fi horror film rooted in reality. Godzilla is simply a force of nature.

[@victorkaranja1420]

closest thing we getting to an anime related analysis lol

[@dannygrizz4358]

undeniably, i am a Godzilla fan after these series of videos going to do my own binge

[@themilkman5004]

Is that Shinsuke Nakamura’s theme in the beginning?

[@lizardjr.7826]

Yes.