News on Blu-Ray Discs

Has anyone check out the page for the blu-rays? They updated some of them with pics form the new special features:

http://www.toho-a-park.com/tokusatsu-bd/monokuro.htmlhttp://www.toho-a-park.com/tokusatsu-bd/radon.htmlhttp://www.toho-a-park.com/tokusatsu-bd/godzilla1984.htmlhttp://www.toho-a-park.com/tokusatsu-bd/vskingghidorah.htmlhttp://www.toho-a-park.com/tokusatsu-bd/rengoukantai.html

Not only that, but the stats for the third wave's Heisei releases have been updated. It seems like all the Heisei releases are going to have the same "new" special feature: shows exactly where in Japan the kaiju go through. Something simular was done for the Cloverfield blu-ray...

Godzilla Wins Halloween Award On Yahoo!

http://movies.yahoo.com/photos/collections/gallery/2156/halloween-gallery/fp#photo5

Halloween is a season for slashers, bashers and Universal masters of horror. But Yahoo istead came up with awards for everything that could be associated with Halloween. Some things are the same as every year: Michael Myers is still the ultimate slasher and Freddy Krueger is still the ultimate super-natural boogey man. But one thing is slightly the same: Godzilla is still the King of the Monsters. However, the runner up is not the legendary King Kong or the Rhedosaurus. It is instead the Cloverfield monster that is the runner up. King Kong's days are finaly numbered. The only think keeping the big ape in the public's eyes is the city of New York City, what pop culture refrences come our way through television shows, and the upcoming "King of Skull Island" film. Let's hope that Clover can keep up this kind of dominance over other kaiju. Maybe show JJ Abrams that we need another film?

Happy Halloween to all from JournalismG2KM and us of the Kaiju Galaxy Family!

Interview with A Japanese Fan: Akira01Sum

Well, after a bit of a wait the interview with Japanese kaiju fan and youtuber Akira01Sum is finally here! Now, I must admit that some questions were omitted when editing the interview. This is because some questions were lost in translation. Plus, I would like to give a special thanks to those who submitted questions for this interview. Not all of them came through but I hope those that did will have a fairly pleasing answer. So, without further to do, the interview with Akira01Sum…

1. How long have you bean a fan of kaiju/tokusatsu eiga?

From the time when I was born.

2. How did you become a fan?

I felt sympathy for kaiju. They have no choice but to be an outsider. All because he's a monster.

3. When was the first time Japanese kaiju/tokusatsu fans started doing activities (fanzines, fan films, fests, ect.?)

I guess that they started 1933 when "King Kong" was released.

5. How has the Japanese kaiju fandom changed over the years?

The most notable change is that their average age may be 30 or older.

6. America has G-FEST. What does Japan have?

We have UL-FES. It's an ULTRAMAN-FESTIVAL. It started on 1989. But it's for children.

7. What are the popular fan-sites with the Japanese fandom?

http://www.godzillamovies.org/index/."

8. Are there any Japanese film historians who have published books on the history of kaiju eiga?

There is Hirosi Takeuti. He published "Nihon Tokusatu eiga kenkyou 40 nen" on 2001. But it's not a study, but the author's love for kaiju.

9. Some American books, such as August Ragones Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters are sold in Japan. How has the Japanese side of the fandom responded to this?

August Ragone had researched thoroughly.

10. What is Godzillas standing in pop culture in Japan today?

Even today Godzilla is the symbol of the fetal power of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

11. It is popular opinion over here in America that the reason why the recent kaiju films (D-WAR, Guilala’s Counterattack) is because after 13 years of continuous kaiju films being released in Japan, the general Japanese movie going audience has lost their want to see more kaiju films. What is your opinion on this matter?

"D-WAR" is a Korean movie, and "Guilala’s Counterattack" is a comedy. These are very bad movies. That's all.

12. How easy is it to get kaiju merchandise in Japan? Could you give some examples or even
some memoirs?

For example I can get it as a free gift of chewing gum.

13. What misconceptions do Japanese fans think American fans have?

Probably American fans don't think that kaiju has a relationship with the terribleness of the Pacific War. [Editor’s Note: I talked to Akria01Sum when news of the LP Goji film leaked. Apparently American’s observation of Godzilla as a force of nature is not really looked upon in a positive way, rather it is strictly allegorical. -EB]

14. What is the general feeling regarding Godzilla's enforced retirement?

Probably it is a little lonely.

15. What are the most highly prized collectibles for Japanese fans?

Each one is fantastic.

16. What did Japanese audiences think of Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah? Were they offended by the WWII scenes like American WWII veterans?

Japanese audiences do not care about the WWII scenes at all. They purely and simply enjoy the movie as a entertainment.

17. How much bigger is the Godzilla franchise as a whole over there? Are there legions of fans wanting a new movie, or is it a smaller circle of fans like in America?

Perhaps it's size is 300 million fans. And most of them may want to see a new Godzilla movie.

18. Would they like to see a Godzilla vs. Gamera movie crossover be made?

I don't want to see such a movie. Gamera is a hero, Godzilla is a dark side of the humankind. They are thoroughly different.

19. What makes Ultraman so appealing in Japan? Like why is he still running so popular and
Godzilla isn't as popular or forced to go into hiatus every once in a while?

It's simple. A Child always likes him. He changes to be big and strong. In any time it is a child's dream.

20. What did the Japanese kaiju fandom think of the Cloverfield monster?

I don't know how they thought. I felt that the monster was a symbol of an act of terrorism.

21. What did Japan think of the Atari Godzilla games? Were they pleased, surprised, disappointed? What did they think of the online component of the Save the Earth game? Was it very active there for playing in Japan?

They were a disappointment. In the game Godzilla wasn't Godzilla.

22. Do they like Biollante?

They like Biollante herself. She is very terrible. But her essential character is a beautiful woman. At the point they dislike her.

23. What do the Japanese fandom think of the American fandom?

No difference. There are not two fandoms. There is the only one fandom.

It's not "Cloverfield 2", it's "Robot-Cloverfield"

Robot Chicken has finally showed it's last new episode for the series, and what a better way to end than with a kaiju-oriented sketch? Apparently, it acts like social commentary on the film "Cloverfield" itself. We see the Statue of Liberty’s head bounce around on New York City’s streets. Not to mention we see awesome scenes with the Cloverfield monster, so good that it looks like they used Hasbro’s $100 toy for it instead of making a cheap clay model for stop motion reasons. This would be the first time that they used a kaiju toy for the actual kaiju appearance, since the kaiju models have mostly been re-casting of Bandai toys (most specifically the Bandai movie monster series Shodai-Goji figure).

As I said, it is social commentary which is brought out with this sketch. People start shouting out rejections like "C’mon man!" and "Dude, it’s only been 8 years since 9/11, not cool." This sounds to be like protest against the film itself, though I bet the animators meant that they humans were talking to the Cloverfield monster directly, because that is what happens. Cloverfield apologizes in a way for the melee he has wrought by building a metal structure out of the 9/11 memorial structure pieces and tops it with an American flag. Everyone seems happy, and right before he leaves, Clover throws a Cloverfield jersey on top of the crowd watching him.

This is a whole hell of a lot better than the faux "Cloverfield 2" trailers. A whole lot better.

Another bit of news - albeit three month old news - is that David Kalat said at G-FEST ’09 that he is editing his book "A Critical History and Filmography of Toho’s Godzilla Series". He is currently fixing errors (like the conflicting information about who originally bought the US rights to Gojira in 1955), adding information, and even doing sections on the Millennium series and may even do another supplemental part which fills in about how kaiju/tokusatsu eiga is doing and how it did between 1995-1999 (even maybe some mention of G2 and G3, like how he did with G1). I seriously think that if he does this correctly, his re-edited version of his book could be the present day "Japan’s Favorite Mon-Star". Though some may claim that Kalat’s observations are far fetched and that he is seeing too much into some of the films - like "Gigan" having commentary on how kaiju stay popular/stay a cash cow. This something which I will anxiously wait for.

Finally some news not related to Bandai Creation figures and Blu-ray DVDs. And as a note, the interview with Michael Keller and Ed Holland of the one and only "MONSTER ATTACK TEAM" fanzine is still going to be done. I currently have Matt’s answers and awaiting Ed’s. I ask readers to be patient. I hope that all who read the interview (when it will be posted) will post a comment saying thank you to these two men. Obviously, they are cutting time out of their lives to do something for the fandom and to do this interview is also a real blessing.

Finally, as a reminder, this Saturday the Atlanta based "Plaza Theater" showing the classic "Rodan". As SciFiJapan reported, it is Ed Godziszewski’s print. Under these circumstances, this screening is a historical event for kaiju/horror/sci-fi fans alike. Hope to see you there. Since the cat is mostly out of the bag, I am going to document the event under the name "OPERATION RODAN". If you would like to be on camera, please contact me via blogspot or forum.