"Heisei Godzilla Perfection" book coming soon (Feb 10)

[RedZillaKing]

Hmmmmm.... Could be a coincidence that it just happens to be the only technically non Heisei era flick.

[Kaiju no Mura]

I think the stuff from RoG isn't in the book simply because it wasn't designed by Kawakita. I guess it's because he supervised the book or whatever.

Bingo.



The book is available now.

http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E5%B9%B3%E6%88 ... 4048861190

[ebirahsmeg1]

Are you joking?

Yes, I was joking...I thought it was rather obvious. Stop taking things so literally on message boards son....

It's already been established that Godzilla 1985 is technically Showa...

Yes, but the Heisei series isn't confined to the historical time periods of the nation. It merely derives the name from it.

Thanks, this is exactly what I was going to say.

I went to the bookstore yesterday Feb. 10, but sadly they didn't have it I live in the middle of BFJ (Bum F*** Japan) in Tochigi, which can be frustrating at times when hunting down new books (for example, I had to hunt down the Yosensha "Mooks"- Godzilla Women Toho Actresses and Mothra 50th Anniversary books in Tokyo as they were hard to find in Tochigi). Thank God I am moving to Tokyo at the end of March!

However, I spoke to the store clerk, and he said they would have it in next Tuesday/Wens. and would hold it for me. Hopefully I'll have it by the end of next week and I'll post a review.

[Tohosaurus]

So this is in Japanese language only?

[SuperSaiyan4Godzilla]

Yes, but the Heisei series isn't confined to the historical time periods of the nation. It merely derives the name from it.

Thanks, this is exactly what I was going to say.

But I must note that this only applies of Godzilla. Both Ultraman and Gamera are still in their "Heisei era." Godzilla gets this special naming because of the 95-99 gap.

[wataru]

Im not paying $52 for that book. And Im sure itll be more when someone imports it.

Sorry, Im not. Id rather the movie programs from the movies then this book.

[ebirahsmeg1]

Im not paying $52 for that book.

Thanks for sharing that with us. I doubt anyone cares whether you'll be buying it or not.

[GreenAiden555]

Thanks for sharing that with us. I doubt anyone cares whether you'll be buying it or not.

Unless there is a bootleg, that he will promote to no end that you should buy instead, he won't be seeing it.


I kinda want this, but.. I don't know. I kinda wanna use the money on a MonsterArts figure instead.

I also don't know where I could get it from, so lolidk, I won't be getting it.

[ebirahsmeg1]

I kinda want this, but.. I don't know. I kinda wanna use the money on a MonsterArts figure instead.

I also don't know where I could get it from, so lolidk, I won't be getting it.

Well, I do admit I have a big advantage in that I live in Japan and don't have to worry about exchange rates/shipping when it comes to figures/books/etc. It doesn't really cost me all that much. Also, I do collect books on the genre as part of my hobby, not just figures. And *real* quality books on the genre rarely come out these days (The excellent Yosensha Mook books being the only really recent ones).

[g2kmaster]

Man, for the past three years Kawakita has been at it hard with these books on the Heisei series. I just wonder how many times he can have a book on the series published until he runs out of new information.

[UnCanny Studios]

Man, for the past three years Kawakita has been at it hard with these books on the Heisei series. I just wonder how many times he can have a book on the series published until he runs out of new information.

He'll dig it up or make it up until they stop paying him to do so . Business is business, and there's still a market for these books, despite how much it's dwindled in recent years.

I'm curious about the book, but the heisei mania we're experiencing recently with SH Monsterarts and this book and what not... kind of makes it all much less impactful. I went back and watched Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla II a couple of days ago... and I had forgotten just how all over the place Kawakita's work was in that movie. The Baby Godzilla suit/character in whole is spectacularly done. Fire Rodan, however, is damn terrible. The prop is so incredibly mechanical and rigid - something I had completely forgotten. Rodan had arguably the biggest personality out of all of Godzilla's friends/foes in the Showa era... and here he is reduced to a mediocre prop from a dinosaur amusement park. Sad, indeed.

There's my two cents for the day.

[kaiju115]

164 pages about each one of the heisei Godzilla films, hmmm, I don't know, sounds like it would a pretty good book to have. The cover for the book looks BEAST. Who knows, we'll just have to wait & see what we get.

[g2kmaster]

He'll dig it up or make it up until they stop paying him to do so

Now there is an interesting thing to think about.

[ebirahsmeg1]

You know, one thing I would like to see in this book is Kawakita's work beyond the heisei G films. For example, how about some photos/insight into the Mothra trilogy or Yamato Takeru? Or even better yet, why not some details and photos on his recent SFX work for the Godzilla Pachinko game? Why limit this to just the heisei G films?

I am looking forward to getting this book, but I am not sure what will be covered that hasn't been extensively explored already (I think far more books have been devoted to heisei series than any other series, including the more recent millennium series). I hope this book has some things that make it stand out...but I kind of doubt it. We'll see when I pick it up later next week (due to my job/work schedule, I may not be able to pick this up on Tuesday/Wens...looking more like Friday at this point. Gotta love 6 day/80 hour work weeks!).

[wataru]

Thanks for sharing that with us. I doubt anyone cares whether you'll be buying it or not.

Unless there is a bootleg, that he will promote to no end that you should buy instead, he won't be seeing it.


I kinda want this, but.. I don't know. I kinda wanna use the money on a MonsterArts figure instead.

I also don't know where I could get it from, so lolidk, I won't be getting it.

Ive seen bootleg's of Japanese books, no thanks. But $52 is a bit much. And you know if it's imported youre going to pay more.

[ebirahsmeg1]

I just picked this up yesterday. I will post my thoughts later tomorrow (Sorry, I've worked 6 days/80 hours this week). In the meantime, here is a review from Ed Godziszewski posted over at CT:

Picked up the book yesterday. Nice book, lots and lots of pictures, but I was disappointed in general at how murky the printing is on so many of the photos. These films have had incredibly extensive coverage in books, more than any others in the series, and the pictures were always sharp and clear. So much here is just not printed as well as you would like so that you can fully enjoy them. There are lots of design works photos that are great, many which haven't been published yet. That was the best part for me. There are also a lot of unused story ideas in the back section that would probably make for interesting reading.

Decent book, overpriced at $55 (¥3800 at today's exchange rate).

Ed G.

[Legion1979]

I'm curious about the book, but the heisei mania we're experiencing recently with SH Monsterarts and this book and what not...

...seems to be coming directly from the guy who was responsible for the movies in the first place. Hmm, isn't that a weird one?

[leunames]

I'm curious about the book, but the heisei mania we're experiencing recently with SH Monsterarts and this book and what not...

...seems to be coming directly from the guy who was responsible for the movies in the first place. Hmm, isn't that a weird one?

he's been squeezing the udders of the cash cow with vigor, it's true.

[Legion1979]

he's been squeezing the udders of the cash cow with vigor, it's true.

If all this Heisei related stuff was coming out randomly I'd be the first to say that maybe this series is making a comeback in Japan, all on it's own.

But it seems as if what's really happening is that Kawakita is working behind the scenes on all this stuff making these toys, books and festivals happen. Basically glorifying his own work. Just one of the many reasons I don't think the MonsterArts line is moving past the Heisei series.

[Primevalgodzilla V2]

But what power does Kawakita have over Bandai? Its obvious Showa kaiju are more popular than Heisei kaiju- why are they even glorifying his work?

Not that I care- I love the Heisei kaiju and am glad they are getting their moment in the limelight, be it Kawakita's 'pull' or not.