What Makes Japanese Godzilla So Different From American Godzilla?
There's more than meets the eye when it comes to Godzilla. The movies, made by Japan (Japanese Godzilla) and the U.S. (American Godzilla), have a totally different vibe. Even though it's the same giant lizard, they both go for super different directions.
Is American Godzilla Just a Regular Monster?
It can be hard to tell if they are the same! That's because American Godzilla movies give a lot more attention to the speedy monsters, especially that 1998 American Godzilla. In contrast, Japanese Godzilla usually hangs back and is super-powerful and unstoppable. Remember how slow Godzilla is when it storms through cities in the 1954 original? There’s a big difference because, with those Godzilla movies, the Japanese filmmakers were really playing up the awesome size of Godzilla.
Does American Godzilla Ever Do the Slow, Powerful Thing?
- Yep. Shin Godzilla in 2016 really got this right. He was a huge monster - totally menacing. This Godzilla really gave those American Godzilla movies a run for their money because it brought some scary reality to Godzilla, as if it could truly happen.
- Godzilla Minus One, another amazing movie, had Godzilla be the centerpiece too. But what makes those Japanese Godzilla movies different is that they’re more like a big period drama about war, rather than just a monster movie. That kind of storytelling really is something unique to the Japanese Godzilla movies.
But Why Are American Godzilla Movies So Big-Budget?
- We've got to remember those amazing American Godzilla movies have those insane effects, and Godzilla, even those older versions, are actually pretty scary in them. Those special effects just go wild! Think about the amazing "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" and "Godzilla vs. Kong".
- Japanese Godzilla often has a more unique look because they are more artistic, more interesting. The American versions focus more on the spectacle, with those giant battles. And guess what? We aren’t saying it's bad! We just love those cool special effects! It’s totally worth it! It does add an extra wow factor!
- You can really see how the two worlds are different - think Godzilla vs. Ghidorah, Godzilla vs. Mothra and Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla! We are getting these really epic stories that feel like the core of the Godzilla universe!
Even though it might be tough to tell the difference between those Godzilla movies, both Japan and the U.S. really bring out amazing things to make us fall in love with this gigantic lizard! You have to know that Godzilla movies will keep showing those classic giant monsters that make you wanna jump from your seat!
