Join hosts Byrd and Matt as they discuss all things giant monsters, tokusatsu, and Japanese fantasy films. We’ll also cover comics, cartoons, toys, books, and more! Come here for a regular dose of everything from Godzilla and Gamera to King Kong and Ray Harryhausen to Ultraman, and everything in between!
Byrd, Matt, and guest host Kevin review the second and final season of Netflix's anime series Pacific Rim: The Black. We review the show as well as discuss the wait between seasons, and how the Pacific Rim franchise should move forward after this. But first we talk about the new Godzilla and Kong/Call of Duty game crossover and we give our tribute to recently deceased actor Hiroyuki Watanabe. Relax and enjoy the discussion!
We are joined by Jared Foust (Xenofauna) and Connor Anderson (Easterman's Kaiju Kompendium) for an extensive deep dive into Ultraman Ace. The firth entry in the Ultra series brought in some changes, like recurring alien villains and the idea of two Ultraman hosts. Although some of these ideas didn't last, Ultraman Ace brought a wackier sensibility to the franchise. We'll talk about the highs and lows of the series, the change in approach that it took, the crazy monster designs and more! Relax and join the conversation.
We are joined again by guest host Trev (Days of Future Podcast, Failure to Franchise) to discuss the recent micro budgeted Zillafoot. This backyard indie about a giant lizard/ape hybrid was originally released in 2019, but was re-released in 2021 after adding crowd sourced scenes from podcasters, YouTubers, and others in the kaiju fandom. We also discuss the nature of modern b-movie film making and what it means to make a low budget film without being cynical. There's references to numerous kaiju films, Ultraman, and more, but does Zillafoot overcome its ultra low budget limitations? Listen and find out. But first, we talk about Toho's baffling relationship with fans on social media including their bizarre Godzilla twitter account and their recent crowd funding attempt for a new Gigan suit. Check it out!
Matt, Byrd and Tom pay tribute to the prolific actor Akira Takarada, who passed away recently at the age of 87. We discuss Takarada's vast career in acting, voiceover, and activism. Our main topic is two spy spoofs Takarada starred in, 1965's Ironfinger (aka 100 Shot, 100 Killed), and 1967's Golden Eyes (aka Booted Babe, Busted Boss). Directed by Jun Fukuda, these action comedies are stacked with many of the major Toho actors of the time and also have strong ties to the Godzilla franchise (especially Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster). Both films are streaming on the Criterion Channel in the United States. Are these underseen movies worth tracking down? Listen and find out! But first, we have a news roundup with our predictions on possible upcoming Godzilla and King Kong movies.
Byrd, Matt and Tom discuss the divisive kaiju satire from popular Japanese comedian Hitoshi Matsumoto. This mockumentary follows a washed up Japanese super hero as he fights giant monsters, deals with his estranged family, and ponders his place in the world. All the while, the film asks questions about modern Japanese cultural identity and what it means to be Japanese. Released in 2007, this cynical character study was widely reviled by kaiju fans, yet was embraced by cinephiles and has since become a cult classic. What side of the fence did we fall? Listen and find out!
We are joined once again by Tom (Final Forum podcast) and Kevin (Maser Patrol) to discuss the new film Nezura 1964! From 3Y Films (The Great Buddha Arrival), this low budget indie is a dramatized retelling of the making (and cancelation) of Giant Horde Beast Nezura, Daiei's pre-Gamera kaiju film about giant rats. In addition to reviewing the movie, we also talk about the actual events that inspired it. As an added bonus, we also review the low budget indie horror film Nezulla the Rat Monster (2002), which is often (falsely) said to be inspired by the canceled Daiei project. But first we discuss the announcement of Legendary and Apple TV+'s upcoming Godzilla series and the future of the MonsterVerse.
Relax and enjoy the show!
Ring in the holidays with this special episode, as we are joined by Kevin Derendorf (Maser Patrol, Kaiju For Hipsters) and Tom Gueli (Final Forum: A Dragonball Podcast) to talk about the children's holiday dinosaur film, Rex: A Dinosaur's Story. In 1993, Kadokawa decided to cash in on the Jurassic Park craze by making this oddity about a little girl who befriends a baby T-Rex and aids in the dinosaur's escape from greedy commercial producers. The film (directed by Kadokawa's president at the time) also features magical Ainu, a dinosaur wearing a Santa hat, KFC, snowmobile chases, food fights, and other madcap madness. We'll discuss those things, as well as the movie's connection to cocaine smuggling (for real), special effects legend Carlo Rambaldi's dinosaurs made for the film, the dinosaur craze of the early 90s, the suspicious similarities to Toho's Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla (1993) and more! So sit down with some egg nog and join the fun!
Byrd, Matt and Kevin discuss the cult anime series The Big O. This series combined inspirations from kaiju/tokusatsu, mecha, Batman, and film noir to create a series about a negotiator who pilots a giant robot in a city full of people without memories. As he tries to solve the city's mysteries, he has to use his robot Big O to handle the other giant robots and monsters that get in his way. So sit back and listen to us discuss the robots, mystery, monsters, and philosophy of this abstract cult classic show. It's showtime!
We're joined by frequent guest hosts Tom and Kevin to talk about Macoto Tezuka's Yokai-centric Monster Heaven films. Monster Heaven (1986) is an anthology film of several different Yokai stories. Monster Heaven: Ghost Hero (1990) is a single story about a resurrected samurai demon slashing his way through a metropolitan workplace. They feature recognizable faces such as Misatoh Eve, Osamu Tezuka, Kazuo Umezu, and Hideyo Amamoto, and creature effects by the great Tomoo Haraguchi. So are these lost gems that deserve to be rediscovered? Listen and find out!
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