These are brief reviews of the Nijigen no Mori Godzilla Curries (ニンゲンノモリゴジラ カレー), aka the Awaji Island Godzilla Curry line. I bought these boxed at the Godzilla Interception Operation Awaji attraction last year. There are four curry options in total, each based around a specific Toho kaiju and having a different flavor to them. I hope you enjoy them!

Godzilla Black Beef Curry

Box text: “We are proud to introduce our Godzilla black curry, inspired by the “King of the Monsters” himself! The rich roux is made from a combination of stewed Awajishima onions and savory beef. Every bite will give you a taste of Godzilla’s majesty and power.”

I finally got around to eating my lone package of Godzilla Black Beef Curry several months after visiting Awaji Island and experiencing the attractions there. When I visited Awaji Island back in August, the nation (and the world) were already well entrenched in the covid pandemic, and so I didn’t get to enjoy the full expression of Awaji’s passion for onions; at the rest stop outside Nijigen no Mori (the amusement park in which the Godzilla zip-line attraction is featured), there was an onion-soup fountain where tourists so inclined could partake of free onion soup. Unfortunately, said soup-dispensing fountain was turned off to avoid transmitting disease.

It is fitting, then, that those in charge of creating Godzilla Curries for Nijigen no Mori’s Godzilla attraction incorporated Awaji’s famous onions into each, including their flagship Godzilla curry (made black doubtlessly to mimic Shin Godzilla’s charred skin). I ate the curry while watching an episode of Godzilla Singular Point (the one where Godzilla finally emerges fully formed in the final moments), so I was primed to enjoy the Godzilla curry to the max. I had a favorable impression, though I certainly didn’t love this curry incarnation. It has a decent spicy burn without being overwhelming, a smidgeon of sweetness, and I definitely could taste the distinct onion flavor. I also felt, though, that the curry didn’t have much beef, that the consistency was a bit syrupy, and that it left a slightly awkward aftertaste. A good Godzilla curry, but not the best I have had (what a strange sentence that I can honestly write).

Mothra White Pork Curry

Box text: “White curry inspired by the iconic egg of Mothra, Infant Island’s guardian deity, has arrived! With the tropical flavor of coconuts and the sweetness of Awajishima onions, this pork curry has a low level of spiciness that even kids can enjoy.”

This is my first Mothra curry, and it’s a pleasant meal; I ended up eating it with naan that I had received from a local Indian restaurant. The texture is smooth and creamy and goes down easily. I felt that, compared to the Godzilla curry above, it seemed to have more meat; it’s also a bit higher calorie, though not by much. The sweet onions of Awaji are noticeable and add a delicate touch, but I didn’t notice the coconut flavoring (appropriate for an island theme).

Given my health, I worried a bit about this one—the creaminess means a higher fat content. If you are concerned about your own health, this might be a good one to steer clear of, but for kids or a rare treat, it suffices. I think I preferred it to the black curry, as it did not have the thick syrupy consistency or aftertaste.

King Ghidorah Keema Curry

Box text: “Keema curry inspired by the majestic appearance of King Ghidorah, the three-headed golden kaiju, has emerged! The trinity of sweet Awajishima onions, full-flavored classic roux, and savory minced meat will satisfy your senses.”

This isn’t the first King Ghidorah curry that I have tried, given that I tried some back in 2016 at the NamjaTown attraction with pilaf. The NamjaTown curry pilaf was a bit more sophisticated than the packaged version of the King Ghidorah Keema Curry from Awajishima, but undoubtedly the kind they serve at the amusement park itself would be much more satisfying; as it is, it might be the best-tasting I’ve had of the packaged versions of the Nijigen no Mori curries. The minced meat adds texture with the onions, and while I wish we had a bit more meat and veggie bits, they do improve the taste and texture. The curry is pleasantly spicy without being overwhelming, and doesn’t have the syrupy taste of the Godzilla Beef Curry, nor the excessive cream (and therefore fat) in the Mothra Curry. The choice of keema also makes the curry somewhat resemble KG in color, even if the curry itself isn’t completely out-of-this-world. It’s good, and that’s enough. The curry clocks in at 216 calories, so it’s a little on the high side.

Rodan Tomato Chicken Curry

Box text: “Bright red tomato curry reminiscent of the Giant Monster of the Sky, Rodan, has landed! With the sweetness of Awajishima onions and the acidity of tomatoes, we added a fresh taste to this flavorful spicy chicken curry inspired by the crimson kaiju.”

I had this curry when I visited Nijigen no Mori back in 2020, and when you purchase the curry at the theme park, they give it to you with all the fixings and make it much more of a treat than it is when you eat it out of the box. So I just now tried the boxed version, and yeah, it doesn’t measure up to the full version. The Rodan Tomato Chicken Curry has the advantage that, of all four kaiju curries, this one had the most noticeable meat; it didn’t have the strong syrupy aftertaste of the Godzilla Black Beef Curry, and it has considerably less calories than some of the others—clocking in at only 168 calories for the curry by itself (the others I think were all over 200). I like the tomato flavoring, too. If you prefer heat, the Rodan curry was the hottest of the lot—when I ate it at Awajishima, I didn’t think it particularly spicy, but eating it at home, the spice is very noticeable. For me, I prefer the spice a little more mild. The meat, as it is not fresh, is also not the most delicious, and I did not really notice the sweet onion this time. Overall a punchy curry and not bad.

–

In retrospect, I think the King Ghidorah Keema Curry was actually my favorite. Sporting a bit of spice but not enough to offend, offering a nice mix of flavors, with no bad aftertaste, I enjoyed even the boxed version. I should say that none of these boxed curries were bad—I have had some boxed curries which were kind of gross, and these were pretty decent when it comes to instant meals, which is more than I can say for the Godzilla Ramen back in the day. If you are a fan and want to try some kaiju cuisine that will fill your belly (and not just satisfy your sweet tooth), these are pretty good choices to light your fire and appeal to your savory side.