Figure 1.-Here Johnny Sokko and Agent Mano are directing Giant Robot from the palm of his habd with a Dick Tracey wrist watchnans they taken on the monsters sent to destroy Tokyo. The movie was 'Starman'. |
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Japanese film makers have made numerous films about monsters. In fact Japanese film makers virtually created a whole new genre of movie makiung--the monster film (kaiju eiga). We are not sure why these monsters have proven so popular to Japanese moviegoers. We are not sure, but we do not think it was just children who attended these films. The audience in the West is mostly children, but we are less sure about Japan. For most people outside of Japan, the monster film are the only Japanese films they have ever seen. Most Amwericans believe that they are a reaction to the devestatiin of World War II, especially the two World War II atomic blasts. Some people began thinking that the bombs and nuclear tests spawned a host lizaedly scaled mutants. This certainly was the narative that appealed to the ban the bomb crew. This theme was not absent in the Japanese films, but it was surprisingly rare. It was actually a minor part of the host of monster films made. There are far more monsters gnerated by space invaders and natural disaters. One Japanese source writes, "The original Godzilla and other monster films in the Toho franchise do not necessarily deal with nuclear threat." Hidetoshi Chiba, a professor at Tokyo's Digital Hollywood University and an expert on kaiju films. They created the cycle included other famous monster titans of mass destruction (Mothra, a colossal moth, and Rodan, a mutated flying dinosaur). Chiba maintains that the Western narative that scaly, nutated fiends arise out of nuclear testing sites can be seen as both a nuclear age parable and an anti-war allegory. He believes, however, that kaiju are more a warming about the wrath of nature, human hubris, and dark immutable forces rather than science gone awry. It is no accicent that Japan sits on the western wing of the Pacific Ring of Fire. The Japanese experience volcanos, earthquates, tyhpoons, and tsunamis. We jave not note any momster films arising out of the 2011 Fukishima disaster (2011). Godzilla is the most famous Japanese monster bar none.. Gamera ranks second.
Japanese film makers have made numerous films about monsters. In fact Japanese film makers virtually created a whole new genre of movie making--the monster film (kaiju eiga). We are not sure why these monsters have proven so popular to Japanese moviegoers. This is subject thatvhs been addressed by quite anumber of observers. We do not know how the Japanerse have affrssed this issue. But we have noted the discussion by American authors. Various academics have addressed the Godzilla penonenon. What looks like a children's film include obvious political and cultural undertones. Anne Allison, Thomas Schnellbächer, and Steve Ryfle point to what the Japanese had experienced in World War II. Japanese audiences somehow connected emotionally to the monster. The children of course saw it all rather as an American children saw Gofzilla. Japanese adults appear to have seen Godzilla as a victim and felt his backstory mirroed their own horific experiences duting World War II. This all fit into the developing Japanese narrative that they were a tragic victim of World War II and not a perpetrator, just as Godzilla was seen as a victim. The academics studying this have suggested that Godzilla served as a kind of cultural coping mechanism for the Japanese people after the War. One observer writes, thst th film was "... a bleak, powerful metaphor for nuclear power that still endures today” and on its themes, he stated: “It’s an unflinchingly bleak, deceptively powerful film about coping with and taking responsibility for incomprehensible, manmade tragedy. Specifically, nuclear tragedies. It’s arguably the best window into post-war attitudes towards nuclear power we’ve got—as seen from the perspective of its greatest victims." [Merchant] A journlis writes, Godzilla was "... an obvious gigantic, unsubtle, grimly purposeful metaphor for the atomic bomb” and felt the film was “extraordinarily solemn, full of earnest discussions." [Rafferty]
We are not sure, but we do not think it was just children who attended these films, although we suspect tht they are especially popular with Japanese children. And the films are notable for children often playing major roles like with the Giant Robot here (figure 1). We are not sure why so many children are in these fims. Pehapsd it is the dramasticv pairing of the pure innosence of childhood with the animal violence of a monster. It may have been a business decision, but we do not think the films, at least the first Godzilla film. The audience in the West was mostly children, but we are less sure about Japan. For most people outside of Japan, the monster film are the only Japanese films they have ever seen. This certainly is the case for children--at least before the films became some of a cult experience. We say children, but we think these movies were much more interesting to boys rather than the girls, at least in the West. We do not know for sure about Japanese girls who are more interested in characters like Hello Kitty-type charactrs than monsters. We supect that is the case, but hopefully our Japanese readers can probide some insights on this. The films seem a bit too violent for reall young children, but school age boys really liked the whole monster story linge and Goidzilla even mixed in their interest in dinosaurs. Of course Jpnese children had nobe of the Workd war II bavk tory, but as hey got older the naratibe of Japan as a victim appeals just as it does to adults. ed
Most Amwericans believe that they are a reaction to the devestatiin of World War II, especially the two World War II atomic blasts. Some people began thinking that the bombs and nuclear tests spawned a host lizaedly scaled mutants. This certainly was the narative that appealed to the ban the bomb crows. This theme did arise after World War II and it was not absent in the Japanese films, but it was surprisingly rare. It was actually a minor part of the host of monster films made. Forthose who have actually watched Japanese monster films, radioactivity does mot play a mahor role. There are far more monsters gnerated by space invaders and natural disaters. One Japanese source writes, "The original Godzilla and other monster films in the Toho franchise do not necessarily deal with nuclear threat." It is no accicent that Japan sits on the western wing of the Pacific Ring of Fire. The Japanese experience volcanos, earthquates, tyhpoons, and tsunamis. We jave not note any momster films arising opit of the Fukishima disaster (2011).
Hidetoshi Chiba, a professor at Tokyo's Digital Hollywood University and an expert on kaiju films. They created the cycle included other famous monster titans of mass destruction (Mothra, a colossal moth, and Rodan, a mutated flying dinosaur). Chiba maintains that the Western narative that scaly, nutated fiends arise out of nuclear testing sites can be seen as both a nuclear age parable and an anti-war allegory. He believes, however, that kaiju are more a warming about the wrath of nature, human hubris, and dark immutable forces rather than science gone awry. The firt film was directed by Ishirō Honda and Eiji Tsuburaya created the special effets. It stared s Akira Takarada, Momoko Kōchi, Akihiko Hirata, and Takashi Shimura, with Haruo Nakajima and Katsumi Tezuka as the first Godzilla.
Godzilla is the most famous Japanese monster bar none. Since the first Godzilla movie (1954) a huge range oif ither misters have appeared to battle with Goidzilla. Gamera by all accounts ranks second. Godzilla is the only one that the wider public readily reognizes. Godzill'a creators report that they used various dinosaurs to shape Godzilla's final iconic look.. The main designers were Teizō Toshimitsu and Akira Watanabe. Tanaka initial idea was a gorilla, King Kong-like or whale-like desig as they alreasy had a name--name “Gojira” (a combination of the Japanese words for 'gorilla', gorira, and 'whale'”, kujira), but decided on a dinosaur-like design. Godzilla is the English-language version of Gojira. The creators turned to dinosaur books and magazines for their final design. They combined Tyrannosaurus, Iguanodon, and the dorsal fins of a Stegosaurus for the final design. Of course that helped sell little boys on Godzilla. For obvious reasons boys love dinasours, just like girls love Hellp Kitty and My Pony. These are not culturally implanted interests, they are inate choices of young children.
The rampaging monster that was essentially the embodiment of human fears has become beloved world-wide icon of unimgined destruction and inspired some 30 sequels as well as other associated monster fiims. In the first film, the post-War Japanese authorities are confronted with the sudden appearance of a giant monster, at this point unknown to the movie-going public, whose rampage threaten to cause a nuclear holocaust. 'Godzilla' spawned a mult-imedia franchise. Guinness World Records rcognizes it as as the longest-running movie franchise in film history. From a pooly recived bginning, Godzilla has since become an international ly appreciated pop culture icon. While 'Godzilla did not have a major impact, by the 1960s we see any outporing of these monster films.
Here Gamera takes on the evil Guiron. This is another good example of the Japanese monster films. This one includes school children. space travel, earth's twin planet Terra, and brain earing alien babies. The main characters include an American and Japanese boy. The children's costumes see to be a good reflection of contemprary children's clothes.
Godzilla kicked off the Japamese monster traditiion, creating a new film genre. It was not the first monster film, but it was a new kind of monster films associated with nuclear weaponry. Godzilla first appeared in Toho's 'Godzilla' (1954) It was a classic monster film now seen as a masterpiece. Godzilla launched a monster movie franchise that continuew to this day with more than 30 films. 'Godzilla' was a real horror film and justifiably a real classic. It was not suited for children, especially younger children. The subsequent Japanese films were cheesy spin offs, more suited for children with ameturish special effects. Godzilla transioned into a friendly monster and a perenial favorite to Japanese children. The subequent Godzilla films were mostly dreadful Japanese monster movies. They were, however, an important genre of Japanese films. Godzilla was created by Toho, a movie studio, which becme known as the creator and distributor of kaiju (monster) and tokusatsu (special effects) films. Other studios create new monsters to comopete. We are not sure that there must be some deep meaning in the Japanese pshche. Hopefull our Japanese readers can provide us some insights here. In America the films are noted for their cheesy effects that eventully helped them obtain campy atatus. Quite a few of the Godzillka films include boys in the cast. There is even one film with a juvenile Godzilla. The children included in the films provide a good indicator of ordinary boys wear in Japan beginning in the 1950s when the series first appeared. Very commonly the films included children, most commonly boys. The directors seem to feel that childish innosence was needed to offset the terrible monsters and often crass human society. Several of the boys in these films wear the short short pants and knee socks common in Japan at the time. This costuming did not change until the films made in the mid-1990s and we begin to see Japanese children ddessed like their counterparts in the West. And we finally see an imprtant girl character.
Starman (USA versions late 1960's) aka SuperGiant (Japan, circa late 1950's). The series starred Ken Utsui as Satman (Super-Giant, the man of steel). Japan's first cinematic super-hero influenced by the American television show, "The Adventures of Superman," and created by the Toho Studio's rival Shintoho Studios. Imported to the US by Walter
Manly Enterprises, re-edited and re-titled into four Starman features which aired on American television from late 1960's through the 1970's. Staman was the creation of The High Council of the Emerald Planet from the Marpet Galaxy, being a lone agent for the High Council to intervene in the affairs of Earthmen when disaster threatened Earth
and the universe. Little is known about Starman, the character, except that he was literally a "man of steel" created by the High Council, but being a robot, android of some organic sper-creature is unknown. Starman is an excellent fighter with the strength of a thousand mortal men, and is equipped with The Globe Meter. The Globe Meter is worn on the wrist and has three functions: to fly through space, to detect radiation, and to translate all Earthly languages. Starman wears a simple costume of white tights and boots, an open-faced cowl equipped with a single antennea, and a rounded cape which is attached to his sleeves fluttering like wings when he flies; he also has a black waist belt with a large crystal as a buckle. Like the gigantic flying turtle called Gamera, Starman is the friend to all earth children.
The series " Otoko wa Tsurai yo " or " It's tough being a man " is arguably the most loved movie series in Japanese film history. There were 48 films made altogether in the series, 1969-95, usually two a year timed for release at New Years and the summer holidays.
The hero, known as "Tora-san", is sort of ne-er do well travelling salesman with a gruff exterior but a heart of gold. He was played by Kiyoshi Atsumi whose death in 1995 ended the series. In each of the films, Tora-san meets a woman. They become close and it looks as if they will fall in love, but something always happens to break up their relationship
(often due to a particular Japanese inability to express feelings directly). Playing the woman (known as the "Madonna" role) has been a series of Japan's top actresses -- it was almost a rite of passage for an actress entering the big time.
A little Japanese boy, Johnny Sokko, and his giant flying robot in this film fight tomsave Tokyo from an evil alien monster--Daconian. There is also Emperor Guillotine. Evil space monsters for some reason all seem to go after Tokyo. one reviwer describes as a 'dog-faced lizard' monster. That is as good a descroption as we cam come up with. It has been described as campy, writing, "It doesnt get any campier than this." But that was not what the director had in mind. 'Voyage Into Space' follows the adventures of Johnny Sokko, played by Mitsunobu Kaneko. Unlike many American child stars, he did not have an extensice career. He was, however, emacuately dressed in a doubke-breasted short pants suit. Johnny has gained control of a giant flying robot from the evil space invading Gargoyle Gang led by Draconian. The Gargoyle has an endless supply of horrid giant monsters and su-glaased imiformed men atg his disposal. Actually the film was based on the 'Johnny Sokko and his Flying Robot" TV serie (1967-68). Rather than actually shoot the film, the producers stitched together four episodes of the TV series. Draconian has his heart set on destroying Tokyo which Johnny and his giant robot friend along with the Unicorn secret agents are defending. This was of course just one of many monster films taht became a Japanese genre after World War II like 'Ultraman' andofcourse 'Godzilla'. Many of which were done with childrren. We are not sure why monsters were such popular fare in Japan. Or why they were so often pared with children. The speceal effects were particularly cheesy. But in the days before 'Star Wars' this was usually the case and rememnber this was made as a TV program. We think it was made a children's program. We are not sureabout Japanese destribution, but in the States was released by American International. It was mostly viewed by boys in after-school TV programs for children. American boys would have liked Johnny's adventurs, but I doubt that they were too impressed with his fancy duds. Girls did not share the boys' viewing tates. And now it is a classic of goofy Japanese monsters and TV vieewrs who see it as a campy 1970s cinena.
Another dreadful Japanese monster film. Gamera is not quite as well known as Godzilla. As with several of these films, children fit in the plot. This one has a boy as part of the cast. His two school friends are also involved. The main character and his friends wears the short pants that were so popular in Japan. This boys wears brown shorts and white socks throughout. I would say he is
about 9 years old. It is winter and he often wears a jacket. Two friends are pictured briefly, both in shorts. Later at school, one of the friends and most of the other boys wears longs, the hero and his other friend, however, stay in shorts. The other friend wears knee socks while the hero wears ankle socks. Our hero is pictures extensively throughout the film.
Merchant, Brian. Motherboard. Motherboard is an online magazine and video channel dedicated to technology, science, and humans.
Rafferty, Terrence. New York Times.
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