Favorite Godzilla Era?

[GodzillaDude]

And what of the people who are being "non-constructive"?

[Goji]

Just let it die Dude...let it die.

[GodzillaDude]

Just let it die Dude...let it die.

Got ya.

[Chris55]

The only Heisei films that comes across as truly "serious" are RETURN OF GODZILLA and GODZILLA VS. DESTOROYAH anyway. All the rest have too many fantastical elements to be labeled as such. Those two are the only ones that even come close to being as serious as the original 1954 film.

"Serious", however, doesn't make a great film. DESTOROYAH, especially, is really quite lackluster.

Yeah parts of it were cool and Godzilla's death I felt was really well done. Aside from that, meh.

[terrypierson]

I already said this in another thread but I'll say it again.

The Showa series is my personal favorite. I've been kind of surprised by how much I've liked the Millennium series actually. I think I can say I prefer their cartoonish, comic book action style to the dramatic, dark tones of the 90s films. I like the darker direction in concept but even though I love the 90s era I find the films to be kind of...plodding by comparison.

[antovald20]

Here's a piece of art that i found about my favorite era.

[ghidorasauras]

^ that looks awesome

[Rody]

That is pretty nice artwork.

[Gojira1963]

I already said this in another thread but I'll say it again.

The Showa series is my personal favorite. I've been kind of surprised by how much I've liked the Millennium series actually. I think I can say I prefer their cartoonish, comic book action style to the dramatic, dark tones of the 90s films. I like the darker direction in concept but even though I love the 90s era I find the films to be kind of...plodding by comparison.

I like all the series and the Showa series has a special place in my heart. I grew up when these movies were released in the 60s and 70s. But there is something about the Millennium series that is a bit above quality to the Hesei series.

[Big Rab]

Showa series. It's what I was raised with and I always had a blast watching them as a kid, especially with friends over.

[Giga Kaiju]

Showa era by far for me.

[Sav]

I really like the heisei era. Some of my favourite Godzillla films there..

But Showa's at a close second.

[Mincecraft]

I like em all, but in terms of preference, I have to say the Millenium era. GMK is my favorite movie discounting the original.

[godzilla96]

sorry i like all godzilla eras

[Reaper Man]

Showa series.

[GodzillaSpawn]

I am pretty sure this topic has been done before but I'd like to discuss and see people talk about it again. There have been the Showa, Heisei and Millennium eras for Godzilla films and they all have had great movies for most people somewhere in them although I know some that hate the Showa series, I know some that hate the Heisei series and I know some that hate the Millennium series but no matter that because each has their favorite era. The point of this topic is to discuss your favorite Godzilla film era and explain why it is your favorite...

EDIT: To be more specific about my favorite era and after reconsidering a lot of it the list ranks like this...
1. Millennium
2. Heisei
3. Showa

Millennium is now #1 instead of Heisei for multiple reasons. For example I like ALL films from Millennium where as there was a pretty lackluster film in the Heisei era titled "Godzilla & Mothra the Battle For Earth". Another reason is that my favorite Godzilla film GFW is in the Millennium era, another reason is that Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla is a very close second thanks to the good acting, Godzilla suit but mainly the character of Akane who I thought was a very interesting and a potentially very deep character. She should have been further explored in Tokyo S.O.S. instead of the smaller brief role she got. Plus I got into Godzilla by watching the Millennium films. Millennium is just the most consistent for me. And well I know I will and have already gotten some heat for this...I really don't care for the Showa to much mainly due to the constant campy feel in a lot of the films. The only two films I actually think are more than just bad or okay in the Showa era are Gojira and Son of Godzilla everything else I wouldn't really care to much if I didn't see any of them again.


What is your favorite era and why? And what are your favorite films from the era?

A smaller minor reason for the creation of this topic is to sort of find out what is on average the most popular era on Toho Kingdom

You and I are compete opposites. In fact, no offense, but you may be the most ass-backwards Godzilla fan I have ever seen. The Showa series is where all the magic happened. The original is hands down still the best film in the series. The series had all the charm and giant monster movies were regal. The special effects were good in their day, they weren't afraid of adding "gods" or deities, alien cyborgs, different mythology's (King Seesar). You could make a movie revolving around a pollution monster and not be laughed at. Hesei and Millenium series take each other too seriously for the most part. Godzilla '85, Godzilla vs Biollante, and Godzilla vs. Destroyah were the better ones in the hesei series. Godzilla vs King Ghidorah was only good cause of the monster sequences, I thought Mecha Godzilla was boring, Space Godzilla was atrocious (and I'm not exaggerating I watched it like three days ago..just god awful).

The Millennium series is hit or miss. Godzilla 2000 is decent, and campy fun, but I think more importantly it benefits from being the return of the true Godzilla after that horrible GINO thing. Godzilla X Megaguirus is also pretty fun, and the fight at the end was so ridiculous and fake looking at times that it felt like a Showa series. But for the most part I think it's pretty cool with how they treat Godzilla--the way he emerged from the water under the boat, the intelligence he showed when fighting the dragonflies and Megaguirus. GMK was great--one of the series' best in my opinion. The next two Kiyru films did nothing for me. They didn't look realistic enough to be taken as serious as the films tried to be, and there was nothing charismatic about Godzilla at all. Same monsters, but more boring of a screenplay. And Godzilla Final Wars is a huge letdown. Shameful actually. But Godzilla looked awesome and he was a badass in the film.

And Son of Godzilla? Really??? I'm sorry man I have to hate on that one too. I can't stand that movie lol.

But hey as long as you're a Zilla fan we'll get along.

[GotengoXGodzilla]

And Son of Godzilla? Really??? I'm sorry man I have to hate on that one too. I can't stand that movie lol.

Son Of Godzilla is fantastic. As I've said before, I think it's a near perfect monster movie. Mostly because this film is the most well-written diakajiu film I've ever seen. And not just in terms of human characters, but especially how the monsters are written. Rather than most monster films, in Son Of Godzilla, every single monster feels like an actual character, rather than a monster that is just a plot device. Every monster serves a purpose, and all add another layer to the film, especially Godzilla and Minya. I just love the way that Godzilla is used in the film, how he trains Minya for his own purposes, yet still retains that feeling of a villain from the early 60s, only to change by the end of the film to protect Minya.

Other than the writing, I love the atmospheric score. One thing that I enjoy more about Sato's scores over Ifukube's scores, is that each one feels fresh and unique, which adds another component to the score. While I love Ifukube's music, after Invasion Of The Astro-Monster, his scores really started to repeat and got old fast (they repeated before that, but I didn't mind). There are some great pieces of music in this film, all of which make the film even better.

The fight scenes look fantastic here. The effects are the real highlight of that, which really showcase how Tsuburaya could do more than just explosions. Also, rather than most of the Heisei films, every fight scene in the film serves a purpose to the plot. They all happen for a reason, last as long as they should and grow organically from the story. That's something that I feel is rare in daikaiju films, and it's great to see it when it does happen.

Lastly, I really love the themes of the film and how they managed to work it into a Godzilla film. Specifically, themes of making the future better and protecting it. This is not only shown through the human plot, as the main cast tries to come up with a way to control weather which will help grow food for the future, but through the monster plot, with Godzilla raising up Minya to (apparently) be like him, while also learning to accept Minya. This culminates in the final scene, which is the only scene in the entire franchise that makes me teary-eyed.

The only thing that I don't like about Son Of Godzilla is the Godzilla suit, which I still hold as my least favorite Godzilla suit. It's just freakin' ugly. But, I'm willing to over look that, because of everything else that this film gets right. Probably the best story of the Godzilla franchise, great cast, brilliant atmospheric score, awesome effects, themes that help the film survive and much more. Overall, this really is one of the best films of the entire franchise, and I'll probably like it even more as I grow older.

[Bentley]

Showa is tops, more movies, different themes, great monsters, epic music. But each era has their strengths and interest, I think that Heisei trying to introduce continuity a more closed was actually a daring step which payed off. Millenium has variety and a couple of good films, I do appreciate GMK and think FW is a funfest. But despite everything I don't see how they can probably match Showa, those are kaiju movies at their best.

[Goji]

It's funny to see somebody go from praising the Showa series, and then trash SON OF GODZILLA is in the exact same post. Wtf.

[Legion1979]

It's funny to see somebody go from praising the Showa series, and then trash SON OF GODZILLA is in the exact same post. Wtf.

Yeah, really doesn't make a lot of sense, does it?