Someone at G-Fest around 10-15 years ago told me Akane's actress was very popular in Japan and could only sign on for one film. For whatever reason I just took it as truth.Godzillian wrote:Was there ever an official reason given why we got new characters rather than the cast of this movie?
Talkback: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
It seemed like during the Millennium era a big part of each movie's publicity centered around making a big to-do about the latest young starlet they'd cast. Keeping Yumiko Shaku in the lead would have meant no chance to publicize casting Miho Yoshioka.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
Shaku might have been too busy on the Sky High series and movie to participate in Tokyo SOS in more than a cameo.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
I have a lot of nostalgia for this film and that is a factor in why I like it so much.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
What is the whole logic behind renaming Mechagodzilla?
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
I really like Shin Takuma in this movie, except when he's "flirting" with Akane (way too broad). Except in those moments he has good chemistry with Yumiko Shaku and Kana Onodera (Sara).
Like most Wataru Mimura scripts, there are some really good ideas that don't pan out. I'm all for some ambiguity, to force the audience to think, but I can't help but think it was a mistake to leave Godzilla's motivation mostly unvoiced. Sure, we find out why Godzilla's been attacking in the next film, but when GxMG was produced and released in 2002, there wasn't any plan for a sequel. In other words, if there was an explanation for Godzilla's appearances in 2002, it was left out of this movie. I can think of no good reason for that.
With Godzilla vs Megaguirus (GxM), Tezuka was only interested in entertaining the audience: there, the drama plays second (or third...) fiddle to everything else. I think with this movie, however, he wanted to elevate the drama to the forefront. But IMO the dramatic elements are ill-conceived. Akane allows her demotion over no mistake of her own, instead taking all the blame for the death of the troops in the jeep. Hayama continues to be a prick just because he blames her for the death of his brother and their C.O. doesn't do anything substantial to stop it. Hayama's only in the movie to give Akane a (lousy) reason to question her purpose, but this thread is contrived and trite.
One thing that stuck out to me watching this last night was Akane's apathy for her life: she tells Sara that she's wished she hadn't been born and that she lives a useless life, but this doesn't really go anywhere. I realized, however, that they needed to have Akane pilot Kiryu from the inside throughout the movie, so that she'd be onboard --helpless-- while Kiryu goes on its rampage. This could have amplified her self doubts more than the hackneyed Hayama stuff and potentially given her a opportunity to voice her feelings of uselessness in a more compelling way. If she believes she's useless then what better way to express it than allow herself to be endangered by the JSDF's actions to stop Kiryu?
There's also quite a bit of groan-worthy faux heartfelt moments: Sara's relationship with her plant is the most pervasive, but we also have the Kiryu Group member throwing his hat to Akane ("You're one of the team!"), Sara extending her hand to Akane prior to the final battle, etc. These moments should have come off as appropriately sentimental but Mimura's script and Tezuka's direction renders them simply mawkish. Nearly every emotional moment in this movie feels way too artificial.
I have a lot more thoughts but I don't wanna drone on longer than I have, so I'll be brief. There are at least three sequences copied from GMK, and all pale in comparison. Yuichi Kikuchi's special effects are conceptually interesting and occasionally dynamic but often executed poorly. No wonder he wasn't brought back. On the other hand, Michiru Oshima's score is awesome, and towards the end of the movie I realized I had been humming along to most of it.
Like most Wataru Mimura scripts, there are some really good ideas that don't pan out. I'm all for some ambiguity, to force the audience to think, but I can't help but think it was a mistake to leave Godzilla's motivation mostly unvoiced. Sure, we find out why Godzilla's been attacking in the next film, but when GxMG was produced and released in 2002, there wasn't any plan for a sequel. In other words, if there was an explanation for Godzilla's appearances in 2002, it was left out of this movie. I can think of no good reason for that.
With Godzilla vs Megaguirus (GxM), Tezuka was only interested in entertaining the audience: there, the drama plays second (or third...) fiddle to everything else. I think with this movie, however, he wanted to elevate the drama to the forefront. But IMO the dramatic elements are ill-conceived. Akane allows her demotion over no mistake of her own, instead taking all the blame for the death of the troops in the jeep. Hayama continues to be a prick just because he blames her for the death of his brother and their C.O. doesn't do anything substantial to stop it. Hayama's only in the movie to give Akane a (lousy) reason to question her purpose, but this thread is contrived and trite.
One thing that stuck out to me watching this last night was Akane's apathy for her life: she tells Sara that she's wished she hadn't been born and that she lives a useless life, but this doesn't really go anywhere. I realized, however, that they needed to have Akane pilot Kiryu from the inside throughout the movie, so that she'd be onboard --helpless-- while Kiryu goes on its rampage. This could have amplified her self doubts more than the hackneyed Hayama stuff and potentially given her a opportunity to voice her feelings of uselessness in a more compelling way. If she believes she's useless then what better way to express it than allow herself to be endangered by the JSDF's actions to stop Kiryu?
There's also quite a bit of groan-worthy faux heartfelt moments: Sara's relationship with her plant is the most pervasive, but we also have the Kiryu Group member throwing his hat to Akane ("You're one of the team!"), Sara extending her hand to Akane prior to the final battle, etc. These moments should have come off as appropriately sentimental but Mimura's script and Tezuka's direction renders them simply mawkish. Nearly every emotional moment in this movie feels way too artificial.
I have a lot more thoughts but I don't wanna drone on longer than I have, so I'll be brief. There are at least three sequences copied from GMK, and all pale in comparison. Yuichi Kikuchi's special effects are conceptually interesting and occasionally dynamic but often executed poorly. No wonder he wasn't brought back. On the other hand, Michiru Oshima's score is awesome, and towards the end of the movie I realized I had been humming along to most of it.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
I can only speculate, but its probably one or more of the following reasons.
1) To differentiate it from other versions of Mechagodzilla.
2) To establish this version of Mechagodzilla as a character. Previous versions were pure lifeless robots. The 70s one was basically a remote controlled war weapon and the 93 one was basically a fancy war vehicle. By naming this version, it feeds into the idea that this version of Mechagodzilla is actually a living thing.
3) A branding idea to sell more toys and merchandise. If you call it something different or give it some differing quality from previous releases, it gives collectors and kids more reason to get the merch.
4) Building off of 3, it was probably conceived as a way for Toho to get an additional trademark on the character that they could use.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
^Building off on #1, why not give this new Godzilla a different name as well?
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
Because he's GODZILLA!LegendZilla wrote: ↑Thu Nov 12, 2020 10:41 am ^Building off on #1, why not give this new Godzilla a different name as well?
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
Ah yes, my second Godzilla film, first MG and MG film, and my second favorite Godzilla design/suit of all time. I actually prefer SOS to this though, since it has Mothra. Still, great film! Love nearly everything about it
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
This is a very solid movie imo. Its strongest aspect is definitely the human characters and their development throughout, very emotionally engaging, as while the action is fun and tense, it’s nothing spectacular. Only true complaint I have is Godzilla himself, as he has all the personality of a brick and is just a plot device for the heroes to overcome. A highlight of the Millenium era, not at GMK’s level but that’s certainly not a dig against Against
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ShinGojira14 wrote: Neither. Hideki Anno wins because he writes a hilarious comedic satire movie where Shin and Legendary have to team up to destroy a grotesque crap-monster created by the constant toxic bickering of Shin fans and Legendary fans.
SoggyNoodles2016 wrote: Yup, my dad works at Legendary, the Nebulans are gonna be in the next movie and they're gonna get beat because Madison throws coffee in the leaders face.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
Second best Millennium film IMO behind GMK, of course. Way better than Cringeguirus, Tokyo KYS and Final Flop.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
And I thought the reason was because of the story direction they wanted to take in Tokyo SOS, that actually makes quite a lot of sense if it is trueshadowgigan wrote: ↑Mon Feb 17, 2020 4:55 pmSomeone at G-Fest around 10-15 years ago told me Akane's actress was very popular in Japan and could only sign on for one film. For whatever reason I just took it as truth.Godzillian wrote:Was there ever an official reason given why we got new characters rather than the cast of this movie?
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
"You are the Arbiter. The will of the Prophets. But these are my Elites. Their lives matter to me. Yours does not."
"That makes two of us."
My YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaJhff ... 7ZcLGnZkaA?
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RELEASE THE AYER CUT!
2A, Shall Not Be Infringed
"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." - Howard Phillips Lovecraft
"That makes two of us."
My YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaJhff ... 7ZcLGnZkaA?
My Twitter - https://twitter.com/Nintendozilla98
RELEASE THE AYER CUT!
2A, Shall Not Be Infringed
"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." - Howard Phillips Lovecraft
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
This is my second or third least favorite film in the Millennium series but I still think it's a relatively good film because of the character perfomances and Kiryu who is my favorite version of MechaG just barely edging out MV MechaG. Godzilla really lacked emotions in this film and despite being a great design the suit was stiff and the fight wasn't as entertaining as the other films. Still a better film than Tokyo SOS
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
Rewatching this, before I found this film boring, now I love it. I guess the first time I didn't like the film because I had watched it on my phone. I still prefer Tokyo S.O.S, but now I have another great Godzilla movie to rewatch time and time again.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
The absolute gem of the millineum series. A ten out of ten like the 1993 MechaGodzilla movie, too. A human story that isn't a joke and a kid worthy of a kaiju, unlike Kenny from Gamera. More than military and kaiju action.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
Absolutely gem of the Millennium series? Absolutely. No argument there. Love this one.
Ten out of ten? Just like the 93 film? Don't think I'd go that far.
Ten out of ten? Just like the 93 film? Don't think I'd go that far.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
My favorite Millennium movie, with GMK/G2K tied for second. It's just good.
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Re: Talkback: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002)
I really appreciate what this movie does in terms of its human drama, but I find that the kaiju side is insufficiently fleshed-out and feels inconclusive. I also don't dig its aesthetic nearly as much as I like the looks of both G2K and GMK. Still a solid, entertaining entry, and one that's grown on me with time and repeat viewing, but in the end it just doesn't quite come together for me.
Tokyo, a smoldering memorial to the unknown, an unknown which at this very moment still prevails and could at any time lash out with its terrible destruction anywhere else in the world.