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Zilla (Godzilla)

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Zilla
Godzilla film series character
TriStar's Zilla as featured in the 1998 film.
First appearanceGodzilla (1998)
Last appearanceGodzilla: Final Wars (2004)
Created byDean Devlin, Roland Emmerich and Patrick Tatopoulos
Portrayed byKurt Carley
(suit actor)[1]
Voiced byGary A. Hecker and Frank Welker
(vocal effects)[2]
In-universe information
Alias
  • Godzilla[a]
  • Godzilla '98[5]
  • TriStar Godzilla[6][7]
  • American Godzilla[8]
  • Godzilla-USA[9]
  • French Godzilla[10]
  • G.I.N.O. (Godzilla In Name Only)[11]
SpeciesMutated marine iguana[12]

Zilla (ジラ, Jira) is a fictional monster, or kaiju, in Toho Co., Ltd.'s Godzilla media franchise. The character first appeared in Godzilla (1998), released by TriStar Pictures. It was initially created as a reimagining of Godzilla but was later re-branded as a separate character appearing alongside Toho's Godzilla. Patrick Tatopoulos designed it after iguanas with a slim theropod appearance rather than the thick, bipedal designs of Toho's Godzilla. TriStar's Godzilla, both the film and character, were negatively received by fans and critics. In 2004, it was featured in Toho's Godzilla: Final Wars as "Zilla". Afterwards, Toho trademarked new incarnations as Zilla, with only the iterations from the 1998 film and animated series retaining the Godzilla copyright and trademark.

Overview

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Name

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Tristar's canceled trademark icons and Toho's currently active trademark icon.

Initially, during production of Godzilla: Final Wars, director Ryuhei Kitamura asked producer Shōgo Tomiyama whether or not they were allowed to include TriStar's Godzilla in the film; whereupon Tomiyama checked Toho's contract with Sony and saw they were allowed to use it, Tomiyama stated: "Kitamura asked me if it was possible for us to use the American Godzilla in Final Wars, so I checked our contract with Sony Pictures and found out we could use it. Since this was the 50th anniversary film, I thought ‘Why not include the American Godzilla?'" This incarnation of TriStar's Godzilla was named "Zilla".[4] This decision was made because they also felt that Emmerich's film had taken the "God" out of "Godzilla" by portraying the character as a mere animal.[13] The name "Zilla" was chosen for the character by Tomiyama as a satirical take on counterfeit Godzilla products that use "Zilla" as a suffix.[14]

Toho had filed the "Zilla" name on July 21, 2006, and it was registered on April 20, 2007.[15][16] This name change has been reflected in subsequent official products featuring the character since 2004, though "Godzilla" continues to be used on products that predate the name change, such as home media re-releases of the 1998 film and Godzilla: The Series. Matt Frank (co-writer and illustrator of Godzilla: Rulers of Earth) further clarified the name change, stating, "Toho makes zero distinction between "Zilla" and "Godzilla 1998" with the exception of title alone. Ever since 2004, Toho's official stance has been that any future incarnations of the character be referred to hereafter as 'Zilla'."[4][17] Keith Aiken (co-editor of SciFi Japan) also clarified that "Zilla is a variation of the 1998 Godzilla" but stressed that only the incarnations from the 1998 film and the animated series retain the Godzilla copyright and trademark.[3][4]

Toho had renewed the trademark on April 4, 2017, and is set to expire on April 20, 2027.[15][16] In 2023, Spiral Studios licensed the character from Toho as "Zilla" for a 124 cm statue.[18]

Development

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Kurt Carley in the adult Zilla suit.

During the production of the 1998 film, special effects artist Patrick Tatopoulos was contacted by director Roland Emmerich and asked to create a new design for the Godzilla character. According to Tatopoulos, the only specific instructions Emmerich gave him was that it should be able to run incredibly fast.[19] Emmerich intended to depict the character as an animal rather than a monster.[20] Godzilla was originally conceived by special effects director Eiji Tsubaraya, special effects designers Akira Wantanabe and Teizo Toshimitsu and producer Tomoyuki Tanaka as a robust, erect-standing, plantigrade reptilian sea monster, played by an actor in a rubber-latex full-body suit. Based on the instructions Emmerich gave him, Tatopoulos reimagined it as a lean, digitigrade bipedal iguana that stood with its back and tail parallel to the ground, rendered via computer animation.[21] The monster's distinctive facial features include a prominent lantern jaw, inspired by the fictional tiger Shere Khan from Disney's animated adaptation of The Jungle Book.[22]

TriStar's Godzilla color scheme was designed to reflect and blend in with the urban environment.[19] At one point, it was planned to use motion capture to create the movements of the computer-generated monster, but it ended up looking too much like a man in a suit.[23] The Baby Godzilla scenes utilized a combination of CGI and purpose built costumes donned by actors.[24] Kurt Carley portrayed the suitmation sequences for the adult Godzilla in the 1998 film[1] while Frank Welker provided the sound effects for both the adult Godzilla as well as the Baby Godzillas.[2] Upon pending approval for the design, at the time, Shōgo Tomiyama commented on the new look, saying "It was so different we realized we couldn't make small adjustments. That left the major question of whether to approve it or not."[25] Though TriStar's Godzilla was referred to by the film's characters as a "he", Patrick Tatopoulos stated on a DVD audio commentary that the effects crew sculpted female genitalia into the CG model of the creature.[26]

Early concept artwork depicting the showdown between Godzilla and Zilla in Godzilla: Final Wars.

In the 1998 film and animated series, TriStar's Godzilla is portrayed as a territorial, piscivorous, 180 feet (54.86 m) tall[27][28] mutated lizard. Atypical of Toho's giant monster characters, TriStar's Godzilla is not immune to conventional weaponry, and instead relies on its cunning and athleticism to outflank its enemies. It can travel long distances over land and sea, burrow underground and reproduce via parthenogenesis, and is able to lay over 200 eggs,[29] unlike its offspring in the animated series which was unable to reproduce.[28] It possesses an ignitable radioactive breath weapon called "Power Breath", although its offspring could breathe a green atomic Power Breath in the animated series (where also the parent, resurrected as a cyborg called Cyber-Godzilla, possessed a blue version), in which it was pitted against a rogues gallery of original monsters, after the producers were unable to secure the rights to adapt Toho's classic monsters.[30] It was also featured in advertisements alongside the Taco Bell chihuahua.[31]

TriStar's Godzilla was featured in the 2004 Toho film Godzilla: Final Wars as "Zilla";[13] this name would continue to be used and trademarked for later incarnations. A 3D scan of the Trendmasters "Ultimate Godzilla" toy was used as reference for Zilla.[32] In the film, Zilla engages Toho's Godzilla in a battle intended "to show which Godzilla is stronger".[4] Zilla would fight Godzilla again in a slightly longer battle, and even team up with Godzilla to fight other monsters, in the comic series by IDW Publishing titled Godzilla: Rulers of Earth running between 2013 and 2015.[8]

Reception

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The design and characterization of TriStar's Godzilla was negatively received.[33] Film critic Richard Pusateri of G-Fan Magazine coined the acronym GINO ("Godzilla In Name Only") to distinguish it from Toho's Godzilla.[34] while other publications referred to it as the "American Godzilla".[14][35]

Tom Breihan from Deadspin stated that TriStar's Godzilla "wasn't motherfucking Godzilla at all," elaborating that the character was treated like a "tapped animal", lacked Godzilla's signature blue atomic breath, ran and hid, caused less damage, and that Emmerich and Devlin had "completely missed the entire point" of Godzilla.[36]

These sentiments were echoed by veteran Godzilla suit actors Haruo Nakajima and Kenpachiro Satsuma, and by Shusuke Kaneko, director of the '90s Gamera films. Nakajima ridiculed the character design, stating: "Its face looks like an iguana and its body and limbs look like a frog".[37] Satsuma walked out of the film, saying "it's not Godzilla, it doesn't have his spirit".[38] Kaneko opined "[Americans] seem unable to accept a creature that cannot be put down by their arms",[39] and later alluded to the character in his film Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack as a monster that Americans mistook for Godzilla.[40] Thomas Tull (producer of Legendary's Godzilla series) criticized the design of TriStar's Godzilla, stating, "I’m always puzzled as a fan when you take things so far it’s unrecognizable."[41] Toho publicist Yosuke Ogura later called TriStar's design a "disaster."[42]

The animated version of the character was more positively received than its live-action predecessor, due to being closer in line with the spirit of Toho's Godzilla, possessing the ability to breathe atomic fire, battle monsters, and withstand attacks.[43][44] However, the negative response to both Emmerich's Godzilla as well as the Disney remake of Mighty Joe Young released that same year, had caused giant monster movies to fall out of vogue for several years after, with films such as Peter Jackson's King Kong remake being postponed until 2005.[45] Poor merchandise sales for the film led to a cancellation of a toy line based on Godzilla: The Series, and resulted in significant financial losses for toy manufacturer Trendmasters.[46] Nicholas Raymond from Screen Rant described Toho's subsequent treatment of TriStar's Godzilla as "a clear sign that Toho doesn't regard the 1998 Godzilla as the King of the Monsters. It would appear that to them, he's just a giant lizard."[42]

Appearances

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TriStar's Zilla has been featured in other media outside of TriStar-produced content under various aliases.

TriStar's Godzilla has only made two film appearances in Godzilla (1998) and Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) and was vaguely referenced in Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001). TriStar originally planned to produce a trilogy,[47] and Tab Murphy was commissioned by Emmerich and Devlin to write a story treatment for Godzilla 2. However, the sequels were cancelled due to the 1998 film's poor reception and TriStar let their remake/sequel rights expire on May 20, 2003.[4]

An animated television series, Godzilla: The Series, was produced instead and served as a sequel to the 1998 film.[48] It featured the surviving offspring from the 1998 film as the new Godzilla, as well as a reanimated cyborg version of its parent, named "Cyber-Godzilla".[48] For the video games Godzilla: Save the Earth and Godzilla: Unleashed, developer Simon Strange decided not to include Zilla due to the character's unpopularity among fans. Strange received criticism from fans for not including Zilla in Godzilla: Unleashed.[49][50] In 2024, the children's web series Godziban introduced a bright pink female Zilla character named "Zillala" as a co-host for its Go! Godzi Godzi BANBAN segment.

Films

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Television

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Video games

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Literature

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  • Godzilla by Stephen Molstad (novel – 1998)
  • Godzilla by H. B. Gilmour (novel – 1998)
  • Godzilla: A Junior Novelization by H. B. Gilmour (novel – 1998)
  • Godzilla by Kimberly Weinberger (book – 1998)
  • Godzilla: Attack of the Baby Godzillas by Gina Shaw (book – 1998)
  • Fox Kids Magazine – Godzilla: The Series (comic – 1998)
  • Godzilla: Rulers of Earth (comic – 2013–2015) – as Zilla
  • Godzilla: Oblivion (comic – 2016) – as Zilla
  • Godzilla: Monster Apocalypse (novel – 2017) – as Zilla or French Godzilla[10]

Music

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Tracks from the 1998 film's soundtrack Godzilla: The Album make references to TriStar's Godzilla and even feature the character in a few music videos.[51]

Cultural references

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Notes

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  1. ^ While new variations of TriStar's Godzilla are trademarked as Zilla, the incarnations from the 1998 film and animated series perpetually retain the "Godzilla" copyright and trademark.[3][4]

References

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Citations

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  1. ^ a b Mirjahangir, Chris (November 7, 2014). "Nakajima and Carley: Godzilla's 1954 and 1998". Toho Kingdom. Archived from the original on November 3, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
  2. ^ a b Miller, Bob (April 1, 2000). "Frank Welker: Master of Many Voices". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  3. ^ a b Aiken, Keith (August 17, 2015). "Keith Aiken Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Aiken, Keith (May 31, 2015). "Godzilla Unmade: The History of Jan De Bont's Unproduced TriStar Film – Part 4 of 4". SciFi Japan. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  5. ^ Fisher, Kieran (May 23, 2018). "'Godzilla' (1998) Isn't As Bad As You Remember". Film School Rejects. Archived from the original on March 4, 2019. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  6. ^ Kalat 2010, p. 222.
  7. ^ Kalat 2010, p. 229.
  8. ^ a b OniGoji (June 2, 2013). "Comics: Writer Chris Mowry Gives Insight On IDW's Godzilla: Rulers of Earth". Comic Book Movie. Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  9. ^ Godzilla Generations 1998 Sega Dreamcast game
  10. ^ a b Oki 2017, p. 205.
  11. ^ Abrams, Simon (May 15, 2014). "A History of the Disastrous Last Attempt to Make an American Godzilla". Vulture. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  12. ^ Jef Rouner (January 2, 2021). "5 Things Everyone Gets Wrong About Godzilla". Houston Press. Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  13. ^ a b Schaefer, Mark (November 2004). "Godzilla Stomps into Los Angeles". Penny Blood. Archived from the original on February 3, 2005.
  14. ^ a b Figurski, Jim; Matsuda, Takashi (August 27, 2004). "Godzilla vs Zilla". Monster Zero News. Archived from the original on October 24, 2005.
  15. ^ a b "Zilla Trademark - Registration number 5042731". J-platpat. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  16. ^ a b "Zilla trademark". J-platpat. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  17. ^ Frank, Matt (May 9, 2013). "Matt Frank on Zilla". Deviant Art. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  18. ^ "Godzilla (1998) The Legacy Series: Tanaka Kenichi Modeling Collection Zilla Limited Edition Statue". Big Bad Toy Store. Archived from the original on April 21, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  19. ^ a b Rickitt 2006, p. 74-76.
  20. ^ Ryfle 1998, p. 334.
  21. ^ "Godzilla Lives! - page 1". Theasc.com. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  22. ^ "Story Notes for Godzilla". Blogs.amctv.com. April 30, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  23. ^ Rickitt 2000, p. 174.
  24. ^ "Godzilla - Behind the Scenes - FX & Baby Godzilla Costumes etc". YouTube. March 10, 2011. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  25. ^ "'Godzilla' Returns Home Something of a Stranger - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. July 13, 1998. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  26. ^ Patrick Tatopoulos; Godzilla 1998 Region 1 DVD special features, "Special FX Supervisor Commentary" (Scene 14: "He's pregnant.")
  27. ^ Molstad 1998, p. 130.
  28. ^ a b "The Ultimate Guide to GODZILLA: THE SERIES". SciFi Japan. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  29. ^ "'Godzilla': 5 Things Roland Emmerich's 1998 Version Did Better - TheWrap". TheWrap. May 21, 2014. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  30. ^ "The Ultimate Guide to Godzilla: The Series". SciFi Japan. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  31. ^ "Advertising > Animal Mascots > Gidget the Dog (Taco Bell)". Tv Acres. July 21, 2009. Archived from the original on February 5, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  32. ^ "GODZILLA: THE SERIES- The Lost Trendmasters Toy Line". SciFi Japan. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  33. ^ "Cloverfield: The monster movie Godzilla should have been". Nuketown. July 31, 2010. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  34. ^ "Staff & Contributors SciFi Japan". SciFi Japan. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
  35. ^ Aiken, Keith (March 24, 2006). "DVD Reviews: Godzilla: Monster Edition and Godzilla: The Series". SciFi Japan. Archived from the original on August 27, 2021. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
  36. ^ Breihan, Tom (May 12, 2014). "Worst Godzilla Ever: Why Japan Hated (And Murked) The '98 U.S. Remake". The Concourse. Deadspin. Archived from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
  37. ^ Getlen, Larry (May 10, 2014). "Godzilla is back and bigger than ever". New York Post. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  38. ^ Ryfle 1998, p. 344.
  39. ^ "The US version". Expressindia.indianexpress.com. July 11, 1998. Archived from the original on October 15, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  40. ^ "Barry's Temple of Godzilla - Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: All Monsters Attack". Godzillatemple.com. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  41. ^ Graser, Marc (May 6, 2014). "How 'Godzilla' Roared Again with Director Gareth Edwards, Legendary's Thomas Tull". Variety. Archived from the original on February 28, 2019. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
  42. ^ a b Nicholas Raymond (March 5, 2020). "Why Toho Hated The 1998 Godzilla Movie (& What Happened After)". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on March 7, 2020. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  43. ^ Cullum, Brett (July 24, 2014). "DVD Verdict - Godzilla: The Series". DVD Verdict. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  44. ^ "Godzilla: The Series – Review". Japan Cinema. June 5, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  45. ^ "King Kong::film review". sonic-cinema.com. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  46. ^ Shyman, Jonathan; Aiken, Keith (May 2012). "Godzilla: The Series - The Lost Trendmasters Toy Line". SciFi Japan. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  47. ^ Evan Frook, John (October 29, 1992). "TriStar lands monster of deal with 'Godzilla'". Variety. Archived from the original on May 10, 2021. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  48. ^ a b Johnson, Bob; Aiken, Keith (March 28, 2006). "The Ultimate Guide to Godzilla: The Series". SciFi Japan. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  49. ^ "Podcast 2.4" (MP3). Tohokingdom.com. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  50. ^ "Podcast 2.3" (MP3). Tohokingdom.com. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  51. ^ Weber, Lindsey; Fox, Jesse David (May 20, 2014). "6 Things We Learned About 1998 From the Godzilla Soundtrack". Vulture. Archived from the original on April 30, 2023. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  52. ^ Givens, Ron (May 17, 1998). "A Monster of a Premiere Godzilla Invades New York, Opening Summer Film Season". NT Daily News. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  53. ^ Elliott, Stuart (June 10, 1998). "Marketers sweat a bit as 'Godzilla' disappoints at the box office. Will product tie-ins follow suit?". The New York Times. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  54. ^ "Actually, the Best Good Bad Movie Is..." The Ringer. June 23, 2017. Archived from the original on July 8, 2023. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  55. ^ LaSalle, Mick (June 4, 1998). "MTV Presents Self-Satisfied Anti-Oscars". SFGate. Archived from the original on March 26, 2018. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  56. ^ McCartney, Anthony (May 15, 2014). "Godzilla proves even giant monsters need lawyers". Telegram & Gazette. Archived from the original on July 8, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.

Bibliography

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