What is your favorite movie in the heisei era?

[MechaGoji Bro7503]

Hm- a tie between GvKG, GVMG, and GvSG( I actually like this film). GvD is good too, but a little too sad to be my favorite. If I had to choose it would be GvKG since its in my Top 10. All soundtracks are absolutely fantastic as usual with a Godzilla film. The 80s were good too.

Any of them are better than Godzilla vs Mothra .

[UltramanGoji]

Gotta go with King Ghidorah. It was the first Godzilla movie I owned on VHS and it's always held a special place in my heart.

[Jory]

Godzilla vs. Biollante.

[KaijuCanuck]

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II is the one I can just watch over and over. The story is good, the baby Godzilla suit is impressive and the entire third act is just epic. Honourable mention to Return of Godzilla though, Godzilla 1985 was one of the first Japanese Godzilla films I ever saw, and to this day that suit is the definitive look of Godzilla in my mind.

[scottzilla]

Godzilla vs Biollante

It really got me into Godzilla as a kid, and that Godzilla design is classic.

[G&G-Fan]

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II

[szmigiel]

Godzilla Vs Biollante is my favorite, followed closely by Godzilla Vs King Ghidorah. The rest all have too many issues for me to enjoy them.

[Ivo-goji]

Godzilla vs Destoroyah.

[Billzilla1974]

Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla 2, mostly for the ungodly amount of firepower the Heisei Mecha G has.

[Tyrant_Lizard_King]

I love how much appreciation Biollante gets in threads like this. I remember back in the 90s that it was almost the forgotten Godzilla movie among fans, not being discussed nearly as often in conversations or articles as the other Heisei flicks. It's like it was written off as a tonal and stylistic dead-end, with the course set right by King Ghidorah.

Don't get me wrong, GvsKG is also very high among my favorites, but if I could only take one of the two to the desert island with me, it would have to be Biollante.

Biollante was a big letdown for Toho. Its disappointing box office was a huge reason why the era ended up becoming so stale. People bitch and clamour about wanting new and different things in cinema and when they get that the films almost always bomb. That's why Hollywood is in the state its in today.

[Zarm]

Biollante was a big letdown for Toho. Its disappointing box office was a huge reason why the era ended up becoming so stale. People bitch and clamour about wanting new and different things in cinema and when they get that the films almost always bomb. That's why Hollywood is in the state its in today.

Here, here. Almost every time I see something new and exciting (or just plain fun- not silly or juvenile, but a good old fashioned adventure) in the theater, my wife and I will look at each other leaving the theater and say 'That was great, and so refreshing a break from the norm... I'll bet it's doing terrible.' And sure enough, we'll look up the box office, and it is. While if it was just kinda okay, or even well-done but something we've seen a hundred times before, then it'll be the box office champ of the month.

[PitchBlackProgress]

Godzilla 1985: The Legend Reborn, undoubtedly. English version, of course. Love the soundtrack, and the Godzilla suit is my favorite from the era, especially love those curling lips when he roared.

[King of the Monsters]

My favorite Heisei film, and my favorite Godzilla film in general, has always been Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II. I'm not sure exactly what has allowed it to remain my favorite film for so many years, but it just feels like the complete Godzilla package to me. There's plenty of monster action, and the monsters have some surprising character and motivation. It's this film that really makes you start sympathizing with Godzilla (vs. King Ghidorah had hints of this, but this film completes it) and it actually creates a conflict in the mind of the viewer. Are we supposed to root for Mechagodzilla, since it's what's defending humanity, or should we root for Godzilla, because he's only trying to find companionship with another member of his kind? The film starts out orienting the audience on the side of G-Force, but by the end we're all supposed to be satisfied that Godzilla has triumphed. Lots of people say this is a flaw with the film, but I think it's one of its strongest and most unique aspects.

The movie is obviously flawed, but I believe the positives overshadow these flaws. Sure the film relies on the beam battles the Heisei series is infamous for, but it makes sense in this case. Mechagodzilla's gimmick is his staggering array of weaponry, and this film gives Kawakita the chance to update it. Mechagodzilla's new design looks cold, blank and lifeless, but I think that's the point. He's a machine, a weapon that exists only for killing, while Godzilla, Rodan and Baby are living breathing creatures with feelings of their own. Baby Godzilla is an incredibly well-designed and executed monster, and his relationship with Azusa is very touching and the scene where they have to part ways at the end is one of the most emotional moments in the series. I like Rodan's new design as well, but I can't ignore the stiffness of the prop used to portray him. Special mention also needs to go to Akira Ifukube's fantastic score for the film. The main title is one of the most epic opening pieces I've ever heard in a film, Rodan's theme finally returns, Godzilla's theme from Mothra vs. Godzilla is used to underscore him one again, and Baby Godzilla's theme is both beautiful and sad. The song "From Miki to Baby" is also a fairly haunting and beautiful piece, and the version used in the end credits is the perfect closing track for the film.

Sorry, I realize that reply was pretty long and rambling, but that's just why I've always held Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II as my favorite film in the series. It's not perfect by any stretch, nor do I think it's objectively one of the best films in the series, it's just my personal favorite and has managed to hold up in my view for many years. Behind it I'd probably say Godzilla vs. Biollante is my next favorite Heisei film.

[PitchBlackProgress]

GODZILLA 1998, nothing compares

[OpteraKaiju92]

Definitely going to have to parrot the popular opinion of Godzilla v. Biollante and Godzilla v. Destoroyah, def two of my favorite kaiju and in my perspective two of the more creative. Cant leave without giving some love to Godzilla v. King Ghidora since Mecha-King Ghidora is probably my favorite villain of all time.

[Cybermat47]

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II is the one I can just watch over and over. The story is good, the baby Godzilla suit is impressive and the entire third act is just epic. Honourable mention to Return of Godzilla though, Godzilla 1985 was one of the first Japanese Godzilla films I ever saw, and to this day that suit is the definitive look of Godzilla in my mind.

Isn’t G85 the American version of G84?

As for my favourite Heisei film, I honestly can’t say. But it definitely isn’t Godzilla VS Mothra.

[Maritonic]

Have to say Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah. Was the first Godzilla film I ever saw, and I've loved it ever since.

[eabaker]

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II is the one I can just watch over and over. The story is good, the baby Godzilla suit is impressive and the entire third act is just epic. Honourable mention to Return of Godzilla though, Godzilla 1985 was one of the first Japanese Godzilla films I ever saw, and to this day that suit is the definitive look of Godzilla in my mind.

Isn’t G85 the American version of G84?

Yes, but it was still a Japanese movie in origin. I assume he means that as opposed to G'98, which was entirely an American production.

[KaijuCanuck]

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II is the one I can just watch over and over. The story is good, the baby Godzilla suit is impressive and the entire third act is just epic. Honourable mention to Return of Godzilla though, Godzilla 1985 was one of the first Japanese Godzilla films I ever saw, and to this day that suit is the definitive look of Godzilla in my mind.

Isn’t G85 the American version of G84?

Yes, but it was still a Japanese movie in origin. I assume he means that as opposed to G'98, which was entirely an American production.

Yes. I say Return of Godzilla to mean the original
film and the version I'm more likely to watch now, but Godzilla 1985 to mean the version I saw first. Even with the edits, I wouldn't consider it an American film, and even if it is, it still contains the Japanese Godzilla.

[Dawsbfiremind]

No contest: Godzilla vs Destoroyah. My second favorite G-film overall (1st place is Ebirah Horror of the Deep), much less just in the Heisei era.