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Amanda Mosqueda

Professor Beadle

ENGL 115

7 November 2017

The Perpetual Monster

The original Godzilla film was released in 1954. It is the story of a 164-foot-tall monster

who has formed in the sea from nuclear bombs. The film has been altered over the years and

Godzilla has changed in the modern day 2016 film Shin Godzilla since the original 1954 film.

Godzilla has evolved overtime from the original 1954 film to the 2016 version of Shin Godzilla

in several ways, such as gaining the power of mutation, increased involvement of other countries

and a change of perspective. This can be significant because it can represent profuse concepts

such as change, the idea of evolving, the perpetual, hidden or underlying fears, and the issue of

nuclear warfare. Although, some may argue that there is no evidence of change amongst the two

films; authors Donaldson and Tsuneoka provide evidence in their articles, 'Shin Godzilla' brings

the monster back and A New Godzilla Faces a More Nationalistic Japan that refute the claim.

Godzilla, referred to as Gojira by the Japanese evolves from the original version to the

modern day version. In the 1954 version Godzilla appears on Odo Island as a 164-foot-tall

monster in its full form and maintains the same appearance throughout the whole film. Gojira

attacks Odo Island and the villages in Japan, which is the most concentrated setting in the film.

Japan is the traditional setting of Gojira. The decision of how to defeat Gojira is the main conflict
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and focus of the story, the actions are carried out, along with the perspective viewed through a

scientist aspect. The character Professor Yamane is a paleontologist who provides lots of insight

throughout the film. At the end of the movie Godzilla is finally defeated and it is made clearly

that the monster is dead therefore leaving Odo Island to be at peace.

Over sixty years later another Godzilla movie was released, Shin Godzilla in 2016. This

film included different aspects of Gojira as well as additional plot details. As author Chris

Donaldson mentions in his Shin Godzilla article throughout the film, Godzilla evolves and

takes a more powerful form after his first appearance (Donaldson 10). In the modern version of

the kaiju film Godzilla is introduced as baby version of the original Gojira. The monster only has

two small legs and tiny tyrannosaurus rex arms. It also has gills located on its body and no

eyelids. In contrast to the 1954 film, Godzilla mutates as well as gains additional powers

throughout the movie. Shin Godzilla includes many perspectives of politicians and other

government roles rather than the scientist perspective. Author, Donaldson supports this claim by

stating The movie's two-hour run time is spent on the conflict the Japanese government has in

trying to decide how to fight Godzilla while protecting their country (Donaldson 14) This

emphasizes the greater involvement of the government in the 2016 version. Author Chieko

Tsuneoka supports this claim as well by stating in his article its military a larger international

role, to the dismay of China and some other Asian neighbors (Tsuneoka 12). To add to the idea

that there is a greater role of the government in the new film, Shin Godzilla includes the

character Kayoko Ann Patterson who is the US ambassador. In relation, other countries carry out
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executive decisions in addition to the U.S. playing a key factor along with the japanese in efforts

to defeat Godzilla. The United States takes action in antagonizing Godzilla with bombs and

asking the United Nations for permission to nuke Japan again (Donaldson 20). The movie ends

in the japanese winning the battle with Gojira however, the film leaves off with the expectations

that the monster is believed to return.

Godzilla has evolved overtime from the original 1954 film to the 2016 version of Shin

Godzilla in several ways however, there are examples that reveal Godzilla remained the same.

One similarity between both films is Gojira invokes just as much fear from people in the original

and modern version due to the destructive characteristics of the monster which remained

throughout both movies. An additional supporting detail is Japan is the constant setting in both

films. Both films contain evidence that Godzilla has been reborn after being dormant for many

years. Gojira has the ability to be radioactive in the original version as well as the updated

however, in the 2016 version the radioactivity is much stronger and undefeatable. The monster

has immense amounts of radioactivity that requires large amounts or military action in order to

defeat Godzilla. Another supporting factor for the claim is provided by author Chieko Tsuneoka,

which he writes The monster's origin as the mutant product of nuclear tests reflected Japan's

trauma from the atomic bombings of World War II and its anxieties over postwar American

H-bomb testing in the Pacific. In the 1970s, as Japan choked with industrial pollution, Godzilla

fought the Smog Monster. This quote provides evidence of another similarity in which both

movies include the same detail that Godzilla formed base off of nuclear bombs. Similarly, the
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monster forms in the sea in both Godzilla the original and Shin Godzilla. All of the characters in

both films share the same goal of wanting to defeat Godzilla.

The changes of Godzilla overtime between the original film and modern version are

significant in several different ways. The film can be perceived as a symbol of change therefore,

relating to how things evolve overtime. In Shin Godzilla Gojira can symbolize the perpetual due

to the monsters immortality in the film. This movie addresses the problem of nuclear bombs and

warfare which in a sense represents author Chuck Klostermans ideas of hidden or underlying

fears about modern life which he explains in his novel Monsters. Godzilla is a type of monster

which represents the Japaneses fear of atomic and nuclear warfare which connects to

Klostermans claim that zombies neatly encapsulate our fears and anxieties about modern life

(Klosterman 40). Godzilla was a way of representing the true feelings the japanese have towards

bombs. the zombie is a metaphor for our modern, task-filled world, in which the problems we

face seem to multiply faster than we can solve them. (Klosterman 40) These examples provide

evidence to support the claim of significance; also correlating to Klostermans statement the

zombie is a metaphor for our modern, task-filled world, in which the problems we face seem to

multiply faster than we can solve them (Klosterman 40). His quote implies that these monsters

can metaphorically symbolize reality therefore giving Gojira more representations.

Godzilla has evolved overtime from the original 1954 film to the 2016 version of Shin

Godzilla in several ways which is significant yet, some people may argue otherwise. It can be a

considerable claim that Godzilla does not change throughout the films due to little supporting
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details however, there is a greater amount of evidence found that does suggest change within the

films. Some opposing statements may be that Godzilla does not symbolize the everlasting or that

the film can not represent change. The claim that the films associate with war or nuclear bombs

may be perceived as an exaggeration or an overstatement yet, there is affirmation within the

original and modern version.

Godzilla has evolved overtime from the original 1954 film to the 2016 version of Shin

Godzilla in several ways such as gaining the power of mutation, increased involvement of other

countries and a change of perspective however, its destructive characteristics remained

throughout both movies. These similarities as well as differences can be significant because it

can represent ideas such as change, the idea of evolving, the perpetual, hidden or underlying

fears, and the issue of nuclear warfare which is supported by Klosterman. Although, some may

argue that there is no evidence of change amongst the two films; authors Donaldson and

Tsuneoka provide evidence in their articles that refute the claim. Others can also claim Godzilla

is not symbolic of change, and shares no connection to nuclear warfare or regards to underlying

fears.
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Works Cited

Donaldson, C. (2016, October 21). 'Shin Godzilla' brings the monster back. University

Wire, p. University Wire, Oct 21, 2016.

Hideaki, Anno. Shinji, Higuchi. Shin Godzilla, Cine Bazar, Toho Company, 2016.

Honda, Ishiro. Gojira. Toho Company, 1954.

Hoffman, Andrew J. Monsters: a Bedford Spotlight Reader. My Zombie, Myself: Why

Modern Life Feels Rather Undead. Klosterman, Chuck. Bedford/St. Martin's, a Macmillan

Education Imprint, 2016. Boston, MA

Tsuneoka, C. (2016, September 05). REVIEW --- A New Godzilla Faces a More

Nationalistic Japan. Wall Street Journal, p. A.9.