A Return to Tokusatsu DNA!

Tokyo Tower. Photo by Brett Homenick.

With the Tokusatsu DNA exhibit set to close in a few days, I made another trek to Tokyo Tower to take in the sights one more time. I brought my point-and-shoot camera with me this time, but I'll share those photos a bit later. Here are the pictures I took with my phone, which are probably nearly identical to the previous ones I posted. Oh, well. Enjoy!

DEEP DIVE: Why Did Gorosaurus Replace Baragon in 'Destroy All Monsters'?

Nobuyuki Yasumaru in December 2018. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The topic of Gorosaurus' unexplained substitution for Baragon when the Arc of Triumph collapses in Destroy All Monsters (1968) has been the subject of speculation for decades. In the West, the most common explanation is that the Baragon suit, having been reused and recycled so many times since its debut in Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965), just wasn't ready in time for the shoot, so the filmmakers decided to use Gorosaurus instead.

This, however, is not what happened, according to Gorosaurus suitmaker Nobuyuki Yasumaru. In December 2018, I had the privilege of interviewing Mr. Yasumaru, who recounted the situation.

In the interview, Mr. Yasumaru states:

[T]he monster Baragon was supposed to destroy the Arc of Triumph in Destroy All Monsters (1968). However, he had big ears like an elephant that would get stuck inside the Arc of Triumph. So they decided to use Gorosaurus instead of Baragon.

This seems rather definitive to me, especially coming from the man who created the Gorosaurus suit. Of course, I would welcome any additional citations, as opposed to idle speculation and connecting-the-dots guesswork, to paint a fuller picture. It's always difficult to say with complete certainty what happened on movie sets 50 or 60 years ago, as participants pass away, and memories fade. But Mr. Yasumaru's recollections are probably about as close as we will come to knowing for sure.

Supporting Actor Godzilla Museum!

When it comes to the media blitz surrounding the upcoming Legendary Pictures Godzilla movie, it should come as no surprise that the titular King of the Monsters is receiving the lion's share of the attention. So leave it to the Supporting Actor Godzilla Museum exhibit in Shibuya (inside the Movida building) to give the spotlight over to the other monsters and mecha that have populated the Godzilla series over the years. Various props (some replicas, some original) were on display, as well as a menagerie of monsters. Godzilla himself wasn't totally absent, as a promotional statue for the Legendary Pictures movie greets exhibit-goers at the entrance. Here's what I saw.

SUPER FESTIVAL 75! A Brief Look at the Tokyo-Based Collectibles Show

I stopped by Super Festival 75 today. Unfortunately, I didn't see very much there worth photographing. It seems like I've seen it all before. I actually did manage to spend some money this time, but only about 1,500 yen (which ain't a whole lot). Here are some of the more interesting sights. I'll also make a couple of follow-up blog posts. Stay tuned.

GODZILLA TOKUSATSU IN YOKOHAMA! The Massive SFX Exhibit Stomps into Kanagawa!

The Godzilla Tokusatsu exhibit that came to Ikebukuro two years ago has come to Yokohama. While it isn't as elaborate as the one from two years ago, it's still impressive. But a picture's worth a thousand words, so I'll let them do the talking.