Part of the Millennium Era of G-Films, Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002), is one of the finest Godzilla movies! The film is directed by Masaaki Tezuka who was second assistant director on Godzilla and Mothra: The Battle for Earth (1992) and Godilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993). He worked with screenwriter, Wataru Mimuru, who also worked on those G-Films. For Godzilla Day, there was a featurette from Japan, a battle between Godzilla and Hedorah, from Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster (1971).
Not my favorite G-Film, but this one had great shots; a worm’s eye view of the two fighting overhead between some pipes, the battle goes on behind some buildings, you see Hedorah sending out his toxic fluid and then Godzilla’s atomic breath! Next, a behind the scenes of the shoot. Then, a message from Toho Chief Godzilla Officer, Keiji Ota. Great features! Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla is set in 1999, “Tateyama, Chiba Prefecture”, a shipyard with whistles to get ready, the military forces are sent including soldier, Lt. Akane Yashiro (Yumiko Shaku). The actress’ first film was The Princess Blade (2001) based on the manga, Lady Snowblood.
The Naval officers salute and then the JXSDF starts with Akane driving the commander in a jeep. We see Typhoon 13 lashing the Tateyama shore. This is from a reporter braving the storm. The news crew is behind him. We see him trying to report in the night when giant spines appear! They all turn to see Godzilla, towering above them, and run! Cans spill from a trash can and a man tries to collect them before seeing a police car and finally a maser cannon! They are part of the AMF (Anti-Megalosaurus Force).
A report like type says it was formed in “Chiba in 1966” to take on kaiju. Also, explained it has “4,072 members.” Akane is the co-pilot of the maser cannon. Lt. Togashi (Kô Takasugi) is the other pilot and takes orders from her. Takasugi was later in Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (2003) and Godzilla: Final Wars (2004), the last Millennium movie that really had Godzilla in a cameo. Then, we get the crowds running, in the rain is a change. At a distance we see Big G, his back spines are lit, at the medium perspective. The problem with suitmation is that it is usually kept in medium shots so it looks the same size as a guy in a suit.
A guy cries out for his house that is stomped by Godzilla. A shot of Godzilla with miniature town houses. The AMF tanks roll out. Seeing the inside of the tanks is cool, it is usually just brief shots, here we get some targeting and cannon fire. Then, rockets blast Godzilla’s chest in closeups, no effect of course. They start to retreat, but Godzilla kicks one to be flipped over and explode on another tank! Akane reports that the Maser Units are in position. Searchlights find Godzilla moving through trees and the rain.
Akane orders the maser to be raised, the electrical bolts slice through trees until they reach Godzilla. She targets Godzilla’s eye! It strikes Godzilla’s snout and he roars with his atomic breath charging up. Then, he unleashes it at the hillside above the artillery! The commander orders a retreat. Akane turns the maser cannon and it strikes the commander’s car sending over the cliff! Godzilla crushes the car with his foot. Akane can also stare as Godzilla’s tail whips out throwing the maser down the cliff! She struggles to get up and then sees in the storm Godzilla charged up by the lightning hitting his spines as he roars in victory!
The next day, we see the aftermath of a refugee shelter, a converted school room. Another reporter says that this attack was like the Godzilla of 1954. So in effect, this is like keeping the original, and starting from this movie. Then, we move to the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Machiko Tsuge, played by Kumi Mizuno, she is an actress from the Shōwa G-Films. Mizuno was in the Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965), as the mysterious Miss Namikawa, Godzilla takes on Ghidorah with Rodan teaming up, and Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (1966), the Kaiju lobster plus Mothra!
It is awesome to see Mizuno back and as prime minister! She recaps the events of the first Godzilla (1954) when Godzilla was finally destroyed by the Oxygen Destroyer invented by Dr. Serizawa. The Minister of Science and Technology, Hayato Igarashi (Akira Nakao) brings up the other Kaiju threats. Nakao was in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993) and also the final Heisei G-Film, Godzilla vs. Destroyah (1995) as Commander Takaki Aso. The prime minister lists Mothra defeated by a heat ray and the Gargantuas taken down by maser cannons.
I think it is interesting that the Gargantuas are mentioned since their film, The War of the Gargantuas (1966) was just brought into the GVerse. It also starred Mizuno and also Russ Tamblyn from West Side Story (1961). We move to the AMF Narashino Command Post. Akane faces a military review of the fateful night. The military board wonders what happened when she is capable maser operator. One word: Godzilla. She blames herself for the deaths and alone sits at a funeral for them.
Her fellow driver hears the rumors about her being moved to the Data Center. At a university, students watch what looks like a trilobite crawling in an aquarium. Dr. Yuhara (Shin Takuma) explains that it is half-robot, so um, a cyborg? He used a horseshoe crab with a DNA computer brain to move the trilobite. None of the students are interested in what he is saying. A funny part of the movie, actually I didn’t notice this just playing the DVD. Dr. Yuhara is leaving when government officials meet with him. They take him to the Defense Agency, Science & Technology.
He is introduced to Dr. Akamatsu (Robotics), Akira Shirai portrays the scientist, Yuhara sits and then sees Dr. Yamada (Microwaves), played by Midori Hagio. This team of scientists was gathered by Minister Igarashi. He has a screen rolled down as they see a diver approaching the skeleton of the original Godzilla! The room starts to elevate and Igarashi explains that the bones were found last year. He tells Yuhara that they are planning on a bio-robot, his specialty. The Anti-Godzilla weapon passes through the Diet, the National Legislature body of Japan.
Prime Minister Tsuge faces criticism that the weapon would be used on other nations. Watching the newcast is Akane. There is a pot with sleeping grass watched by young Sara (Kana Onodera). Her father, Yuhara, has prepared her breakfast. I like the figures of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza by the tv. He has refused to work on the project, but Sara suggests like baseball players who have a condition of having a kid in the dugout, she can join him. Yuhara answers the door with the government official who offers the same condition Sara just suggested, funny!
It is “one month later”, Sara walks with other kids who are kinda pushy around her. Still, they are amazed at the building, Sara tells them its name is Mechagodzilla. Sara tells them she lives at the base and a guard salutes her. They are near completion of the project and Sara is said that her mother is not brought back instead of Mechagodzilla. She of course is the heart of the film. Akane works out furiously in the Steve Rogers style. Then, we get the office of the new prime minister. Tsuge passes the office to Igarashi. The cables surround the new project with a giant, blue backpack with thrusters on it, Iron Man. Then, this shifts to 2003. Akane is filing books in a library when Togashi, now colonel, tells her that he is the leader of Squadron Kiryu.
This is the official designation of Mechagodzilla. He wants her to join them! Then, we see the jet, AC-3 White Heron. Squadron Kiryu march and face the scientists and officials who clap for them. At the locker, disgruntled Hayama tells Akane that he blames her for the death of his brother, then he tries to warn the others about her. This is broken up by Colonel Togashi who threatens all of them if they try to disrupt the team. Akane reaches for her Kiryu hat, but feels unworthy of it. The squad then goes through military training, I love this scene, since it seems like extra push ups will defeat Godzilla! At the cafeteria, Sara greets Akane, she notices Sara’s sleeping grass pot.
Her father pops out and tries to flirt with her, Akane ignores him. He later joins her, Sara passes by with a tray, eying her father, this is funny! Hayama confronts Akane about being Kiryu’s pilot, he pushes Dr. Yuhara, she flips his arm back and down to the table. Dr. Yuhara keeps yapping, Akane talks with Sara about having a plant, feeling lonely. He tries to ask Akane out to dinner and again ignored. Kiryu stands in pure Mecha form. Prime Minister Igarashi introduces the world to Kiryu and then Dr. Akamatsu talks about its robotics. Dr. Yuhara explains about the DNA computer. Then, there is something detected at the headquarters, one officer thinks it’s a whale. Funny, since the original name was a combination of “gorira”, gorilla, and whale, “kujira”, Gojira.
Dr. Yamada continues telling the audience about the time limit of two hours before energy needs to be sent to Kiryu. Next, Kiryu’s Absolute Zero Gun is detailed. Igarashi is told about Godzilla’s approach and Squadron Kiryu is scrambled. Sara gives Akane back some of her humanity, shifting her path of revenge, more of an understanding of Kiryu. We have the battles of Godzilla and Kiryu, piloted by Akane in a White Heron. She does have to struggle to lift up Mechagodzilla so the workouts do come in handy. I really was behind Team Kiryu and wanted it to pound Godzilla. The Kaiju battles, characters, and the consquences of Godzilla’s rampages are refreshing for Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla!
Four Maser Cannons out of Five!
#GodzillaAgainstMechaGodzilla, #MasaakiTezuka, #GodzillaDay, #KeijiOta, #YumikoShaku, #ShinTakuma, #KanaOnodera, #KumiMizuno, #AkiraNakao, #KoTakasugi, #AkiraShirai, #MidoriHagio, #YusukeTomoi
No comments:
Post a Comment