Hanna Barbera Godzilla

[Mr. X]

Same difference.
These vintage pictures you post are pretty cool, I appreciate it, but add a sentence or two to them, especially when it's a piece of merchandise like this.

I honestly didn't think any explanation was needed.

I don't see why you wouldn't. It's a part of a box of a piece of merchandise most people don't even know exists. It's about as random as you can get.

Not asking for much here, just some details on what you're posting, that's all. But let's get back on topic.

[szmigiel]

I watched the show when it originally aired, and have been watching the reruns on RetroTV every now and then. When I was young I was disappointed with the show, most episodes were just disappointing, some where okay, none were all that great or classic.

I was never a fan of the kid and goofy sidekick/mascot who are there to; get into trouble / be comic relief.
The show suffered from the Hanna Barbera make it as cheap as possible animation style.
The fact that Godzilla and other monsters roars are all done by people.
Godzilla breathing fire (I always hate Godzilla breathing fire and not having atomic breath) and having eye beams.

I don't mind the Calico and crew, and them summoning Godzilla. Gave a reason for them to encounter other monsters, explain Godzilla showing up, etc...

But over all if I watch it is because it is such a mess, it is not so bad it is good, it is so bad it is kind of intriguing.

[Tohosaurus]

I think I enjoyed it when I was younger, but I don't really remember. These days it is rather dry and ultimately slightly boring. It had some interesting potential though, and the parallels between it and the later Godzilla: The Series is kind of intriguing. Still, I do like GTS more than HB Godzilla and I despise the redesign of the Tri-Star Godzilla. Curious that HB was disallowed from using Godzilla's traditional roar, though. I mean, if they went through everything required to earn the rights to make a series featuring Godzilla, why would the roar be a problem? More money? I can only guess. Not really a Godzooky fan myself, but the bigger problem was the cardboard characters. None of them were that well defined or memorable, and at least that's something that I could say about the GTS characters (they were decent, if anything). So if you don't have sufficient characters, then they needed to dial up the action, which I don't remember there being too much of. Still, I'd pick up the home media release if they had a complete set available. Putting together a decent DVD set akin to the way GTS was handled last year (probably timed near the LA film's release) would have made sense. Maybe next time? I'd want to have it for complete-ist's sake.

[Tohosaurus]

I think I enjoyed it when I was younger, but I don't really remember. These days it is rather dry and ultimately slightly boring. It had some interesting potential though, and the parallels between it and the later Godzilla: The Series is kind of intriguing. Still, I do like GTS more than HB Godzilla and I despise the redesign of the Tri-Star Godzilla. Curious that HB was disallowed from using Godzilla's traditional roar, though. I mean, if they went through everything required to earn the rights to make a series featuring Godzilla, why would the roar be a problem? More money? I can only guess. Not really a Godzooky fan myself, but the bigger problem was the cardboard characters. None of them were that well defined or memorable, and at least that's something that I could say about the GTS characters (they were decent, if anything). So if you don't have sufficient characters, then they needed to dial up the action, which I don't remember there being too much of. Still, I'd pick up the home media release if they had a complete set available. Putting together a decent DVD set akin to the way GTS was handled last year (probably timed near the LA film's release) would have made sense. Maybe next time? I'd want to have it for complete-ist's sake.

[The One and Only]

This was the show that introduced me to the Big-G when I was four, five. I never knew anything about the movies until maybe a year later when GODZILLA'S REVENGE aired on the same channel. It weirded me out that in the live action version of Godzilla's roar sounded like tractor trailer semi-truck coming to a sudden stop, instead of his "actual roars" that I was used to from the series. Looking back ,and seeing the show through older, mature eyes, it's flaws stick out like a sore thumb to me today. But reviewing them a few years ago when they were still on Youtube.com ,they were still quite enjoyable. While it comes in second to the Nineties one in terms of writing, it's quite a good take on the Big-G with what the show's creators had to work with at the time. I has found this piece of fan-art that feature the cast of characters from both series, and I realized how similar both shows were.
http://orig08.deviantart.net/bfcd/f/201 ... 4qrrja.jpg
Make for an interesting fan fic.
I have to ask, among the menagerie of monsters, was anyone else scared of this bloke, the Sea Weed Monster like I was when I was a wee lad ?

One other thing I noticed when I got to rewatch the episodes on Youtube, an ep which I remembered as not liking much from HB GODZILLA'S second season was "Island of Doom !". Mainly because of the episode's lack of monsters, but instead a ruthless terrorist organization attempting blackmail the world with nuclear extortion, COBRA.
Although it's now one my favorites. Basically the same plot as GODZILLA Vs. THE SEA MONSTER, although lacking Ebirah. But the third act featuring Godzilla take on COBRA's military might was excellent. Especially considering how things were a little uptight in domestic kids' shows were about their characters getting into physical contact with the violence. Throw in Godzilla's hero status in the show that such an event was rare in the course of the series.

[Creature22]

I think I'm one of the few that absolutely hates this cartoon. I saw some of it through DVD as a kid and was okay to it, but found there to be more cons than pros in this case. I know some people enjoy the cartoon, but I see it as a low point for the Godzilla series... it had a lot of potential but I don't think Godzilla was ready for a cartoon.

At least not one by Hanna Barbera. This might make me biased, but I hate Hanna Barbera cartoons, everything about them, especially from this era. They really ruined a potentially good series with their generic Scooby-Doo side characters, dialogue, and low-quality and re-used animation.

[edgaguirus]

I found the Seaweed Monster the weakest of the monsters. The scenes of the monster on the Calico had a good sci fi/horror vibe, but the monster itself was a non threat to Godzilla. Creatures like the Megavolt Monster, Cyclops, and Firebird were better thought out as enemies.

[The One and Only]

GODZILLA Vs. MUTO, if it happened on an episode of the Hanna Barbera toon.
http://orig04.deviantart.net/04ce/f/201 ... 8csy44.png
And another wonderful piece of fan art. Pitting Godzilla against Hanna Barbera's ...Herculoids.
http://pre00.deviantart.net/6ce4/th/pre ... 6wsoc7.jpg

[edgaguirus]

Now that's a match I'd like to see.

[Lain Of The Wired]

I remember watching this show on Cartoon Network (then Boomarang) back in the day, regardless of its inaccuracy, still a great classic toon.
The lasar beams were weird though
Wish I knew the reasoning behind that

[The One and Only]

I remember watching this show on Cartoon Network (then Boomarang) back in the day, regardless of its inaccuracy, still a great classic toon.
The lasar beams were weird though
Wish I knew the reasoning behind that

Maybe because some thought in the production staff,and the nobody asked their opinions in Standards & Practices thought the eye beams were a little less violent than the fire. Also the eye beams were also used for precision work like sealing up cracks, and hitting small targets.

[Dannybeane]

When I was a kid I imagined that my version of Godzilla would have laser beam eyes and then in the late 90s when I first saw the Hanna Barbara Godzilla had laser beam eyes I was so ecstatic. Keep in mind I was like 13-14 at the time.

[F4ZaTE_X]

I remember watching this show on Cartoon Network (then Boomarang) back in the day, regardless of its inaccuracy, still a great classic toon.
The lasar beams were weird though
Wish I knew the reasoning behind that

Maybe because some thought in the production staff,and the nobody asked their opinions in Standards & Practices thought the eye beams were a little less violent than the fire. Also the eye beams were also used for precision work like sealing up cracks, and hitting small targets.

Less violent?
Outrageous! The 80's and 90's were chock-full of violence!
It's a load of shit, that's what it is.

[Lain Of The Wired]

I remember watching this show on Cartoon Network (then Boomarang) back in the day, regardless of its inaccuracy, still a great classic toon.
The lasar beams were weird though
Wish I knew the reasoning behind that

Maybe because some thought in the production staff,and the nobody asked their opinions in Standards & Practices thought the eye beams were a little less violent than the fire. Also the eye beams were also used for precision work like sealing up cracks, and hitting small targets.

Less violent?
Outrageous! The 80's and 90's were chock-full of violence!
It's a load of shit, that's what it is.

Dude, it came out in the 70's…

[F4ZaTE_X]

Less violent?
Outrageous! The 80's and 90's were chock-full of violence!
It's a load of shit, that's what it is.

Dude, it came out in the 70's…

The 70's had violence too.

[edgaguirus]

Tame violence. In these cartoons, Godzilla never really kills a monster. He traps them, melts or smashes them ( made or stone or metal), uses their weapons against them, or they are destroyed by water.

[Lain Of The Wired]

I'd love to see someone redesign all the Toho Godzilla friends & foes in HannaBarbera Godzilla style.

[Godzillian]

Joseph Barbera came out in an interview and said that the show was gutted by standards and practices and that if it wasn't for them the show would have been considerable different

[Creature22]

Joseph Barbera came out in an interview and said that the show was gutted by standards and practices and that if it wasn't for them the show would have been considerable different

Well that's a shame. I respect William Hanna and Joseph Barbera but never liked their cartoons because they all fit under a generic, "family-friendly" formula that ran dry pretty quickly... look at any cartoon they've ever made. The jokes are always the same and generic animal sidekicks that talk like they have speech impediments are a staple of nearly everything they release. Not to mention many of their shows come off as rushed and low budget... I feel like an old Godzilla cartoon could have had some potential, but not from a studio like that. Oh well.

[edgaguirus]

I'd love to see someone redesign all the Toho Godzilla friends & foes in HannaBarbera Godzilla style.

That'd be interesting to see. I remember one that had a huge spider, so Kumonga is already covered.