Last year, I wrote an article for new fans of Godzilla who had just seen Godzilla Minus One and loved it.
When I wrote that article, I was careful in curating just what Godzilla films people should watch, since I was well aware that not all of the catalog was for everyone. In fact, having seen every period of Godzilla (from Showa to Reiwa era), I knew that some movies were only for the most diehard of Godzilla fans.
Enter the Godzilla animated movies, Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters, Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle, and Godzilla: The Planet Eater. Now, I think ALL of these animated movies are worthy of your time if you’re a dedicated Godzilla fan, but I wouldn’t recommend them for everyone. Here’s why.
The Three Movies Often Move At A Glacial Pace, And You May Not Like Any Of The Human Characters
One reason why Godzilla Minus One is the greatest Godzilla movie I’ve ever seen, (and I’m not alone, as it almost topped our best movies of 2023 list) is because all of the human characters are likable. Honestly, it's the first Godzilla movie I’ve ever watched where I genuinely cared about the well-being of the human characters.
Not only that, but the movie moved at a brisk pace. So much so, that even my six-year-old son was engaged when he watched the movie. (Yes, I took my six-year-old son to see a Godzilla flick. What of it?) Anyway, throw all of that out the window when it comes to the three Godzilla anime movies, as they are soooo sloooow, and the characters are as bland as vanilla ice cream.
Now, that’s not to say that vanilla ice cream is bad. I love vanilla ice cream. But, I also like it with sprinkles, and the characters in these three movies are vanilla ice cream without the sprinkles. In other words, they serve their purpose, but they could be so much better.
The one good thing I will say about them, though, is that the three movies are sequential, so we follow the lead character, Captain Haruo Sakaki all the way to the end, and get to see his character growth.
But, remember how I said that the movies crawl? Well, that character growth drags for all three movies, and by the final film, Godzilla: The Planet Eater, I pretty much stopped caring altogether for his story. That said…
Godzilla In These Three Movies Is Badass An Unlike Any Other Godzilla In The Series
I honestly think Godzilla Minus One should be nominated for Best Picture, and that again is all due to the human characters. But, come on now. Prior to that movie, I didn’t care one whit about any of the human characters in any Godzilla movie. I came to see Godzilla, dammit! And the Big G does not disappoint when he eventually shows up in these three films.
This Godzilla is massive, and pretty much devoid of all emotion. We’ve seen a lot of different Godzillas over the years, like ones who have shaken hands with robots, ones who were much more serious, like in the Hensei and Millennium era, and even America’s take. Twice! Once with the 1998 Godzilla movie, which I actually like, and again with the current MonsterVerse.
But, I honestly think the Godzilla in these three animated movies is one of my favorites to date. This Godzilla is just a lumbering force of nature who almost seems like he’s sleepwalking through his path of destruction, and doesn’t even realize what he’s doing.
Now, this somnambulist take on Godzilla might not be for EVERYONE. But, as somebody who has viewed every iteration of the character (even in animated forms, no less, those being the ‘78 cartoon, the Animated Series, and the most recent one, Godzilla: Singular Point), this is one of my favorite versions of the character by far, and he’s worth (for me, anyway) sitting through all of the tedium that these films sometimes have to offer.
King Ghidorah Is Unlike Anything Else You’ve Ever Seen
Another thing that I really love about these movies is just how different King Ghidorah is. We’ve seen many versions of the character over the years (even as a “good guy” in Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack), but none has ever been like the one featured in Godzilla: The Planet Eater, where he makes his appearance.
Everybody is familiar with the three-headed dragon, but this version is more of an aura than anything else. Its snake-like form is more pronounced than ever here, and its purpose, as the title implies, is to eat the planet that it's inhabiting.
In this way, Godzilla has an even more difficult time fighting King Ghidorah since he isn’t even corporeal for some of the battle, and is more of a form of energy. For somebody who loves Godzilla’s enemies almost as much as Godzilla himself, it was really cool seeing King Ghidorah in this new form.
Trust me, if you’re a Godzilla fan and you’ve never seen The Planet Eater, then you’re going to be in for quite a surprise when you see what they did with the character here.
However, Just Because Godzilla And King Ghidorah Are Different, That Doesn’t Mean You’ll Like Them
And now, this is where I hesitate again to recommend these movies, because just because Godzilla and King Ghidorah are different in these films, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll like them.
For example, I’ve warmed up to the MonsterVerse, but for a time, I really didn’t like it since I was not a fan of their interpretation of Godzilla. It wasn’t until Godzilla vs. Kong where I really felt like the filmmakers finally got the character to an acceptable place, and now I have a newfound appreciation for the movies that came before it.
So, I’m perfectly aware of how a different take on Godzilla could spoil the films for you. That isn’t just when it comes to Godzilla, either, as I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that there is another famous enemy that appears in the second film, and his interpretation may be just too much for some purists to stomach.
And then, you have King Ghidorah. Now, I’m the kind of person who welcomes change. I’ve seen him enough that I’m cool with seeing a very different interpretation of the character. But, some fans may be sickened by just how weird this version of the character is.
Different doesn’t always mean better for everyone, which is why…
Even Though Diehard Godzilla Fans Might Be Down, Don’t Turn Here If You Loved Godzilla Minus One
I just cannot, in good faith, steer you toward these three anime movies if you loved Godzilla Minus One, or even some of the more inviting Godzilla movies, like the ones from the MonsterVerse. That’s because these three animated movies are for TRUE FANS ONLY.
Now, I’m not trying to be a gatekeeper here or anything. If you liked Godzilla Minus One and want to give them a try, by all means: give them a try. They’re on Netflix. But, take it from me, a lifelong Godzilla fan, if you liked Minus One, then you probably aren’t going to like this trilogy.
These films truly are for people who LOVE (not like, but love) Godzilla, and are so in love with the character, that they’re willing to sit through glacial pacing, boring humans, massively different interpretations of Godzilla and his enemies, and a subpar, teasy ending.
But, if all of that sounds tolerable to you, then give these movies a watch. I personally enjoyed them. Godzilla is my heart!
So, have YOU seen these movies yet? For more news on all things Godzilla (both hardcore, and casual), be sure to swing around here often!
