A Little Something Special

Recommendation: OTAKU VERSE ZERO

It is amazing how little of a culture you actually know when you are fond of a culture that isn’t your native one. You can spend years watching films like DESTROY ALL MONSTERS, ONMYOJI, and IKIRU and that would be not even the tip of the iceberg - more like trying to shoot at it and barely grazing the tip. Then you could be part of your high school’s anime club and consume sushi, tea, and poppy sticks and it is barely any more. Japanese pop/sub culture is such a large field of interest. Sadly, only a fraction is available to us here in America.






In comes Patrick Macias. Editor of OtakuUSA and author of a lot of books on the subject, and even a presenter of some screenings of Nippon Eiga (along with August Ragone). An intellectual in the field, Macias has made this youtube series which helps give those who cannot truly go to Japan for whatever reasons get a taste of Japanese culture with a bi-lingual Macias going to different places in Japan and taking us through a tour and showing us a lot of eye candy, weather you are an anime otaku or a kaiju loving G-Fan.






I approve of the series. Macias gives us a great look at Japan. Additionally, his knowledge of everything Japanese helps makes sense for those who will experience something of a culture shock. Not to mention the occasional Japanese lesson. Macias is featured along side anime voice actress Yuu Asakawa (of FINAL FANTASY 12 fame) who at times goes with Macias to some of the events and such and sometimes just talks at the Otaku Verse Zero headquarters.







Bottom line, it is a great series - one which every Japanophile should watch. You will learn at least one thing with each episode. Thank you Patrick Macias.



A good episode to start off with for the kaiju crowd.

Comming Soon: Monster Attack Team Magazine's Issue 9

3-11-11

I hope the Japanese appears on the message for everyone. But this is for those who are going through Hell in Japan right now. I hope everyone is safe.




The below air port was remembered to have been where Gamera first fought the Mother Legion. Not anymore.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_newsroom/20110311/wl_yblog_newsroom/japan-earthquake-and-tsunami-how-to-help

https://www.japansociety.org/japan_earthquake_relief_fund

ToyVault's "Godzilla: Kaiju World Wars" Images

Most likely to be overlooked by the highly anticipated IDW comic book series, ToyVault has released some images of one of their products comming (as of now) May 2011.

Here is the official word on the set, described below:

"Toy Vault, Inc. is thrilled and excited to announce Godzilla: Kaiju World Wars; an officially licensed multi-player board game featuring the King of the Monsters – Godzilla!

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It’s an all-out brawl of monstrous proportions and Earth is the battlefield! The Xiliens have pitted Godzilla, Rodan, Gigan and King Ghidorah against each other in a catastrophic battle and only one monster will emerge victorious!

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In Godzilla: Kaiju World Wars, players pick a monster and a scenario, stomping over terrain and destroying buildings on their warpath - all while fending off aggressive military attacks, bombs, traps and, of course, other KAIJU! Special abilities are used to eliminate the competition or to tuck their tail between their legs and run away before they are taken out.

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The game is jam-packed with pieces sure to please any gamer. Along with the four fully painted 2 3/8 inch plastic Kaiju figurines, the game also includes 90 stackable plastic tiles for building skyscrapers, four individual monster playmats, 86 terrain and power tokens, and much more. You’ve never had so much fun ravaging the world as you will when you play GODZILLA: KAIJU WORLD WARS!

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Check out ToyVault.com in the coming weeks as we’ll be adding more product details, images, and ways you can submit your own custom game-play scenarios! "

Price as of now is in the $40-$70 price range depending on which site you go to for a pre-order of this game.

Here are some links of interest:

Pre-Order:
http://www.entertainmentearth.com/prodinfo.asp?number=TYV09013

Official Page:

http://www.toyvault.com/Godzilla/Kaiju_Wars.html

Interview:

http://journalismg2km.blogspot.com/2010/09/toy-vault-claims-war-with-godzilla.html

March Madness Brings Forth the Gamera Trilogy!

Even after almost 20 years after their conception, the Gamera trilogy is still alive and kicking ass!

The same theatre which recently hosted a Toho Showa SFX film festival (with outlier "Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All Out Attack") is hosting a nother festival, starring no other than the Guardian of the Universe who's struggle is always incomplete - Gamera!

http://www.shin-bungeiza.com/allnight.html

Beginning with a 50 minute interview with Shinji Higuchi, the theatre will go on to show all three Gamera films, lasting from 22:30-4:50 (millitary time). Ticket price is approx. $30 and could be an adult's only affair judging from the web link above. So, if you are going to Japan, you may want to stop by to see this awesome show!

Comming Soon: Thai Zilla

A brief history on the non-Ultraman kaiju eiga in the country of Thailand - in cinemas and on home video.

Forum Spotlight: Monsterland Forums

This is a forum that is celebrating it's anniversary this month. Saddly though, it is a forum which is going to be under the radar for most who could be potentialy members at this forum. This is Monsterland Forum. A place you can visit right here:

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http://s15.zetaboards.com/Monsterland_Forum/index/

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The site is owned by Georgia-based Godzilla fan - Lee Merritt. Lee is one who has seen a good bit if it when it comes to Godzilla's activity in the Peach State. He did go to Sean Linkenback's Showcase Collectibles when it was open in Atlanta. He has been to the Plaza Theatre when they occasionaly show a kaiju film and in general cult films which are popular. Who better to make a forum?

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Monsterland Forum - like mentioned - is a forum which isn't on many people's radars. It however, is a small forum which with regular visits and conversations with other members, can get to become not unlike a close-knit family. The point of the forum is to have a good time. It is not out there to be as Tohokingdom or as resourcefull as Clubtokyo/MonsterZero.

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Monsterland Forum is also under the administration of yours truly. Come by and check out the place if you like - it is a fun experiance with not as much spam or as fighting members as you would normaly see on a kaiju forum (or any forum which is based on a cult fandom). Highly recommended.

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We here at KG wish Monsterland Forums a very happy 5th anniversary. 2006-2011.

Mothra's 50 Anniversary

By: Donny Winter
Godzilla’s 50th Anniversary back in 2004 was celebrated with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, numerous commercials advertising the movie Godzilla: Final Wars, and a considerable amount of excitement not to mention discussion across the entire giant monster fandom.
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This year marks Mothra’s 50th Anniversary, an insect deity who found her place in fame back in 1961. After Toho neglected to do anything for Rodan’s 50th Anniversary back in 2006, it is safe to say that they do not have anything planned for their Queen of the Monster‘s semi-centennial.
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Not all is hopeless though. The membership of Kaiju Galaxy is planning on celebrating Mothra’s big 5-0 with a year of discussion, creation and enjoyment in Mothra’s honor. If the King of the Monsters gets a 50th, well it is sensible for the Queen to get her respective 50th celebration as well.

On Creative Kaiju Writing...

By Donny Winter

Regardless which kaiju site you visit, there’s usually a section dedicated to fan fiction or fan art displayed across the forums. For decades, avid fans of giant monsters like Godzilla, Gamera, Mothra and Ultraman have spent significant amounts of time writing or producing works of art and literature. Both myself, the staff and membership of Kaiju Galaxy welcome all those who find their muse in the kaiju world to join us and submit their work to the site.

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After celebrating nearly two years, the Kaiju Galaxy website is looking for artists and writers so that we may enhance our collection of magnificent talent beyond the numbers we have. So far we have 15 site contributors gracing us with fiction, art, and fan poetry. We are in definite need of visual artists and poets since they are creative outlets that are not as renown across the fandom.

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Kaiju Fan Poetry is a particularly new fandom creative genre and has recently come to fruition both on Kaijuphile and Kaiju Galaxy. We definitely encourage you to try it out, you may be surprised what you can write.

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As most of you have known, Legendary Pictures is currently working on a Godzilla movie set to appear in 2012. Also “Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters”, an upcoming comic due to be released in March 2011 is another creative work on the fandom’s doorstep. Let us exercise our creative muscles and create works inspired by the spark of life coming back into our fandom..

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My own experience with creating pieces of work inspired by Godzilla 2012 resulted in a music video of me performing a vocal cover of the song “Mothra Leo” from the 1996 Rebirth of Mothra movie. It shows that even one person can accomplish something that is relatively large, so we urge creativity, originality, and inventiveness. Feel free to join in our community and partake in the mysticism of expression.

Kaiju Galaxy’s Mission Statement:

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Creativity extends beyond reality as our talents and passions allow us to concoct magnificent pieces of imagery and emotion. Kaiju Galaxy is a website dedicated to Kaiju (Japanese Giant Monster) fans' desire and aspiration to create wonderful pieces of work whether it be fan fiction or fan art aimed at both improving their writing and/or artistic skills as well as receiving a chance for others to review their accomplishments.

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http://www.kaijugalaxy.webs.com/