Why do they call it Heisei anyways?

[Kyono_Rei]

I know I may be nitpicking, but why do people refer to the second wave of Toho kaiju films as "Heisei"?

The Heisei era started in 1989 and still lasts today. (For those of you who don't know much about our eras, these refer to the ruling time of a particular emperor. Whole of His Imperial Majesty Hirohito's reign is the "Showa era").

So... the first "heisei Godzilla film" actually was made and screened during the Showa era. At the same time, all the millenium films were made in the Heisei era.

I don't know about you, but for me this gets pretty confusing. I wish they would refer to it as "1st, second and third wave" or "Golden, silver, and modern age" or something.

[Legionmaster]

I know I may be nitpicking, but why do people refer to the second wave of Toho kaiju films as "Heisei"?

The Heisei era started in 1989 and still lasts today. (For those of you who don't know much about our eras, these refer to the ruling time of a particular emperor. Whole of His Imperial Majesty Hirohito's reign is the "Showa era").

So... the first "heisei Godzilla film" actually was made and screened during the Showa era. At the same time, all the millenium films were made in the Heisei era.

I don't know about you, but for me this gets pretty confusing. I wish they would refer to it as "1st, second and third wave" or "Golden, silver, and modern age" or something.

Well G84/85 didn't have a "series" yet, but since it's narratively continuous with the following six films, it gets to be part of the bunch. The Millennium series gets a new name because, while still under Heisei rule, it's a revamping of the image of the character and a continuity break from the previous seven films. They're retrospective terms created in the 90s. It was a way of differentiating the newer films from the older ones, as they were decidedly different in tone and scope.

[TheSecondComing]

Well G84/85 didn't have a "series" yet, but since it's narratively continuous with the following six films, it gets to be part of the bunch.

Aye, and stylistically it was different from the Showa series too so even though it was made during the Showa period, it's a Heisei film.

[Kyono_Rei]

They're retrospective terms created in the 90s. It was a way of differentiating the newer films from the older ones, as they were decidedly different in tone and scope.

I know that there are differences, I'm just confused why they decided to stick with era names that don't fit and not create other of names for the three periods? Using era names regarding the 3 Godzila periods is confusing, because the eras start and end in different moments of time than the three Godzilla periods periods.

So I know whay they differentiate 3 Godzilla periods. What I don't understand is who and why had the "bright" idea of naming Godzilla periods after era names if they don't coincide chonologically with one another >.>

[Legionmaster]

So I know whay they differentiate 3 Godzilla periods. What I don't understand is who and why had the "bright" idea of naming Godzilla periods after era names if they don't coincide chonologically with one another >.>

Well I don't think being a few years off on one film bugged anyone enough to do otherwise.

[Kyono_Rei]

It bugs me. Its like calling a 1949 film a wartime WW2 movie.

[Legionmaster]

It bugs me. Its like calling a 1949 film a wartime WW2 movie.

Except that's just one film. When all but one of the films in the series are in another era, I think it's ok.

[Gojira-Fan]

Kyono-Rei, are you Japanese? Because if you are I can understand how you would be annoyed.

The terms for these series were created by U.S. Kaiju fans. The Godzilla series that lasted from 1984-1995 was called the "Heisei series" because the 1984-1995 Godzilla series almost corresponded with the beginning of the Heisei period in Japan. The United States fan had no reason to be annoyed by the name, and it is now a universally accepted term to refer to the series.

If it bothers you enough, an alternative name for the series is "VS series".

[omgitsgodzilla]

^^(Since every film except one was "Godzilla vs. ______.")

And yes, Kyono_Rei, I'm pretty sure, is Japanese.

[Gojira-Fan]

^^(Since every film except one was "Godzilla vs. ______.")

Correct.

[Kyono_Rei]

Kyono-Rei, are you Japanese? Because if you are I can understand how you would be annoyed.

The terms for these series were created by U.S. Kaiju fans. The Godzilla series that lasted from 1984-1995 was called the "Heisei series" because the 1984-1995 Godzilla series almost corresponded with the beginning of the Heisei period in Japan. The United States fan had no reason to be annoyed by the name, and it is now a universally accepted term to refer to the series.

If it bothers you enough, an alternative name for the series is "VS series".

I am Japanese, even though I've been living outside Japan for the past few years. And yeah it bugs me a bit, but not to the point to try to go against a long-established tradition really. I was just wondering who and why came up with the naming.
And 5 years of difference is hardly is what I call "almost". Heck, those 5 years were like 1/3rd of my childhood

[Tyler]

Bothers me when people use "Millennium" for movies like Gamera the Brave or even Peter Jackson's King Kong.

[omgitsgodzilla]

G:tB I can understand for similar reasons to Godzilla, but KK05? It's not even Japanese. It's not genuine daikaiju.

[JVM]

Bothers me when people use "Millennium" for movies like Gamera the Brave or even Peter Jackson's King Kong.

It applies to the Gamera series fairly, but I do consider it a no-no for anything but the two big G's. And big M.

[omgitsgodzilla]

What about the big U's?

[smagal]

few years ago I've read that Millenium series is called 'Shinsei'. does anybody know why?

[Lord Gappa]

few years ago I've read that Millenium series is called 'Shinsei'. does anybody know why?

It's Japanese for "rebirth", since the Millenium series rebooted the character again.

[Gojira-Fan]

Bothers me when people use "Millennium" for movies like Gamera the Brave or even Peter Jackson's King Kong.

I don't know why anyone would be bothered by that. Everyone says "Showa Gamera series" and "Heisei Gamera", so I think it makes sense to call Gamera the Brave "Millennium". It was only made two years after Godzilla Final Wars and for all we know this is still the "Millennium" era until new incarnations of Gamera or Godzilla pop up.

Gamera the Brave being part of the Millennium series is even Wikipedia official: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamera

Kaiju eras don't work with American monster movies however, so the 2005 King Kong remake should not be considered "Millennium".

[dan_gale]

I suppose it is a little unnecessary and akin to referring the Bond films from Moonraker through to Licence to Kill as "The Thatcher Years". It means little to anyone outside of Japan who isn't a fan and almost nothing to anyone in Japan as its inaccurate. But it's a label and they often stick...at least people are talking out them! There are many 50 year old films that are completely forgotten!

[kpa]

The "Showa" and "Heisei" designations fopr the Godzilla series started in Japan and are used by Toho (they also refer to the second wave as the "VS" series). "Shinsei" is an American fan creation and not used by Toho.

Toho went with those terms since all 15 movies in the first wave were released during the Showa Period, while 6 of the 7 films in the second wave were released during the Heisei Period (and all 7 have a tight continuity). Toho went with "Millennium" for the third wave since that launched on the eve of the new millennium, "Millennium" was in the Japanese title of the first film, and the new films were not part of the previous series' continuity.

So what it boils down to is 1 film out of place, and that 1 film is directly tied to 6 others all in the same series. It's not perfect, but it never bothered me, either.