Seen Around the Neighborhood

While out and about today in the neighborhood, I stumbled upon this. I don't think I've ever seen this before, but I might be dropping a few coins here in the near future!

GODZILLA X KADOKAWA BUNKO! Just When You Thought You Had Seen Everything...

While in a Japanese bookstore today, I noticed another Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters collaboration that I had missed in real time. This time, Godzilla teamed up with Kadokawa Bunko for "Kadofest Saikyo Kettei-sen 2017." In any case, it sure looks more interesting than the actual movie.

GODZILLA SHOW SPACE! Checking Out Godzilla's History Up Close and Personal!

With special thanks to a friend of mine who gave me a ticket to this exhibit, I made plans to view Godzilla Show Space in Yurakucho today. Unlike most other exhibits I've attended in Japan, photography was allowed in all areas. In fact, you were even allowed to touch some props from the Godzilla films! It doesn't get any fan-friendlier than that. Anyway, with all that out of the way, let's get on to the photos!

Godzilla: Monster Planet

Maybe the less-than-half-full theater on opening night should have tipped me off.

I just returned from Godzilla: Monster Planet (or Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters or whatever we're supposed to call it this week), and I really don't have that much to say. It's essentially what I expected it to be.

That's not a good thing, by the way. For one thing, it's incredibly boring. It repeats the worst aspects of Shin Godzilla by having too many expository scenes in which the characters look at futuristic screens and plan their attacks on Godzilla. Monster Planet? Planet of the Monsters? Either way, we sure don't get what we're told. Other than a lackluster flashback scene toward the beginning, the only monsters we get are Godzilla and some rather generic pteranodon lookalikes.

The animation seemed to vary wildly from pretty impressive to unfinished. Some scenes of Godzilla are very well done (to a surprising extent, actually), but in a number of the human scenes, it seemed rather rushed. The aforementioned flashback scene at the beginning was particularly disappointing, as the monsters barely even seemed to move. Did the animators run out of money?

All this could be just me, I suppose. I don't watch anime, have no interest in it, and wouldn't know what passes for good animation these days. From where I sit, though, the animation just didn't really seem movie-worthy.

For all those who complain about the child protagonists in the Showa-era Godzilla (and Gamera) films, wait till you get a load of this flick's main character, Haruo, who virtually never stops sneering or screaming in angst. We get it. He has a vendetta against Godzilla. And this time it's personal. But the dial doesn't have to stay on 11 the whole way. There are ways to emote without uttering primal screams. Just sayin'.

Takayuki Hattori's score varies as much as the animation does, running the gamut from forgettable to the worst music I've ever heard him compose. (For the record, Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla remains my favorite score of his, by far.)

I actually like the Godzilla design, and I think the premise is a cool concept. I just wish it had a much better execution. A large chunk of the problem, I'm sure, is that this story will be stretched out over a trilogy, so all the filler comes with the territory. While it may not be good storytelling, I'm sure it's good business.

On the way out of the theater, I bumped into a Japanese fan whom I often see at events. I asked him if he liked the movie. He laughed, shook his head, and said no. We both laughed as we went over some of the film's more egregious flaws. I guess that's probably not a great sign.

Shin Godzilla certainly divided fans, but I really don't see anyone championing this film. There's really just not much to it, other than a few interesting shots of Godzilla. I wish I could have hit the mute button whenever Haruo was on screen, but I guess the folks who watch it on Netflix will have that advantage over me.

GODZILLA: MONSTER PLANET! The Latest from the Big G Approaches Toho Cinemas!

For a measly 1,300 yen, this Godzilla lid can be yours! Photo by Brett Homenick.

Godzilla: Monster Planet will be released in Japan later this month, but are you ready? I hope you are because it's time to buy, buy, buy!

GODZILLA STORE OPENS! But Will Tokyo Ever Be the Same?

 In case you didn't know... Photo by Brett Homenick.

October 30 marked the grand opening of the Godzilla Store Tokyo. Located on the first floor of the Shinjuku Marui Annex Building (just outside Shinjuku-sanchome Station), it brings the latest Godzilla goods directly to you in convenient, one-stop shopping. 

It's actually more like a corner than an actual shop, but the line to get in was so long that I just snapped photos from the outside. Truthfully, I didn't see anything there that particularly interested me. (And I wasn't going to wait in that line even if I did!) If you're a hardcore collector, the Godzilla Store will likely appeal to you, but for non-collectors like me, it was easy for me to walk away empty-handed. Anyway, here's what you can find there.

GODZILLA: MONSTER PLANET COMES TO TOHO CINEMAS ... ALMOST! The King of the Monsters Meets His Match!

Two Godzillas?! What does it mean? Photo by Brett Homenick.

The promotion for next month's Godzilla: Monster Planet has kicked up into high gear, which is rather evident at the Toho Cinemas in Shinjuku. Here's how things look there.

HALLOWEEN X GODZILLA! Shinjuku's Marui Gets in on the Fun!

Godzilla wishes you a Happy Halloween! Photo by Brett Homenick.

The Marui campaign promoting Godzilla: Monster Planet has come to Shinjuku in a big way. How big, you ask? Check out the photos I took today, and see for yourself!

GODZILLA SEZ: "Visit Tanzawa-Oyama Quasi-National Park!"

An advertisement for Odakyu's Tanzawa-Oyama Freepass at Seijogakuen-mae Station. Photo by Brett Homenick.

It looks like Odakyu Electric Railway has found the perfect spokesman to advertise its Tanzawa-Oyama Freepass -- the King of the Monsters himself! So if you're wanting a convenient pass that will get you into all the best spots in the Tanzawa-Oyama Quasi-National Park (yes, that's its real name), Godzilla's got your hookup.  

As you can see from the poster, the campaign runs from November 1 until December 10. Maybe I'll check it out; it sounds like a beautiful area to explore in the fall. In any case, that's one heck of a poster!

GODZILLA: MONSTER PLANET IN SHIBUYA! Godzilla and Halloween Join Forces This Season!

While in Shibuya tonight (braving yet another typhoon), I noticed that Shibuya Marui is decked out in its Godzilla: Monster Planet/Halloween cross-promotion. Of course, the I saw essentially the same thing in Machida a few weeks ago, but I snapped some pictures of what I saw in Shibuya. Enjoy!