Showa Series: The Best Of

[PitchBlackProgress]

A general "Best Of" thread for the Showa series, dedicated to the discussion of your favorite films, moments, and everything in-between.

[MechaGoji Bro7503]

Tbh, almost everything. Fun characters and kaiju. To me this era has the best effects overall, like I mean the suits blend well with sets/enviroments.

[Ivo-goji]

Best movies:
G54
Mothra
Mothra vs Godzilla
Terror of Mechagodzilla
Rodan

Best characters:
Dr. Serizawa
Dr. Hu
Carl Nelson
"Bulldog" Fukuda
Mr. Tako

[King of the Monsters]

It's hard for me to select my absolute favorites from the Showa series, because it just possessed such a large and varied array of different films, all enjoyable in their own way. I often find my list of favorite films from the Showa era fluctuating a bit, so I'll try to keep Godzilla and non-Godzilla films separate. Note, my favorites don't necessarily indicate superior objective quality, simply films I enjoy watching the most.

Godzilla films:
Mothra vs. Godzilla
Invasion of Astro-Monster
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
Godzilla (1954)

Other Toho kaiju films:
Mothra
Latitude Zero
The Mysterians
War of the Gargantuas
Matango

Again, I find this list constantly fluctuating. Toho's output of non-Godzilla kaiju films in the Showa era is impressively deep and diverse, and it's hard to compare some of them because they almost occupy different genres, ranging from horror, to fantasy, to crime drama. At the very least, I can say Ishiro Honda was truly a masterful director.

[Ivo-goji]

I forgot about H-Man.

And for characters I forgot the Shobijin. They really were realized best in the Showa series.

[PitchBlackProgress]

Not counting Gojira, since that one is on everyone's list, the best Godzilla movies for me were Mothra vs. Godzilla, Ghidrah The Three Headed Monster, Invasion of Astro Monsters, in that order.

The best non-kaiju Toho movie for me would be The Human Vapor.

The best soundtrack would go to either Gojira or Mothra vs. Godzilla.

Best human character? Either Dr. Serizawa or Astronaut Glenn, Dr. Yamane's a favorite of mine too.

Best daikaiju fight? Either Destroy All Monsters or Ghidrah, The Three Headed Monster

[King of the Monsters]

H-Man is a great film too. It just barely didn't crack my personal top 5, but on any other day it might. I need to get around to watching The Human Vapor and The Secret of the Telegian one of these days to see how they measure up.

[gzillafan17]

Top 5 Godzilla films (not in order):
Godzilla Raids Again
Son of Godzilla
King Kong vs Godzilla
Godzilla vs Hedorah
Ghidrah, The Three Headed Monster

Top 5 Non Godzilla Movies (not in order):
Rodan
War Of The Gargantuas
Frankenstein Conquers the World
The H Man
Mothra

[Billzilla1974]

My top 5 Showa Godzilla films :
Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla
Godzilla vs Monster Zero
Gojira
Mothra vs Godzilla
Ghidorah the three headed monster

My top 5 moments from the Showa movies:
When Godzilla fires his atomic ray at MechaGodzilla as he falls from the finger missiles in the final battle. Even as the hero, Godzilla is determined as hell.
Godzilla & Rodan being awoken on Planet X during Monster Zero.
King Caesar reflecting MG's eye beams.
The Shobijin singing in Mothra vs Godzilla.
The first Godzilla appearing on Odo island.

[Jeff-Goldblum1]

Minilla

[Zarm]

"Bulldog" Fukuda

Seconded!


The cinematography of vs. Ebirah, the filmmaking quality of vs. Mothra, the puppetry on Kumonga, the Jet Jaguar theme song (just straight up embracing the cheesy fun that vs. Megalon is), the design of Mechagodzilla... listing all the best-ofs could take all day, and then some!

[edgaguirus]

The Showa had some great kaiju, characters, and battles.

For characters, some of the best were any role played by Takarada, Shindo from G3hm, Akemi, and the Shobjin.

For Villains, it's a tie between the Controller and Torahata from M vs G. Torahata also get s the prize for best villain death.

For Kaiju, it's Anguirus. Long live Anguirus.

[PitchBlackProgress]

I forgot to mention the best daikaiju of the series...

IMO, Anguirus, Rodan, Mothra, King Ghidorah, Gigan, Minilla, and Mechagodzilla were the best reoccurring monsters that always either had loads of personality, or presents when they were on screen.

As for one-off daikaiju, that spot goes to the Gargantua's, and Frankenstein.

[tbeasley]

The area between Godzilla and Destroy All Monsters is pretty much the golden era of Toho sci-fi films... as much as I like the later films it does bother me when most think Showa it's often Godzilla flying or sliding on his tail. For me it's Mothra vs. Godzilla and Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, that's the high-water mark, and the large scale sci-fi pulp spectacle of films like Invasion of Astro-Monster and DAM. Practically everything within that timespan still has an enormous impact on what we see from Godzilla (look at Legendary) and outside properties like Ultraman.

[Tyrant_Lizard_King]

I might be a little biased but I find the cast of Son of Godzilla to be the most engaging cast of characters in the whole franchise. I adore that film to death and seriously can't fathom the hate it gets from some. I can understand not liking it but it just such an innocent film that I don't see how anyone can outright hate it. Especially those who act like it started the downfall of the franchise or something. Its just such a cute fun movie! I love Minya! Im not being sarcastic either.

[Zarm]

I adore that film to death and seriously can't fathom the hate it gets from some. I can understand not liking it but it just such an innocent film that I don't see how anyone can outright hate it. Especially those who act like it started the downfall of the franchise or something. Its just such a cute fun movie! I love Minya! Im not being sarcastic either.

Agreed!

[Dr. Professor]

Top 5 films (excluding the original):
5. Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster
4. Godzilla vs. Hedorah
3. Terror of MechaGodzilla
2. Mothra vs. Godzilla
1. Godzilla vs. Monster Zero

Favorite Moments:
-Basically every line of dialogue spoken by Nick Adams in Monster Zero
-Godzilla's head catching on fire in MvG
-The tail slide, of course
-Hedorah staring blankly as the lights pulse on his face in GvH
-"King Ghidorah will destroy the Earth."
-Godzilla's very first appearance
-Godzilla's first fight with MechaGodzilla
-Godzilla emerging from the iceberg in KKvG
-Godzilla killing Anguirus in GRA
-King Ghidorah's first appearance
-"You're a genius!" "That's what I think."
-Godzilla's first appearance in ToMG
-As ungodly ridiculous as Godzilla vs. Megalon is (not saying that's a bad thing, btw), if you don't think Godzilla and Jet Jaguar standing back to back in a ring of fire is one of the most badass things you've ever seen, you're fuckin lying to yourself.

[PitchBlackProgress]

Top 5 films (excluding the original):
5. Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster
4. Godzilla vs. Hedorah
3. Terror of MechaGodzilla
2. Mothra vs. Godzilla
1. Godzilla vs. Monster Zero

Favorite Moments:
-Basically every line of dialogue spoken by Nick Adams in Monster Zero
-Godzilla's head catching on fire in MvG
-The tail slide, of course
-Hedorah staring blankly as the lights pulse on his face in GvH
-"King Ghidorah will destroy the Earth."
-Godzilla's very first appearance
-Godzilla's first fight with MechaGodzilla
-Godzilla emerging from the iceberg in KKvG
-Godzilla killing Anguirus in GRA
-King Ghidorah's first appearance
-"You're a genius!" "That's what I think."
-Godzilla's first appearance in ToMG
-As ungodly ridiculous as Godzilla vs. Megalon is (not saying that's a bad thing, btw), if you don't think Godzilla and Jet Jaguar standing back to back in a ring of fire is one of the most badass things you've ever seen, you're fuckin lying to yourself.

You sir, have great taste.

[Dr. Professor]

You sir, have great taste.

Thank you, thank you.

I forgot to add the space battle from GvMZ to that list, btw.

[Gojira-Fan]

Shows is definitely my favorite of any of the series. I like the overwhelming vast majority of the movies. The style of films, perception of camp included, is what people think when they think of Godzilla movies. In other words: classic.

The effects are visually remarkable and unique, the storylines are classic and I can remember the most about them in contrast to the Heisei and Millennium films. They also change up the monsters and setting a lot more than in those films. They were more original.

The music is just classic and spectacular (and such an ear worm!) These films just wouldn't have it if it wasn't for Ifukube, Sato's and even Manabe's extraordinary scores.

Highlights:
- The emotional weight of the first film
- Godzilla'S original rampage in Tokyo
- The Fairies' song in Mothra vs Godzilla
- The moment when Godzilla appears in that film
- The plot line and it's focus on humanism
- Ghidorah's rampage in GtTHM
- The continuity between Mothra vs. Godzilla and Ghidorah (so glad I just so happened to rent. both movies and watch them in order as a kid)
- The assasin plot, and how it connects to the kaiju battle
- The eery ending at the airport
- Nick Adams performance in Monster Zero
- Godzilla's Dance
- The Xiellen's design
- The surf rock soundtrack of Sea Monster
- The scenes of Ebirah destroying the ships
- The explosion at the end
- The ending of SoG
- The Sunday morning pace
- Godzilla teaching Minya to breath fire
- The set-pieces of DaM
- The tippy effects of Godzilla vs Hedorah and All Monsters Attack
- The dark scenes of Godzilla vs Hedorah
- Gigan'S crazy design
- Tge car chases in Megalon
- Godzilla'S fight with Mechagodzilla in both movies. Also love how to tone is different for each film