What's the Most Polarizing Godzilla Film?

[HedorahIsBestGirl]

We've had lots of discourse about best and worst Godzilla movies, favorite Godzilla movies, and even most overrated/underrated Godzilla movies. But what Godzilla film do you think is the most polarizing? Because there are so many films in this series and fans of so many age groups and devotion levels, I think Godzilla in general has to be one of the most polarizing film franchises out there. More mainstream series like Star Wars and the MCU seem to have a more common consensus about which films are good and bad but Godzilla only has a handful of films that are near-universally loved or hated.

In the attached poll, I included the films which I've found to be most polarizing in the fandom. My vote is for Godzilla: Final Wars, which often seems to be regarded as one of the absolute best or one of the very worst depending on who you ask. Middle-of-the-road folks like me are becoming more commonplace but this one still seems to polarize the fandom even 18 years later.

[Creature22]

I'm surprised Shin isn't listed. I was in college at the time and it felt like people were really split on it, even before the initial teaser poster with the full head design was revealed. It was the first Japanese Godzilla movie in over a decade and there was so much debate and discussion. It only snowballed from there with every new leak/update/photo that came afterwards. I think as it became more apparent what it was going to be, many people became curious and excited while others became turned off because it wasn't the Godzilla they wanted. Opinions aside, the film itself took a LOT of new liberties that hadn't been done prior, so while some people loved it or were willing to accept the changes, others flat out hated it and have stood by those opinions.

I think it's fair to say that Shin also paved the way for a lot of the more experimental stuff that came later, particularly the anime films and series.

[Gigantis]

If we were talking the pre-MonsterVerse days, I definitely would have said Godzilla 98. Nowadays though.. ehh, I think it might be Final Wars, but KOTM and the Anime Trilogy are VERY close behind.

[HedorahIsBestGirl]

I'm surprised Shin isn't listed.

Damn, should I have included Shin? I considered it but I thought that film had a very positive reception, especially in contrast to everything else post-2002 in the Godzilla franchise. My impression was that only a small element of the fandom dislikes Shin but maybe that's just on TK...

[Dv-218]

Final Wars, Shin and all of the anime media have my vote here, at least from what I’m seeing. In most other media in the franchise, even something as universally hated as G98 you mainly see the same pattern of people disliking them for one reason or liking them for another. Granted it’s not really a rule and has a lot of variations from the personal experience of people but FW, the Polygon trilogy, Shin and SP are such wildly striking reaction splits that it’s insane. People never seem to agree on them no matter from what angle they are being discussed. Shin and the trilogy in particular come across as a perfect mid asscrack split with a near exact 50/50 clamoring they are some of the best stuff the franchise has to offer or abhorrent abominations that spit in the face of everything Godzilla stands for.

[edgaguirus]

I agree on FW and the animated films. There seems to be a group of fans that are critical of FW, but then younger fans who like the film. I don't know about others' experience, but this seems to be the case from what I've seen. As to the animated films, I've heard numerous criticisms, but also praise for the experimental approach and new designs.

[Spuro]

Why isn’t Shin Godzilla on this list?

I saw people straight up and leave the online fandom over it back in 2016/2017. I’ve never seen discourse get so damn toxic over a Godzilla movie before or since.

Shin Godzilla is really the only correct answer here.

[Legion1979]

Why isn’t Shin Godzilla on this list?

I saw people straight up and leave the online fandom over it back in 2016/2017. I’ve never seen discourse get so damn toxic over a Godzilla movie before or since.

Were you around in 2005?

[Spuro]

Why isn’t Shin Godzilla on this list?

I saw people straight up and leave the online fandom over it back in 2016/2017. I’ve never seen discourse get so damn toxic over a Godzilla movie before or since.

Were you around in 2005?

Afraid not, nope. Final Wars is currently in the lead anyway, though.

[Major sssspielberg!]

Voted Final Wars, easy. People STILL get just as fired up over it as they did when it was fresh.
I'd place King of the Monsters second, GvK third and Shin fourth.

[Jetty_Jags]

Are the anime films really polarising? I thought they are almost universally disliked with the exception of like 1 or 2 defenders. I agree something like fw or shin seems more apt. I know a guy who legit hates Anno for “ruining Godzilla”, and on the flip side we are all aware of its critical reception.

[Legion1979]

Is there's a reason G98 is here?

[Creature22]

Voted Final Wars, easy. People STILL get just as fired up over it as they did when it was fresh.

I was a kid when that came out so I completely missed out on what other fans thought of it, but judging by most of the responses on here that's probably for the better. I think Final Wars might have been the last Godzilla movie where I was completely "in the dark" outside of a few newspaper clippings and blurry photos of Bandai figures. I didn't even know what the tone of the film was going to be until I got to see it on DVD.

[HedorahIsBestGirl]

Why isn’t Shin Godzilla on this list?

I saw people straight up and leave the online fandom over it back in 2016/2017. I’ve never seen discourse get so damn toxic over a Godzilla movie before or since.

Shin Godzilla is really the only correct answer here.

It is now, feel free to revote. Clearly I should've gone with my gut and included it in the first place, given that a few people have already mentioned it.

I do think it's a big stretch to call it the "only correct answer here" when every Godzilla film from Tokyo SOS onward has been extremely polarizing. I'll admit that Shin came out at the point where I was least active in the fandom so I probably missed all the flame wars. That said, I doubt the debate over it got any more toxic than the 2004/2005 GFW debate.

EDIT: It seems that when I added Shin, all previous votes got erased. Sorry, guys. Didn't realize that would happen.

[Dv-218]

Is there's a reason G98 is here?

Gotta second this. Even with this weirdly pretentious renaissance it recently had of people straight up forcing others to LIKE the film the ratio of general disdain to favorability still leans heavily towards the former.

[Major sssspielberg!]

> implying '98 is a Godzilla film
Just kidding I kinda have a soft spot for '98, especially all the years of hearing people trash it like it has zero merit.

[LSD Jellyfish]

I think AMA deserves a spot, or at least a mention. I’ve never seen people be on the fence about it; it’s either something to appreciate for its uniqueness and what it’s trying to accomplish, or the worst movie that fundamentally ruins and embarrasses Godzilla fans.

I’d say Godzilla Final Wars is still pretty polarizing though. I don’t think Shin should be included because while there are some detractors, it’s nowhere near as polarizing in Japan, and is a bonafide critical and financial hit.

[Dyrakro]

Kinda feel like it's hard to pinpoint it down on one movie in particular but it's easier to go for a series. I very often feel like the current Reiwa/ post-2016 series is the most controversial series.
And if I had to say one film, I'd go for King of the Monsters. That film surely had a lot of changes in comparison to the 2014 one (and not for the better imo). Also the general opinion on here seems to be different with every visit.

[Spuro]

I’d say Godzilla Final Wars is still pretty polarizing though. I don’t think Shin should be included because while there are some detractors, it’s nowhere near as polarizing in Japan, and is a bonafide critical and financial hit.

But most of us don’t live in Japan, LSD. We don’t have the lived-in cultural experience to judge what the most polarizing Godzilla film is there. I haven’t the faintest clue, for instance, how Final Wars, AMA, or Hedorah are generally regarded there. There’s box office returns, but that doesn’t tell the whole story.

So, naturally, most of us have to rely on our experiences in the Western fandom to vote on this pole. It seems silly to excuse Shin and Shin alone from that.

[Thatguy4683]

To be honest any Godzilla media in the Reiwa, People seem to love it or hate it in this era and I can see why Toho has been very experimental with The Godzilla formula