Son of Godzilla
 
Director: Jun Fukada
Year: 1967
Rating: 4.0
And it was Kawaii that Killed Godzilla. After humans tried so many different ways to destroy Godzilla from fire to electricity to bombs to aliens to oxygen deprivation and none of them working, all it took was a little Kawaii. This was a dreadful idea. How can we ever think of Godzilla as an earth-shattering, city stomping cold eyed monster again after seeing him as a caring dad. That last image of him hugging his son and giving him warmth as they freeze is right out of Jack London. Bring on the Kleenex.



Basically, the same crew from Ebirah are back - director Jun Fukuda, writer Shin'ichi Sekizawa, the special effects team supervised by Eiji Tsuburaya and the tropical island. But the targeted audience are children and they probably got it right for that. But for adults, not so much. This isn't the Godzilla that we feared and respected, that showed mankind for the frail beast it is, that stomped cities into rubble and never said quit. This is just a big lug who likes taking naps. Being of nap age myself, I understand the lure of naps in the afternoon but Godzilla can barely stay awake or wake up when his son is about to be eaten by a giant spider. This is not my Godzilla.



We are back on a tropical island again to save money and a group of scientists are conducting experiments. Their task is to be able to change the weather in tropical and arid geographies so that they become habitable to man. Into this parachutes a reporter who takes a zillion photos - except when he sees a young lady swimming in the sea. Later he sees her again and faster than Morse Code they are an item. On the island also residing are three giant Kamacuras or Preying Mantises who are actually very cool with their red bulging bug eyes. These three unearth an egg and crack it open and out rolls a baby Godzilla. Named Manilla later known as Vanilla Manilla. How did it get there? Where is mom? Questions that go unanswered.



But dad shows up - fights off the Kamacuras and then he takes a nap. Manilla makes friends with the lady Saeko and plays hop scotch with his father's moving tail. Dad tries to teach him how to roar fire. It is all so kawaii. And horrible. Manilla's costume looks like they found it at a rummage sale. It really isn't until Kumonga, the giant spider shows up that this gets fun. He is nasty and hungry. And Manilla looks like a good snack. Toho seems lost as where to go with their franchise - how many cities can you crush before it is old hat - the answer is it never gets old. Make Godzilla, Godzilla again. A pissed off giant radioactive beast that lives only to teach mankind a lesson in humility.