Going into Trillion Game the Movie (2025) completely blind, having never seen the television series or read the original manga, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. What I found was a surprisingly entertaining mix of gambling thriller, corporate melodrama, friendship story and some over-the-top moments. It doesn’t always hold together, and at times it feels like it’s juggling too many ideas at once, but it remains enjoyable thanks to strong pacing, a likable central duo as well as a steady stream of twists and double-crosses. (more…)

I’ve mentioned in past updates that I became seriously ill in 2025 after a trip, the sickest I’ve ever been. I’ll spare the details, but it was a frightening experience. Aside from a few work trips, I hadn’t flown for leisure in over a year, which is unusual for me since I typically travel often. (more…)

Mystery films often succeed or fail based on the strength of their central puzzle. While memorable characters and polished performances certainly help, audiences ultimately invest in the hope that the investigation leads to a satisfying conclusion. Black Showman largely accomplishes that goal. Although it stumbles with uneven acting, underdeveloped characters and a climax that occasionally asks viewers to suspend too much disbelief. That said, it’s an engaging mystery that at least airs on the side of being a bit unpredictable that makes for an enjoyable watch, although not one with much replay value. (more…)

It’s amazing to think that I’m reviewing a Godzilla-branded pasta sauce. Growing up, I never would have imagined the franchise becoming so widely merchandised outside of Japan. Anyway, shock of this existing aside, licensed food products often walk a fine line between novelty and quality. More often than not, the branding is the main attraction while the contents are little different from what you’d find on any grocery store shelf. Fortunately, the Godzilla Pasta Sauce manages to deliver a genuinely enjoyable meal. Although there’s nothing about the recipe itself that screams “Godzilla,” it offers a flavorful sauce. Unfortunately, the price tag on this one is a bit of a beast, making this a product that’s best viewed as a collectible or gift.

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First off, reviewing an entire season of a TV show is always tough, especially in contrast to a movie. I mean, we are talking about basically 10 hours worth of content with multiple directors involved. Anyway, before we begin I do want to mention that I binged the show more or less, which in this case means I watched one episode a night for two weeks. So I didn’t have the gap between episodes that those who watched the show as it was coming out would have experienced. I also want to mention that I’m not going to avoid spoilers in this review. For that reason I would actually suggest people watch the show first before reading on. In fact, I had this season’s cliffhanger spoiled for me in advance thanks to a random YouTube thumbnail (which I’m still salty about). For those who haven’t seen the show and just want the short version, I’d say this season definitely has its flaws, but MonsterVerse fans will still have a good time with it, particularly if they’re open to a story that leans more heavily into the human side of the franchise.
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In a surprise announcement, a sequel to the mobile game Godzilla: Defense Force has been revealed. The original title, developed by NEXON, Neople, and Studio 42, launched in 2019 before reaching its end of service on February 26th, 2026. While many assumed Korean based NEXON was moving on from the property, the franchise has instead been handed to developer Mintrocket. Founded in 2022 as a NEXON subsidiary, Mintrocket is best known for Dave the Diver, which notably featured a Godzilla collaboration. (more…)

Following its reveal just last week, we are honored to sit down with Jaeho Hwang, Head of Mintrocket and Director of Godzilla Defense Force: X, to discuss the upcoming mobile title. As a longtime fan of the original Godzilla Defense Force, this interview is especially exciting, as it provides a rare opportunity to learn about the sequel’s development well ahead of its release. I would like to sincerely thank Hwang for taking the time to share these insights with us.

With that said, let’s begin this interview, which was conducted asynchronously. (more…)

Shortly after the turn of the century, Toho Music was on and off releasing CD soundtracks. From scores around director Akira Kurosawa to the expansive Godzilla Soundtrack Perfect line, a plethora of titles were issued. That is until 2013, when news and future releases stopped. A two disc set for The Last War (1961) would mark one of their final releases… but the torch would be passed. (more…)

While I have more than a few defining traits, there are really two that tend to shape how things get done around here. First, I can procrastinate like crazy. My workspace is living proof: towering stacks of unreviewed DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, books and assorted media form a kind of record of good intentions. It’s not for lack of interest, in fact usually it’s the opposite. I want to give things proper attention, which somehow turns into putting them off until “later,” and later has a habit of becoming months. (more…)

While most fans know Mothra for her role in the Godzilla franchise and Ishiro Honda‘s 1961 film, far fewer are aware of the rich literary roots that shaped the character long before she ever took flight on screen. In this interview, we speak with Jeffrey Angles, translator of works such as The Luminous Fairies and Mothra and a professor of Japanese language and literature at Western Michigan University. Our conversation explores his early fascination with kaiju cinema, the political and cultural ideas behind Mothra’s creation, the challenges of translating a text written by three authors and the deeper significance of one of Toho’s most iconic monsters. (more…)

Toho Animation revealed at Anime Festival Asia Singapore 2025 that a brand-new Godzilla anime series is officially underway. The project is being developed by Studio Orange, known for its work on Godzilla Singular Point (2021). It’s being developed in partnership with Thailand’s Igloo Studio, the team behind Netflix’s My Daemon (2023). (more…)

I’ve said this before for these reviews, but it’s a bit mind blowing sometimes that we can have a hot sauce released outside of Japan based on more obscure characters from Toho’s science fiction films. Case in point, this hot sauce for Manda from Atragon (1963), as the cover even depicts the creature battling the Gotengo. Now in terms of this review, I actually had high hopes for this particular sauce. I wasn’t expecting a great flavor, but I was expecting a nice heat to it. As someone who loves very hot things, the 10/10 rating and the warning that this would be painful had my interest. Unfortunately, this sauce doesn’t quite rise from the depths to meet those expectations. While it has a few redeeming qualities, its heat in contrast to the warning label and overall flavor leave something to be desired.

As a side note, not sure if it’s just mine, but the label was a normal label with a sticker of the Manda versus Gotengo design placed on top of it. I didn’t have the courage to rip it off, maybe as I finish and I will update this review. Anyway, it comes off as a bit cheap, but guessing there was a production or legal reason that they changed the label and had to do this workaround approach. Anyway, if you squint in the image below, you can see the “double labels” on the bottle toward the top (easiest to see on the left where it’s dark in the image). (more…)

Directed by Goro Kishitani, whom genre fans might recognize as the scene-stealing Mizoguchi from Returner (2002), Killer Bride’s Perfect Crime is an offbeat comedy that leans heavily into absurdity. It feels slightly in line with similarly eccentric films of this period like Kamikaze Girls (2004) and Survive Style 5+ (2004), though this entry arguably pushes the silliness even further. While it kicks off with unpredictable humor and plenty of laughs, it ultimately struggles to maintain momentum. As the jokes start to lose their punch in the second half, the paper-thin plot and underdeveloped characters fail to pick up the slack, making the back end of the film feel like a bit of a drag. (more…)

Released in 2022 by Jade City Foods, Varan the Unbelievable hot sauce is yet another addition to the growing collection of Godzilla-themed sauces. Advertised as a mango habanero hot sauce, it offers a distinct flavor and heat profile that sets it apart. Given the expanding line of sauces, I expected the flavors to start blending together, but fortunately, that hasn’t been the case. In this review, we’ll explore Varan’s hot sauce, from its heat level to its overall flavor and ingredients. (more…)

This review comes with the disclaimer that I am not particularly interested in exploitation cinema, nor the pinku genre to which this film belongs. While Toho has occasionally been involved with movies in this category, primarily through distribution rather than production such as with the subject matter here, in general they never embraced it in the way other studios did. Anyway, I’m the wrong target audience for this movie, and if you like these genres keep that in mind. That also said, if you are curious on the perspective of someone without much interest in these genres and how they might view a film that falls within them, then read on as we dive into the 1973 exploitation film Rica: Juvenile’s Lullaby. (more…)

I continue to review these hot sauces not just out of order, but now in a quite tardy fashion. Case in point this hot sauce based around everyone’s favorite subterranean kaiju (sorry Megalon): Baragon. What I’m reviewing is the “Carolina Reaper version” of the Baragon God of the Earth hot sauce. I stress the version because Jade City Foods seems to have gone down the path of reusing the names for their hot sauces for totally different flavors. In fact, the new Baragon hot sauce is a banana habanero sauce. In addition, rather than being a 10/10 on the heat level like this one, the new one is a 5/10.

A little confusing… but anyway, let’s dive in and review how the original Baragon hot sauce stacks up on the criteria of heat and flavor. (more…)

This article is a news roundup of the video game Godzilla Voxel Wars, published by Toho and developed by Nukenin. The game originally hit PC, with a Nintendo Switch version on the way. (more…)

Toho continues to make moves toward strengthening their position in global markets. We’ve already seen them release Godzilla Minus One (2023) and My Hero Academia: You’re Next (2024) directly in North American theaters, with the latter coming out just last weekend. In addition, late in 2023 Toho also invested heavily in the production and distribution company Fifth Season.

The latest move, and one that will likely resonate with fans of Japanese cinema, is Toho’s acquisition of GKIDS. (more…)

I’m mostly trying these hot sauces out of order, as I’m up to my ninth review and that brings us to the Supersonic Waves hot sauce. Modeled after Titanosaurus, this hot sauce is a sriracha based entry. That means a little sweetness mixed in with a savory heat. Read on to see how it measures up, both from the hot side of things as well as the taste.

As a side note, Jade City Foods’ has two versions of this hot sauce. They later released a “Smoked Jalapeno Mezcal Sauce” version that also features Titanosaurus and goes by the same name, Supersonic Waves.  A slightly confusing turn of events, as even the URL for the hot sauce mentions sriracha even though it’s a different hot sauce. Anyway, this review is for the original sriracha based one.

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Rumored way back in early May of this year, it’s finally been confirmed that a new series is coming based around The Human Vapour (1960). As mentioned by AV Watch, the program will be a joint venture between Toho, WOW POINT and Netflix, where the program will eventually become available for streaming.

Directed by Shinzo Katayama, the upcoming Human Vapor series will be written by Yeon Sang-ho and Ryu Yong-jae. Yeon Sang-ho, who will also act as an executive producer on the show, says it was Toho who approached him about the idea of remaking the 1960 film as a new series. (more…)