Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.
2003 film by Masaaki Tezuka
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Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (ゴジラ×モスラ×メカゴジラ 東京SOS, Gojira Mosura Mekagojira Tōkyō Esu-Ō-Esu)[2] is a 2003 Japanese kaiju film directed by Masaaki Tezuka, with special effects by Eiichi Asada. Distributed by Toho and produced under their subsidiary Toho Pictures, 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.
| Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Japanese theatrical release poster | |||||
| Japanese name | |||||
| Katakana | ゴジラ×モスラ×メカゴジラ 東京SOS | ||||
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| Directed by | Masaaki Tezuka | ||||
| Written by | Masaaki Tezuka Masahiro Yokotani | ||||
| Produced by | Shogo Tomiyama | ||||
| Starring | Noboru Kaneko Miho Yoshioka Mitsuki Koga Masami Nagasawa Chihiro Otsuka Koh Takasugi Hiroshi Koizumi Akira Nakao | ||||
| Cinematography | Yoshinori Sekiguchi | ||||
| Edited by | Shinichi Fushima | ||||
| Music by | Michiru Ōshima | ||||
Production company | |||||
| Distributed by | Toho | ||||
Release date |
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Running time | 91 minutes | ||||
| Country | Japan | ||||
| Language | Japanese | ||||
| Box office | $10.7 million[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 Mechagodzilla/Kiryu (replaces Hirofumi Ishigaki from the previous film). This film also shares connections with the original 1961 Mothra film (with Koizumi reprises his role from the aforementioned film).
Around its theatrical release, it was accompanied by a Hamtaro double feature, Hamtaro: Miracle in Aurora Valley.
The following entry in the series, Godzilla: Final Wars, which is set in its own continuity, was released on December 4, 2004.
Plot
The Shobijin visit Shinichi Chujo, his scientist nephew Yoshito, and his grandson Shun to warn them that Godzilla continues returning to Japan because the Japanese government used the first Godzilla's skeleton in the cyborg MFS-3 Kiryu's construction.[a] If the government returns the skeleton to the ocean, Mothra, the descendant of the first Mothra who attacked Japan forty-three years ago,[b] will take Kiryu's place in defending Japan.
As Kiryu undergoes repair and modifications, the Kiryu squadron is sent to the United States for further training, with Kyosuke Akiba taking Akane Yashiro's place should Godzilla return while she is away. Due to the first Mothra's attack, Japanese prime minister Hayato Igarashi denies Chujo's request, but agrees to discontinue the Kiryu project once the cyborg exterminates Godzilla. Sometime later, Godzilla resurfaces to attack Tokyo despite his injuries sustained since the last battle with Kiryu. Chujo and Shun summon Mothra to battle Godzilla. With the repairs finished, the government deploys Kiryu, but Godzilla knocks both it and Mothra out, injuring Chujo and Shun during the fray.
Meanwhile on Himago Island, the uncharted volcanic island in Ogasawara island chain, twin Mothra larvae hatch from their egg and rush to help their mother. As Yoshito, with help from the Shobijin, uses a maintenance hatch to enter and repair Kiryu from its internal backup cockpit, the Japan Xenomorph Self-Defense Forces (JXSDF) and larvae try to hold Godzilla off, but Mothra sacrifices herself to protect the latter from Godzilla's atomic breath while a separate attack warps Kiryu's maintenance hatch, trapping Yoshito inside. Nonetheless, he completes the repairs, allowing Kiryu to wound Godzilla before its spirit is reawakened by Godzilla's roar.
After the larvae bind Godzilla in a silk cocoon, Akiba is ordered to kill Godzilla per Yoshito and the Shobijin's request. However, Kiryu lifts Godzilla and uses its boosters to carry them both out to sea. Akiba's fellow pilot, Azusa Kisaragi, blasts the hatch open. Kiryu turns over to let Yoshito escape before it plunges into the ocean and drifts into an underwater trench with Godzilla. As Japan celebrates their victory, Yoshito bids Kiryu farewell while the larvae return to Infant Island with the Shobijin.
In a post-credits scene, an undisclosed laboratory is shown with canisters containing the DNA of numerous monsters.[c]
Cast
- Noboru Kaneko as Yoshito Chujo, the mechanic of Kiryu and one of the film's main protagonists.
- Miho Yoshioka as Azusa Kisaragi, the pilot of Heron.
- Mitsuki Koga as Kyosuke Akiba, the operator of Kiryu.
- Masami Nagasawa and Chihiro Otsuka as the Shobijin, the priestesses of Mothra.
- Hiroshi Koizumi as Shinichi Chujo, Yoshito's uncle, the scientist and linguist who discovered Mothra and the Shobijin in 1961. Koizumi reprises his role from the original Mothra film.
- Yumiko Shaku as Akane Yashiro, a member of Kiryu squadron and the former operator of Kiryu.
- Koh Takasugi as Togashi, the commander of Kiryu squadron.
- Kenta Suga as Shun Chujo, the nephew of Yoshito and grandson of Shinichi.
- Akira Nakao as Hayato Igarashi, the Prime Minister of Japan.
- Koichi Ueda as Dobashi, the director general of the Defense Agency.
- Naomasa Rokudaira as Goro Kanno, a low temperature physicist.
- Yūsuke Tomoi as Susumu Hayama, a lieutenant in the Japan Self-Defense Forces and the former pilot of Heron.
- Tsutomu Kitagawa as Godzilla, a mutant dinosaurian creature and the film's main antagonist. He bears a large scar on his chest after the last battle with Kiryu, caused by the latter's Absolute Zero Cannon, in the previous film.
- Motokuni Nakagawa as Mechagodzilla, also known by its codename "MFS-3 Kiryu", the cyborg version of the first Godzilla built by JXSDF and one of the film's main protagonists. The main arsenal, the Hyper Maser Cannon, replaces the Absolute Zero Cannon from the previous film. It was portrayed by Hirofumi Ishigaki in the previous film.
The Peanuts make a cameo as the original Shobijin in a flashback via archive footage from the original Mothra film.
Production
Release
Home media
The film was released on DVD by Columbia/Tristar Home Entertainment being the final film to be Destributed by TriStar Pictures on DVD before their rights expired.[4] on 14 December 2004. It included a "Making Of - Featurette for Special Effects." It is also available in a 3-Disc "50th Anniversary Godzilla DVD Collection" box set; along with Son of Godzilla [1967] and Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla [1974].
The film was released on blu-ray on the Toho Godzilla Collection[5] on 6 May 2014 in a 2-Disc double feature with Godzilla: Final Wars. It included a "Making of" documentary.
2023 re-release date
Fathom Events announced that the film would be re-released in the U.S. as a theatrical one day of event on March 22, 2023 for its 20th anniversary.[6][needs update]
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.[7]
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."[8] 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."[9] 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."[10]
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 80% based on 5 reviews, with a rating average of 6.5/10."[11]
Notes
- As depicted in Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla. (2002)
- As depicted in her 1961 self-titled film.
- In the Japanese version, an unidentified voice announces that a "bio-formation" experiment involving an "extinct subject" is about to take place.
