Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.

Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (ゴジラ×モスラ×メカゴジラ 東京SOS, Gojira x Mosura x Mekagojira Tōkyō Esu Ō Esu, released in Japan as Godzilla × Mothra × Mechagodzilla: Tokyo SOS)[2] is a 2003 Japanese kaiju film directed by Masaaki Tezuka, written by Tezuka and Masahiro Yokotani, and produced by Shogo Tomiyama. Produced and distributed by Toho Studios, it is the 28th film in the Godzilla franchise, the fifth film in the franchise's Millennium series, the 27th Godzilla film produced by Toho, and a direct sequel to the 2002 film Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla. The film features the fictional monster characters Godzilla and Mothra, along with the mecha character Mechagodzilla, who is referred to in the film by the name Kiryu.

Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.
Japanese theatrical release poster
Directed byMasaaki Tezuka
Produced byShogo Tomiyama
Written byMasaaki Tezuka
Masahiro Yokotani
StarringNoboru Kaneko
Miho Yoshioka
Mitsuki Koga
Masami Nagasawa
Chihiro Otsuka
Kou Takasugi
Hiroshi Koizumi
Akira Nakao
Music byMichiru Ōshima
CinematographyYoshinori Sekiguchi
Edited byShinichi Fushima
Production
company
Distributed byToho
Release date
  • 13 December 2003 (2003-12-13)
Running time
91 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese
Box office¥1.3 billion[1]

Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. stars Noboru Kaneko, Miho Yoshioka, Mitsuki Koga, Masami Nagasawa, Chihiro Otsuka, Kou Takasugi, Hiroshi Koizumi, and Akira Nakao, with Tsutomu Kitagawa as Godzilla and Motokuni Nakagawa as Kiryu. It is the only installment in the franchise's Millennium period which shares continuity with a previous Godzilla film aside from the original 1954 Godzilla, ignoring the events of every film in the series besides the original 1954 film and Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla. Like its predecessor, Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. also shares continuity with the films Mothra and The War of the Gargantuas.

Plot

In 2004, Kiryu is undergoing repair modifications after its battle with Godzilla one year earlier. Prime Minister Hayato Igarashi accepts Lead Scientist Yoshito Chujo's choice to replace the Absolute Zero Cannon with a powerful Tri-Maser.

The Shobijin warn the Japanese government that Godzilla continues returning to the country because they used the original Godzilla's bones in Kiryu's design. If they return the bones to the bottom of the sea, Mothra would gladly take Kiryu's place in defending Japan, but if they do not, Mothra will not help them. Soon enough, Kamoebas, a giant mata mata turtle, is found washed ashore on a Japanese beach. It is determined by the wounds on Kamoebas' neck that Godzilla killed it. Godzilla and Mothra fight, but Godzilla seems to have the upper hand. With the repairs finished just in time, Kiryu manages to even the odds, but Godzilla still manages to knock both it and Mothra out.

Meanwhile, on Infant Island, two twin Mothra larvae hatch from Mothra's egg, and rush to help their mother. As Kiryu undergoes repairs again, the larvae try to hold Godzilla off, but Mothra sacrifices herself by flying in the way of Godzilla's atomic breath, saving the larvae. Just in time, Yoshito and the humans repair Kiryu, who stabs Godzilla's chest with a drill, causing Godzilla to bleed and roar in pain. The larvae begin to bind Godzilla up in silk. Just as Kiryu's pilot, Azusa Kisaragi, receives the order by Igarashi to destroy Godzilla before the Kiryu project is scrapped, Kiryu's soul is reawakened through Godzilla's roar. The cyborg lifts Godzilla and secures its grip with cables. Kiryu then uses its boosters to carry itself and Godzilla out to sea, but turns over to let its pilot (who had to pilot Kiryu from the inside cockpit) to escape through to a control jet that is flying along side before plunging into the sea with Godzilla.

In a post-credits scene, in an undisclosed location, a laboratory is shown, filled with canisters that contain the DNA of numerous Toho kaiju. It is stated in the Japanese version via a narrator announcing that a "bio-formation" experiment involving an "extinct subject" is about to take place, implying that the JXSDF plans to create another mecha or kaiju-based superweapon, which could mean that Godzilla or another monster could appear once again. In the Japanese version, Godzilla and Kiryu are seen one more time on the bottom of the ocean, where Godzilla wakes up and start roaring.

Cast

Production

Writing

Toho had commissioned four story outlines for director Tezuka to choose from. Tezuka found them all boring, so instead he wrote a new story outline overnight and submitted it to the studio, which they eventually approved.[3]

Reception

Box office

Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. opened on 14 December 2003 on a double bill with the animated feature Hamtaro: Ham Ham Grand Prix. In its opening weekend, it was third place at the box office with $1,686,009 (U.S).

Critical response

Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. has received generally positive reviews from journalistic reviewers upon its release on DVD. John Sinnott of DVD Talk gave Tokyo S.O.S. four stars out of five, saying:

There are some problems with this movie, but when all is said and done, I really enjoyed it...While this movie seems to be aimed at a younger audience without a lot of plot or characterization, it was still a lot of fun. The fight scenes were exciting and though they took up most of the movie, they never dragged on or got boring.[4]

Giving the film a score of three out of five, Stomp Tokyo said "the plot is fairly simplistic and the character relationships are painted in broad strokes," but added that the movie "[features] the best monster action Toho has produced."[5] Joseph Savitski of Beyond Hollywood criticized the film's "uninspired script," which he wrote had "ideas [that] are never fully developed," but added that the film is "well-made" and "mak[es] for an entertaining 91 minutes."[6] Mark Zimmer of Digitally Obsessed gave Tokyo S.O.S. a "B" score, calling it "a fun enough action film with enough explosions and destruction of Tokyo to satisfy die-hards and casual fans alike."[7]

Home media

Columbia/Tristar Home Entertainment - 50th Anniversary [8]

Sony - Blu-ray (Toho Godzilla Collection) [9]

  • Released: 6 May 2014
  • Picture: 2.35:1 (MPEG-4 AVC) [1080P]
  • Sound: Japanese and English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1)
  • Subtitles: English, English SDH, and French
  • Extras:
  • The Making of Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (SD, Japanese DD 2.0, English subtitles, 21:48)
  • Theatrical Trailer (HD, Japanese DD 2.0, English subtitles, 0:35)
  • Notes: This is a 2-Disc double feature with Godzilla: Final Wars.

References
  1. 歴代ゴジラ映画作品一覧
  2. DeSentis, John. "GODZILLA SOUNDTRACK PERFECT COLLECTION BOX 6". Scifi Japan. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
  3. "Tokyo SOS Director". Scifi Japan TV. September 18, 2014.
  4. Review John Sinnott, DVD Talk, 6 December 2004
  5. Review Stomp Tokyo, 17 October 2004
  6. Review Joseph Savitski, Beyond Hollywood
  7. Review Mark Zimmer, Digitally Obsessed, 13 December 2004
  8. http://www.dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=7852
  9. http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Godzilla-Tokyo-SOS-Blu-ray/98445/#Review
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