The Shadow of World War II in Modern Japan: Community and the "Victim's History": An exploration of the rewriting of history in Japanese pop culture and the importance of community. Main Menu How to Use this Module Abstract An introduction to this module Module Materials Terminology Introduction to Japan Japan and World War II Community Dragon Head 『ドラゴンヘッド』 "Victim's History" Grave of the Fireflies 『火垂るの墓』 Hiroshima Barefoot Gen 『はだしのゲン』 Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack!『ゴジラ・モスラ・キングギドラ　大怪獣総攻撃』 Godzilla Resurgence 『シン・ゴジラ』 Module Wrap Up

Godzilla 『ゴジラ』1

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In 1954, a film that would change the Japanese movie industry forever was released to a populace still recovering from the tragedies of World War II. Ishirō Honda's Godzilla would capture the imaginations of millions over the next decades and spawn a film franchise that has spanned twenty-nine films to date.

The original Toho Studio classic examines the Japanese reaction when a giant, irradiated monster rises from the depths of the sea and proceeds to rampage through Tokyo. However, despite spawning a franchise that would focus mostly on monster versus monster battles, the seminal film is an allegory for the destructive nature of nuclear power: a topic that would have been much on the minds of the Japanese following the incidents at Hiroshima and Nagasaki only a few years before.

In dealing with the Godzilla crisis, two camps emerge. One side would like to capture Godzilla and study it, while the other wants to destroy it by any means necessary. In the end, it is decided that the Japanese must fight "fire with fire" and attack the beast with an equivalent weapon of mass destruction. This comes in the form of Dr. Serizawa's Oxygen Destroyer. The scientist himself chooses to detonate the weapon, but at what cost?

In 1956, the original Japanese film was re-edited into the American version, Godzilla, King of the Monsters!, co-directed by Terry O. Morse and Ishirō Honda. The film was dubbed mostly into English and cut several minutes of the film in order to include newly recorded portions starring actor Raymond Burr. Notably, anti-nuclear sentiment was removed from the film, significantly changing its message.  

Godzilla can be purchased at retailers such as Amazon.com.
 

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