Is Shin Godzilla really the better reboot?

[AbelCesar]

It's exactly like you said. "which is the better reboot" to me like a very clear cut question, that can only be answered by the subject's technical definition. If there was a broader difference between the two movies in that regard, then surely my answer would be "X is a better reboot because it fulfills this requierement whereas the other doesn't". So indeed, it's meaningless which one is better in that regard.

And I think you misunderstood what I meant by retitling the thread. Arranging "X and Y" in differing patterns can only lead to a certain number of possibilities, but what I suggested wasn't limiting ourselves to X and Y. I meant we ought to include every installment in the franchise considered a reboot in the equation. It's understandable to compare only Shin Godzilla and Godzilla, in the grounds that both are contemporary and would allegedly spawn a simultaneous series of their own; but because of the question's technical implications no answer other than "both of them" works, not for me at least.

As for the topic of what can and can't be considered a reboot, it is true that many films not fitting into such criteria for its truest and most basic definition, are often called reboots. But therein lies the problem: for a lot of people reboot is a fancy term for "remake", for some a reboot must the complete opposite of that, for others it's exactly the breed of films like those you mentioned, and then there's the problematic term "soft reboot". However, if one takes the word by its definition on the computing ambit, which is where such term originates (correct me if I'm wrong) then it ought to follow a more strict guideline.

[Jomei]

This really is Philosophy 101: The Thread.

[Gawdziller1954]

Because they aint.

Is that a joke? I hope so.

[Mr_Goji_and_Watch]

This is the best section of the forum.

[SonOfGorgo]

Oh why not?

[ScottA]

This reminds me of a discussion a bunch of us had in the 90's about how much you needed to change a 3D mesh before it became legally yours.
I think we settled on something like if you changed more than 70%. Then you can consider it yours.

IMO.
Shin does not qualify as a "Reboot". Because it changed more than 70% of the source(the design & the origin).
The new anime also does not qualify as a "Reboot". Because it changed more than 70% of the source(the design & the origin).
G14 however, does qualify as a "Reboot". Because it falls within that 70% range of keeping the source(the design & the origin).

Shin and the new anime qualify more correctly as "Re-Imaginings" rather than "Reboots".

[Gawdziller1954]

This reminds me of a discussion a bunch of us had in the 90's about how much you needed to change a 3D mesh before it became legally yours.
I think we settled on something like if you changed more than 70%. Then you can consider it yours.

IMO.
Shin does not qualify as a "Reboot". Because it changed more than 70% of the source(the design & the origin).
The new anime also does not qualify as a "Reboot". Because it changed more than 70% of the source(the design & the origin).
G14 however, does qualify as a "Reboot". Because it falls within that 70% range of keeping the source(the design & the origin).

Shin and the new anime qualify more correctly as "Re-Imaginings" rather than "Reboots".

Actually...

Shin would qualify as a reboot. it does not radically change the design apart from the forms. The origin is about the same as every other big G, being a marine reptile mutated by radiation

G17 DEFS does not qualify as a reboot thanks to the lack of atomic breath and his new origin.

G14 barely counts as a reboot. His origin is not very similar to the other G's being a large unspecified animal that has existed naturally for millions of years.

Added in 1 minute 26 seconds:

Oh why not?

Shin is better in almost all aspeccts when compared to G14.