Editing Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla

{{short description|1974 film by Jun Fukuda}}
{{About|the 1974 film|the 1993 film|Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II|the 2002 film|Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
| image          = Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla 1974.jpg
| alt            = 
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| native_name    = {{Infobox Japanese| kanji=ゴジラ対メカゴジラ| revhep=gojira tai mekagojira}}
| director       = [[Jun Fukuda]]
| producer       = [[Tomoyuki Tanaka]]
| screenplay     = {{plainlist|
* Hiroyasu Yamamura
* Jun Fukuda{{sfn|Galbraith IV|1994|p=352}}}}
| story          = {{plainlist|
*[[Shinichi Sekizawa]]
*[[Masami Fukushima]]{{sfn|Galbraith IV|1994|p=352}}}}
| based_on       = <!-- {{based on|title of the original work|writer of the original work}} -->
| starring       = {{plainlist|
* Masaaki Daimon
* Kazuya Aoyama
* [[Akihiko Hirata]] 
* [[Hiroshi Koizumi]]}}
| narrator       = <!-- or: |narrators = -->
| music          = [[Masaru Sato]]
| cinematography = Yuzuru Aizawa{{sfn|Galbraith IV|1994|p=352}}
| editing        = Michiko Ikeda
| studio         = Toho–Eizo{{sfn|Galbraith IV|1994|p=352}}
| distributor    = [[Toho]]
| released       = {{film date|1974|03|21|Japan}}
| runtime        = 84 minutes{{sfn|Galbraith IV|1994|p=352}}
| country        = Japan
| language       = Japanese
| budget         = {{US$|1.2 million|long=no}}<ref name="Edelson">{{cite book |last1=Edelson |first1=Edward |title=Great animals of the movies |date=1980 |publisher=[[Doubleday (publisher)|Doubleday]] |page=85 |isbn=9780385147286 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EbwaAAAAMAAJ |quote=By the late 1970s, Godzilla films settled down to a comfortable formula. Toho was making two films a year. Each cost in the neighborhood of {{US$|1.2 million|long=no}} and could be counted on to earn about {{US$|20 million|long=no}}.}}</ref>
| gross          = {{US$|20 million|long=no}}
}}

{{nihongo|'''''Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla'''''|ゴジラ対メカゴジラ|Gojira tai Mekagojira}} is a 1974 Japanese [[Kaiju|''kaiju'' film]] directed by [[Jun Fukuda]], with special effects by [[Teruyoshi Nakano]]. Distributed by [[Toho]] and produced under their effects subsidiary Toho–Eizo, it is the 14th film of the [[Godzilla (franchise)|''Godzilla'' franchise]], and features the fictional monster characters [[Godzilla (Showa)|Godzilla]], [[Anguirus]], and '''King Caesar''', along with the [[mecha]] character [[Mechagodzilla]]. The film stars Masaaki Daimon, Kazuya Aoyama, [[Gorō Mutsumi]], and [[Akihiko Hirata]], with Isao Zushi as Godzilla, Satoru Kuzumi as both Anguirus and King Caesar, and Kazunari Mori as Mechagodzilla. The film marks the first appearances of King Caesar and Mechagodzilla in the franchise.

''Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla'' was released theatrically in Japan on March 21, 1974, to generally positive reviews. The film received a [[limited release]] in the United States in 1977 by Cinema Shares, under the title '''''Godzilla vs. the Bionic Monster'''''. It was then quickly re-released under the title '''''Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster''''' which was also the UK theatrical title.

The film was followed by ''[[Terror of Mechagodzilla]]'', released on March 15, 1975.

==Plot==
In [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]], an [[Azumi people|Azumi]] priestess has a vision of a city being destroyed by a giant monster. Masahiko Shimizu discovers space titanium while [[spelunking]] and takes it to Professor Miyajima for examination. An excavation led by Masahiko's brother Keisuke uncovers a chamber filled with ancient artifacts and a mural bearing an ominous prophecy: "''When a black mountain appears above the clouds, a huge monster will arise and try to destroy the world; but when the red moon sets and the sun rises in the west, two monsters shall appear to save the people.''" Keisuke is joined by archaeologist Saeko Kaneshiro, who translates the prophecy and takes a statue bearing the likeness of Okinawa's guardian monster King Caesar to study. Two men stalk them, one claiming to be a reporter while the other attempts to steal the statue.

Following the appearance of a black cloud resembling a mountain, [[Mechagodzilla#Shōwa period (1974–1975)|a Godzilla imposter]] emerges from [[Mount Fuji]] and begins a destructive rampage. [[Godzilla (Showa)|Godzilla]]'s ally, [[Anguirus]], confronts the imposter, only to be injured and forced to retreat. Keisuke arrives shortly after to check on Masahiko and Miyajima. As the Godzilla imposter's rampage continues, the real Godzilla confronts the imposter, revealed to be [[Mechagodzilla]], a massive mecha with advanced weaponry made of space titanium. Both monsters injure each other and retreat.

Keisuke and Saeko take the statue back to the temple, but are confronted by the thief once again. During the fight, the skin on half of the stranger's face melts away, revealing an ape-like alien from the Third Planet of the Black Hole called Simeon. The Simeon intruder attempts to kill Keisuke, but an unseen gunman kills him before Keisuke and Saeko catch a brief glimpse of the reporter. Godzilla arrives on Monster Island during a thunderstorm and is struck by lightning multiple times, reinvigorating it.

Masahiko, Miyajima and his daughter Ikuko explore the cave where the space titanium was found, but are captured by Simeons, who plan to use Mechagodzilla to conquer Earth. Their commander, Kuronuma, forces Miyajima to repair the mecha. While Saeko checks into a hotel and guards the statue, Keisuke leaves to meet Masahiko at the caves, only to encounter the reporter, who reveals himself as Nanbara, an [[Interpol]] agent who has been tracking the Simeons. After Nanbara and Keisuke infiltrate Simeon base and free the prisoners, Keisuke and Ikuko leave to pick up Saeko and the statue while Miyajima, Nanbara, and Masahiko stay behind, only to be recaptured by Kuronuma.

The next morning, a [[lunar eclipse]] results in a red moon and a mirage of the sun rising in the west. Seeing this, the team realizes they have to awaken Caesar. They meet with the priestess and her grandfather and place the statue in the temple, revealing Caesar's resting place. As Kuronuma dispatches Mechagodzilla, the priestess sings to awaken Caesar and Godzilla arrives. The two monsters join forces to fight Mechagodzilla. When the mecha tries to escape, Godzilla creates an electromagnetic field to attract Mechagodzilla before tearing off its head, destroying Mechagodzilla. While the Simeons are distracted, Nanbara and the others free themselves, kill their captors, and sabotage the base, fleeing as it explodes. With the enemy defeated, Godzilla heads out to the ocean and Caesar returns to his resting place while the humans rejoice.

==Cast==
{{castlist|
* Masaaki Daimon as {{nihongo|Keisuke Shimizu|清水 敬介|Shimizu Keisuke}}
* Kazuya Aoyama as {{nihongo|Masahiko Shimizu|清水 正彦|Shimizu Masahiko}}
* [[Akihiko Hirata]] as {{nihongo|Professor Hideto Miyajima|宮島 秀人|Miyajima Hideto}}
* [[Hiroshi Koizumi]] as {{nihongo|Professor Wagura|和倉 博士|Wagura-hakase}}
* Reiko Tajima as {{nihongo|Saeko Kanagusuku|金城 冴子|Kanagusuku Saeko}}
* Hiromi Matsushita as {{nihongo|Ikuko Miyajima|宮島 郁子|Miyajima Ikuko}}
* [[Gorō Mutsumi]] as Kuronuma, Black Hole Alien Commander
* [[Shin Kishida]] as Nanbara, Interpol Agent 
* Takayasu Torii as Tamura, Interpol Agent
* Beru-Bera Lin as Princess Nami, Azumi
* Masao Imafuku as High Priest Azumi
* Daigo Kusano as Yanagawa, Alien Agent #1 
* [[Kenji Sahara]] as Ship Captain
* Isao Zushi as [[Godzilla (Showa)|Godzilla]]{{sfn|Ryfle|1998|p=361}}
* Kazunari Mori as [[Mechagodzilla]]{{sfn|Ryfle|1998|p=361}}
* [[Kin'ichi Kusumi]] as [[Anguirus]] and King Caesar{{sfn|Ryfle|1998|p=361}}}}

==Production==
As with all previous entries in the ''Godzilla'' film series, the ''kaiju'' characters featured in ''Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla'' were depicted through [[suitmation]]. The body of the Mechagodzilla suit, worn by suit actor Kazunari Mori, was made from a [[polyethylene]] material, while the suit's head and hands were made using [[fibre-reinforced plastic]].<ref>{{cite book|date=2012|title=東宝特撮映画大全集|trans-title=Toho Special Effects Movie Complete Works|publisher=Villagebooks|pages=169–171|language=ja|isbn=978-4864910132}}</ref>

==King Caesar==
{{Infobox character
| name               = King Caesar
| series             = [[Godzilla (franchise)|Godzilla film series]]
| first              = ''Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla'' (1974)
| last               = ''[[Godzilla: Final Wars]]'' (2004)
| creator            = [[Jun Fukuda]]
| portrayer          = '''''Shōwa series'''''<br />[[Kin'ichi Kusumi]]<br />'''''Millennium series'''''<br />[[Motokuni Nakagawa]]
| species            = [[Shisa]] [[kaiju]]
}}

'''King Caesar''' (キングシーサー, Kingu Shisa), is a fictional [[kaiju]] resembling a combination of a [[lion]] and a [[dog]], who first appeared in the 1974 film '''Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla.''' King Caesar also appears in the 2004 film [[Godzilla: Final Wars]], along with other media including [[comics]], [[television series]], and [[video games]].

King Caesar's name and design are based on [[shisa]], which are artistically embellished stone lion-like dog statues common in [[Okinawa Island|Okinawa]], where the film took place. They are an Okinawan variation on the [[Chinese guardian lion]] (石獅; Shishi, meaning "Stone Lion"),<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=CREATURE FEATURE : King Caesar |url=https://www.kaijubattle.net/creature-feature/creature-feature-king-caesar#:~:text=King%20Caesar%20(%E3%82%AD%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B0%E3%82%B7%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%20Kingu%20Shisa)%20is%20a%20fictional,in%20the%201974%20Showa%20film%20Godzilla%20vs.%20Mechagodzilla. |access-date=2024-12-20 |website=Kaiju Battle |language=en}}</ref> which in turn originates from Buddhist tradition in India, where [[Asiatic lion]]s are native. Shisa only loosely resemble actual lions on account of being based on second-hand descriptions by people who had never seen one in person.<ref>{{cite web |author=Adam Ledford |date=11 September 2014 |title=Tracing the History of Japan's Mythical Lion Dogs - Tofugu |url=http://www.tofugu.com/2014/09/11/tracing-the-history-of-japans-mythical-lion-dogs/ |access-date=20 December 2014 |work=Tofugu}}</ref> In the 1970s, general East Asian folklore were relatively unknown to Western audiences, which resulted in the translators interpreting name "Shisa" to be a Japanization of the name "Caesar".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Barr |first1=Jason |title=The Kaiju Film: A Critical Study of Cinema's Biggest Monsters |date=2016 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0786499632 |location=Jefferson, NC |pages=185–86n3}}</ref>

King Caesar's character concept was inspired by a traditional Okinawan folk tale in which a shisa protects a village from a rampaging dragon. This myth is referenced in its debut film, in which Mechagodzilla plays the role of the evil "dragon".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ruffin |first=John |date=2015-08-05 |title=The Mystery of King Caesar |url=https://mykaiju.com/the-mystery-of-king-caesar/ |access-date=2019-06-28 |website=MyKaiju.com |language=en-US}}</ref> It is portrayed as a loyal and powerful protector of mankind, in reference to the role shisa play in Okinawan tradition.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Chan |first=Rence |date=2018-10-26 |title=Shisa: Tales of Stone Dog Guardians |url=https://renz15.wordpress.com/2018/10/27/shisa-tales-stone-dog-guardians/ |access-date=2019-06-28 |website=Collector's Connection |language=en}}</ref> Character profiles in supporting media describe the monster as standing {{convert|50|-|100|m|abbr=off|sp=us|ft}} tall and weighing 30,000 tonnes (33,069 short tons)-50,000 tonnes (55,115 short tons).<ref>{{Cite book |title=東宝特撮全怪獣図鑑 |publisher=Shogakukan |year=2014 |isbn=9784096820902 |pages=69 |language=ja}}</ref> King Caesar is shown to be swift and athletic. It can also draw an enemy's energy weapons into its right eye and reflect them back from its left eye with ten times the force,<ref>Godzilla Movie Studio Tour PC Game - King Caesar character profile</ref> and empower itself with solar energy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Romero |first=Anthony |date=2010-04-29 |title=Character Analysis: King Caesar [Showa Series] |url=https://www.tohokingdom.com/kaiju/analysis/king_caesar_showa.html |access-date=2019-06-28 |website=Toho Kingdom}}</ref>

===Appearances of King Caesar===
*'''Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla''' (1974)
*''[[Terror of Mechagodzilla]]'' (1975) (King Caesar appears in stock footage used in the opening credits)
*''[[Godzilla Island]]'' (1997-1998)
*''[[Godzilla: Final Wars]]'' (2004)
*''[[Godzilla Singular Point]]'' (2021) (King Caesar appears in the end credits, alongside [[Manda (kaiju)|Manda]])
*''Godziban'' (2019-) (Represented through his children Young Caesar and Miyarabi)

==Release==
[[Image:Bioniccosmic.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Cinema Shares' theatrical posters for the 1977 U.S release of the film. The film changed titles while in theaters from ''Godzilla vs. the Bionic Monster'' to ''Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster''.]]  ''Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla'' was released in Japan on March 21, 1974, where it was distributed by [[Toho]].{{sfn|Galbraith IV|1994|p=352}} The film was followed up with a direct sequel in 1975 titled ''[[Terror of Mechagodzilla]]''.{{sfn|Galbraith IV|1994|p=220}}

The film was released in the United States in March 1977.{{sfn|Galbraith IV|1994|p=352}} It was released by Cinema Shares in the United States under the title ''Godzilla vs. the Bionic Monster'' where the film was shown predominantly at Saturday "kiddie" matinees.{{sfn|Galbraith IV|1994|p=219}} The Cinema Shares theatrical version deleted four minutes of credits, profanity and blood-letting from the film.{{sfn|Kalat|2007|p=137}} [[Universal Television]] threatened to sue Cinema Shares over the use of the name "Bionic" in the film's title, as they owned the rights to ''[[The Six Million Dollar Man]]'' and ''[[The Bionic Woman]]'' TV series.{{sfn|Galbraith IV|1994|p=219}} The film title was quickly changed to ''Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster'', which was also used for the 1977 U.K. theatrical release.{{sfn|Galbraith IV|1994|p=219}}

===Box office===
The film made slightly more money than ''Godzilla vs. Megalon'', but was still not making as big a box office profit as the other films in the ''Godzilla'' series had in the early 1960s.{{sfn|Galbraith IV|1994|p=217}} The 1974 Japanese release earned a distribution income ([[Gross rental|rentals]]) of {{JPY|370 million}}.<ref name="Japanese Box Office">[https://nendai-ryuukou.com/article/089.html 歴代ゴジラ映画作品一覧]</ref> It also grossed {{US$|17.1 million|long=no}} overseas,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbean/2019/06/04/where-king-of-the-monsters-ranks-in-godzillas-box-office-history/#188fd2ce6b4d|title=Where 'King Of The Monsters' Ranks In Godzilla's Box Office History|author=Travis Bean|work=Forbes|date=June 4, 2019|access-date=February 18, 2020|url-status=live|archive-date=December 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191211191948/https://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbean/2019/06/04/where-king-of-the-monsters-ranks-in-godzillas-box-office-history/}}</ref> for a worldwide total of about {{US$|20 million|long=no}} by 1980.<ref name="Edelson"/>

===Home video===
In 1988, [[New World Video]] restored the film on home video, using a complete and unedited print titled ''Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla''.{{sfn|Kalat|2007|p=137}} 
In 2004, [[Sony Pictures Home Entertainment|TriStar]] released the film on DVD as ''Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla'', with both English and Japanese audio included.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmovie.com/movie/godzilla-vs-mechagodzilla-v62852/releases|publisher=[[AllMovie]]|title=Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) - Jun Fukuda: Releases|access-date=October 12, 2015}}</ref> In 2019, both the Japanese version and export English version were included in a Blu-ray box set released by the Criterion Collection, which included all 15 films from the franchise's [[Godzilla (franchise)#Shōwa era (1954–1975)|Shōwa era]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2019/7/25/8930381/godzilla-criterion-collection-showa-era-films-release-date|title=Criterion reveals the collection's 1000th disc: the ultimate Godzilla set|last=Patches|first=Matt|date=July 25, 2019|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|access-date=July 25, 2019|url-status=live|archive-date=December 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217223541/https://www.polygon.com/2019/7/25/8930381/godzilla-criterion-collection-showa-era-films-release-date}}</ref>

===Reception===
In a contemporary review in the ''[[Monthly Film Bulletin]]'', [[Tony Rayns]] stated that at this point in the ''Godzilla'' series, there was no way the film "could have been anything other than formulary, but it could clearly have been much less shambling than it is."<ref name="mfb">{{cite journal|title=Gojira Tai Mekagojira (Godzilla vs. the Bionic Monster)|journal=[[Monthly Film Bulletin]]|volume=44|page=122|year=1977|location=London|publisher=[[British Film Institute]]|issue=516|last=Rayns|first=Tony|author-link=Tony Rayns}}</ref> Rayns noted that Shinichi Sekizawa's story was "for once, quite ambitious" while noting that the film's "'mythic' elements are never coherent or impressive enough to match the array of alien technology, and the script seems to forget all about fulfilling its own prophecies as it hurries towards the regulation free-style wrestling climax."<ref name="mfb" />

From retrospective reviews, [[Stuart Galbraith IV]] discussed the film in his book on Japanese genre films.{{sfn|Galbraith IV|1994|p=217}} Galbraith described the film as a "complete mess", finding that the aliens in the film were a rip-off of ''[[Planet of the Apes]]'' and that the film had poor effects work and "equally poor direction of [[Jun Fukuda]]."{{sfn|Galbraith IV|1994|p=219}} Galbraith opined that the film was "an improvement over ''[[Godzilla vs. Megalon]]'', but that's not saying much."{{sfn|Galbraith IV|1994|p=217}}  Among the positive attributes, Galbraith noted that [[Masaru Sato]]'s score was interesting and series veterans [[Akihiko Hirata]], [[Hiroshi Koizumi]] and [[Kenji Sahara]] "make welcome appearances."{{sfn|Galbraith IV|1994|p=219}} In [[Phil Hardy (journalist)|Phil Hardy]]'s book ''Science Fiction'' (1984), a review stated that "the final fight is suitably impressive although the tongue-in-cheek reference to Leone slows the action down too much."{{sfn|Hardy|1984|p=319}}

On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], an approval rating of 86% based on 7 reviews, with a [[average|rating average]] of 6.3/10."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/godzilla_vs_mechagodzilla|title=Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla (1974)|work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|publisher=[[Fandango Media|Fandango]]|access-date=19 September 2023}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Japan|Film}}
* [[List of Japanese films of 1974]]
* [[List of science fiction films of the 1970s]]

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}
;Bibliography
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Galbraith IV |first=Stuart |title=Japanese Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films |publisher=McFarland |date=1994 |isbn=0-89950-853-7 |author-link=Stuart Galbraith IV}}
* {{cite book
 |editor-last=Hardy
 |editor-first=Phil
 |title=Science Fiction
 |publisher=New York : Morrow
 |isbn=0-688-00842-9
 |year=1984
 |url=https://archive.org/details/sciencefiction00hard
 }}
* {{cite book |last=Kalat |first=David |title=A Critical History and Filmography of Toho's Godzilla Series |publisher=McFarland |date=2007 |isbn=978-0786430994 }}
* {{cite book |title=Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G |last=Ryfle |first=Steve |year=1998 |publisher=ECW Press |isbn=1550223488 |url=https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl }}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* [http://www.godzillamovies.org/index/ Godzilla on the web (Japan)]
* {{IMDb title}}
* {{TCMDb title}}
* {{Rotten-tomatoes}}
* {{Jmdb title|1974|cx000690}}

{{Godzilla|state=expand}}
{{Jun Fukuda}}

[[Category:1974 films]]
[[Category:1970s Japanese-language films]]
[[Category:1974 fantasy films]]
[[Category:Films about alien invasions]]
[[Category:Films about extraterrestrial life]]
[[Category:Films scored by Masaru Sato]]
[[Category:Films directed by Jun Fukuda]]
[[Category:Films produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka]]
[[Category:Films set in Okinawa Prefecture]]
[[Category:Films set in Shizuoka Prefecture]]
[[Category:Films set in Tokyo]]
[[Category:Giant monster films]]
[[Category:Godzilla films]]
[[Category:Japanese science fiction films]]
[[Category:Japanese sequel films]]
[[Category:Kaiju films]]
[[Category:1970s monster movies]]
[[Category:Toho films]]
[[Category:Mecha films]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Shinichi Sekizawa]]
[[Category:Apes in popular culture]]
[[Category:1970s Japanese films]]
[[Category:Films about princesses]]
[[Category:1974 science fiction films]]
[[Category:Saturn Award–winning films]]
[[Category:Japanese robot films]]