TOKYO S.O.S. (2003): 30 Days of Godzilla

DAY 29

TOKYO S.O.S. (2003)

Let's not bury the lead here. Tokyo S.O.S. is the absolute best that that the Millennium Series has to offer. Godzilla movies are a tricky recipe to mix -- you have to perfectly balance the human story with the monster-driven special effects -- but Tokyo S.O.S. gets it right and serves up a mouth-watering spectacle of monster mayhem. It's not only a direct sequel to Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla but also a defacto sequel to the original 1961 Mothra as well. Blending new and classic Toho kaiju mythology with a perfect blend of CGI and practical effects, Tokyo S.O.S. is sure to please new and old Godzilla fans alike.

GODZILLA AGAINST MECHAGODZILLA (2002): 30 Days of Godzilla

DAY 28

GODZILLA AGAINST MECHAGODZILLA (2002)

Mechagodzilla gets a much-needed upgrade for the new Millennium in a brand new story continuity that, oddly enough, is also a direct sequel to Toho's classic monster movies Gojira (1954), Mothra (1961) War of the Gargantuas (1966), and Space Amoeba (1970).

GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA II (1993): 30 Days of Godzilla

DAY 21

GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA II (1993)

Rodan, Mechagodzilla, and even Baby Godzilla are all given a modern revamp in this blockbuster of sci-fi action and monster mayhem. Not without story problems, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II set a high-water mark for Toho's technical special effects and monster suit design in the Heisei period.

TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA (1975): 30 Days of Godzilla

DAY 16

TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA  (1975)

aka. Terror of Godzilla

Here we are folks. We've truly reached the end of an era. Godzilla returns to once again fight his diabolical doppleganger Mechagodzilla, but this is the last time we'll see this particular version of Godzilla. Terror of Mechagodzilla is the 15th and final film in the original series, and it all comes full circle with Ishiro Honda, the original Gojira director, returning to take Godzilla movies back to their darker roots.

GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA (1974): 30 Days of Godzilla

DAY 15

GODZILLA vs. MECHAGODZILLA (1974)

aka. Godzilla vs. Bionic Monster
aka. Godzilla vs. Cosmic Monster

Evil apes from outer space attempt to conquer Earth with a robotic Godzilla in accordance with an ancient apocalyptic prophecy. But could the terrifying Godzilla cyborg be too powerful for even the real King of the Monsters to defeat? Godzilla kicks off his 20th Anniversary with the surprisingly entertaining Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla.

S.H. MonsterArts: Exciting New Godzilla Toys

This November, Bandai is releasing a new line of figures called S.H. MonsterArts. The first two figures in the line will be Godzilla and Mechagodzilla as they appeared in 1993/1994. I couldn't be MORE excited.

There are two reasons I can't pass up these figures.

• 1.) The Hensei era Godzilla (as he appeared in the films from 1991-1995) is my preferred Godzilla design

• Although there have been countless Godzilla and Mechagodzilla figures before these, none have been so detailed or so articulated. Godzilla has at least 29 points of articulation -- articulation that is based on the S.H. Figuarts style. You can even put these monsters into their swimming or flying poses.

Despite the currency exchange from Yen to Canadian dollars and the diecast parts involved, which will crank up the price, I am at the least going to splurge and order this Godzilla figure. Hope I don't get addicted, because Bandai already has plans to follow up with the release of the 1994 Space Godzilla and Moguera, which they displayed in this amazing diorama at the 2011 Comic-Con.