Godzilla Raids Again (remake) (Johnsonverse)

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For the second remake, Tim Johnson (Godzilla's suit actor) was joined by his twin sister and long-time co-star in other WBC/Johnson Studios productions, Chloe Johnson, who donned the Anguirus suit and did battle against Godzilla.

Plot

Two pilots named Tsukioka and Kobayashi are hunting for schools of fish for a tuna cannery company in Osaka. Kobayashi's plane malfunctions and is forced to land near Iwato Island, an uninhabited strip of rocks formed by volcanic eruptions. Tsukioka then looks for Kobayashi and finds him safe, with only a wrist sprain. While talking, the two men hear some strange sounds and find two monsters fighting. Tsukioka immediately recognizes one of the monsters to be Godzilla. The two monsters then fall off a cliff, into the ocean.

Tsukioka and Kobayashi report to the authorities in Osaka, and find out that the other monster Godzilla was fighting is Anguirus, another monster awoken by nuclear testing. A group of scientists with the two pilots research Anguirus in a book written by a Polish scientist. Godzilla and Anguirus lived around the same time millions of years ago, and there was an intense rivalry between the two monsters.

Dr. Kyohei Yamane, who experienced Godzilla's attack in 1954, is also present at the meeting, and shows a film of the original Godzilla attacking Tokyo. He confirms that this Godzilla is a second member of the same species, and that he and Anguirus were probably brought back to life by the same hydrogen bomb tests that awoke the original Godzilla. Yamane states that there is no way to kill Godzilla, and that Dr. Daisuke Serizawa, the inventor of the Oxygen Destroyer, had committed suicide and burned the formula. Yamane, though, suggests that the military should use flares on Godzilla to attract the monster away from the shore. Godzilla becomes angry when he sees lights because the hydrogen bomb's bright explosion had awakened and mutated him.

One day unexpectedly, Godzilla shows up on the shore of Osaka. Jets are sent to shoot flares from their planes to lead Godzilla away from the shore. Godzilla sees the flames, and, as Yamane predicted, starts to walk away.

Meanwhile, a prison truck transports dangerous criminals to another part of the country. All of the criminals, using body language, decided that this would be a great opportunity to escape from prison. The prisoners beat up the two policemen guarding the back door of the truck, and run away. A few of them find a gasoline truck, and use it to escape. The truck crashes into an industrial building and starts a massive fire.

The fire attracts Godzilla to the shore of Osaka again. A few minutes later, Anguirus swims to shore and attacks Godzilla. The two creatures fight an intense battle, while destroying several buildings, including the tuna cannery that Tsukioka and Kobayashi work for. Godzilla finally bites Anguirus's neck, and throws him on a moat near Osaka Castle. Instead of finishing Anguirus, Godzilla helps Anguirus up and the two monsters, having developed a respect for each other, shake hands and make peace. The new friends then proceed to begin destroying Osaka. The military's efforts to stop them are in vain, and Godzilla and Anguirus finish off the city. Tsukioka and Kobayashi are among the dead on the attack, and Emperor Hirohito orders a full search for the monsters. In America, meanwhile, Tom Stevenson of CBS is put on assignment in Japan to follow the exploits to find the monsters.

On an island in the Pacific, Godzilla and Anguirus settle in and begin healing both their wounds and their relations. The two agree to never fight again and from now on, be equal partners in world domination. They also resolve to find other monsters to recruit to their cause.

In Japan, the search for the monsters is called off. Tom Stevenson is put in charge of the Kaiju Department of CBS, an assignment he takes with great enthusiasm. As the movie ends, Godzilla and Anguirus roar at the sunset.

Changes from Original

Visual

  • All footage re-used from the original is colored and restored digitally
  • The entire fight between Godzilla and Anguirus is reshot
  • Much of Masaru Sato's score is replaced by Akira Ifukube music from later films

Story

  • Instead of killing Anguirus, Godzilla makes peace with him

Trivia

  • The Anguirus suit, SoshingekiAngira, was first used in 1968's Destroy All Monsters, then saw action in Godzilla vs Gigan and Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla. The suit had seen great use in Monster World after being used in the 1997 blockbuster Earthbound. To this day, the suit remains in use, still worn by Chloe Johnson (and modified to fit her slim frame, since the suit had originally been made to fit Hiroshi Sekita, who actually donned the suit once more in several episodes of Monster World).