Godzilla: Male or Female?

[Gyaos]

So I heard a while back that the first Godzilla at least, Godzilla '54, might have been female according to Hauro Nakajima, who recalls the director saying Godzilla was intended to be female. Then I heard Legion1979 mention this in another thread as well.

So is he male or female?

[Gawdziller]

I think (s)he's a tranny.

Godzilla's always as smooth as a Ken doll, so there's no way to know for sure. However the thought of sexual relations of such beasts never ceases to scare the hell out of me.

[RedZillaKing]

Would make sense as Minya would have to come from somewhere. I actually like that explanation, as it's the only one that really makes sense. From 55-64 Goji was bitter about his mate's death, lol.

[Goji]

Well, you said it yourself, Gyaos. Nakajima has said (on several occasions) that the original Godzilla was in fact female. I'm not exactly sure what other kind of confirmation you're looking for.

[Gawdziller]

Would make sense as Minya would have to come from somewhere. I actually like that explanation, as it's the only one that really makes sense. From 55-64 Goji was bitter about his mate's death, lol.

Sad thing is, she would have lost the egg in the divorce anyway.

[FlamingZilla23]

I personally think he was male. I never heard Hauro Nakajima or the director ever say anything about him being female.

[Goji]

So, just because you've never heard or read those specific quotes, you're suddenly inclined to believe it's not true?

[Cimmerian Dragon]

Well, you said it yourself, Gyaos. Nakajima has said (on several occasions) that the original Godzilla was in fact female. I'm not exactly sure what other kind of confirmation you're looking for.

This. I've always personally accepted Nakajima's word. In real life (you know, where it wouldn't immediately instigate a message board debate ), I've called G'54 and Kiryu "she" right along.

Although...I've also heard it said that Nakajima simply stated that "one of" the Showa Godzillas was female, implying it could just as easily have been G'55. That makes less sense to me, since that is the version most frequently referred to as a male. Still, does anyone have access to the original quotes? Or know where they can be found?

[Gyaos]

In the japanese version of Gojira, Godzilla is refered to as male (atleast in the subtitles). Could be a misenterpretation. Thats what confuses me, the film says male but "Godzilla" himself says female.

[Cimmerian Dragon]

Eh, we've gone through that discussion in other threads, too. The characters have no real way of knowing the monster's sex (either '54 or '55), and people tend to say "he" by default when referring to big, imposing beasts. As far as I'm concerned, the only people who can really answer these questions are the ones who wrote the stories (yes, I'm totally disregarding any discussion of the "official corporate stance", because the ones making those proclamations are rarely the ones who created the character).

Failing a definitive statement by story developers or screenwriters, Nakajima is the next best source. He was on set at the time, he interacted with the actual "Fathers" of Godzilla, and so he has a close connection to the question.

Again, that's assuming that he actually said what we think he did. Now I'm really curious about the source of the quote, because I can't recall ever seeing a direct citation to it.

[FlamingZilla23]

So, just because you've never heard or read those specific quotes, you're suddenly inclined to believe it's not true?

Why don't people ever understand me? I am talking about two different things again.

But anyways male is my pick.

[TokyoVigilante]

As much as I would love to shake Nakajima's hand and give him a hug, he was just a stunt man, especially at that stage of his career as a suit actor for Toho.

[Goji]

So, just because you've never heard or read those specific quotes, you're suddenly inclined to believe it's not true?

Why don't people ever understand me? I am talking about two different things again.

But anyways male is my pick.

You tell me broham. Hell if I know.

[miguelnuva]

In till further notice the only female monsters that I go with are

Biollante,Every Mothra but Leo, Legion and Megegurius.

Doesn't TOHO usually say she if the monster is female and I thought someone called Godzilla 54 and Showa brothers before?

[Goji]

Doesn't TOHO usually say she if the monster is female and I thought someone called Godzilla 54 and Showa brothers before?

No and No.

[Crocodile]

So, just because you've never heard or read those specific quotes, you're suddenly inclined to believe it's not true?

I dunno, I'm with him. I've never heard of this before, and hearsay isn't really something you sink your teeth into. I think his skepticism is justifiable.

As much as I would love to shake Nakajima's hand and give him a hug, he was just a stunt man, especially at that stage of his career as a suit actor for Toho.

So you're saying he was a no one in the creative process, and thus we have sufficient cause to doubt his memory?

[Goji]

Frankly, I doubt the quote by Nakajima exists in English unless it was printed in G-Fan. Other than Ed G's book, I've read all of the major English books covering this stuff, and I don't recall it appearing in any of those. It's certainly possible he talked about it at G-Fest 2008, but it being nearly 4 years ago, I can't really remember. August would probably know, but he doesn't post here anymore (and I can't blame him for that).

[Crocodile]

Frankly, I doubt the quote by Nakajima exists in English unless it was printed in G-Fan. Other than Ed G's book, I've read all of the major English books covering this stuff, and I don't recall it appearing in any of those. It's certainly possible he talked about it at G-Fest 2008, but it being nearly 4 years ago, I can't really remember. August would probably know, but he doesn't post here anymore (and I can't blame him for that).

Then you'll have to excuse my skepticism, but the old "X said so" is one of the oldest tools in the fan rumor book.
Not that Godzilla being male or female changes Gojira in any real way. At least not in the '54 movie at least.

[TokyoVigilante]

So you're saying he was a no one in the creative process, and thus we have sufficient cause to doubt his memory?

Moreorless. Tsuburaya routinely went to Nakajima for creative input and his influence throughout the sixties on the genre is apparent enough, but this wasn't just another japanese monster movie being made, this was the first one; Nakajima was brought on as a stuntman first and foremost, not a suit actor.

[SuperSaiyan4Godzilla]

So you're saying he was a no one in the creative process, and thus we have sufficient cause to doubt his memory?

Moreorless. Tsuburaya routinely went to Nakajima for creative input and his influence throughout the sixties on the genre is apparent enough, but this wasn't just another japanese monster movie being made, this was the first one; Nakajima was brought on as a stuntman first and foremost, not a suit actor.

Fact Check: Third one. We have those two Kong films in the 30s.