The Cinematheque

“An underrated standout among the Showa Godzilla films.”

Janus Films

Hurried into production after the smash success of the original, the first of many Godzilla sequels boasts the earliest and most consequential addition to the kaiju eiga playbook: the monster-versus-monster showdown, henceforth a fixture of the genre. Kurosawa regular Shimura Takashi returns as paleontologist Yamane, last seen cautioning humanity that if nuclear testing continues, ​“another Godzilla may appear.” (Note, there are Godzillas!) Hubris prevails and now, in addition to the titular atomic breather, a radioactive Ankylosaurus, ​“Anguirus,” turns up to give Godzilla a run for the throne. Here, it is Osaka reduced to rubble in the ensuing chaos, with the Japanese Air Force serving as the last line of defence. Toho in-house director Oda Motoyoshi brings a flair for set pieces and choreographed destruction. (Honda, who helmed the original, was already committed to a Toho melodrama.) Anguirus would become a recurring series character, oscillating between nemesis and ally.

In Japanese with English subtitles