#cybot godzilla

[vermilllionsands]

The cybot Godzilla skeleton in all her glory

[misscouchpotatobew]

I think about him daily...

It breaks my heart that he malfunctioned :(

And the 84 suit got stolen and I don't think they ever found it.

I would gladly have this thing in my house.

[citystompers1]

The Making of Godzilla 1985

[chernobog13]

Behind the scenes of building the cybot and the suit for The Return of Godzilla (1984), aka Godzilla 1985.

[astoundingbeyondbelief]

Kaiju Week in Review (February 4-10, 2024)

Zoe Tunnell's Godzilla: Valentine's Day Special for IDW was everything I wanted it to be and more. While the kaiju are essential to the story, the focus is on the rivalry-turned-romance between an EDF captain and an independent kaiju researcher, which unfolds wonderfully across multiple attacks. Kaiju researchers have decried a military-first approach since 1954, of course, but Piper Simmons goes a step further by questioning whether an explosion in defense spending on shiny super-weapons is just making the problem worse. Essential reading.

Shout Factory! TV added seven vintage Toei tokusatsu titles out of nowhere, all in Japanese with English subtitles. Magic Serpent (retitled Dragon Showdown) is probably the most familiar and of-interest title to kaiju fans, but there's also Planet Prince (the first of two films edited together and dubbed under the title Prince of Space), Invasion of the Neptune Men, Watari: The Ninja Boy, Ninja Scope, and The Golden Bat. Earlier today, we learned that they're all being released in a Blu-ray set as well—but more on that in the next column.

Here's a new CG short called Daikaiju vs. the Giant Girl (we are ignoring the typo in the thumbnail/video title). Great action, and I had to check the credits to confirm it was completely computer-animated.

When Titanic Creations first announced its articulated Gorgo figure, I was less than confident they'd be able to deliver on their promise of a graphic novel sequel to the film. Well, work on it seems to be progressing well, although at some point along the way it became a prequel instead. Artist Patrick McEvoy posted on his Facebook that the comic is fully inked. The company is also rather boldly setting it in the same universe as their original kaiju graphic novel Soul War, also illustrated by McEvoy.

Warning from Space has a surprisingly large role in this Martin Scorsese-directed Squarespace ad. Leave it to the world's foremost Marvel hater to have me watching and enjoying a Super Bowl commercial.

I don't often post X-Plus news, but this Bagan figure based on his appearance in Godziban seemed noteworthy. They're also releasing a figure based specifically on the giant Cybot Godzilla animatronic from The Return of Godzilla, with the Shonen Rick limited edition including a small Shockirus.

[wildandmoody]

They are making a resin statue kit of SPECIFICALLY the ugly Cybot Godzilla from the 1984 movie---OMG!!! <- trying so hard not to have a Moment rn

[gojira-ekkusu]

Cybot Godzilla from Return of Godzilla / Godzilla 1985

[butterflyinthewell]

Give the 1984 cybot Godzilla some love!

⚠️ *** WARNING: Flashing lights *** ⚠️

This animatronic was used in the ‘84 movie a few times, but it was hard to shoot because of its jerky movements. Cybot Godzilla is around 15 or so feet tall.

But really...

I wanna pet him!!

[jimpluff]

Cybot Filius and Cybot Earth (1984) [x]

[vermilllionsands]

[thereturnofgodzilla]

[citystompers1]

The Making of Godzilla 1985

[chernobog13]

Special Effects Director Teruyoshi Nagano scolding the cybot for behaving like a diva during production of The Return of Godzilla (1984), aka Godzilla 1985.

[tyrantisterror]

Happy Godzilla 65 birthday! What are your favourite and least favourite designs for the big G from each of the Godzilla eras (Showa, Heisei, Millennium, Reiwa/Monsterverse)

It’s still November 2nd where I am, but it’s never to early too celebrate Godzilla!

Godzilla 1964 is my favorite Godzilla design not just of the Showa era, but of all time, forever.

Godzilla 1967 is my least favorite Showa suit, but it’s still got its charms.

Godzilla 1984 is my favorite of the Heisei suits - not so big on the Cybot, though, its got a weird nose.

And the design that’s used for all the other Heisei films (with minor alterations) is my least favorite of the Heisei designs, and pretty low on my overall list.  I still think it’s an iconic look and have fond memories of it, but the pinhead and thunder thighs combo just isn’t my thing.

I love the G2K/GvMeg suit, purple spikes and all (but ESPECIALLY that snaggletooth crocodile mouth).

While the GFW look is my least favorite of the Millenium looks - the head’s a bit too rat-like/mammalian for my tastse.

The two Monsterverse designs are super similar and both rank very high in my overall list because they are very good takes on Godzilla, but I like 2019 just a bit more than 2014.

Shin Godzilla’s designs is weird because it’s too grotesque to be my favorite Godzilla suit and ill suited to my favorite “flavor” of Godzilla characterization, but at the same time I think it works marvelously for Godzilla as Tragic Villain and is just a really stunning monster design.  I’d never use it for a Godzilla story I’d tell, but it’s perfect for the Godzilla story it was made for, if that makes sense.  My favorite of the Reiwa designs.

Anime Godzilla is my least favorite by default (only two design in the Reiwa era so far) and also on its own merits, because I think it looks kinda dopey and inexpressive.  The whole design philosophy of “Godzilla’s a tree because trees are old and big” is just kind of pretentious IMO, and while I think there are likable things about it (it looks like a grampa and that is kind of cute), they run contrary to what little the series wants to do with Godzilla as a force of conflict (they don’t let him be a character until the last half hour of the trilogy), so… yeah not a fan.

I know you didn’t include it in your ask, but I’m gonna go ahead and say that while I think it’s a bit too thin and fragile looking for a giant monster, I otherwise like the 98 design for the most part.  The eyes are a bit too small for my liking and it doesn’t get to emote much, but it would have been a fine Godzilla if it had a different script to work with.  It’s the writing that makes this “Godzilla in name only” to me, not the design.

[regeneratorg1]

Thoughts: King Kong ‘76 & Gojira ‘84 Parallels

Both films feature the same title as their source material

Both films are (then) modern interpretations of classic sci-fi/fantasy films which adapt the original story for a new era

Both films heavily publicized the use of a robotic creature effect in the film’s production

Both films feature a (flawed) robotic creature effect with limited screen-time

Both films primarily utilize “suitmation” to bring the title characters to life

Both films increased the size of their title characters

Both films feature exactly one oversized, naturally-occurring animal/creature besides the title monster 

Both films begin with an opening scene featuring a boat

Both films feature a character who is a shipwreck survivor that is discovered by the male lead

Both films feature the title character falling to their (apparent) demise

Both films were-followed up by sequels that brush off the (apparent) demise of the title character in the previous film 

Both films feature theatrical posters which show the title character centered among an urban skyline

Both films feature a sweeping, grandiose, gothic score that elevates the onscreen material

Both films feature wide-angle, on-location shots of natural landscapes

Both films were produced by larger-than-life filmmakers

Both films were directed by relative newcomers having one large-scale sci-fi/fantasy film to their credit

Both films are (IMHO) frustratingly flawed, yet highly enjoyable films that do not garner enough merit in their respective fan-doms