Who was the best Godzilla after Nakajima?

[Terasawa]

From 1973 to 1975, which of the following suit actors turned in the best (cinematic) Godzilla performance?

• Shinji Takagi, in Godzilla vs. Megalon
• Isao Zushi, in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
• Tōru Kawai, in Terror of Mechagodzilla

Kawai and Zushi evidently shared the role in Zone Fighter, although only Kawai is credited as Godzilla. I didn't think it was fair to include that show for either actor, however, since it's not entirely clear how often Zushi played the part. (And I'm not sure Zone Fighter would tip the scales, anyway.)

[Voyager]

Kawai’s performance as Godzilla in ToMG is another reason I love the film.

[Legion1979]

I love the 1973-1975 suit, but it's design doesn't allow for a lot of the actor's personality to shine through. I'll give it to Zushi, for that funny bit in MG74 where his ray misses Mechagodzilla and he snaps his fingers in frustration. And later on I love his body language when he's preparing to tear the robot's head off. He looks so tense and pissed off.

[Terasawa]

I also voted Zushi, but I think all three performances suit their respective films. I also think Takagi and Zushi especially managed to imbue their performances with a lot of personality.

[edgaguirus]

Zushi and Kawai did fine jobs as Godzilla, but Zushi imbued Godzilla with more personality IMO.

[LegendZilla]

Why is this thread for the Showa era alone?

[Voyager]

Why is this thread for the Showa era alone?

Because it is referring to the character of Showa Godzilla.

[Omegamorph]

Why is this thread for the Showa era alone?

Showa era section?

[UltramanGoji]

They all kind of stand on their own, it's hard for me to compare them. Takagi was very exaggerated and personality-driven, Zushi was sort of the general "everyman" heroic Godzilla and Kawai felt like a more battle-hardened, somber version of Zushi's. I voted for Kawai in the poll but I think it really just depends on what you like out of a Godzilla performance.

Why is this thread for the Showa era alone?

Did you actually read anything in this thread before posting in it?

[Legion1979]

They all kind of stand on their own, it's hard for me to compare them. Takagi was very exaggerated and personality-driven, Zushi was sort of the general "everyman" heroic Godzilla and Kawai felt like a more battle-hardened, somber version of Zushi's. I voted for Kawai in the poll but I think it really just depends on what you like out of a Godzilla performance.

Why is this thread for the Showa era alone?

Did you actually read anything in this thread before posting in it?

I dont think he ever does.

I do wonder how much of our feelings toward the three Godzillas we're talking about have to do with their faces. It's really hard to separate their body language from the three very distinct faces the suits have. 1973 outright looks playful and happy. 1974 looks stronger and determined. And 1974 looks tired and pissed off. Those faces definitely inform how I feel about each of these Godzillas as characters.

[Terasawa]

Why is this thread for the Showa era alone?

I thought it was pretty obvious from all that I'd written that I was asking about the three actors who stepped into the role immediately after Nakajima and not every subsequent performer.

[Cyberdra_1]

I gave it to Kawai, if not by a hair. Zushi's performance as Godzilla was noticeably more animated for sure, but Kawai has this appreciably subtle take on the character that comes off as similarly energized but in an angrier, more determined sense. It holds up a bit better in repeat viewings.

Also it came down to who had the better "comic relief" moment, Zushi's "darn it!" gesture or Kawai's Godzilla dusting himself off. For me it again goes to the latter if only by a small margin.

[miguelnuva]

Kawai edges out Zushi just a little bit for me. Godzilla had a lot of badass super hero spots in TOMG that stuck with kid me.

[Creature22]

What, no category for Hiroshi Sekita and Seiji Onaka in Son of Godzilla?
In truth, I suppose because they shared the role, you can't really separate which scene is performed by which actor. I do love the 1967 Godzilla (might be in the minority here but the suit is closer to the top of my list), and I do think that film paved the way for a much more "anthropomorphic" Godzilla, but it's probably in its own realm when discussed here.

Regarding the 70s films, I think my vote has to go to Kawai, but that's my own bias seeping in and also takes the entire film into account. Kind of echoing what Legion said earlier in that it's hard to separate the performance itself from the suit and elements surrounding them. Regarding Kawai's portrayal, I think that Ifukube's score and the angrier and aggressive-looking '75 head did him a lot of favors.
If I had to describe each, it'd probably be this:

Takagi - bouncier, energetic, arms held high
Zushi - heroic and something of a relaxed "middle ground" between Takagi and Kawai
Kawai - aggressive, PO'd, and throwing a lot of punches