The Monster Island Film Vault

Episode 25: ‘Dogora, the Space Monster’ (feat. Michael ‘The Kaiju Groupie’ Hamilton)

Hello, kaiju lovers!

Making his third trip to Monster Island—but his first appearance on MIFV—is none other than the Kaiju Groupie himself, Michael Hamilton. He paid Nathan and Jimmy a visit to discuss Dogora, the Space Monster, which was one of three kaiju films released in 1964 by Toho. The titular space squid is a nightmare straight out of an H.P. Lovecraft story—minus the sorta lame weakness. (To quote Batman, “Bees. My god.”) Nathan and Michael also discuss Japan’s infamous mafia, the Yakuza, since there are elements of it in this film. Enjoy!

Check out Michael’s titular podcast and social media here.

Episode image created by, well, Michael Hamilton.

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our Patreon patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio), and Bex from Redeemed Otaku! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can support us on Patreon!

This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2020 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

• The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies Volume 1: 1954-1982 by John LeMay
• “Inside The Yakuza, The 400-Year-Old Japanese Criminal Syndicate” by Mark Oliver (All That is Interesting)
• Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa by Steve Ryfle and Ed Godzisewski
• Japanese Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films: A Critical Analysis and Filmography of 103 Features Released in the United States 1950-1992 by Stuart Galbraith IV
• “How the Yakuza Works” by Ed Grabianowski (How Stuff Works)
• Kaijuvision Radio, Episode 31: Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000) (Energy in Japan, Prime Minister Mori’s Gaffe)
• Kaijuvision Radio, Episode 48: Dogora, the Space Monster (1964) (The Liancourt Rocks Dispute)
• Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda by Peter H. Brothers
• “Yakuza” (Wikipedia)

The post Episode 25: ‘Dogora, the Space Monster’ (feat. Michael ‘The Kaiju Groupie’ Hamilton) appeared first on The Monster Island Film Vault.

Episode 24: The Metters vs. ‘Return of Daimjain’

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Hello, kaiju lovers!

We have many happy (and not-so-happy) returns in this episode. Nathan’s friends Joe and Joy Metter are back to continue the “Daimajin Days” by discussing Return of Daimajin. They also brought their dogs, Teddy Kong and Bitzilla, although they’re a little quieter this time around. Regardless, this is the second of the Daimajin trilogy from 1966, and while it’s mostly a rehash of the first film that doesn’t quite rise to its heights (until maybe the last 10-15 minutes), it does bring a few new things to the table. These include a lake parting that rivals The Ten Commandments, a Daimajin with a less gray morality scale, and villains who believe in the supernatural and tremble.

Unfortunately, MIFV’s intrepid producer, Jimmy From NASA, continues doubt Joy’s swordfighting ability. To test her mettle, he sics certain winged gremlins from the future on her—with surprising results!

All this plus the Toku Topics is Shintoism, Shinto shrines, and torii gates since all those factor into this film.

Episode image created by Michael Hamilton.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our Patreon patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio), and Bex from Redeemed Otaku! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can support us on Patreon and get perks like this starting at only $3 a month!

This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode.

Timestamps:
Intro: 0:00-5:34
Entertaining Info Dump: 5:34-11:00
Toku Talk: 11:00-46:05
Advertisement: 46:05-46:57
Toku Topic: 46:57-1:30:48
Outro: 1:30:48-end

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2020 Nathan Marchand & Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

• The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies Volume 1: 1954-1982 by John LeMay
• Encyclopedia of Shinto
• “How to Properly Pass Through a Torii Gate” by Senpai Japan (YouTube)
• “Japan: Where Gods Aren’t Gods and Worshipers Aren’t Religious (Shinto Explained)” by Life Where I’m From (YouTube)
• Japanese Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films: A Critical Analysis and Filmography of 103 Features Released in the United States 1950-1992 by Stuart Galbraith IV
• The Kaiju Film: A Critical Study of Cinema’s Biggest Monsters by Jason Barr
• “Sannō Shrine” (Wikipedia)
• “Torii” (Japan Experience)
• “Torii – Japanese Encyclopedia” by Erica O’Hara (translated by Hilary Keyes) (Matcha)
• “What is Shinto?” (Jinja Honcho)
• Wiki Articles on Return of Daimajin:
  • IMDB
  • Gojipedia
  • Wikipedia
  • Wikizilla

The post Episode 24: The Metters vs. ‘Return of Daimjain’ appeared first on The Monster Island Film Vault.

Episode 23: ‘Atragon’ (Mini-Analysis)

Hello, kaiju lovers!

This month’s mini-sode is yet another excerpt from the paper Nathan wrote for his Ishiro Honda independent study in grad school, and it’s on one of his favorite tokusatsu films: Atragon. This Jules Verne-ian sci-fi adventure story has deep connections to the Japanese national spirit as it was inspired by a militaristic 1899 novel and the ongoing newspaper stories about World War II stragglers being found on Pacific islands. The film also comments on resurgent Japanese nationalism in the early 1960s. All this plus listener feedback, and MIFV’s intrepid producer, Jimmy From NASA, tells a bit of his story about taking the Gotengo (the flying super-sub in the film) for a joyride in the ’80s. (If you want to hear the entire story, listen to Kaiju Weekly episode 38). And much to Nathan’s annoyance, Jimmy relays an outrageous announcement from the Monster Island Board of Directors about Godzilla vs. Kong.

Episode thumbnail created by Michael Hamilton.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our Patreon patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (cohosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio), and Bex from Redeemed Otaku! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can support us on Patreon!

This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode.

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2020 Nathan Marchand & Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

• “Has the Empire Sunk Yet?—The Pacific in Japanese Science Fiction” by Thomas Schnellbächer (Science Fiction Studies, Nov. 2002, vol. 29, no. 3)
• Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa by Steve Ryfle and Ed Godzisewski
• “Ishiro Honda-thon Ep. 2: Atragon (1963) Review” by Adam Noyes (AN Productions)
• Japanese Army Stragglers and Memories of the War, 1950-75 by Beatrice Trefalt
• “Kaijuvision Radio, Episode 46: Atragon (1963) (Hiroo Onoda and Japanese Holdouts)”
• Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda by Peter H. Brothers

The post Episode 23: ‘Atragon’ (Mini-Analysis) appeared first on The Monster Island Film Vault.

Episode 22: The Metters vs. ‘Daimajin’

Hello, kaiju lovers!

Despite some recording/broadcasting issues with a new microphone (which will be remedied for future episodes), Nathan was joined once again by his friends Joe and Joy Metter, who were vacationing on Monster Island. They started the “Daimajin Days” by screening and discussing the first film in Daiei’s Daimajin trilogy from 1966. These films combine the kaiju and chanbara (“samurai”) genres to create some of the most unique examples of both. While Joe and Joy aren’t connoisseurs of kaiju, they are fans of samurai films. They, along with Nathan, connect this film to Rurouni Kenshin, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and of course Star Wars. (You can fill that space on your MIFV bingo card this week). Also making a return is their dog Teddy Kong, and he brought his friend, Bitzilla. You’ll hear them several times during the episode. Teddy really wanted to see Gamera for some reason. (Because he was hungry for turtle meat?) The only buzzkill—besides the recording issues—was MIFV’s intrepid producer, Jimmy From NASA, butting heads with Joy over sword fighting. Geez.

Since this is a period piece, the Toku Topics are the Sengoku Period of Japanese history and the coming of Christianity to Japan.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our Patreon patrons Travis Alexander and Michael “The Kaiju Groupie” Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly), Danny DiManna (Godzilla Novelization Project), Eli Harris, and Bex (host of the Redeemed Otaku) (who joined just before this episode was posted)! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can support us on Patreon!

This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode.

Timestamps:
Prologue: 0:00-2:34
Intro: 2:34-6:52
Entertaining Info Dump: 6:52-12:35
Toku Talk: 12:35-1:03:24
Toku Topic: 1:03:24-1:33:14
Outro: 1:33:14-end

MIFV Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives
#MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2020 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

• The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies Volume 1: 1954-1982 by John LeMay
• “Christianity in Japan” (Wikipedia)
• “Christians in Kyushu: A History – How Jesus was Introduced, Accepted, and Ousted from Japan” by Adam Ledford (with art by Aya Francisco) (Tofugu)  
• “Crucifixion” (Wikipedia)
• “History of the Catholic Church in Japan” (Wikipedia)
• The Kaiju Film: A Critical Study of Cinema’s Biggest Monsters by Jason Barr
• “Kakure Kirishitan” (Wikipedia)
• “Kirishitan” (Wikipedia)
• “Sengoku Period” by Mark Cartwright (Ancient History Encyclopedia)
• “Sengoku Period” (Wikipedia)
• Wiki Articles on Daimajin:
  • IMDB
  • Gojipedia
  • Wikipedia
  • Wikizilla (film) (monster)

The post Episode 22: The Metters vs. ‘Daimajin’ appeared first on The Monster Island Film Vault.

Bonus Episode #4: Interview with Ben Chaffins

Hello, kaiju lovers!

As a special Fifth Wednesday Bonus Episode (which will become a regular feature of the show), I interviewed SciFi Japan writer Ben Chaffins about his new book, Discovering Tokusatsu. In it he chronicles his many quests to get interviews with high-profile people working in tokusatsu filmmaking. You’ll hear about how Ben got his gig at SciFi Japan, why he wrote the book, and how much of a “stan” he is for Ultraman: The Next and Ultraman Nexus (whose special effects director he interviewed for an exclusive chapter in this book).

Oh, and by the way, Ben’s Twitter profile pic is Ultraman Nexus with sunglasses. Deal with it!  Follow Ben on Twitter and Instagram.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our Patreon patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (cohosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (Godzilla Novelization Project); elizilla13; and Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio)! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can support us on Patreon!

This bonus episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD

#JimmyFromNASALives
#MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2020 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

The post Bonus Episode #4: Interview with Ben Chaffins appeared first on The Monster Island Film Vault.

Episode 21: ‘Matango’ (Mini-Analysis)

Hello, kaiju lovers!

An artsy Japanese horror film about mushrooms based on a British short story?

That’s sounds insane enough to work!

Despite getting slapped with the schlocky English title, “Attack of the Mushroom People,” Matango ranks as one of director Ishiro Honda’s greatest achievements in tokustasu filmmaking. Screenwriter Takeshi Kimura considered it to be his magnum opus. It’s a story replete with subtlety and symbolism, an indictment of Japan’s newfound opulence and decadence in the early 1960s, and it’s as relevant now for any audience as it was back then. It’s such an important film, Nathan and his intrepid producer, Jimmy From NASA, interview the only scientist on Monster Island’s who’s brave and/or crazy enough to study the Matango—with frightening results! 

Featuring Daniel DiManna as the voice of Dr. Dante Dourif.

Episode image created by Michael Hamilton. Check out his podcast, The Kaiju Groupie.

This is meant to supplement this episode of Kaijuvision Radio: Episode 45: Matango (Attack of the Mushroom People) (1963) (Westernization and Globalization)

We’d like to give a shout-out to our Patreon patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (cohosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (Godzilla Novelization Project); elizilla13; and Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio)! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can support us on Patreon!

This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2020 Nathan Marchand & Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

• “Attack of the Mushroom People: Ishiro Honda’s Matango William Hope Hodgson’s ‘The Voice in the Night’” by Anthony Camara (Monsters and Monstrosity from the Fin de Siécle to the Millennium, edited by Sharla Hutchinson and Rebecca A. Brown)
• “The history and current state of drug abuse in Japan” by Kiyoshi Wada (Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Jan 2011, vol. 1216, no. 1, p 62-72)
• Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa by Steve Ryfle and Ed Godzisewski
• “Ishiro Honda-thon Ep. 5: Matango (1963) Review” by Adam Noyes (AN Productions) (YouTube)
• Kaijuvision Radio, “Episode 8: King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962)”
• “Methamphetamine Solution: Drugs and the Reconstruction of Nation in Postwar Japan” by Miriam Kingsburg (The Journal of Asian Studies, Feb. 2013, vol. 72, no. 1, p. 141-162)
• Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda by Peter H. Brothers

The post Episode 21: ‘Matango’ (Mini-Analysis) appeared first on The Monster Island Film Vault.

Episode 20: Bex vs. ‘Rebirth of Mothra III’

Hello, kaiju lovers!

Twelve-centimeter girls, tiny robot dragons, and redemption—and we’re not talking about the movie!

After some shenanigans with Jimmy From NASA’s teleporter, Nathan and resident “Mothrian” Bex (Redeemed Otaku podcast) finish the “Summer of Mothra” with the surprisingly good Rebirth of Mothra III. Although, maybe they’re just riding high on Bex’s hyperbolic enthusiasm over this movie. But it isn’t hard to improve on the empty, fluffy whimsy of the second one. There’s a lot of meat (bubble) to chew on thematically. Not to mention it also features one of the best-looking King Ghidorahs ever, time travel, and dinosaur puppets. However, Bex gets so carried away with her newfound faith in Mothra, she gets a visit from Monster Island’s chaplain, Rev. Mifune! Uh-oh….

For the first time, we’re covering not one but two Toku Topics: the hikikimori and Aokigahara (Aoki Forest). The child hero, Shota, is likely a member of the former, and much of the movie is set in that infamous forest.

It’s an episode that spans the emotional gamut, that’s for sure!

BE SURE TO LISTEN UNTIL AFTER THE CREDITS!

Here are the Redeemed Otaku episodes Nathan (and his friend Eric Anderson) appeared on to discuss the Godzilla Anime Trilogy:

Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters
Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle
Godzilla: The Planet Eater

We’d like to give a shout-out to our Patreon patrons Travis Alexander (host of Kaiju Weekly), Danny DiManna (Godzilla Novelization Project), elizilla13, and Joejira! Thanks for your support! (And also to Michael “The Kaiju Groupie” Hamilton, who joined just before this episode was posted).

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode.

Timestamps:
Prologue: 0:00-2:20
Intro: 2:20-6:25
Entertaining Info Dump: 6:25-12:57
Toku Talk: 12:57-1:24:26
Promo: 1:24:26-1:25:16
Toku Topic: 1:25:16-2:10:53
Outro: 2:10:53-2:19:46
Epilogue: 2:19:46-end

MIFV Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Patreon

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy

#JimmyFromNASALives

© 2020 Moonlighting Ninjas Media (and Becky “Bex” Smith)

Bibliography/Further Reading:

• “Aokigahara” (Wikipedia)
• “Aokigahara Forest” (http://www.aokigaharaforest.com/)
• The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies Volume 1: 1954-1982 by John LeMay
• “Hikikimori” (search on The Japan Times)
• “Inside Japan’s ‘suicide forest’” by Michael Nedelman
• Japan’s Green Monsters: Environmental Commentary in Kaiju Cinema by Sean Rhodes and Brooke McCorkle
• “Lifetime Prevalence, Psychiatric Comorbidity and Demographic Correlates of ‘Hikikomori’ in a Community Population in Japan” by Asuka Koyama, Yuko Miyake, Norito Kawakami, Masao Tsuchiya, Hisateru Tachimori, Tadashi Takeshima, World Mental Health Japan Survey Group
• “Reclusive Shut-Ins: Are Hikikimori Predominantly a Japanese Problem?” Alexander Krieg (Iafor)
• “Retired Japanese government official ‘admits stabbing son to death’” by Mari Yamaguchi (Independent)
• “The Truth about Japan’s Hikikomori (shut-ins)” by Nobita from Japan (YouTube)
• “What is Aokigahara? All About The Most Haunted Forest in Japan” by Yuki Ling (www.tsunagujapan.com)
• “Worrying plight of the young and unemployed” by Robert J. Samuelson (The Japan Times)
• Writing Giant Monsters by John LeMay

The post Episode 20: Bex vs. ‘Rebirth of Mothra III’ appeared first on The Monster Island Film Vault.

KAIJU CON-LINE 2020 Promo

From the event’s official website:

MARK YOUR CALENDARS, MONSTER KIDS!
ON THE WEEKEND OF JULY 11 & 12, THE MONSTERS ARE IN REVOLT AS KAIJU CON-LINE TAKES OVER THE INTERNET!

WHAT IS KAIJU CON-LINE?
WITH THE CANCELATION OF THE ANNUAL GATHERING OF KAIJU FANS, A FEW MOTIVATED MONSTER MANIACS ARE REPLICATING A SMALL PORTION OF THE FUN WITH THEIR FELLOW FANS ON THAT SAME WEEKEND, LIKE A VIRTUAL CONVENTION.

OVER THE WEEKEND, A MYRIAD OF ONLINE ACTIVITIES ARE AVAILABLE FOR KAIJU FANS AROUND THE GLOBE TO ENJOY – ALL FOR FREE.

YES, KAIJU CON-LINE IS A FREE EVENT! WE ARE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE THIS SHOW AS AWESOME AS POSSIBLE AND REACHING OUT TO MEMBERS OF OUR KAIJU COMMUNITY TO HELP IN A NUMBER OF WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE. WE HOPE YOU HAVE A MONSTROUS TIME AT KAIJU CON-LINE FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOME!

(END)

Join Nathan Marchand and Danny DiManna (author and creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project) for their panel, “The Original MCU: Connecting Showa Era Continuity” Sunday at 2pm EST. They will connect the dots in the often loose continuity of Toho’s Showa era tokusatsu films.

This is all only some of the great programming being offered this weekend! Check it out!

Special thanks to Henry the Host of the “It Came from a Monster Movie!” podcast for this promo.

The post KAIJU CON-LINE 2020 Promo appeared first on The Monster Island Film Vault.

Episode 19: ‘Gorath’ (feat. Jack “GMan” Hudgens)

Hello, kaiju lovers!

Before Armageddon, before Star Trek: The Motion Picture, there was Gorath. Nathan is joined by the most loved and hated film critic in the kaiju community, Jack “GMan” Hudgens, to discuss this Toho classic that has been described as the lovechild of Mothra (1961) and The Last War. While it isn’t the most exciting film, Nathan and GMan explore how its theme of unity is a timeless message, and one that people need to hear now more than ever. Along the way, they compare this to Star Trek and H.P. Lovecraft stories and discuss how Maguma the giant walrus has done nothing but get shoehorned into stories he didn’t need to be in. Also, GMan gets into a bar fight with Jimmy From NASA. Yep.

This is meant to supplement this episode of Kaijuvision Radio: Episode 44: Gorath (1962) (Near Earth Objects/Science of Gorath).

I’d like to give a shout-out to our Patreon patrons Travis Alexander (host of Kaiju Weekly), Danny DiManna, elizilla13 and Joejira! Thanks for your support! (Forgive me for forgetting to say this on the air! I’ll make it up to you next time!)

You, too, can support us on Patreon!

Follow GMan on Twitter. Check out The Drift Space.

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode.

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy

#JimmyFromNASALives

© 2020 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

• The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies Volume 1: 1954-1982 by John LeMay
• “Intergalactic star” (Wikipedia)
• “Hubble Finds Intergalactic Stars” (Hubblesite)
• Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa by Steve Ryfle and Ed Godzisewski
• Japanese Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films: A Critical Analysis and Filmography of 103 Features Released in the United States 1950-1992 by Stuart Galbraith IV
• “Lost in Space: Half of All Stars Are Rogues Between Galaxies” by Charles Q. Choi (Space.com)
• Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda by Peter H. Brothers
• “Star unlike any found in the Milky Way appears to be an intergalactic intruder” by Michael Irving (New Atlas)

The post Episode 19: ‘Gorath’ (feat. Jack “GMan” Hudgens) appeared first on The Monster Island Film Vault.

Episode 18: Bex vs. ‘Rebirth of Mothra II’

Hello, kaiju lovers!

The “Summer of Mothra” continues with Rebirth of Mothra II—the valley between two short mountains in the ‘90s Mothra trilogy. Once again Nathan is joined by Bex from the Redeemed Otaku podcast, and they try their hardest to do a deep dive on a shallow movie. While the first movie had an obvious environmental theme, this one barely gives 20 seconds of screen time to anything substantial. Even Belvera and Elias aren’t as exciting this time around. Then there’s Ghogo/Gogo/Go-Go (aka “Japanese Furby”), the “token cute thing” whose plushy Bex has no interest in buying because, well, magic urine. Yeah….

But nothing can prepare you for the Shyamalan twist at the end of this episode. Nathan and his intrepid producer, Jimmy From NASA, never saw it coming.

Also, Jimmy introduces his new garage assistant, who’s either popular or infamous, depending on who you talk to.

Here’s the Kaijuvision Radio episode Nathan mentioned: Episode 19: Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) (The Reversion of Okinawa: History and Culture).

Here are the Redeemed Otaku episodes Nathan (and his friend Eric Anderson) appeared on to discuss the Godzilla Anime Trilogy:

Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters
Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle
Godzilla: The Planet Eater

We’d like to give a shout-out to our Patreon patrons Travis Alexander (host of Kaiju Weekly), Danny DiManna, elizilla13, and Joejira! Thanks for your support! (Sorry we didn’t mention you on the air, Joejira. You signed up after the initial broadcast).

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode.

Timestamps:
Intro: 0:00-3:57
Entertaining Info Dump: 3:57-8:44
Toku Talk: 8:44-1:17:00
Toku Topic: 1:17:00-1:40:01
Outro: 1:40:01-end

MIFV Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Patreon

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy

#JimmyFromNASALives

© 2020 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

• The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies Volume 2: 1984-2017 by John LeMay
• Japan’s Green Monsters: Environmental Commentary in Kaiju Cinema by Sean Rhodes and Brooke McCorkle
• “Marine Pollution” (National Geographic)
• “Marine pollution” (Wikipedia)
• “Ocean Pollution” (NOAA)
• “Ocean Pollution: 11 Facts You Need to Know” (Conservation International)
• “Up From The Depths Reviews | Rebirth of Mothra II (1997)”
• Wiki Articles on Rebirth of Mothra II:
  • IMDB
  • Gojipedia
  • Toho Kingdom
  • Wikipedia
  • Wikizilla

The post Episode 18: Bex vs. ‘Rebirth of Mothra II’ appeared first on The Monster Island Film Vault.