Lost Projects: Hedorah vs. Midora

[Gigantis]

There was another "Midora" thread but i got locked, so i had to make a new one.

Banno's final attempt at another Hedorah project before he sadly passed away. Aiming for a release sometime in 2017, he wanted to make this film where the Smog Monster would be revived by nuclear energy, and a heroic plant monster named Midora would arrive to stop him, and i guess that little girl and her slug would've been the main characters. Weather or not this would've been tied to the main Showa timeline is unknown (though it does say it's a sequel to the 1971 film), but i gotta say, Banno really deserves credit for trying to get Hedorah back in another theatrical film when it was tossed out ever since 75. From the way it's described, i think this could've been a really neat film that could've been a nice way to pass time until KOTM came out. But alas, it seems it was not meant to be...

Hopefully, somebody does bring back Hedorah one of these days, but till then, it seems like the pollution monster shall sleep. Any thoughts?

[miguelnuva]

I don't think this could have been a full release, maybe if they shrunk it down and did it as something for kids? Didn't the majority hate Godzilla vs Hedorah in 71?

[Cryptid_Liker]

Doesn't the Big Book of Unmade Japanese Monster Movies (I forgot the exact name) cover this?

[LSD Jellyfish]

Banno was always pushing and passionate about Hedorah up until his death. We've had Hitodah, Hedorah 2, Deathla and now Midora vs. Hedorah. It's clear Banno always genuinely believed solving environmental issues were a big cause to get behind. He doesn't get enough credit IMO on his involvement in the franchise, and basically catapulting and being a driving force behind the Monsterverse's eventual inception.

IIRC an interview with Sci-Fi Japan originally had Banno briefly talk about Midora, in which it was a "green giant".

[Cryptid_Liker]

Banno was always pushing and passionate about Hedorah up until his death. We've had Hitodah, Hedorah 2, Deathla and now Midora vs. Hedorah. It's clear Banno always genuinely believed solving environmental issues were a big cause to get behind. He doesn't get enough credit IMO on his involvement in the franchise, and basically catapulting and being a driving force behind the Monsterverse's eventual inception.

IIRC an interview with Sci-Fi Japan originally had Banno briefly talk about Midora, in which it was a "green giant".

It would be really nice if someone made some sort of series with each episode based on one of Banno's Hedorah successor attempts.

[Vakanai]

Eh, I always hated Hedorah, awful design, but it still could have been a fun movie and I'm interested in seeing how they'd handle a new plant monster. Would have liked to see this.

Added in 3 minutes 4 seconds:
And despite not liking the monster, I like the environmental message. With climate change affecting the world today, stopping pollution is a drum we should be beating to everyone we can reach.

[shadowgigan]

Banno was always pushing and passionate about Hedorah up until his death. We've had Hitodah, Hedorah 2, Deathla and now Midora vs. Hedorah. It's clear Banno always genuinely believed solving environmental issues were a big cause to get behind. He doesn't get enough credit IMO on his involvement in the franchise, and basically catapulting and being a driving force behind the Monsterverse's eventual inception.

IIRC an interview with Sci-Fi Japan originally had Banno briefly talk about Midora, in which it was a "green giant".

He sure loved talking about Hedorah! Seemed like a great guy and he definitely had a passion for these films. I feel he has influenced the franchise in more subtle ways and would have loved Shin Gojira.

[Gigantis]

He sure loved talking about Hedorah! Seemed like a great guy and he definitely had a passion for these films. I feel he has influenced the franchise in more subtle ways and would have loved Shin Gojira.

Wait, Banno never saw Shin? He was still alive when it came out.

Added in 12 hours 59 minutes 26 seconds:
So that little guy at the corner. You think that's suppose to be a chibi version of Midora?

[shadowgigan]

He sure loved talking about Hedorah! Seemed like a great guy and he definitely had a passion for these films. I feel he has influenced the franchise in more subtle ways and would have loved Shin Gojira.

Wait, Banno never saw Shin? He was still alive when it came out.

You're correct, my mistake.

[Vakanai]

So that little guy at the corner. You think that's suppose to be a chibi version of Midora?

Probably, can't imagine it'd be anything else. Although different it definitely has a similar design aesthetic to Hedorah I think. Interested how the physical suit would have come out, especially those weird tree arms.

[Ivo-goji]

I would have loved having this whimsical, Rebirth of Mothra-esque film to contrast the gritty and apocalyptic kaiju media that's been in fashion these past few years.

[Vakanai]

I would have loved having this whimsical, Rebirth of Mothra-esque film to contrast the gritty and apocalyptic kaiju media that's been in fashion these past few years.

Eh, only 2014 was both gritty and apocalyptic. Shin was gritty but not apocalyptic, and KOTM was apocalyptic but not gritty. As for other kaiju films, Rampage was neither of those things, and the first Pacific Rim wasn't gritty either. I refused to watch Uprising so can't comment there. Still got to watch the third anime movie some day, but the first two films could probably be called somewhat gritty and apocalyptic.

Not saying a more whimsical kaiju movie wouldn't have been welcome, just pointing out the current output hasn't exactly been a dark and depressing bunch of films, but more of an interesting mix.

[Cryptid_Liker]

So that little guy at the corner. You think that's suppose to be a chibi version of Midora?

Probably, can't imagine it'd be anything else. Although different it definitely has a similar design aesthetic to Hedorah I think. Interested how the physical suit would have come out, especially those weird tree arms.

I wonder what that slit on the "head" is. A mouth? A beam emitter? Or maybe a hole for the actor to see out of?

[Vakanai]

So that little guy at the corner. You think that's suppose to be a chibi version of Midora?

Probably, can't imagine it'd be anything else. Although different it definitely has a similar design aesthetic to Hedorah I think. Interested how the physical suit would have come out, especially those weird tree arms.

I wonder what that slit on the "head" is. A mouth? A beam emitter? Or maybe a hole for the actor to see out of?

I assume a mouth. If he's a plant hero monster made to fight Hedorah, maybe he sucks up the toxic gas Hedorah spews and breathes out pure air? Don't know, but that'd be neat.

[Cryptid_Liker]

Probably, can't imagine it'd be anything else. Although different it definitely has a similar design aesthetic to Hedorah I think. Interested how the physical suit would have come out, especially those weird tree arms.

I wonder what that slit on the "head" is. A mouth? A beam emitter? Or maybe a hole for the actor to see out of?

I assume a mouth. If he's a plant hero monster made to fight Hedorah, maybe he sucks up the toxic gas Hedorah spews and breathes out pure air? Don't know, but that'd be neat.

That sounds nice. Speaking of Hedorah's acid, I bet that if this came out, the effect would be toned down to a slow-killing poison so that Midora can cure all the people by the time he defeats Midora. Also, is Midora the slug?

[Vakanai]

I wonder what that slit on the "head" is. A mouth? A beam emitter? Or maybe a hole for the actor to see out of?

I assume a mouth. If he's a plant hero monster made to fight Hedorah, maybe he sucks up the toxic gas Hedorah spews and breathes out pure air? Don't know, but that'd be neat.

That sounds nice. Speaking of Hedorah's acid, I bet that if this came out, the effect would be toned down to a slow-killing poison so that Midora can cure all the people by the time he defeats Midora. Also, is Midora the slug?

No I don't think so. I think the slug is just a pet for the girl character. Why anyone wants a pet slug though...

[JAGzilla]

"through their dialogue" implies that the slug would talk to the girl. What a strange idea, at least for this genre. Strange is to be expected and really is almost obligatory in a Banno-driven sequel to Godzilla vs. Hedorah, though. This is one of the few Lost Projects that really interests me.

[CCMan]

I would have loved this but I feel like it would get unfairly dumped on. I especially like upping the fantasy angle like GMK. Plus, I'm always up for other supporting monsters getting their own movies.

[Jan EnciZilla]

i love Banno. I would pay to see Hedorah vs Midora or others his films...

btw i think that Midora is just a pretty slug that looks like Hedorah and with trees...

[Mecha-SpaceGhidorah]

It would be really nice if someone made some sort of series with each episode based on one of Banno's Hedorah successor attempts.

Even as a kid, I absolutely loved Godzilla vs. Hedorah; and the various sequels and spiritual successors that Banno tried to get off the ground over the decades are some of my personal favorites of the unmade part of the franchise. So I would kill to have something like this.

Also agreed that he really doesn't get the credit (or maybe recognition might be more accurate) he deserves all that often for the MonsterVerse. The whole Godzilla 3D to the Max was one of his attempts, and it is a direct line from that to 2014. I was honestly as chocked up by the dedication to him at the end of King of the Monsters as I was about Nakajima's, and that's saying something.