"Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle" review: What's the new appeal of monster movies?

"GODZILLA: City on the Edge of Battle": A new challenge for the Godzilla series and its appeal

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

Special Effects

■ Release date

May 18, 2018 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Toho Video Division

■Frequencies

101 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

・Story concept/Gen Urobuchi

■ Director

Kobun Shizuno and Hiroyuki Seshita

■ Production

・Production: Polygon Pictures

■Works

©2017 TOHO CO.,LTD.

■ Story

When Haruo regains consciousness after losing consciousness in the attack of Godzilla Earth, he is surprised to find that he is in a wooden house and that his body has already been healed. When he leaves the house to search for his lost friends, he encounters a humanoid girl who seems to be the owner of the house. Haruo chases after her who runs away in a panic and somehow makes contact with her, and he forms a bond with Miana, the girl who saved his life.
Meanwhile, one of the remaining troops, including Yuko, Adam, and Belbe, is attacked by a girl who seems to be of Miana's race, but Haruo and Miana rush to the scene and save them. They are invited back into Miana's village as guests, where they are reunited with Martin and Garugu, who had been rescued earlier. Miana and her sister Maina tell Haruo and the others that their race is called "Futua," and that the "God of Futua" they worship has already been defeated by Godzilla and has only left an egg, meaning that they no longer have any way to defeat Godzilla. Martin speculates that the Futua are the descendants of humans from 20,000 years ago, and that they are a new race that has adopted the characteristics of insects to adapt to the current environment.

■Explanation

"GODZILLA: City on the Edge of Battle" is a Japanese feature-length animated film produced by Polygon Pictures, and is the 30th to 32nd film in the Godzilla series, as well as the first feature-length animated film. Based on a story by Gen Urobuchi, the film is co-directed by Kobun Shizuno and Hiroyuki Seshita, and is depicted in CG animation using Polygon Pictures' latest technology. As a new challenge for the Godzilla series, the film has attracted attention for its visual expression and storytelling, which are different from conventional special effects films.

■Cast

・Haruo Sakaki/Miyano Mamoru ・Yuko Tani/Hanazawa Kana ・Martin Lazzari/Sugita Tomokazu

■ Main staff

Director: Kobun Shizuno, Hiroyuki Seshita Screenplay: Gen Urobuchi (Nitroplus), Sadayuki Murai, Tetsuya Yamada Original story: Gen Urobuchi (Nitroplus)
Produced by: Takashi Yoshizawa; Executive Producers: Yoshihiro Furusawa, Akito Takahashi; Cast: Mamoru Miyano, Takahiro Sakurai, Kana Hanazawa, Tomokazu Sugita, Yuki Kaji, Junichi Suwabe; Music by: Takayuki Hattori; Editing by: Fumi Hida; Production company: POLYGON PICTURES
・Production company: Toho

■ Main Characters

Haruo Sakaki: Having witnessed his parents being caught up in a Godzilla attack, he has a stronger desire for revenge against Godzilla than anyone else. Haruo joins an extraterrestrial planet immigration plan to get revenge on Godzilla, and boards the interstellar immigrant ship "Oratio." As the protagonist of the story, his growth and conflicts are depicted.
Yuko Tani is Haruo's childhood friend and has a special affection for him. In addition to her extraordinary weapon development and modification skills, she also has the piloting techniques to control powered suits and Vultures, which are difficult for Earthlings to handle. Yuko plays an important role as Haruo's supporter, and her skills and courage drive the story forward.
Martin Lazzari: He has a curious personality and is very self-determined, but even the Bilsardos consider him a bit "unique." He believes that the evolution of living things is the result of adaptation to the environment over a long period of time. By deepening his knowledge of the Futsua race and understanding their culture and technology, Martin finds a new way to fight Godzilla.

■ Main robot items

・Interstellar immigrant ship A spaceship built by the Earth Alliance based on the extraterrestrial planet immigration plan. It was built in Earth's satellite orbit, and the personnel were selected by the artificial intelligence "Omnielectric" to have the ability values ​​necessary for the survival of the human race. The interstellar immigrant ship is depicted as a last resort to escape the threat of Godzilla.
・The Oratio, the first interstellar immigrant ship. 3 kilometers long. Capacity: 10,000 people. The Oratio plays a central role in the immigration plan to an extraterrestrial planet, and becomes the new home for Haruo and his friends.
- The Aratrum, the second interstellar immigrant ship. Length 1.5 km. Capacity 5,000 people. The Aratrum was designed for planetary colonization, and is equipped with the facilities necessary for life rather than combat weapons.
The immigrant ship's aircraft, the Aratrum, has few combat weapons because its purpose is planetary colonization, and its anti-Godzilla tactics involve many modified non-combat equipment. These equipment play an important role in the battle against Godzilla.

■ Related works

・GODZILLA: Monster Planet ・GODZILLA: The Planet Eater

■ Theme songs and music

・TM
THESK FALLS
・Lyrics/Sachiko Aoyama ・Composer/Masayuki Nakano ・Arrangement/Masayuki Nakano ・Song/XAI

■ Review

"Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle" is a new challenge for the Godzilla series, incorporating a new method of expression called CG animation. Polygon Pictures' technical capabilities are fully demonstrated, and the powerful visual expression of Godzilla overwhelms the audience. In particular, it is noteworthy that Godzilla's movements and facial expressions are depicted realistically down to the fine details, and you can enjoy a visual beauty that sets it apart from conventional special effects films.

In terms of story, the film is attractive for its deep development based on the original idea by Gen Urobuchi. Haruo's desire for revenge and growth, Yuko's skill and courage, and Martin's knowledge and insight intertwine to drive the story forward. The appearance of a new species called the Futua provides a new perspective to the Godzilla series, and the setting of an immigration plan to an extraterrestrial planet takes the battle with Godzilla to a new dimension.

The characters are well-drawn, and Haruo's struggles and growth resonate with the audience. Yuko's skill and courage, and Martin's knowledge and insight, enrich the story and leave a deep impression on the audience. The performances of the cast are also excellent, with voice actors Miyano Mamoru, Hanazawa Kana, and Sugita Tomokazu bringing the characters to life.

The music is also an important element in enhancing the appeal of the film, and Takayuki Hattori's music enhances the power of Godzilla and the tension of the story. XAI's powerful voice in the theme song "THESK FALLS" also enhances the theme of the story.

Overall, "Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle" is a successful new venture for the Godzilla series, with beautiful visuals that maximize the potential of CG animation and a deep story that draws the audience in. This is a film that is recommended not only for Godzilla fans, but also for fans of animation and science fiction films.

■Recommendation

"Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle" is a new challenge for the Godzilla series, incorporating the new expression method of CG animation, and is recommended not only for Godzilla fans, but also for fans of animation films and science fiction films. It is a must-see film, especially for those who want to enjoy Godzilla's powerful visual expression and deep story. Also, by watching the related films "Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters" and "Godzilla: The Planet Eater" together, you will be able to understand the new appeal of the Godzilla series even more deeply.