One of my fondest memories is seeing Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) in theaters. It was playing at the Neptune Theater in Seattle. Tickets were sold out, so there were over 600 moviegoers in attendance. I brought all my friends and it was a blast. While the film nowadays drifts between being a party pleaser to an assault on my sensibilities, I’ll always remember how much fun we had that night—and how, if given the chance, never pass up seeing a Godzilla movie with a crowd. (more…)

“Millions of years ago, Godzilla and Kong’s ancestors waged a cataclysmic war. Who won? Discover the mystery of how their ancient rivalry ended — and what other threats may still be lurking in the shadows of the MonsterVerse.” (more…)

In the 1954 kaiju masterpiece film Gojira, Akira Ifukube composed Prayer for Peace. At this point in the story, Godzilla just finished destroying Tokyo and returned to the cold depths of the sea. Our protagonists were broken and overwhelmed by the hideous devastation. All Japan could seem to do was mourn the tragic loss of life. But then the nation’s children rekindled their hope by calling for peace, and, in many respects, it spurred our protagonists into action. Ultimately, Japan ended Godzilla’s rampage, but it came at a terrible price. (more…)

SpaceGodzilla is threatening to plunge the world into an endless night. But when Godzilla arrives to face the cosmic tyrant, he quickly discovers that this creature from another planet not only shares his face, it holds a dark secret — and the key to his final destiny. (more…)

Despite being a Godzilla fan for as long as I can remember, it was never apparent what my favorite Godzilla era was until a few months ago. I always thought the Heisei series was my favorite, and it could very well be someday; it is deserving of praise and recognition—not to mention it had a first impression on me. Then I thought it was the relatively new MonsterVerse. While Godzilla (2014), Kong: Skull Island (OK, not a Godzilla film, but it felt wrong not to include it, and it’s arguably the best installment in the MonsterVerse), and Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) are stellar films that have introduced a whole new generation to the kaiju genre. But aside from a few aesthetics in terms of cinematography, setting, and sound design, it hasn’t yet shaped me as a cinematic storyteller. Finally, the answer became crystal clear, and just so happens to be the one that started it all. (more…)

One good way to befriend a Godzilla fan is by asking them, “What was your first Godzilla film?” For years, I’ve always said Godzilla 1985. A few years later, I started to respond back with The Return of Godzilla (1984), the superior Japanese version of the same film. It’d be even longer before I realized that Bambi Meets Godzilla was technically my first Godzilla movie, as it preceded Godzilla 1985 on my VHS copy. (more…)

It was always a dream to visit Japan. After spending years watching Japanese icons like Godzilla, Gamera, and Ultraman, the chance to roam around the very land that played a crucial part in enriching my childhood was something I had to do. In the summer of 2019, my dream came true, and it was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. But something happened there that I was not truly prepared for. (more…)

Author: Thomas Fairchild | Banner: Thomas Fairchild

They closed their eyes to see the white canvas turn black.

The distant sun exposed the Earth, a world flirting with innovation and annihilation. A loud, high-pitched scream rocked the planet to its core, stirring it to action. Waves of golden energy emanated from all corners of the globe, surging through wild blue oceans, lush green fields, puffy white clouds, and silent gray mountains, ultimately converging on the nation of Japan. It was neither a natural phenomenon nor a human-made experiment gone awry; it was the planet’s last desperate plan to repel the most insidious of infections. (more…)

Creator: Thomas Fairchild | Banner: Thomas Fairchild

An otherworldly threat descends upon the Earth. Coated in an alien arsenal, the cybernetic invader threatens all life on Earth. Only a demon of legend possesses the power to stop it. Rising to the challenge, Iris humors the aggressor and engages in aerial combat. Who will win in this clash of titans: the False God or the Cybernetic Assassin? (more…)

“Monsters are tragic beings. They are born too tall, too strong, too heavy. They are not evil by choice. That is their tragedy.”

– Ishiro Honda (more…)

Creator: Thomas Fairchild | Banner: Thomas Fairchild

An otherworldly threat descends upon the Earth. Crashing with a fiery inferno, the invader threatens all life on Earth. Only a beast of legend possesses the power to stop it. Rising to the challenge, Godzilla emerges from the surf ready to battle the alien insect. Who will win in this clash of titans: the King of the Monsters or Queen of the Swarm? (more…)

During a long hike in the mountains, two friends come face-to-face with the most tenacious monster in the world…

ANGUIRUS! (more…)

“Everyone, deep in their hearts, is waiting for the end of the world to come.” – Haruko Murakami, 1Q84

When the last dice has been cast, how will it all end? Humans have pondered this question since before we had words to speak. Will our doom be delivered to us in the form of a burning meteor? What if a terrible outbreak sentenced our collective species to an early grave? What if we destroyed ourselves in a nuclear holocaust? Some cultures believe Armageddon is preordained and the fate of destruction is the emergence of an eternal rebirth. Nobody knows for certain. Personally, I think the end will come on the golden wings of a three-headed space dragon. (more…)

‘Twas the night of winter solstice when Gamera arrived

In a far-off land where only the strong survived.

The wind was howling like a mad siren,

Only to be drowned out by the roar of a Titan.

From the darkness, a living mountain of flesh emerged;

Stronger than any force on Earth, its atomic power surged.

What Gamera saw coming was truly scary,

He knew of this creature, its battles legendary!

Not wanting to die without putting up a fight,

Gamera unleashed a burning blast of light;

But when the smoke cleared and the flames receded,

Gamera beheld something he didn’t know he needed.

In his claws was a gift that contained a surprise,

A gift Gamera would be playing with ’til the next sunrise;

Gamera was speechless; he didn’t know what to say;

It seemed all Godzilla wanted was a friend on this winter solstice day. (more…)

My worst fear is being lost. It’s like having your mind broken down to your most vulnerable, primitive state. As your will to live is stretched to its limits, your hope threatens to become the first casualty. Making matters worse, your paranoia leads a vicious mutiny against reason and logic. The truth is you’re trapped, and you might not know it until it’s too late. (more…)

You’re in a city teeming with thousands of strangers. It’s a safe bet you won’t see any of these people again, not that you would remember them even if you did. As the city’s ambiance plays out like a disorganized orchestra and the allure of an Italian restaurant slowly reels you in, you’re suddenly snapped out of your daily routine by a violent force of nature. You don’t know what it is or where it came from. There’s only one thing you do know: the city is no longer safe. (more…)

Emerald City Comic Con granted me my first ever press pass, and it’s all because of the hardworking staff members here at Toho Kingdom. I’d also like to extend my gratitude to all our visitors. Without you, Toho Kingdom wouldn’t be the eminent website it is today. (more…)

On October 11th, 2016 I saw my fourth Godzilla movie in an American movie theater: Shin Godzilla. It is a gift to see my favorite fictional character of all time grace the silver screen. In this review, I will briefly summarize the film, but I will mostly be providing commentary on its themes, story, contents, direction, and visual/sound quality. There will be spoilers. So grab your water bottles, have a new shirt on standby, and reschedule all your meetings pronto! It’s time to save the day. (more…)

I’ve been writing stories for decades.

“Wait a minute,” some of you must be thinking. “Tom, aren’t you 24-years-old?” (more…)

Author: Thomas Faichild | Banner: Jackson Morris

Dr. Nick Tatopoulos watched gray clouds bombard the sea with rain. He was standing inside the Heatseeker, a boat with a devilish grin painted on its bow. On deck, the most advanced computers and hardware in the world were stationed around every corner. But Nick was more interested in the outside world. Although he was a biologist at heart, Nick couldn’t help but appreciate the complexity and ingenuity of the ocean. All life recorded on Earth traced their heritage back to it. Most of Earth’s creatures today called the oceans their home. In Nick’s eyes, you’re not a biologist or a zoologist if you have absolutely no interest in the sea or its inhabitants. (more…)