Nov 3, 2022
From one monster bash to another, Godzilla Day is nearly here, and he’ll be 68 years old! Everyone can join in the fun world-wide and as for how we’ll be celebrating this event in Canada (Victoria, BC to be specific), we have combed through the lists to find what is appropriate. Even though the big are Japan and USA, that’s okay.
The real exclusives will be found at Kinokuniya Book Stores online store, and for those buying shirts, please bear in mind the metric system is much smaller than American. Best to buy two sizes up to be safe.
As for elsewhere, thankfully there are a few streaming options to make the thrill possible. We present a list of what to watch, read or play with!
Screenings (Theatrical and Streaming)
- Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla is headed to U.S. theatres! This partnership with Fathom Events and Alamo Drafthouse will bring 2002’s classic to the big screen and it’s about stompin’ time!
- On Netflix, we have three animated films. The first movie, Godzilla: Planet of Monsters, puts the titular force of nature into the future, and it’s not good. Although this trilogy’s take is very different when compared to other films, it has a unique place in the lexicon. In part two, City on the Edge of Battle and three, Planet Eater, the tale gets a lot of surreal, if not completely left field for those fans who love Shin Godzilla.
- For Heisei Era fun thankfully, this run is available to stream from various sources, and to encapsulate where the fight is going, the last three films are worth catching as a unit on Godzilla Day.Amazon USA links to 1993’s Mecha Godzilla II, which starts the craze to him vs. Space Godzilla and Destroyah. In the next era, another showdown begins with Against Mecha Godzilla, and if that isn’t confusing enough, it’s easy to assume it’s easier to watch in chronological release order. These films are also on Google Play.
Other
For a limited time, Jade City Foods will offer the ultimate “Godzilla” hot sauce to go with Langer’s “Godzilla”-Sized Pastrami Sandwich. This infamous Los Angeles-based deli will offer patrons a mega-sized meal throughout the week of Nov 3 for Godzilla Day, but you have to live in the area to get it.
In another part of the world, Yokocho Ramen in London has a limited edition set menu for patrons to choose from. It sounds good, but what about locally? Thankfully, we have Sushi Island in Victoria, BC to make acknowledging Godzilla Day possible. They have two super heroic sized rolls–one for Marvel Comics fans and the other for Toho’s beast worth noting. We got to try both, and they are a meal! To note, these are not officially sanctioned products.
- Hulk Roll
Inside: crabmeat, avocado, cucumber, asparagus, 2pcs prawn, lettuce / on top: wakame, tobiko - Godzilla Roll
inside: cucumber, avocado, lettuce, crabmeat, bacon tempura, prawn, yam
on top: onion flake, yam fries, bacon crumble, spicy tempura flake, Korean hot sauce, maple syrup
Retail and Merch
- Hot Wheels – Mattel and Toho International have partnered up! In the vehicles they have ready to roll are three exclusive “Godzilla” themed Hot Wheels cars. The first of the three will hit the streets in November. They will be available for purchase at Target. The last two won’t be at stores until 2023.
- Crunchyroll has streetwear, and their themed seven-piece collection will feature Space Godzilla, Little Godzilla, Biollante and Mechagodzilla. If that’s not enough, Hawaiian style shirts and tees can be bought at Kinokuniya Book Stores.
Best of Amazon USA
- Godzilla, the Showa-Era Films, 1954–1975 (The Criterion Collection)Anyone needing a primer on why this radioactive green lizard is popular only needs to check out Criterion’s release. It collects the first fifteen films into a wonderful keepsake binder. To be honest, they’re hard to take out and off, and it’s recommended to put them into amray cases. The booklet, however, is quite the beast itself, but has wonderful reproductions of the marketing used when the films came out.
- Ishiro HondaThis filmmaker directed many kaiju films and to understand the beast really requires knowing who the man is. This book is a must for any newcomer, as it delves into everything we need to know about this indivdual, and bit more!
- GODZILLA: History of Formative Arts 1954-2016From its first cinematic release as Godzilla in 1954 to its latest incarnation as Shin Godzilla in 2016, this book offers a massive collection of rare, never-before-seen still photos from the movies and behind-the-scenes studio snapshots in chronological order (excluding the Hollywood series).Bilingual (Japanese and English) explanatory text is included in each chapter to guide readers in understanding the history of Godzilla episode by episode.
Toys available on Amazon – Bandai Movie Monster Series
The criteria here are affordability (for the kids to play with), the quality of the build and how realistic they look when compared to the cinema version. They are: Godzilla Millennium, Godzilla 2019, Gigan (2004), Mechagodzilla (Heavily Armed Type), and Destoroyah.
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