 |
| Godzilla (1954) |
- 1954: Godzilla/ゴジラ/Gojira
- 1954: The Invisible Avenger/透明人間/Invisible Man
- 1955: Godzilla Raids Again/ゴジラの逆襲/Godzilla's Counterattack
- 1955: Half Human/獣人雪男/Beast-Man Snow-Man
- 1956: Rodan/空の大怪獣 ラドン/Giant Monster of the Sky, Radon
- 1957: The Mysterians/地球防衛軍/Earth Defense Force
- 1958: The H-Man/美女と液体人間/Beauty and the Liquid People
- 1958: Varan/大怪獣バラン/Giant Monster Baran
- 1959: Battle In Outer Space/宇宙大戦争/Great Space War
- 1960: The Secret of the Telegian/電送人間/The Electrically Transmitted Man
- 1960: The Human Vapour/ガス人間第一号/Gas Human Being No. 1
- 1961: Mothra/モスラ/Mosura
- 1961: The Last War/世界大戦争/The Great World War
- 1962: Gorath/妖星ゴラス/Ominous Star Gorath
- 1962: King Kong vs Godzilla/キングコング対ゴジラ
- 1963: Attack of the Mushroom People/マタンゴ/Matango
- 1963: Atragon/海底軍艦/The Undersea Warship
- 1964: Godzilla vs the Thing/モスラ対ゴジラ/Mosura Against Gojira
- 1964: Dogora/宇宙大怪獣ドゴラ/Giant Space Monster Dogora
- 1964: Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster/三大怪獣 地球最大の決戦/Three Giant Monsters: Earth's Greatest Battle
- 1965: Frankenstein Conquers the World/フランケンシュタイン対地底怪獣/Frankenstein vs. Underground Monster Baragon
- 1965: Monster Zero/Invasion of Astro-Monster/怪獣大戦争/The Giant Monster War
- 1966: War of the Gargantuas/フランケンシュタインの怪獣 サンダ対ガイラ/Frankenstein's Monsters: Sanda vs. Gaira
- 1966: Godzilla vs the Sea Monster/Ebirah, Horror of the Deep/ゴジラ・エビラ・モスラ 南海の大決闘/Godzilla, Ebirah, Mothra: Big Duel in the South Seas
- 1967: King Kong Escapes/キングコングの逆襲/King Kong's Counterattack
- 1967: Son of Godzilla/怪獣島の決戦 ゴジラの息子/Monster Island's Decisive Battle: Godzilla's Son
- 1968: Destroy All Monsters/怪獣総進撃/Monster All-Out Attack
- 1969: Latitude Zero/緯度0大作戦, Latitude Zero: Big Operation
- 1970: Space Amoeba/Yog, Monster From Space/ゲゾラ・ガニメ・カメーバ 決戦! 南海の大怪獣/Gezora, Ganimes, and Kamoebas: Decisive Battle! Giant Monsters of the South Seas
- 1971: Godzilla vs the Smog Monster/ゴジラ対ヘドラ/Godzilla vs. Hedorah
- 1972: Godzilla vs Gigan/地球攻撃命令 ゴジラ対ガイガン/Earth Destruction Directive: Godzilla vs. Gigan
- 1973: Godzilla vs Megalon/ゴジラ対メガロ
- 1973: Tidal Wave/日本沈没/Japan Sinks
- 1974: Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla/ゴジラ対メカゴジラ
- 1974: Prophecies of Nostradamus/ノストラダムスの大予言
- 1974: ESPY/エスパイ
- 1975: Terror of Mechagodzilla/メカゴジラの逆襲/Mechagodzilla's Counterattack
- 1977: The War In Space/惑星大戦争/Great Planet War
 |
| Mothra (1961) |
Brief Timeline
This section lists the events of the 20th Century in very broad terms and concentrates on the frequent appearance of giant monsters ("kaiju"), as well as visitations from extraterrestrials and other apocalyptic events.
- 1954.11: Godzilla, a giant radioactive creature spewing atomic breath, attacks Tokyo but is destroyed with Serizawa's Oxygen Destroyer weapon. (Godzilla)
- 1955.04: Another Godzilla appears and defeats the armored creature Anguiras in Osaka. Godzilla is later buried in an avalanche on an islet north of Hokkaido. (Godzilla Raids Again)
- 1956.12: A prehistoric flying creature named Rodan and its mate appear near Kyushu. They are buried in an eruption at Mt. Aso. (Rodan)
- 1957.12: The alien Mysterians attack with their giant robot Moguera. They are eventually repelled with Markalite weapons. (The Mysterians)
- 1958.10: The amphibious flying creature Varan surfaces from Kitakami River. When it attacks Tokyo, it is driven away by experimental explosives. (Varan)
- 1961.07: The legendary insectoid god from Infant Island Mothra attacks Tokyo and Rolisica. It departs peacefully once its friends the Shobijin are freed. (Mothra)
- 1962.08: The ape monster King Kong and Godzilla battle in Tokyo and at Mount Fuji. Their conflict ends when both fall into the sea. (King Kong vs. Godzilla)
- 1963.12: The undersea Mu Empire tries to take over the Earth with the help of their sea serpent Manda, but they are stopped when the advanced battleship Atragon and its Ice Cannon intervene. (Atragon)
- 1964.04: Godzilla attacks Mothra’s egg, which washes up on a Japanese beach. Although their mother dies, two Mothra larvae hatch and force Godzilla into the sea. (Godzilla vs the Thing)
- 1964.08: A space creature named Dogora attacks from the sky, but is destroyed by weapons armed with synthetic wasp venom. (Dogora)
- 1964.12: A three-headed space monster named King Ghidorah lands in Kurobe Valley. It is later driven off by a spontaneous alliance between Godzilla, Rodan and Mothra. (Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster)
- 1965: The alien Natal attack, but Earth forces destroy their Moon base with new Atomic Heat Cannons and then drive them off of Earth. (Battle In Outer Space)
- 1965.08: The legendary Frankenstein monster surfaces and fights the burrowing monster Baragon. Both fall into a chasm and disappear. (Frankenstein Conquers the World)
- 196X: The alien Xiliens try to conquer Earth through their control of Godzilla, Rodan and King Ghidorah. Earth scientists foil their plans with sonic weapons. (Monster Zero/Invasion of Astro-Monster)
- 1966.07: Two Gargantuas (humanoid monsters named Sanda and Gaira) fight near Mount Fuji. They are both lost in a volcanic eruption at sea. (War of the Gargantuas)
- 1966.12: The Red Bamboo terrorist organization is forced to self-destruct their Letchi Island base when Godzilla attacks. Godzilla also fights off their giant crustacean guardian Ebirah. (Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster)
- 1967.07: In Tokyo, King Kong fights Mechani-Kong, a robot created by the mysterious scientist Dr. Who. Mechani-Kong is eventually deactivated when it causes too much harm to the city. (King Kong Escapes)
- 1967.12: On Sollgel Island (Monster Island), Godzilla begins caring for Minilla, a juvenile member of his species. In the process he fights the spider Kumonga and the Kamacuras mantises. (Son of Godzilla)
- 1970.08: An alien entity lands on Earth and begins to mutate animal bodies for its use. Scientists are forced to defend themselves against Gezora (cuttlefish), Kamoebas (turtle) and Ganimes (land crab). (Space Amoeba)
- 1971.07: A sludge-based monster is created when polluted waters interact with a space organism. Godzilla helps the military destroy it with heat weapons. (Godzilla vs the Smog Monster)
- 1972.03: M Space Hunter Nebula insectoids attempt to conquer Earth with the help of King Ghidorah and a cyborg monster named Gigan. They are defeated by Godzilla and Anguiras. (Godzilla vs Gigan)
- 1973.03: The undersea Seatopians attack the surface world with M Space Hunter Nebula’s Gigan and the Seatopian beetle monster Megalon. There efforts are halted by Godzilla and a man-made robot named Jet Jaguar. (Godzilla vs Megalon)
- 1974.03: Ape-like Black Hole aliens try to conquer the Earth with Mechagodzilla, a giant robot. Their plans are foiled when the Okinawan god-creature King Seesar appears and helps Godzilla destroy Mechagodzilla. (Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla)
- 1975.03: The Black Hole aliens attack a second time with a refurbished Mechagodzilla, paired with the undersea creature Titanosaurus. Godzilla appears once again and foils the aliens’ plans. (Terror of Mechagodzilla)
- Before 1979: The alien Kilaak arrive and order giant monsters to attack major cities around the world. Their plans are foiled when Earth forces obtain the Kilaak control device and turn the monsters against the aliens. King Ghidorah returns once more but is also defeated by a band of Earth monsters led by Godzilla. (Destroy All Monsters)
- 1979: Gorath, a runaway planetoid, is detected on a collision course with Earth. The nations of the world work together to build Antarctic atomic thrusters to push Earth out of Gorath’s flight path (although, not before the Moon is destroyed). (Gorath)
- 1988: Aliens from the Messier 13 nebula attack, but the Earth space warship Gohten defeats them with the help of a secret super-weapon. (The War In Space)
- 1999: Cascading ecological disasters cause society to begin falling apart. A nuclear war destroys Tokyo, London, Paris, New York and Moscow. Japan sinks below the waves due to an earthquake. (The Prophecies of Nostradamus, The Last War, Tidal Wave)
 |
| Atragon (1963) |
Expanded Timeline
This section lists the events of the 20th Century in more detail, and puts all cited events in a complete Earth chronology, including those which occurred before 1954. It also includes additional reports related to "super-humans" and "mutants".
Prehistory
Ca. 3 Million BC: The continents of Lemuria (located in the Pacific) and Mu (located in the Atlantic) sink under the waves, but their respective societies somehow manage to adapt to life underwater. While the Seatopians of Lemuria value a hidden, peaceful existence (Godzilla vs Megalon), the Mu Empire begin working on a way to regain their dominance over the surface world. (Atragon)
100,000 BC: The planet Mysteroid (whose orbit lies between that of Mars and Saturn) is destroyed by nuclear war. The survivors migrate to Mars but, due to radiation exposure from the war, their descendants are crippled by genetic defects. (The Mysterians)
A planet in the M Space Hunter Nebula gives birth to a humanoid race, but uncontrolled pollution and nuclear warfare cause their extinction. The only life form to survive this toxic atmosphere is a race of intelligent cockroach-like creatures. These insectoids eventually discover a way to cross the reaches of outer space. Additionally, they also develop sonic technology by which they can control space monsters such as King Ghidorah and the cyborg monster Gigan. With this power, they begin travelling to other worlds and subjugating them with monsters. (Godzilla vs Gigan)
The three-headed space monster King Ghidorah lands on Venus and begins causing havoc. The surviving Venusians flee to Earth, where their consciousness slowly becomes absorbed into members of humanity and passed down through the generations. (Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster)
The liquid metal inhabitants of Kilaak, an asteroid located between Mars and Jupiter, begin to develop advanced technology. (Destroy All Monsters)
The Okinawan god creature King Shisa (Seesar, or Caesar) helps the Azumi clan in their time of need. It then goes back into hibernation, but promises to return if needed again in the future. (Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla)
A giant insectoid creature named Mothra is worshiped by the primitive inhabitants of Infant Island (who are possibly descended from refugees from the Mu Empire). Generations of tiny twin fairy girls (the Shobojin) communicate Mothra’s wishes to the villagers through telepathy. (Mothra)
1805: The Alpha, a highly advanced submersible craft, is launched under the command of Captain Craig McKenzie, who works for the benefit of the utopian undersea city Latitude Zero. Around the 1860s, McKenzie and his comrade Malic part ways and eventually become bitter enemies. For the next century they make war against each other under the waves. (Latitude Zero)
 |
| War of the Gargantuas (1966) |
War Years (1939-45)
A scientist named Nishizaki discovers a particle which can render objects invisible. A special attack corps undergoes the transformation process but only two of the men survive through the war. They both eventually go into hiding. (The Invisible Avenger)
1945: A group of guards led by a man named Onishi attack a scientist named Nikki and betray their comrade Corporal Tsudo in order to hide a cache of gold for later recovery. They destroy Nikki’s electronic equipment and bury him and Tsudo in a cave in. Nikki and Tsudo somehow survive, and in the following years secretly begin developing teleportation technology. (The Secret of the Telegian)
1945: A German scientist named Riesendorf sends the heart of the mysterious “Frankenstein monster” overseas in a secret container. It eventually ends up in Hiroshima, but is then lost during the atomic bombing of the city. In the next two decades, the Frankenstein heart slowly regenerates itself, eventually restoring the rest of its body to become a small, deformed boy. The boy scavenges around the area in a confused daze until he is eventually discovered by scientists in 1965. (Frankenstein Conquers the World)
1945: Fleeing the war, an archaeologist named Matsumiya and his wife find refuge on Sollgel (Sergio) Island, and eventually have a child there whom they name Saeko. Both parents eventually perish in the ensuing years, but Saeko learns to survive on her own. (Son of Godzilla)
1945: The night before the end of the Pacific War, Japanese Navy commander Captain Jinguji steals Japan’s most advanced submarine, the I-403, and goes into hiding. Unfortunately, he is soon found and attacked by warriors from Mu (sunken Atlantis), and is forced to abandon the I-403 to them. In the next 18 years, he and his rogue crew work on the construction of the Goten, a new super-submarine which can travel underwater, drill through solid earth and fly in the sky. (Atragon)
 |
| Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster (1964) |
1954.03.01: Between 1946 and 1958, 67 nuclear bombs are detonated on the Bikini Atolls by the U.S. for testing purposes. In 1954, radiation fallout from one of these detonations causes death and disease to abound in the waters around Japan.
1954.11: Several ships off the coast of Japan are destroyed. A giant creature is reported rampaging through Odo Island. A scientific expedition led by Dr. Yamane sights the creature and determines that it is a remnant from a prehistoric age reawakened by the atomic bomb testing in the Pacific, and dubs it Godzilla (after a legendary sea divinity worshiped by the island natives). Depth charges are dropped in Godzilla’s suspected domain. This results in Godzilla coming ashore the Japanese archipelago through Tokyo Bay and briefly attacking Shinagawa. The army prepares for another attack by constructing towers bearing up an electric fence (charged with 200,000 volts) around the coastline. When Godzilla soon returns once more, the electric fence is unable to hurt Godzilla in any way. The creature then employs “atomic breath” to destroy the electric towers (as well as the army artillery soon called into the battle). In the end, a large section of Tokyo is destroyed, incurring many casualties. Despite his fears for its misuse, a biochemist named Serizawa agrees to allow his secret super-weapon, the “Oxygen Destroyer”, to be deployed against Godzilla. Locating Godzilla’s precise undersea location through radiation detection, the Oxygen Destroyer is employed to destroy Godzilla (as well as instantly killing all life in the device’s effective range). In the process, Serizawa also gives up his life in order to ensure the Oxygen Destroyer’s successful operation and to bury the secret of his weapon’s destructive power forever. (Godzilla)
1954.11: An “invisible man”, rendered into such a unique state during the war by a scientist named Nishizaki, is found dead in Ginza with a suicide note. Around the same time, another invisible survivor of the same war-time experiment (but now living as a clown named Nanjo) also dies while helping some locals fight off gangsters. (The Invisible Avenger)
1955.04: Two pilots make an emergency landing on Iwato Island and spot two giant monsters in battle. One of them appears to be a “new” Godzilla, while the other, an armored quadruped, is dubbed Anguiras (from the prehistoric species Ankylosaurus). Back on the mainland, Dr. Yamane from Tokyo is consulted and he suggests the use of flares to lure this new Godzilla away from inhabited areas, should he approach the mainland. In short order, Godzilla appears off the coast of Osaka. Flares dropped from planes seem to successfully lure him out to sea, but an accidental conflagration in the city draws Godzilla back towards the shore. Worse, the earlier flares lure Anguiras from out of the open sea towards Osaka. The two creatures eventually engage in a massive battle in the city, until finally Godzilla seemingly kills Anguiras near Osaka Castle. The defeated monster’s carcass falls into the sea and Godzilla departs the area. Some weeks later, Godzilla reportedly destroys some ships off the coast of Hokkaido. Scout planes find Godzilla heading into the ravine of a small island. Military jets fire missiles into the icy, mountainous region in order to cause an avalanche, burying Godzilla and encasing him in ice. (Godzilla Raids Again)
1955.08: While vacationing in the Japanese Alps of Nagano, several members of a student party are lost, presumably killed by an “abominable snowman”. A second expedition to search for survivors is mounted when the weather clears up. This team, led by Dr. Koizumi, encounters an isolated tribe of locals who worship the snowman as their “master”. Meanwhile, a team of poachers also arrives in the area, hoping to capture the creature for exhibition purposes. The poachers are eventually killed by the snowman but the death of the creature’s son during the struggle causes the snowman to go on a rampage. It destroys the village of his tribal worshipers and then kidnaps one of Koizumi’s team members, a girl named Machiko. After the snowman is located, one of the villagers (a girl named Chika), distracts the snowman so that Machiko can be rescued by her partners. Unfortunately, in the process Chika and the creature are both killed when they fall into a boiling sulfur pit. (Half Human)
 |
| Rodan (1956) |
1957.12: A giant robot equipped with destructive eye-beams (dubbed Moguera) emerges from the ground near Mount Fuji and rampages through a nearby village. The JSDF manages to destroy it by luring it into a chasm next to Koyama Bridge. Shortly afterwards, an alien base reveals itself in the same area, and its inhabitants, the Mysterians (responsible for Moguera), explain that they had originally come from a planet located between Mars and Saturn, but nuclear warfare had caused its destruction. The Mysterians had then migrated to Mars, but with Mars now uninhabitable they demand their own reservation on Earth. They also demand human female mates with whom they can somehow restore their genetically-damaged race - in fact, they have already begun abducting Earth women for this purpose. The Earth forces resist the Mysterians’ demands and, despite some initial struggles, eventually develop new weapons (the Markalite FAHP, or Flying Atomic Heat Projector) to destroy the Mysterians and their base. (The Mysterians)
1958.07: After exposure to irradiated rain from nuclear testing, several members of the ship Ryujin-maru II gain the ability to transform themselves into a bluish liquid form (becoming “liquid people”, or “H-Men”). They use this power to kill and infect other members of their crew. After returning to the mainland, the H-Men blend back into society but continue to transform other citizens from time to time. The investigation of several gangland murders reveals the existence of these H-Men at large. A scientist named Masada suggests that they may be vulnerable to electricity or fire. The liquid people are eventually trapped in a waterway and destroyed with a flaming gasoline spill. (The H-Man)
1958.10: Near the Kitakami River, scientists discover that the local villagers secretly worship a giant prehistoric beast (soon dubbed Varan by the scientists but called Baradigi by the villagers). Varan eventually emerges from its lake home and kills several people (including the village elder). The military arrives and successfully forces Varan out of the lake, but are unable to kill it with the forces gathered there. Varan soon ascends to a cliff and uses its membranous wings to glide through the air towards Tokyo. Conventional land and sea artillery continue to have no effect on Varan, so a new experimental form of explosive is employed. Taking advantage of Varan’s penchant for eating and swallowing shiny objects, the military manages to trick Varan into eating some of this experimental explosive. The creature apparently dies after the explosive is detonated within its stomach. (Varan)
1960: An ocean biologist named Dr. Mafune claims to have discovered Titanosaurus, a prehistoric dinosaur living near the Ogasawara Islands, and states that he can remote control it through technology. He is ridiculed and exiled from his profession. Later, while continuing his research independently, his daughter Katsura is seriously injured in an experiment. Her life is saved by aliens from a planet orbiting a black hole (the Black Hole aliens), putting Mafune in their debt. (Terror of Mechagodzilla)
1960.04: A soldier named Tsudo uses teleportation technology (invented in the postwar years by his friend Dr. Nikki) in order to exact vengeance on four former soldiers who had betrayed him at the end of the war. Although he successfully murders these men, he dies after the last act when an unexpected volcano eruption destroys his receiving station in mid-teleport. (The Secret of the Telegian)
1960.12: A scientist named Sano gives a man named Mizuno the ability to convert himself into an invulnerable gaseous state (a “Human Vapor”). Mizuno uses his power to rob banks in order to please his lover, a dancer named Fujichiyo. In the end, Fujichiyo ignites explosive gas to kill Mizuno (and herself) for his crimes. (The Human Vapour)
1961.07: The nation of Rolisica conducts atomic bomb tests near Infant Island. Thought to be uninhabited, Infant Island is actually inhabited by primitive villagers, a giant moth-like creature named Mothra, and two tiny women (“Shobijin”, or tiny fairies) who communicate with Mothra telepathically. Fortunately, the island villagers are immune to radioactivity due to their consumption of an indigenous berry juice. When the existence of this juice is reported by shipwreck survivors, an expedition is sent to Infant Island to further investigate. A Rolisican fortune hunter named Clark discovers (and eventually abducts) the Shobijin, and features them in a Tokyo entertainment show. A new Mothra larvae (in caterpillar form) hatches and voyages to Tokyo in pursuit of the Shobijin. There, it wreaks massive damage to the city, despite the efforts of the military. Mothra eventually forms a cocoon near Tokyo Tower in order to transform into its winged (“imago”) form. Clark meanwhile secretly travels back to Rolisica. After emerging from its cocoon, Mothra follows Clark to Rolisica and there wreaks further havoc. Clark is eventually killed by the police. An anthropologist named Chujo carries out a scheme to signal Mothra (using a traditional Infant Island emblem painted onto an airfield) and returns the Shobijin to her (after which Mothra then returns back to Infant Island with her charges). (Mothra)
1962.08: Two agents from a Japanese corporation (Pacific Pharmaceuticals) journey to Faro (Pharoah) Island and manage to capture Kong, a gigantic ape-like creature. At the same time, the U.S. submarine Seahawk accidentally hits a glacier in the Arctic, awakening Godzilla (who had been entombed in ice since 1955). Godzilla then goes on a rampage while heading south towards Japan. At the same time, Kong breaks free from his captors at sea and swims to Japan, arriving shortly after Godzilla. They soon engage in battle, but Kong is burned by Godzilla’s atomic breath and forced to retreat. The JSDF then lay a poison gas pit trap for Godzilla, but it fails to stop the creature. Fortunately, an electrified fence eventually drives Godzilla towards Mount Fuji. Although Kong is unaffected by the electrical fence, he is tranquilized by an intoxicating berry juice derived from a Faro Island formula. The JSDF decide to transport the drowsy Kong to Mount Fuji in order to have the monsters destroy each other. Kong somehow becomes super-charged with strength by a lightning strike during a storm, and eventually manages to throw Godzilla and himself off of a cliff and into the Pacific Sea. After a brief earthquake, Godzilla is nowhere to be seen, and Kong alone swims back to Faro Island. (King Kong vs. Godzilla)
 |
| Attack of the Mushroom People (1963) |
1963.12: The undersea Empire of Mu begins kidnapping geological engineers to help them maintain their cavernous underwater city. At the same time, they issue an ultimatum to the governments of Earth, demanding that the legendary super-sub Goten be destroyed, after which the surface world will belong to the Mu Empire. When the U.N. resists, the Mu begin attacking several major cities with advanced weaponry and induce artificial earthquakes. The Japanese Navy eventually makes contact with a renegade war commander named Captain Jinguji, who has just completed construction on his super-sub the Goten, which is armed with a new weapon, the Zero Cannon (a freezing ray). Although the patriotic Jinguji is initially hesitant to use the Goten to help the rest of the world fight the Mu, a Mu sabotage bomb attack on Jinguji’s base changes his mind. When a Mu submarine attacks Tokyo, the Goten follows it to its underwater base of operations. After defeating Manda (the Mu’s gigantic serpent guardian) with electricity and the Zero Cannon, the Goten drills into the Mu generator chamber. Goten soldiers then plant bombs and the Mu Empire is destroyed when they are detonated. (Atragon)
1964.04: After a typhoon, a Mothra egg arrives on a Japanese beach. The Shobijin arrive and warn that if the egg is not returned to Infant Island, the soon-to-be hatched Mothra larvae may cause damage to the area. However, the newly-declared “owners” of the egg refuse to give up their newest tourist attraction. The typhoon also washes away some of the topsoil from a nearby coastal area, causing Godzilla to emerge from an underground slumber (probably a result of the previous battle with Kong in 1962). When Godzilla goes on a rampage, two reporters and a scientist journey to Infant Island to ask for Mothra’s help. At first hesitant to help the ungrateful humans, Mothra eventually flies to Tokyo and sacrifices her life in battle with Godzilla while trying to defend her egg. While the JSDF tries to slow Godzilla with electrified netting (dropped from helicopters), Mothra’s beached egg eventually hatches two gigantic Mothra larvae. When the electrified netting blows a fuse, Godzilla heads to Iwa Island, putting some school children in danger. The newly-born Mothra larvae intercept Godzilla at Iwa Island and cover him with silk, causing him to fall asleep and then roll into the sea. The Mothra larva then return to Infant Island. (Godzilla vs the Thing)
1964.08: A gigantic jellyfish-like alien from outer space appears in the sky, apparently a “space microbe” mutated into a gigantic creature after being exposed to massive amounts of radiation from nearby satellites. The creature, dubbed Dogora, proceeds to suck up all carbon-based materials (coal and diamonds) into its maw, causing destruction all over the Earth. When struck by artillery shells, the creature divides into smaller versions of itself. After it is eventually discovered that Dogora is vulnerable to wasp venom, scientists devise a weapon based on artificial wasp venom which causes Dogora to disintegrate into a rain of harmless crystal meteors. (Dogora)
1964.12: A meteor containing the hibernating form of the three-headed space monster King Ghidorah lands on Earth in Kurobe Valley. Around the same time, the consciousness of the Princess of Salno (a small Himalayan country) is taken over by an extra-terrestrial consciousness (later revealed to be from ancient Venus), after which she begins roaming the countryside declaring that great danger is at hand. While the Princess delivers a warning at Mount Aso, Rodan emerges from the crater and goes on a rampage. Later on, Godzilla appears off-shore and destroys a cruise ship. Godzilla and Rodan eventually meet and begin fighting at the base of Mount Fuji. King Ghidorah then emerges from the meteor-egg at Kurobe Valley and begins causing destruction with its gravity beams. The Japanese government ask the Shobijin (visiting from Infant Island) to summon the Mothra larva for help (its sibling had already died of natural causes). Mothra swims to Japan and upon arrival convinces Godzilla and Rodan to join forces with her. Together, they manage to drive Ghidorah off of the Earth. (Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster)
1965 (cited 1959.12): Aliens from the planet Natal attack Earth facilities (including a space station) with a freezing ray, which also causes an anti-gravity effect. Additionally, some Earthmen are implanted with mind-control devices. An Earth expedition to the moon successfully destroys a Natal base located on its surface using newly-developed heat-ray weapons. The Natal then begin to attack the Earth again, but Earth forces retaliate with Atomic Heat Cannons. Although New York, San Francisco and Tokyo are ultimately destroyed by Natal meteor bombardments (“space torpedoes”) and freezing rays, the Earth succeeds in destroying the Natal’s invasion forces. (Battle In Outer Space)
1965.08: The Frankenstein monster (whose mutated heart had been transported to Hiroshima from Germany at the end of the war) grows into a deformed boy who scavenges food around the area. Three scientists (Dr. James Bowen, and his assistants Sueko Togami and Kenichiro Kawaji) discover the boy and proceed to feed him while keeping him under observation. They are stunned to find out the boy’s origin. They study his unique ability to regrow himself and resist the effects of radiation. Dubbed “Frankenstein”, the boy eventually grows to colossal size and escapes into the wilderness where it feeds on livestock. In the city, a debate rages on whether to kill the monster for public safety or study it. Around the same time, a gigantic underground creature (dubbed Baragon) emerges from some mine excavations and causes great destruction, for which Frankenstein is blamed for. When Baragon attacks some humans (including Dr. Sueko), Frankenstein comes to their rescue. However, vibrations from their epic struggle cause a sinkhole to appear, which sucks both creatures into a bottomless chasm. (Frankenstein Conquers the World)
196X (cited 1965.12): The World Space Agency (WSA) sends a spaceship to explore Planet X, located just beyond Jupiter. There, the two astronauts (Glenn and Fuji) encounter the Controller and his people the Xiliens, who live in underground cities in order to escape constant attacks carried out by King Ghidorah (dubbed “Monster Zero” by the Xiliens) on Planet X’s surface. The Xiliens ask mankind for permission to bring Godzilla and Rodan to their planet so that they can again fight off Ghidorah. In return the Xiliens promise the cure for cancer. The Earth governments comply, and the plan is successfully carried out: Godzilla and Rodan apparently drive Ghidorah away from the Xilien base on Planet X. However, when the astronauts examine their “cure” it turns out to be an ultimatum from the Xiliens, demanding that mankind surrender to the Xiliens or face the destructive wrath of the three giant monsters (who have been brought back to Earth and are now controlled by the Xiliens through some kind of mind control signal). Earth’s governments fall into chaos, while Glenn learns from his Xilien lover Namikawa that the Xiliens are vulnerable to a certain sonic frequency. Fearing defeat, the Xiliens order the three monsters to begin rampaging across Japan, while at the same time Fuji discovers that the WSA’s new A-Cycle Lightray guns might be able to disrupt the Xiliens’ control over the giant monsters. Using amplified sound and the A-Cycle guns, mankind eventually defeats the Xiliens, who are all apparently destroyed in an explosion (just after the Controller vows that the Xiliens can use their technology to escape to “an unknown future”). Freed from Xilien control, the monsters resume their battle, ultimately ending with Godzilla and Rodan falling into the sea and Ghidorah flying off into space. (Monster Zero/Invasion of Astro-Monster)
 |
| Destroy All Monsters (1968) |
1966.12: A terrorist organization named the Red Bamboo establish a secret military base on Letchi Island where they develop atomic weapons. This island is protected from discovery because a colossal shrimp monster (dubbed Ebirah) roams the waters surrounding the area and destroys all ships which come into the region. In order to protect their own ships from Ebirah, the Red Bamboo spray a yellow liquid from their decks which repel Ebirah from approaching their hulls. This liquid is manufactured by slaves, who are actually kidnapped villagers from Infant Island (home of Mothra). Eventually, some shipwreck survivors (whose ship had just been destroyed by Ebirah) make their way to the island and discover the Red Bamboo’s nefarious set up. They also stumble upon Godzilla, slumbering in a cavern. After they use a lightning rod in a thunderstorm to waken Godzilla, the behemoth gets into a battle with Ebirah at the shoreline. After repelling Ebirah with his atomic breath, Godzilla returns to the island interior where Red Bamboo jets soon attack him. This prompts Godzilla to go on a rampage on the Red Bamboo military base, which in turn prompts the Red Bamboo to initiate the countdown for a self-destruct bomb. The Red Bamboo flee the island on their transport ship but, because the Infant Island slaves had earlier sabotaged their liquid monster repellent, the craft is destroyed by Ebirah. Godzilla then engages Ebirah once again in the sea and drives it off (after ripping off its claws). Afterwards, the shipwreck survivors and slaves on Letchi Island narrowly escape the island’s self-destruct explosion when Mothra arrives (summoned earlier by one of the shipwreck survivors). Mothra carries the survivors and Infant Island slaves off to safety in a giant net. (Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster)
1967.07: A wealthy female agent named Piranha (representing a small Asian nation) hires the evil scientist Doctor Who (Huu) to mine Element X, a valuable mineral with which Piranha can empower her nation towards global domination. In order to safely mine this radioactive material from its underground location at the North Pole, Dr. Huu creates a robot (Mechani-Kong) fashioned after the legendary King Kong. Unfortunately, the robot malfunctions when exposed to the Element X radiation. At the same time, the U.N. ship Explorer discovers Kong (actually a smaller relation to the giant ape-like creature last seen in 1962) living on Mondo Island. After Kong saves one of the crew (Lt. Susan Watson) from a reptilian dinosaur (later dubbed Gorosaurus), Kong develops an affection for the blonde nurse. Dr Who eventually learns of Kong’s existence on Mondo Island and decides to capture the beast and force it to do his bidding (mining Element X). Using gas bombs to subdue him, he then ships Kong to the North Pole and uses a mind control device to force him to dig out Element X. However, the control mechanism fails when exposed to the Element X radiation. Kong eventually escapes Dr. Who’s prison and makes his way to Tokyo where he goes on a rampage. Dr. Who pursues Kong to Tokyo where he unleashes Mechani-Kong against the original Kong, hoping to subdue and recapture the beast. Fearing for the safety of Tokyo, Piranha disables Mechani-Kong’s controls, causing it to fall from Tokyo Tower and shatter. Kong then heads out to the bay and destroys Dr. Who’s ship, after which the ape-beast returns to the sea. (King Kong Escapes)
1967.12: On Sollgel Island, Dr. Kusumi and his team of U.N. scientists work on developing weather control technology. During their stay, the scientists discover that the island is home to various giant monsters, including three Kamacuras (giant mantises), a colossal tarantula (dubbed Kumonga) and, most importantly, a Godzilla egg (this preponderance of monsters prompts a visiting reporter to dub the island “Monster Island”). When an initial weather control test goes awry, the entire island is bathed in extreme heat and radiation for several days, further increasing the size of the Kamacuras. The giant mantises then crack open the Godzilla egg, from which a baby Godzilla (dubbed Minilla) emerges. Responding to Minilla’s cries for help, Godzilla soon appears and destroys two of the threatening Kamacuras. Godzilla then begins raising his “son” Minilla, but the remaining Kamacuras and a newly-awakened Kumonga continue to threaten Godzilla and his new charge. Dr. Kusumi and his team also eventually discover the presence of Saeko, the daughter of a Japanese archaeologist named Matsumiya who had fled to the island at the end of the war. When the escalating monster conflicts begin making the island too unsafe for further experiments, Kusumi uses his weather control technology to manifest a snowstorm over the island, which puts Godzilla and Minilla into hibernation (but not before they manage to destroy Kumonga with their atomic breath). This gives Kusumi, his team and Saeki the opportunity to escape the island on a small raft which is soon picked up by a U.N. submarine. (Son of Godzilla)
1968: A massive operation is begun to relocate giant monsters from around the world to Monster Island (also known as Monsterland), located in the Ogasawara chain (Bonin Islands). There, scientists will be able to monitor and study the monsters in safety. Eventually, a research facility is built in the center of the island. (Destroy All Monsters)
1969.07: A reporter named Lawton and two oceanographers are rescued from a stranded bathysphere by Craig McKenzie, a mysterious man who commands a super-submersible warship named the Alpha. In order to treat them for injuries, McKenzie brings the three men to his home base, an undersea utopia named Latitude Zero. The people of Latitude Zero are made up of scientists who have abandoned the politics of the surface and now work only for the future good of all mankind. However, McKenzie and Latitude Zero are also the target of a scientific madman named Malic, an ex-comrade of McKenzie’s who now plans world domination, and operates from a base named Blood Rock. When Malic’s submarine warlord Captain Kroiga fails to destroy McKenzie’s Alpha with her ship the Black Shark, Malik later punishes her by transforming her into a giant griffon-creature. Then, when Malik kidnaps a scientist named Okada and his daughter, McKenzie immediately mounts a rescue mission. After penetrating Blood Rock’s defenses and defeating Malic’s mutated slaves (giant rats and "bat men"), McKenzie and his forces successfully rescue Okada and his daughter. In the end, with the vengeful Kroiga-Griffon’s aid, McKenzie is able to destroy Malik and his fortress. Lawton eventually returns to the surface but no one believes his story. (Latitude Zero)
1970.08: While en route to Jupiter, an unmanned space probe (the Helios 7) encounters an immaterial alien intelligence (later identified as a colony of “Astro-quasars”) which repurposes the probe in order to make its way to Earth. The probe lands off the coast of Sergio Island, a landmass in the South Pacific populated by primitive villagers. The “space amoeba” emerges from the probe capsule and merges with a cuttlefish, enlarging it to colossal proportions. The island natives soon begin to fear the monster cuttlefish (dubbed Gezora) as an angry sea god, especially after it begins to murder curious onlookers. Eventually a resort development corporation sends a scientific team to investigate the reports of this monster. The science team manages to destroy Gezora with fire, but the space amoeba then transfers its consciousness into a land crab (and enlarges it to giant-size, after which it is dubbed Ganimes) and again attacks the island dwellers. After Ganimes is destroyed with explosives, the space amoeba takes possession of one of the island visitors (an industrial spy named Obata) and informs him that they plan to take control of the Earth. The space amoeba also mutates a turtle (Kamoebas) which it uses to attack the remaining survivors who, by this time, have deduced the nature of the space amoeba and that it and its host creatures are vulnerable to ultrasound waves. The scientists use a swarm of bats to cause Kamoebas and a second Ganimes to attack each other, resulting in their mutual destruction in a volcano eruption. Obata then sacrifices himself by leaping into a volcano in order to destroy the threat of the space amoeba once and for all. (Space Amoeba)
 |
| Godzilla vs the Smog Monster (1971) |
1972.03: Cockroach-shaped aliens from a planet in the M Space Hunter Nebula arrive on Earth and begin taking possession of the bodies of deceased humans. In the guise of entertainment businessmen, they initiate a plan to create a monster-themed children’s park (Tokyo World Children's Land) which will give them an excuse to destroy all of Earth’s monsters (and remove them as a threat to their plans of subjugating Earth). When a few human employees of the park team begin to suspect their employers’ true motives, they accidentally trigger a sonic signal which draws the attention of Godzilla and Anguiras, summoning them from Monster Island. When the aliens realize that their ploy has been discovered, they summon two monsters from outer space to help them attack the Earth. These two monsters turn out to be King Ghidorah and Gigan (a cyborg monster). When Godzilla and Anguiras arrive in Japan they immediately engage the space monsters in battle. The aliens soon order Gigan to force Godzilla towards their children’s park, where the aliens then attack Godzilla with a powerful energy beam shot from their park tower. Fortunately, the park employees and the military eventually destroy the tower with explosives, in the process killing all of the M Space Hunter Nebula aliens. Godzilla and Anguiras then use team work to drive Ghidorah and Gigan back into space. (Godzilla vs Gigan)
1973.03: Nuclear testing inadvertently causes destruction to the undersea empire of Seatopia, a lost remnant of the continent of Lemuria (sunken below the waves 3 million years ago). In retribution, the Seatopians decide to have their patron monster Megalon (a beetle-like burrowing creature) attack the cities of the surface. When Seatopian agents discover that a scientist named Ibuki has developed a flying robot (dubbed Jet Jaguar), they use the robot to guide Megalon to the surface. When Ibuki learns of this misuse of his creation he regains control and then has Jet Jaguar fly to Monster Island to summon help from Godzilla. When the Seatopians learn of Godzilla’s approach, they ask the aliens from the M Space Hunter Nebula to lend them Gigan to help them fight Godzilla. While Godzilla makes his way to Japan, Jet Jaguar manages to increase his size to match that of Megalon’s, and engages the insectoid monster in battle. Gigan and Godzilla also soon arrive and all four giant monsters fight a massive battle. In the end, Megalon and Gigan are defeated and Jet Jaguar returns to Ibuki’s care. With no other options, the Seatopians simply seal all entrances to their underworld realm in the hope that mankind will no longer cause them any harm. (Godzilla vs Megalon)
1974.03: Ape-like aliens from the 3rd planet orbiting a black hole (Black Hole aliens) create a giant robot (named Mechagodzilla) based on Godzilla’s physiognomy. After emerging from a crater at Mount Fuji, it goes on a rampage in Japan, but is met with resistance from Anguiras, who senses Mechagodzilla’s false nature. After Anguiras is forced to retreat, Godzilla appears and engages Mechagodzilla in battle in Tokyo. When their beams intersect, both Mechagodzilla and Godzilla are injured and forced to retreat. While the Black Hole aliens force an Earth scientist named Miyajima to repair Mechagodzilla, Godzilla reaches an islet where he is healed and empowered by lightning strikes. When the Black Hole aliens send the restored Mechagodzilla on another rampage, Okinawan researchers and worshipers manage to locate the secret whereabouts of King Shisa (Seesar/Caesar, the legendary guardian monster of the Azumi royal family of Okinawa) and awaken it from its underground slumber near Azumi Castle. King Shisa soon fights Mechagodzilla, and is later joined by a lightning-empowered Godzilla. After a fierce battle, Godzilla and King Shisa eventually destroy Mechagodzilla, while Miyajima and Interpol agents destroy the Black Hole aliens’ base. King Shisa then returns to his mountain slumber, and Godzilla returns to the sea. (Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla)
 |
| ESPY (1974) |
1975.03: The Black Hole aliens retrieve and begin repairing Mechagodzilla. At the same time, their human ally Dr. Mafune perfects his technique to control the amphibious dinosaur Titanosaurus (a project he had begun 15 years ago). When Titanosaur destroys a submarine, Interpol investigates and eventually learns that Titanosaurus is vulnerable to ultrasound waves. During Titanosaurus’ next attack (this time on land), Godzilla appears and fights him. However, when its controller Mafune’s daughter Katsura is shot by Interpol agents, Titanosaurus becomes confused and retreats from the city. When the Black Hole aliens save Katsura’s life (a second time), they force Mafune to use Katsura as a remote control for Mechagodzilla in order to enhance its intelligence. Titanosaurus and Mechagodzilla are soon ordered by the Black Hole aliens to begin destroying Tokyo. When Godzilla again appears and engages them in battle, he is nearly defeated by Titanosaurus, but a new JSDF ultrasound weapon is used against it, giving Godzilla a chance to recover. After her father is killed in an Interpol raid, Katsura sacrifices her own life so that Godzilla can destroy Mechagodzilla once and for all. In the end, with Titanosaurus again without any form of human control, Godzilla throws it back into the sea. The Black Hole aliens then try to escape, but Godzilla destroys their saucers with his atomic breath. (Terror of Mechagodzilla)
1976 (cited in 1968.08 as “near the end of the century”): Alien saucers arrive on Earth and the Kilaak (aliens from a planet located between Mars and Jupiter) use their mind control technology to order the giant monsters based on Monster Island (including Godzilla, Minilla, Rodan, a Mothra larva, Anguiras, Kumonga, Baragon, Gorosaurus, Varan, and Manda) to target the major cities of Earth. While Paris, Moscow, Beijing, London and New York are attacked, the Kilaak establish a secret base at Japan’s Mount Fuji. They also use mind control on several humans in order to inform Earth’s governments that they intend to migrate to Earth and eventually take control of the planet. If denied, they will use the monsters to cause further havoc. The mind control devices are eventually discovered by the forces of the UN Science Council and are used to order the monsters to attack the Kilaak’s Mount Fuji base. However, the Kilaak counter by summoning King Ghidorah from outer space. Godzilla and the other Earth monsters band together and eventually defeat Ghidorah, after which Godzilla destroys the Kilaak base at Mount Fuji. A remaining Kilaak saucer is destroyed by the advanced space warship Moonlight SY-3, captained by Commander Yamabe. In the end, the monsters are all returned to Monster Island (sometimes called Monsterland) for further study. (Destroy All Monsters)
1979 (cited 1962.03): While on an exploratory mission to Saturn, the Earth ship JX-1 Hawk is diverted to investigate the approach of Gorath, a runaway planetoid with 6,000 times Earth’s mass. Although the JX-1 Hawk is eventually destroyed when it is caught in Gorath’s gravity well, it succeeds in sending crucial information back to Earth, warning humanity that Gorath will collide into the Earth in two years’ time. In response to this, the nations of Earth collaborate on a scheme to construct atomic thrusters at the South Pole in order to move the Earth out of Gorath’s path. During the final operation, a gigantic prehistoric walrus (dubbed Maguma) damages the polar installation, but is easily tracked down and killed with a laser. After the thrusters are reignited Earth is saved, although Gorath’s near-miss path still causes massive destruction on Earth due to rampant tidal forces (additionally, the Moon is destroyed by Gorath’s gravity well). Nonetheless, the Earth is saved from total destruction and the atomic thrusters are used to move Earth back to its original orbit. (Gorath)
1988 (cited 1977.12): Aliens from the Messier 13 nebula system embark on an invasion of the Earth. First, they force a comet to come near the Earth, causing electromagnetic interference and wiping out communications. Next, their space galleon, the Daimakin, destroys the U.N. Space Station Terra. In their final phase of attack, their saucer craft bomb the major cities of Earth. Despite Captain Takigawa’s misgivings about launching such a powerful warship, the space battleship Goten retaliates against the saucers and then takes the fight to the aliens’ base on Venus. After a great battle, Captain Takigawa uses the Goten’s superweapon to destroy the aliens’ war-galley. In the end, Venus is destroyed due to a chain reaction of volcanic eruptions. (The War In Space)
 |
| Prophecies of Nostradamus (1974) |
1999 (cited in 1961.08 as “near the end of the century”): Tensions between the great superpowers result in the launch of several nuclear missiles. Tokyo, London, Paris, New York and Moscow are destroyed. (The Last War)
1999 (cited in 1973.12 as “near the end of the century”): The movement of tectonic plates under the archipelago of Japan causes it to sink below the waves. Most of the population dies, although several million refugees are dispersed amongst the unaffected nations of the world. (Tidal Wave)
Toho's kaiju eiga (monster movies) picked up again in the Heisei Era.
(All poster art copyright Toho Studio Co., Ltd.)
