The Kaiju Transmissions Podcast (Kaiju Transmissions Podcast)

On the premiere episode of Kaiju Transmissions, Byrd and Matt discuss just what made them Godzilla/kaiju fans to begin with. They'll talk about their first exposure to the genre and what has kept them involved through all these years. But first they share their reactions to the Godzilla Resurgence trailer, the first images from the Power Rangers movie and more!

Byrd and Matt start their full series recap of the entire Godzilla series by taking a look at the first six films in the series. But first, some quick Daimajin news and the run down on how exactly we're going to recap the series.

On this episode, Byrd and Matt take a look at the standalone kaiju movies of the Showa era. Godzilla wasn't the only one dominating the screen in the early days! We discuss a handful of entries from the Golden age of Toho as we discuss some of their non-Godzilla kaiju films. On the table this time are Rodan, Mothra, Varan the Unbelievable, Dogora, and Yog: Monster from Space. But first, we have news on Godzilla Resurgence's US release, the Godzilla: Total Destruction fan anime, Voltron, and more Power Rangers casting! We end with a brief plug for Arrow Video's astounding blu-ray release of Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan. Enjoy!

On this episode, Byrd and Matt look at the Showa Godzilla series from Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster all the way through the conclusion with Terror of MechaGodzilla. But first, the two discuss Gareth Edwards' exit from Godzilla 2, which transforms into a tangent where Byrd goes on a fiery rant about the problems with fandom and entitlement in the internet age.

On this episode, Byrd and Matt are joined by special guest Eric to discuss their summer convention experiences! Byrd reports back from G-Fest 2016. Matt and Eric discuss their experience at FandomFest where they met and dined with three Godzilla suit actors and Ultraman himself! But first, a news roundup with Shin Godzilla's opening weekend box office, the trailer for Kong: Skull Island, the trailer for The Great Wall and its "whitewashing" controversy, and some news on Legendary Pictures' merger with China's Wanda Entertainment.

On this episode, Byrd, Matt and special guest and Gamera super-fan Eric discuss the Showa Gamera series in all of its weird wackiness. With the benefit of Eric's gift to take the original Gamera films seriously, they discuss the merits (or lacktherof depending on who you ask) of all 8 original films. Spinning turtles! Hot alien girls! UFOs! Dictator sharks from space! Maggot infested elephant trunks! The Gamera series had it all. As the plots of these films get crazier and crazier, the hosts get more and more sleep deprived. By the end we're all delirious, which is only fitting for a podcast about the craziest run of kaiju films ever.

Byrd and Matt talk their way through all 7 Heisei Godzilla films. Now that these movies are 20-some years old, how do they hold up? Listen and find out as we dissect each Godzilla movie from Godzilla (1984) through Godzilla vs. Destroyah (1995). Before we talk movies, we discuss news and events with the announcement of the Godzilla anime film and Byrd reports back from the Mothra Rifftrax event and a local Godzilla art gallery in Detroit. Plus, an intro with an unexpected tangent about Jason X, the Leprechaun films and the weird phenomena of movie novelizations!

Byrd and Matt go all the way back to the giant ape that started it all. 1933's classic KING KONG! We talk about the origins of the film, as well as how it and its (also 1933) sequel SON OF KONG hold up after over 80 years. We also discuss how King Kong changed the cinema landscape and the massive impact it had on Japanese special effects artists and film makers. Do Byrd and Matt find the movie as good as it is influencial? Listen and find out!

Our Godzilla series recap continues with the most despised entry in the series. Roland Emmerich's GODZILLA (1998)! Far and away the most divisive take on Godzilla and the most maligned entry in the series by G-Fans. But does the movie deserve this reputation? Is it as bad as everyone says? And does any of it hold up all these years later? Would it REALLY be a better movie without the "Godzilla" title? Listen and find out as Matt and Byrd dissect one of the most hated giant monster films ever made. We also touch on the animated television series sequel to the movie, as well as the unmade pitch for Godzilla 2. But first, Matt has some thoughts on the new Voltron series, and we discuss the several starts and stops that Tristar's Godzilla project had to endure before the Emmerich film was greenlit.

The newest installment focuses on the third Japanese series of Godzilla films. After the Tristar movie, Toho took matters into their own hands and started a new series of films, which lasted from 1999-2004. How do these six films hold up over a decade later? Listen and find out!

Just in time to get us caught up to Shin Godzilla's US theatrical release, we are joined on this episode by special guest Eric to wrap up our Godzilla Recap. We'll be diving into 2014's big budget Hollywood Godzilla reboot from Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros. We discuss the movie's long origin, the pros and cons, MUTOs, and we debate whether or not Ford Brody is the worst human character in Godzilla history.

Happy October! To kick off a month of horror-centric episodes, we will be looking at Toho's take on the Frankenstein Monster by examining 1965's Frankenstein Conquers The World, and its sequel The War of the Gargantuas. We are joined by special guest Jelli of the Second Run Podcast to talk about both movies in depth and even touch upon the Gargantuas' incredibly odd post-film appearances. With the classic monsters on everybody's minds this month, it is only proper to give some attention to Toho's interpretation of the most famous monster of all time! Intro- Akira Ifukube- "Horror Theme from Frankenstein vs Baragon" Outro- Devo- "The Words Get Stuck In My Throat"

On this episode, we take a super thorough look at Shin Godzilla, the latest entry in the franchise. After 12 years, Toho have come back to release a what is arguably the most divisive and unique entry in the long running series. There is SO much to talk about wiht this movie that we had to get some special guests to help us! Join Byrd and Matt with special guests Eric, Tom (from the Second Run Podcast), and Trev (from If It Bleeds We Can Kill It and Days of Future Podcast) as they unpack every aspect of the movie. We dissect everything from the political themes, the changes to the Godzilla character, the effects, and the state of the franchise to the reaction the movie has been getting on both sides of the pond. This is a long and contentious episode, so strap yourselves in!

For the next spooky October episode, Byrd and Matt are joined by Tom of the Second Run Podcast to take a look at Toho's Dracula Trilogy (aka The Bloodthirsty Trilogy) of the 70s. Many people are aware of Toho's interpretations of King Kong and Frankenstein, but their stylish Dracula films got lost in the shuffle here in the States with only the second and third films getting brief television runs and VHS releases in the 1980s and early 1990s. So how does Toho's loose take on the Bram Stoker mythology add up? Listen and find out!

NEW EPISODE: On this installment of our October horror series, we are once again joined by Tom of the Second Run Podcast to look at Ishiro Honda's cult classic Matango (aka Attack of the Mushroom People) from 1963. This is stylish horror film is arguably the most layered (and bleak) monster movie to come out of Toho in the Showa era. Join us as we discuss the movie's themes of isolation, societal breakdown, sexuality, and grotesque body horror. We also discuss Honda's relationship with screenwriter Takeshi Kimura, and how Kimura's works reflected his personal struggles. We'll even touch on the original short story by William Hope Hodgson, which the film was based on. Join us, but please don't eat the mushrooms!

Our October horror series concludes with our Halloween episode! Byrd and Matt are joined by Trev (of If It Bleeds We Can Kill it and Days of Future Podcast) to talk about Nobuhiko Obayashi's HOUSE, one of the oddeste genre films in Toho's Showa filmography. Based on a story by his ten year old daughter, Obayashi's film is truly one of the most unique cinematic experiences one could hope to see. HOUSE remains a cult classic to this day due to its carefree childlike spirit and its use of every practical effect in the book. Join us as we discuss how this oddity came to be and why it continues to be a cult favorite the world over. We also touch on Obayashi's aborted "A SPACE GODZILLA" project. But first, we discuss the success of Shin Godzilla in the US, the Power Rangers trailer, and the passing of director Kensho Yamashita.

On this special post-Election Day episode, Byrd and Matt are joined by Japanese culture guru and musician Chris Marti (of the one man band Cosmic Monster) to discuss the loaded messages behind Shin Godzilla. Arguably the most politically charged Godzilla film to date, what exactly is the film trying to say? And how much of it has been overlooked or misinterpreted by fans outside of Japan? What made Prime Minister Shinzo Abe so attracted to the film? Join us as we answer those questions and discuss Fukushima, nationalism, international affairs, censorship, post-WW2 Japan, Shinzo Abe, and how the message in this film compares to previous Toho classics!

On our very first audio commentary, Byrd, Matt and Tom tackle Ishiro Honda's Godzilla's Revenge (aka All Monsters Attack)! This oddball kids movie is far and away one of the most maligned entries in the Godzilla series. We'll discuss the history and sociopolitical themes of the film, as well as the pros and cons. Does this movie deserve its reputation as one of the worst kaiju movies ever or should it get more credit? Listen and find out! We might just surprise you!

To celebrate the release of a new Star Wars film this coming weekend, Byrd and Matt got together at 2:00 AM to take a delirious, sleep deprived look at two completely bonkers Japanese Star Wars knock-offs from the 1970s. Toho's War in Space (1977) and Toei's Message From Space (1978) were both put into production to capitalize on the success of the original Star Wars, which was going to be released in Japan in the summer of 1978. Listen as the two exhausted hosts discuss horned wookiees, flying battleships, rapist lizard men, and drunk Vic Morrow to ultimately decide- which studio made the better Star Wars rip off?

In the holiday spirit, Byrd, Matt and Eric give the gift of an intro to the world of kaiju collecting! They discuss what their first Godzilla collectibles were, and how their collecting habits have evolved with age. Matt and Eric talk their love of kaiju toys and Byrd discusses why he loves Japanese kaiju books that he can't read. Matt and Eric also give advice for people new to collecting kaiju toys. They also discuss their favorite items in their collections, and the ones that mean the most to them. This episode also features the debut of "Up From The Depths," the official Kaiju Transmissions theme song by Cosmic Monster!

Byrd and Matt are joined by musician and film music connoisseur Chris Marti of Cosmic Monster to discuss the music of kaiju films! We go discuss the various composers of kaiju films, our favorite composers and scores, and just how important music is in kaiju films. We follow that up with a monster music playlist that Chris put together for us, which includes well known tracks and oddball obscurities! Intro music: -Cosmic Monster- "Up From The Depths" -Marasu Sato- "The Appearance of MechaGodzilla" Kaiju Music Playlist: -Akira Ifukube- "Godzilla Comes Ashore" -Kunio Miyauchi- "Ultra Q Theme" -Masaru Sato- "Yacht, Hurricane and Monster" -Riichiro Manabe- "Monster Match III" -Erven Jereb- "Godzilla's Revenge Title Credits" -Magnetic System- "Cozzilla Main Theme" -Isao Tomita- "Great Prophecies of Nostradamus" -G.H.Q.- "Give Back The Sun" (cover)

Kaiju Transmissions welcomes its first Guest of Honor by welcoming (all the way from Japan!) writer/director/critic/translator/photographer Norman England to the show! As many fans know, Norman wasn't only the director of the Bringing Godzilla Down To Size documentary, but he's also spent MANY hours on Japanese film sets, including Gamera 3 and many of the Godzilla films (in addition to countless other Japanese genre films). In this first part of a two part interview, Norman shares many stories from his 100+ days working with the Toho crews, as well as his experience making what is arguably the definitive Godzilla documentary. In addition to that Norman also tells us about several books he's working on, nationalism, his thoughts on Shin Godzilla, and misconceptions that fans have about Japan. But first, we discuss Norman's inexplicable love of Howard the Duck and what it was like seeing movies in the torn down grindhouse theaters of 42nd Street in New York City back in the 80s.

For the second part of our interview, director/writer/critic/translator/photographer Norman England tells us all about the art of subtitling, working with Takashi Miike on the film Yakuza Apocalypse, his time working with Sushi Typhoon, being an American film critic in Japan, Japan's treatment of foreigners, the Japanese film industry, why he isn't currently directing another film, and the amount of effort that goes into making a movie. We also touch on Star Trek, Planet of the Apes, and the time Norman found a rare Son of Godzilla poster tacked to a wall in the middle of nowhere!

To kick off our weekly King Kong spectacular to lead up to the release of Kong: Skull Island, we set our sights on the Japanese King Kong films. Join us as we discuss Toho's King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962) and King Kong Escapes (1967) at length. We also touch on the two lost Japanese Kong films, the American/Japanese cartoon The King Kong Show, Kong's appearance on Toho's Go! Greenman, unmade Japanese Kong films, and even some of the many King Kong manga! The King of the Apes has a rich history with Japan and we wanna tell you all about it! But first, we have the latest news regarding Godzilla 2 and Legendary Pictures!

In the latest in weekly series leading up to Kong: Skull Island, we take a quick break from the King of the Apes to talk about his spiritual little brother, Mighty Joe Young! We discuss the Willis O'Brien/Ray Harryhausen classic from 1949, as well as the 1998 Disney remake. We'll discuss both films, Willis O'Brien, Ray Harryhausen, Rick Baker, and the advantages of practical effects over CGI. How do the adventures of Mr. Joseph Young of Africa hold up? Listen and find out!

On the next installment of our King Kong recap, we examine the Dino De Laurentiis remake from 1976, and its 1986 sequel King Kong Lives. But before reviewing the films, Byrd exhausts himself by recalling King Kong's convoluted legal rights history and the extremely troubled production of the 1976 remake. For some, these films bring a nostalgic sense of joy. For others, they represent a giant black eye on the franchise. What side of the fence do our hosts fall on? Listen and find out!

The next installment in our lead-up to Skull Island has us taking a detour to have a sleep deprived look at five King Kong rip-offs from around the globe. With King Kong being so popular, everyone wanted a piece of the action. We'll discuss Britain's KONGA (1961) and QUEEN KONG (1976), America's THE MIGHTY GORGA (1969), South Korea's A*P*E (1976), and Hong Kong's MIGHTY PEKING MAN (1977). We also touch on the obscure 2010 Kong remake from Bangladesh and some of the unlicensed animated versions of King Kong. We're really scraping the bottom of the barrel here, as some of these are among the worst giant monster films we've ever seen. Which of these are worth tracking down and which are the stinkers? Listen and find out!

Our last episode leading up to the release of Kong: Skull Island sees us looking at the 2005 King Kong remake directed by Peter Jackson. In addition to our review, we talk about how the movie came to be, the differences between the theatrical and extended editions, and the career of director Peter Jackson. It's hard to believe this movie is nearing 12 years old, so how does it hold up after all these years? Listen and find out!

Our Kongathon comes to an end with the release of Legendary Pictures' Kong: Skull Island. Matt and Byrd are joined by Trev (of If It Bleeds, We Can Kill It and Days of Future Podcast) to discuss the latest King Kong film. We give an in-depth discussion of the film's pros and cons and decide if it lives up to the hype. We also give our personal rankings of all of the King Kong movies and discuss how the new film compares to Legendary's other kaiju films. So how does the second entry in Legendary's MonsterVerse stack up? Listen and find out!

Byrd and Matt are joined by guests Trev (of If It Bleeds, We Can Kill It and Days of Future Podcast) and the Goat (Hillbilly DVD Reviews, 1980s Movie Graveyard) for a casual and nostalgic look at the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series. We discuss its Super Sentai origins, growing up with Power Rangers, our favorite episodes and characters, the two theatrical films (1995's Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: The Movie and 1997's Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie), and what we hope to get out of the upcoming big budget reboot.

Byrd and Matt are once again joined by Trev (of If It Bleeds We Can Kill It, Days of Future Podcast) as we discuss the new big budget Hollywood Power Rangers reboot. The film was met with a lot of doubt by a lot of fans, so how did the movie hold up? Listen and find out! We also talk about the film's origins, the original Max Landis script, the sequel graphic novel, and what we'd like to see in the next movie. But first, we have some news on the Godzilla anime, and Byrd and Trev give their impressions after watching the first episodes of Power Rangers: RPM.

At 3:00AM, an exhausted Byrd and kinda drunk Matt consider rebooting the podcast as ORCACAST, where we will dedicate each episode to the 1977 masterpiece, ORCA. What better way to start such an experiment than with a full blown audio commentary on the movie? We'll talk stiff whale props, aborted rubber whale fetuses, how an Orca would know how to start an explosion, how the Orca could have fought King Kong in the aborted sequel, Blackfish, globsters, exploding whale carcasses, and more! Byrd's semi-drunk roommate also acts as our first ever live audience. How did the OrcaCast experiment go? Was it a roaring success or was it one of the worst, least professional podcasts ever recorded? Decide for yourself! Happy April Fool's Day.

At long last, we finally have the results from our Godzilla movie ranking poll! Over the winter, we conducted a survey asking listeners to rank all 31 Godzilla movies and Byrd, Matt, and Tom have the results. We give some predictions and then discuss what we found. Do certain age groups prefer certain eras of the franchise? Where do strange outliers like Godzilla (1998) fall? Where did the recent Legendary film and Shin Godzilla place overall? What movies are the most loved/hated? We have the answers! But first, we read and answer some listener mail, where we'll discuss box office, our favorite non-kaiju monster movies, and more!

In celebration of Mystery Science Theater 3000's brand new season on Netflix, Byrd and Matt are joined by MST superfan Trev (Days of Future Podcast/If It Bleeds We Can Kill It), this time to discuss the phenomena that is MST3K! Although the show's reputation among kaiju fans is rather split, there are a great many who got their first taste of the genre through MST, spawning a life long obsession with all things tokusatsu. We start by discussing the genesis of MST and the misconceptions about it in some genre film circles, which leads into a spirited defense of the show. Then we discuss the history of the show, network changes, host switches, what the show did for the Gamera franchise stateside, and the true value of a film being loved on an ironic "so bad, it's good" level. And of course, we discuss our favorite episodes, riffs, and moments from the series!

On this episode, Byrd and Matt are joined by frequent guest Eric to discuss and celebrate the Shochiku studio's lone kaiju Guilala, one of the genre's oddest creations! We discuss 1967's "The X From Outer Space" and the 2008 comedy sequel "Monster X Strikes Back" (which turns into one of our most contentious reviews and leaves Byrd speechless). In addition to Byrd having a meltdown, you'll also hear us discuss Guilala's bizarre non-film career, how to pronounce "Guilalanium," possible racist undertones, and the charm of such a bizarre beast! Enjoy and keep your Guilalanium handy!

Byrd and Matt are joined by Trev (Days of Future Podcast/If It Bleeds, We Can Kill It) to discuss the recent giant monster indie COLOSSAL directed by Nacho Vigalondo. We discuss male entitlement, alcoholism, dissociation from foreign violence, toxic relationships, and giant monsters as an externalization of real life personal problems. Of course we also touch on the now infamous Toho lawsuit that held up the production. Colossal is a very different type of movie in the giant monster landscape. So listen and find out what the guys thought of this dark, offbeat giant monster dramedy!

For our MOTHER'S DAY SPECIAL, we take a look at a angry kaiju mothers! We start by talking about 1961's GORGO out of Britain. Then we talk about Nikkatsu's GAPPA: THE TRIPHIBIAN MONSTER (1967) and the long forgotten Fox television movie GARGANTUA (1998). We also touch on other angry gigantic mothers. Mothra, Jurassic Park's T-Rex, Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend, and more! We also touch on the part our own mothers played in our hobby, Byrd's daddy issues and the latest King Kong, Jurassic Park and Ultraman news. Happy Mother's Day!

Byrd and Matt are joined by Hedorah superfan Chris (of the musical project Cosmic Monster) to discuss the life and career of Yoshimitsu Banno, who passed away on May 7th, 2017. Banno is most well known for writing and directing Godzilla vs. Hedorah, but he did quite a bit more in his career. We discuss his life and career from his early days as an assistant director for Akira Kurosawa to writing/directing Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971), writing/assisting on Toho's Prophecies of Nostradamus (1974), his cancelled Godzilla 3D IMAX project, executive producing the Legendary Pictures Godzilla film in 2014, kick-starting the MonsterVerse, and everything in between! We hit on the genesis of these projects, environmentalism and Banno's place in kaiju history. Banno never got the credit he deserved for his contributions to the genre, so we wanted to give the father of Hedorah his due! RIP Mr. Banno!

Byrd, Matt, and Eric take a deep dive into Daiei's OTHER kaiju franchise, Daimajin! In 1966, Daiei released not one, not two, but THREE films all starring the gigantic stone god Daimajin. A combination of the Japanese daikaiju and jidaigeki (period drama) genres, these are some of the most unique and interesting giant monster films to date. We discuss the three films and we also touch on the Daimajin reboots that got cancelled over the years, the TV series Daimajin Kanon, how Daiei never quite took full advantage of their monster roster, and the future of their monster franchises!

Byrd and Matt are joined by very, very special guest, G-Fest organizer Jeff Horne! With G-Fest 2017 on the horizon, Jeff talks to us about a variety of topics, including the history of the convention, how it has evolved over the years, online fandom vs real life, convention guests, movie screenings, favorite G-Fest moments, and all the work that goes into organizing a convention every year. We also talk about what first time attendees can expect. We also announce that Kaiju Transmissions will be part of a live panel at G-Fest! G-FEST XXIV will be held from July 14th to July 16th, 2017, at the Crowne Plaza Chicago Oâ??Hare.

Byrd and Matt take a look at Toho's disaster epic, SUBMERSION OF JAPAN. What happens when Toho decides to make destruction spectacle without giant monsters? We take a look at Shiro Moritani's SUBMERSION OF JAPAN (1973), Shinji Higuchi's SINKING OF JAPAN (2006), and Minoru Kawasaki's parody film THE WORLD SINKS EXCEPT JAPAN (2006). We compare and contrast the films by talking about their political themes, effects, and how each version is a product of their times.

On a very special episode, Matt and Nick Poling (of The Monster Report) sat down with suit actor and stuntman Tom Kitagawa! Kitagawa is best known for playing Godzilla in five of the six Millennium series films, playing King Ghidorah in Mothra 3, and playing many of the heroes in Toei's Sentai series. Recorded at the Days of the Dead convention in Indiana, Matt and Nick chat with Mr. Kitagawa about his start in Battle Fever J, stunt work on the Sentai shows, the challenges of playing Godzilla, working in TV vs film, winding down after a long shoot, recovering from his recent surgery, and more! Special thanks to Cory Hannigan for translating during the interview.

Byrd and Matt are back home from G-Fest XXIV and they're ready to talk all about it! We discuss interview recordings gone horribly wrong, meeting KT listeners, highlights and new information learned from various panels including those from Shinji Higuchi, Kiyotaka Taguchi, and Yuji Kaida, seeing Kong: Skull Island in 70mm, meeting director Jordan Vogt-Roberts (and what we learned from his Q and A), being a kid again at the Field Museum's Jurassic World exhibit, and more!

Byrd, Matt, and guest Trev (of If It Bleeds We Can Kill It and Days of Future Podcast) take KT's first dive into the Giant Robot genre by discussing what is arguably the biggest giant robot franchise in the world. We discuss all five of Michael Bay's Transformers movies, as well as the Japanese roots of Transformers (which many seem to forget), our memories of the original animated series, and why Bay's blockbusters seem to grab audiences more than the recent kaiju films have. The "Bayformers" series was one of KT's biggest viewing challenges yet, and for Byrd, these movies proved to be his cinematic kryptonite. How did the crew fare this time? Listen and find out! But first, Trev reports back from San Diego Comic-Con and discusses the presence of kaiju properties there, including the recent Pacific Rim: Uprising teaser video!

Byrd and Matt discuss two creature features from South Korean director Bong Joon-ho. First we discuss 2006's The Host and dissect the film's themes and the real life incidents that influenced the film. Then we discuss the recent film Okja, which just dropped as a Netflix Original. We go deep into the themes of each film, and discuss the hot topic of what the original content created by Netflix and other streaming services means for theatrical films and big studios.

Byrd and Matt are joined by guest Chris (of the Other Sounds Podcast and Cosmic Monster) to discuss the work and life of Haruo Nakajima, who passed away on August 7, 2017. Nakajima is best known for playing Godzilla from 1954-1972, as well as playing Rodan, Mothra, Baragon, the Green Gargantua, Varan, various Ultraman kaiju, and many others. Nakajima was the most prolific suit actor of the Showa era and endured plenty of dangerous situations by playing monsters underwater, being flung through the air on wires, having explosives go off near his flesh, being buried alive, and more, all in the name of entertainment. We discuss Nakajima's start as a stuntman, working with Akira Kurosawa, his filmography, and our favorite Nakajima roles, as well as who he was to us and his legion of fans worldwide.

Byrd and Matt dig into the life and career of famed monster music composer Akira Ifukube! To do this, they interview Ifukube's official biographer Erik Homenick (who runs AkiraIfukube.org) and film music buff John DeSentis (conductor & co-organizer of the Ifukube 100 and Symphonic Fury kaiju music concerts). As an added bonus, they've brought some SUPER rare Ifukube music cues (reconstructed and recorded by John from Ifukube's manuscripts). This is UNHEARD Ifukube music you will only hear on this podcast! We discuss how the composer got involved in film music, his preferred instrumentation, why he didn't get along with Akira Kurosawa, his political views, his relationship with Ishiro Honda, how he felt about his kaiju scores, the creation of Godzilla's roar and more! Then we take a dive into how he got involved with the original Godzilla film, and debunk some common myths about the score. This is a packed episode, so listen up!

Due to some MAJOR technical difficulties at G-Fest, the audio from our interviews with composer Michiru Oshima, director/SPFX Director Kiyotaka Taguchi and assistant director Kazuhiro Nakagawa were all unusable. To make up for it, we've transcribed the interviews for us to discuss them on the podcast, where we can talk about their answers and give our thoughts on what they had to say. Oshima discusses working on the Godzilla films, working with Seijun Suzuki, and composing for anime and video games. Taguchi discusses working on Godzilla films, the Ultraman shows, his short films, and his thoughts on CGI. Nakagawa discusses his film Day of the Kaiju, working on Attack on Titan and Shin Godzilla, and his thoughts on the Monsterverse. So listen up and hear our reflections on getting the amazing opportunity to interview these incredible people. But first, we have some fan mail! Also, check out the text transcripts of the interviews at maserpatrol.wordpress.com!

For our very first LIVE episode, we present our 50th anniversary panel discussion on 1967's GAMERA vs. GYAOS. Byrd and Matt are joined by Nicolas Poling (of the Monster Report on YouTube) to take a deep dive through how it was made, how it originated, the SPFX, how it changed the Gamera franchise, the social climate of the time that is reflected throughout the film, differences in the rare manga adaptation, audience Q & A, and more! DISCLAIMER: The audio on this one isn't perfect since the convention couldn't support some of our hardware, but we cleaned it up the best we could!

Matt and Byrd are joined by special guest, Ed Holland of Monster Attack Team magazine! We interview Ed about the creation of the magazine, its hiatus, and its resurgence over the last few years! Just how does one get a high quality magazine made in 2017? Ed also tells us about being on the sets of Ultraman Powered and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. But first, we discuss Ed's relationship with the late Haruo Nakajima, who passed away shortly before this recording. Ed did a lot of stateside events with Mr. Nakajima and shared some great stories and insights! Kick back and enjoy!

From June 30-July 3 of 2017, Godzilla suit actors Haruo Nakajima and Tom Kitagawa were featured guests at the Days of the Dead convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. This is the panel Q and A with the two actors from the convention. Unfortunately, this would also become one of Haruo Nakajima's final interviews and his final convention appearance. The two men answer questions about how they got involved in suit acting, working in the suits, working with miniatures, their thoughts on the American Godzilla films and more! With the clearance from the Days of the Dead con, KT is proud to present this panel discussion with two legendary kaiju performers! Listen and enjoy! Special thanks to Nick Adam Poling and Jonathan Crocetti for providing the audio, Christopher Marti for his post production work, and Corey Hannigan for translating at the panel! DISCLAIMER: The audio for this is a little rough, as the convention did not have a proper set up to accommodate some of the recording hardware. After a lot of post-production work, we are presenting it in the absolute best quality we were able to get from the elements available.

Byrd and Matt are joined by Trev (If It Bleed We Can Kill It and Days of Future Podcast) to take one of our occasional detours outside the giant monster landscape to examine the the Death Note franchise. In the early 2000s, this supernatural thriller became a worldwide phenomenon, starting with the successful manga and anime series. It also spawned multiple live action films from such genre heavyweights as Shusuke Kaneko, Hideo Nakata and Adam Wingard. Our discussion is mostly based on the two 2006 Shusuke Kaneko films and Adam Wingard's American adaptation that just dropped as a Netflix Original. We'll also touch on the manga and anime, the L spin-off film, and the 2016 Japanese sequel Light Up The New World. We also discuss the recent "whitewashing" controversy surrounding the Netflix film. But first, we discuss the Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters teaser and the recent news that Steven Soderbergh was planning a remake of Matango!

Byrd and Matt are joined by silent film historian and film restorationist Nicolas Ciccone to discuss Willis O'Brien and Harry O. Hoyt's 1925 game-changer The Lost World. Nicolas had the experience of reconstructing the film with newly discovered footage for Lobster Films' upcoming blu-ray release (in addition to providing the audio commentary). This pre-King Kong dino-on-the-loose classic is the very first giant monster run amok film and the true great grandfather of the entire giant monster/kaiju genre. We discuss the making of the film, the differences between the original Arthur Conan Doyle novel and the film, the early career of Willis O'Brien, Obie's falling out with Herbert Dawley on The Ghost of Slumber Mountain, the casual racism in the film, the brand new extended cut, lost footage, the new restoration and more! Much of this film has been lost over the years, only available in truncated versions pieced together from various elements, and the upcoming blu-ray will be the most complete version seen since the 1920's. Flicker Alley will be unleashing Lobster Films restoration on 9/19/2017 with a brand new 2k transfer!

On a very special edition of the podcast, we present another celebrity interview with actor/stuntman Kenji Ohba! Kenji is best known for playing the long-running Toei tokusatsu superhero Space Sheriff Gavan, as well as his long career as a stunt man. Matt traveled to Fandom Fest in Kentucky this past July to conduct this interview. Ohba discusses his tokusatsu beginnings as a stuntman/suit actor in shows like Kikaider, being mentored by Sonny Chiba, mentoring Godzilla actor Tom Kitagawa, the difficulties of stunt work, how working on tokusatsu TV shows has changed over the years, and of course, the continued popularity of the Space Sheriff Gavan character (who he still plays to this day). Tune in and enjoy! Special thanks to Hiro Kitagawa for translating for this interview.

On a very special episode of the podcast, we are ridiculously excited to welcome the legendary and prolific martial arts action star Sonny Chiba! Matt ventured to Fandom Fest in Kentucky to sit down and talk with Mr. Chiba. With nearly 200 acting credits, Sonny Chiba has done it all. He's well known for his roles in cult classics like the Street Fighter series, Golgo 13, Message From Space, the Yakuza Papers and Bodyguard Kiba. He's been in everything from early tokusatsu films like Golden Bat and Invasion of the Neptune Men to work in Hollywood with Kill Bill and Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. He's done dozens of yakuza and martial arts films. He's also done a lot of stunt work, as well as founding the Japan Action Club for stunt/action actors. Listen as Sonny describes a variety of topics including legendary director Kinji Fukusaku, Vic Morrow, being cast by Quentin Tarantino, Fast and the Furious, language barriers on set, early tokusatsu hero film sets, differences between Japanese and Hollywood films, late actors Ken Takakura and Hirkoi Matsukata, advise for future stunt actors and more! Special thanks to Hiro Kitagawa for translating for this interview.

On a special episode, Byrd and Matt welcome Linda Miller, best known for her role as Susan Watson in the Toho/Rankin-Bass classic King Kong Escapes! In addition to her starring role in one of Toho's golden age kaiju films, she also made an appearance in Toei's cult favorite, The Green Slime. Linda discusses both films, her modeling career, being directed by the great Ishiro Honda, language barriers on the Japanese sets, working with stars like Akira Takarada, Rhodes Reason, and Richard Jaeckel, her convention experiences, why she stopped acting, and what she's done in her post-acting life. Linda will be attending the Chiller Theatre convention in Parsippany, NJ from 10/27/2017-10/29/2017. If you're in the area, come give her a visit!

Byrd and Matt welcome special guest, author John LeMay ("The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monsters" book series) on the podcast to discuss kaiju movies that almost were! It seems almost as if for every Godzilla movie that got made, there are several scripts for other movies that never saw the light of day. John's newest book, "The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monsters: The Lost Films" details that very subject. We talk to John about his book, his beginnings as a writer, the process of writing the book, and why he's so drawn to the topic of unmade films. Then we also talk our favorite unmade Godzila/kaiju projects, and the ones we would have liked to see the most. We talk about infamous lost projects like Mothra vs Bagan, Godzilla vs Batman, and the proposed Toho/Hammer co-production Nessie, as well as obscurities such as Japan SOS, Bride of Godzilla, and Godzilla vs. M. We also debunk some common myths along our way. So listen up, relax and learn about the Godzilla movies we ALMOST had!

Happy October! KT is once again going through Japanese horror films for the entire month and we're kicking it off with the classic anthology film Kwaidan, directed by the great Masaki Kobayashi. This independent feature was produced by Ninjen Club and distributed by Toho in 1964 and features four horror stories based on the Japanese folk stories of author Lafcadio Hearn. We discuss how the film was made, the unique musical score, the struggles that Kobayashi went through to finish the film, and the strange life of author Lafcadio Hearn. Enjoy!

On another very special episode, Byrd and Matt and joined by actress Linda Haynes for this candid, career spanning interview. Kaiju fans know her best for her role in Ishiro Honda's Latitude Zero. She also starred in many 70s cult favorites such as Coffy, Rolling Thunder, and Human Experiments. We discuss these films, as well as variety of topics such as her work with directors like Ishiro Honda, John Flynn and Jack Hill, stars such as Joseph Cotten, Akira Takarada, Pam Grier, and Robert Redford, her post-acting career, making positive changes in life, the convention circuit, turning down a role from Quentin Tarantino and more! Enjoy! Linda will be attending the Chiller Theatre convention in Parsippany, NJ from 10/27/2017-10/29/2017. If you're in the area, come and give her a visit!

In our second October horror episode, Byrd, Matt, and guest host Trev (Days of Future Podcast, If It Bleeds We Can Kill It) dip their toes into the Eko Eko Azarak franchise with a discussion on the first three live action movies. Produced by Gaga Co. and Tsuburaya Films, these were based on the popular manga of the same name. The series follows a young schoolgirl witch who travels from town to town as a protector against demonic activity. We discuss the original manga and review Wizard of Darkness (1995), its prequel followup Birth of the Wizard (1996) and the TV-series spin off Misa the Dark Angel (1998). How do these hold up? Listen and find out!

On a new October podcast, Byrd and Matt are joined by guest host Tom to discuss Toho's "Mutant Trilogy." It is time to discuss more of Toho's human sized monsters, as we discuss The H-Man (1958), The Secret of the Telegian (1960), and the Human Vapor (1960). Although not as popular as Toho's giant monster films, the mutant films are every bit as noteworthy. As always, we have a lively discussion, as we discuss the origins of these films and give our reviews. Listen and enjoy as we discuss radioactive blobs, a teleporting serial killer, and a vapor man! But first we discuss our thoughts on the new Pacific Rim: Uprising trailer!

Just in time for Halloween, Byrd, Matt and guest host Tom take a look at Daiei's Yokai franchise! This includes the original trilogy of 100 Monsters, Spook Warfare, and Along With Ghosts, as well as Takashi Miike's 2004 reboot, The Great Yokai War. You'll hear us discuss all four movies, as well as give a crash course on what a Yokai is, the influence of GeGeGe No Kitaro, and more! These are prime viewing in the month of October, so break out the Adzuki beans and enjoy!

As a Halloween bonus, Byrd and Matt discuss and review the first screen adaptation of William Hope Hodgson's "The Voice In The Night" (the short story that Toho's Matango was based on). This was an episode of the Alfred Hitchcock produced anthology TV series "Suspicion," which aired on NBC in 1958 and starred James Coburn, Barbara Rush, Patrick Macnee, and James Donald before their careers took off. This TV episode languished in total obscurity for decades until recent years when an old, faded print finally made its way onto Youtube. So how does this early adaptation differ from Toho's cult classic? Is this version or Matango more faithful to the original Hodgson story? Listen and find out! Happy Halloween!

At long last, we're back with more Gamera talk! We are joined by guest hosts Tom and Eric to discuss Shusuke Kaneko's acclaimed Gamera trilogy and 2006's reboot, Gamera the Brave. Kaneko's Gamera trilogy of the 90s remains three of the most beloved kaiju films of all time by both fans and critics. We will talk about whether or not these films earned their reputation and discuss how they hold up in 2017. We then divert our attention to the 2006 reboot, Gamera the Brave which came and went with little fanfare. Did this movie deserve to have such a short shelf life or is it an unsung classic? And what should Daiei be doing with Gamera in this current, kaiju heavy climate? We discuss all this and more!

Byrd, Matt, and guest host Kevin review the second and final season of Netflix's anime series Pacific Rim: The Black.  We review the show as well as discuss the wait between seasons, and how the Pacific Rim franchise should move forward after this.  But first we talk about the new Godzilla and Kong/Call of Duty game crossover and we give our tribute to recently deceased actor Hiroyuki Watanabe.  Relax and enjoy the discussion!

More of Byrd's appearance on blogger/author Keven Derendorf's Maser Patrol Podcast with Justin Mullis sees the trio review Criterion's recent Showa Godzilla box set.  Also discussed is the complicated history behind why the set turned out the way it did and what content did/did not make the cut.  The two also discuss Mill Creek's massive and ambitious Ultraman release slate, as well as discuss the Ultra Q and Ultraman blu rays.  It is a good time for tokusatsu on home video, so enjoy the discussion!

Happy Halloween!  This time, we're joined by Tom and Trev to talk about the Canadian sci-fi/horror/comedy Psycho Goreman!  Directed by Steven Kostanski (of the cult film collective Astron-6), and inspired by 80s fantasy, Japanese superhero shows and 90s family films, it tells the story of Psycho Goreman (aka PG), an alien warlord who falls to Earth and becomes controlled by a sociopathic little girl.  While PG is playing dodgeball and turning kids into tentacled brain creatures, he has to fend off a rogues gallery of tokusatsu inspired monsters and learn the power of love along the way.  We'll also talk about the history of Canadian filmmaking collective Astron 6.  How does this gore soaked genre mashup fare?  Listen and find out!

Byrd and Matt are joined by the prolific voice actress, Tiffany Grant!  Tiffany is one of the most prolific voice actresses in the dubbing world, having worked on titles such as Neon Genesis Evangelion, the Gamera trilogy, Vampire Hunter D, Super Atragon, Blue Seed and TONS more.   We discuss her beginnings doing dubs at ADV Films, her work dubbing Dr. Nagamine in the Gamera trilogy, her iconic performance as Asuka in Evangelion, her work adapting English scripts for dubbing, having to use studio mandated translations, the difference between animation and live action dubbing, and more!

With Matt on an extended hiatus, Byrd brings in Lux, Tom and Kevin to ring in our annual October horror series of podcasts by talking about Kaneto Shindo's folk-horror classic, Kuroneko!  Set in feudal Japan, it tells the story of a mother and her daughter in law who are raped and murdered by a troop of samurai.  The two come back as ferocious bakeneko (ghost cat) yokai by making a deal with the underworld to kill all samurai.  Things get complicated when the husband/son-in law of the pair returns home as a samurai.  Combining atmospheric black and white photography and influences from Japanese theater, Kuroneko has become one of the celebrated horror films of its time.  So how does it hold up?  Listen and find out!

Byrd, Kevin and Justin interview poet and Japanese literary translator Jeffrey Angles about his recent translations of Shigeru Kayama's 1955 novelizations of Godzilla '54 and Godzilla Raids Again (now available for the first time in English via University of Minnesota Press).  We talk about Angles' interest in Japanese literature, his love of Edogawa Ranpo, the tightrope of maintaining an author's voice while translating, the life and career of Godzilla author Shigeru Kayama, Kayama's long-overlooked contributions to the creation of Godzilla, releasing a Godzilla book without needing Toho's permission, differences between the films and the novels, and more!  Relax and join the conversation!

Byrd, Matt and Kevin discuss the low budget South Korean kaiju oddity, War of the God Monsters!  This obscure film uses stock footage from various Tsuburaya kaiju tv shows to string together a story about global warming awakening angry dinosaurs and the perpetually angry scientist who warns the masses.  The film was virtually lost until the recent blu-ray release from SRS Cinema.  In addition to our review, we discuss the movie's origin and reputation, the pre-2000s Korean film industry, "cut and paste" film making and more.  But first, we give our first impressions of Godzilla: Singular Point so far, our thoughts on Legendary's talks for a Son of Kong film, and Byrd and Matt review the Godzilla vs. Kong "Ultimate Showdown" energy drink.  Relax and enjoy the conversation!

Byrd and Matt are joined by author John LeMay (The Lost Films, Kong Unmade, Lost Films of the Lost World) to discuss Denmark's entry in the giant monster genre, 1961's Reptilicus!  This co-production between Denmark's Saga Studios and America's AIP has a strange history, having filmed two versions with (mostly) the same cast for both countries.  We discuss both versions, trouble behind the scenes, and more!  We also talk about the canceled 2000's sequel, the novelization, the comic book (which was later rebranded as "Reptisaurus"), and the 2008 Reptisaurus film.  Relax and enjoy the conversation!

Byrd and Matt are joined by frequent guest host Kevin, as well as Justin Mullis (the Man Creates Dinosaurs blog) to talk about the recent Netflix anime series, Japan Sinks 2020.  This new adaptation of the Sakyo Komatsu disaster novel (which got two tokusatsu adaptations from Toho) takes a new approach to the material with a new storyline, new characters, and a lot of commentary on the current state of Japan.  We'll review the series, as well as discuss how the themes relate to the current climate.  We talk about neo-religions, Fukushima, nationalism, and much more!

Byrd, Kevin and Tom discuss the Gakkou No Kaidan (aka Haunted School aka School Ghost Stories aka Ghost Stories) franchise with the main point of discussion being Toho's four live action films from the 1990s.  Haunted School is a multi-media franchise that started as a book of short stories written by a teacher who got ideas for children's horror stories from his students.  It has since gotten film, television, anime, and feature film adaptations, as well as video games, toys, etc.  The Japanese TV specials largely paved the way for the J-Horror boom, including a spinoff series, Ju-On (aka The Grudge), which itself has become a global pop culture phenomenon.  Toho's films were released between 1995 and 1999 with three entries being directed by Hideyuki Hirayama (Samurai Resurrection 2003) and one by Shusuke Kaneko (GMK, Gamera Trilogy) and were met with box office success in Japan but still remain elusive internationally.  So how do these movies hold up?  And how does this franchise tie into Toho's Bloodthirsty trilogy?  Listen and find out!

In 2018, Byrd and Tom joined up with the Movie Graveyard Podcast for an audio commentary for 1961's UK classic Gorgo!  We talked about the state of the giant monster genre at the time, how it would go on to influence kaiju cinema, its origins as a Japanese/British co-production and more.  Listen along and enjoy the discussion!

Byrd, Tom, Kevin, and Lux are back to give a crash course on Japan's biggest yokai franchise, GeGeGe No Kitaro.  The franchise, created by famous mangaka Shigeru Mizuki launched Japan's yokai folk creatures into the mainstream, where they have been ever since.  GeGeGe No Kitaro is about a yokai boy named Kitaro and his friends often trying to resolve a conflict between the human world and the yokai world.  For this podcast, we looked at a sampler of Kitaro anime adaptations from over the years: 1968's Daikaiju (loosely based on a 1958 Godzilla manga written by Mizuki) in which our protagonist turns into a giant whale monster.  Next we have the 1986 movie version of The Great Yokai War (which Daiei would take inspiration from for several of their yokai films), in which Kitaro and friends go up against Dracula, the Wolf Man, Frankenstein's Monster and the wicked witch.  We follow that with 1997's Yokai Express: Phantom Train film, which combines the Great Yokai War storyline with the Ghost Train storyline, this time seeing the classic Western monsters hijack a train from hell.  We close things off with two choice episodes of the recent 2018 Kitaro anime.  We'll get into the history of Kitaro, the career of Shigeru Mizuki, and give our thoughts on the various adaptations.  Relax and enjoy the show!

Byrd, Tom, Kevin and Lux pair up two independent horror films made in Japan by American filmmakers, with a mix of American and Japanese cast and crew.  First up we have the Manster, an early body horror film directed by Kenneth G Crane (the American version of Half Human) and starring Peter Dynely (Thunderbirds), Terri Zimmern Jerry Ito (Mothra), and Tetsu Nakamura (Mothra, Latitude Zero).  It is about an American journalist in Japan who becomes the subject of an evolution experiment that causes a monstrous creature to grow out of his shoulder and commit murders across Tokyo.  Then we have the Revenge of Dr. X (actually titled Venus Flytrap), a film written by Ed Wood (yes, that Ed Wood) and shot in Japan by bored military personnel stationed there (we get into that insane story).  It tells the story of a cantankerous NASA scientist who goes to Japan to "relax" and (for reasons left unclear) starts splicing plant DNA to create a violent plant-man.  There's unhinged gas station attendants, pearl divers, mute hunchbacks and more.  How do these compare to other b-movies of the times?  Why did some guys in the military decide to buy an Ed Wood script and shoot it in Japan?  Why is SO MUCH of the information out there about Dr. X false?  Which of these movies nearly drove us to madness? We have the answers, so relax and enjoy the conversation!

We're back with something a little different this time as we're joined by Trev and Tom to discuss some Japanese flavored takes on everyone's favorite caped crusader.  We talk about the heavily anime and kaiju influenced Batman Unlimited animated film, Mechs vs Mutants, and the completely bonkers anime film Batman Ninja!  We're gonna talk giant monsters, giant robots, giant monkeys, giant Batmans and giant... castles!  But first, we discuss the announced Prince of Space remake, and Batman's popularity in Japan, including an aborted crossover film with Godzilla!

Byrd, Tom and Lux are back to take a look at the 1982 semi-obscurity The House Where Evil Dwells. This haunted house shocker is a co-production made with assistance from the legendary Toei studios. It was directed by Kevin Connor (The Land that Time Forgot) and stars Edward Albert, Susan George, and the incomparable Doug McClure. Based on an unpublished novel of the same name, it tells the story of an American family that moves to Japan and the vengeful ghosts that inhabit their house (and bodies). There's killer crabs, zen monks, Sentai on the TV, and more in this oddity that blends American and Japanese ghost movie tropes. Relax and enjoy the conversation!

We are joined by our Kaiju Masterclass partner, writer Patrick Galvan (SyFy, Our Culture, Ruan Lingyu: Her Life and Career) to discuss Ishiro Honda's banned 1955 film Half Human (aka The Beastman Snowman).  Made immediately after the original Godzilla, the film tells the story of a mountain expedition to search for the abominable snowman (and a sleazy promoter looking to kidnap the creature).  The film is under a self-imposed ban by Toho due to its offensive depiction of the Burakumin minority group, and can only be watched on VHS rips from a copy that was smuggled out of Toho years ago.  In our discussion we will discuss the making of the film and explore the topic of Burakumin oppression and the very real struggles that the group still faces to this day.  We also give some time to the bizarre and incomprehensible American version of the film starring John Carradine.  Relax and enjoy the discussion!

 

Byrd, Kevin, Lux and Tom go back to 1996 to talk about Godzilla Returns by Marc Cerasini, the first novel in a short lived series of books by Random House.  In the mid-90s, Random House signed a deal with Toho and released books for different age groups.  This would include children's picture books, children's novels by Scott Ciencin, and young adult novels by Marc Cerasini.  Long out of print, these books have become almost a thing of myth, and have developed a nostalgic cult following over the years.  We'll talk about the first book in the line, as well as give our memories of being young Godzilla fans in the 90s, and how Godzilla merchandising has changed over the years.  So how does the first book hold up in 2024 without the nostalgia glasses on?  Listen and find out! 

Byrd, Matt, Tom and Kevin review the recent short film Howl From Beyond the Fog.  Directed by Daisuke Sato and with a creature built by legendary monster maker Keizo Murase, this period piece is about a blind girl and the monster who protects her, as greedy developers threaten to take over her family's land.  Using an all puppet human cast and a fantastic monster suit, it offers a new aesthetic in the world of kaiju films.  So what did the gang think of it?  Listen and find out!

Byrd, Matt, Kevin and Lux discuss the recent anime adaptation, Kaiju No. 8, based on the best selling manga by Naoya Matsumoto.  The show is a co production between heavy hitters like Khara, Toho, and Production I.G., and directed by Shigeyuki Miya and Tomomi Kamiya.  It tells the story of a world where giant monster attacks are a regular occurance.  One evening a small creature flies into the mouth of a kaiju cleanup crew member named Kafka, giving him the ability to transform into the half human/half kaiju hero Kaiju No. 8!  But while Kafka attempts to join the anti-kaiju Defence Force, he struggles to keep his secret as the threats get bigger and bigger.  Join us as we talk about the show, but first, we give a brief recap of G-Fest 2024!

Byrd and Matt are joined by Kevin Derendorf (Maser Patrol/Kaiju For Hipsters) and Justin Mullis (Man Creates Dinosaurs blog) to talk about King Kong's animated forms, with a spotlight on four "unofficial" animated films that were made without the permission of Kong's rights holders.  We discuss the animated musical The Mighty Kong (1998), two Kong Animated Series sequels Kong: King of Atlantis and Kong: Return to the Jungle, and the feature length pilot episode of Kong: King of the Apes.  But first we discuss the original 60s "King Kong Show", and how the convoluted legal rights to King Kong allowed the original films' novelization go into the public domain, and how that lead to these animated productions being made in the first place.  We also bust some very commonly repeated myths about the availability of the rights to King Kong.  Relax and enjoy the conversation!

We are joined by our fellow Kaiju Masterclass convention team members Steve Ryfle, Ed Godziszewski, Patrick Galvan, Erik Homenick, and Amanda Whalen and presenter Kevin Derendorf for a look behind the scenes of this year's virtual convention. This year's show will have a diverse guest roster, including director Kazuki Omori (Godzilla vs Biollante, Godzilla vs King Ghidorah), dub actress Tiffany Grant (Gamera Trilogy, Neon Genesis Evangelion), monster maker Fuyuki Shinada (GMK, Gamera Trilogy), suit actor Tom Kitagawa (Millennium Godzilla series, Super Sentai) and Godzilla 1984 composer Reijiro Koroku (in his first English language interview!) to talk about their craft and their creative process in creating our favorite kaiju and tokusatsu films. There will also be a host of guest presenters including authors John LeMay, Mike Bogue, and Norman England, among many more! Join us for a look behind the scenes of this year's convention and join us November 5th-7th on Youtube for a weekend of exclusive content and interviews.   Follow Kaiju Masterclass: Website:- www.kaijumasterclass.com   Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxgWJLIqDFbY4eCxCudSZkw   Twitter: https://twitter.com/kaiju_mc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kaiju-Masterclass   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaiju_masterclass ---------------------------------------------------------------- -Podbean: https://kaijutransmissions.podbean.com   -iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/kaiju-transmissions-podcast/id1128609095?mt=2   -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5unP1hz8bMecxhPi9dJfIE   -Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2thaWp1dHJhbnNtaXNzaW9ucy9mZWVkLnhtbA   -Podbean: https://kaijutransmissions.podbean.com   -Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kaiju-transmissions-podcast/the-kaiju-transmissions-podcast?refid=stpr   -Android: https://subscribeonandroid.com/kaijutransmissions.podbean.com/feed/

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Byrd and Matt are joined by frequent guest host Trev (Days of Future Podcast and Failure to Franchise), as well as independent game developer Alex Rushdy (13AM Games) to unpack the recent film, Monster Hunter directed by Paul WS Anderson.  This Sony/Toho/Tencent/Constantin Films co-production (yes, there's that many studios involved) based on Capcom's hit video game series landed exclusively in theaters with little fanfare at an unfortunate height for the COVID-19 pandemic.  In addition to our review, Alex gives us a history of the Monster Hunter game franchise, we discuss early versions of the script, the controversy over a removed scene, melted chocolate, and more!  Listen and enjoy the show!

On July 14, 2019, Akira Ifukube student Reiko Yamada and pianist Patrick Godon performed a piano concert of the composer's music at G-Fest 2019.  Following that concert, Ifukube's biographer Erik Homenick hosted a panel discussion with Yamada as well as conductor/composer John DeSentis (Kaiju Crescendo concert), film historian Patrick Galvan, and Japanese film fan Tyler E. Martin. The panel discussed Akira Ifukube‘s life and career as one of Japan‘s foremost composers. Several of the maestro‘s film scores, such as Godzilla (1954) and Rodan (1956) were closely analyzed.  Enjoy!

Byrd is joined by Kevin Derendorf (Maser Patrol) and Justin Mullis (Man Creates Dinosaurs blog) to interview prolific author Greg Keyes!  Greg has had an extensive career as a novelist, but is most known to kaiju fans as the author of the graphic novel Godzilla: Dominion, the Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs Kong novelizations, and the Pacific Rim: Ascension novel.  He's also written books for Star Wars, Interstellar, Planet of the Apes, and more.  This extensive interview touches on the novelization process, adding his own story beats to adaptations, how he uses his fascination with mythology in writing for the Monsterverse, following studio rules, how his work can differ from the films, advice for young writers, and more!  Sit back and join the conversation!

We're back with more spooky thrills as we look at two horror outings starring the late, great Sonny Chiba.  First we have Toei's campy Japanese/American co-production Terror from Beneath the Sea (1966) about fish people trying to take over the world.  We follow that up with Kinji Fukasaku's 1981's jidaigeki fantasy/horror mashup, Samurai Reincarnation where Chiba plays famous samurai Yagyu Jubei going up against Japanese historical figures resurrected as demons.  Kick back and join the conversation!

If you think Halloween came and went too soon, Byrd, Tom, Lux and Kevin are here to help soothe your Halloween Hangover with some more yokai-centric madness, with Toho's 2022 fantasy film Ghost Book (aka Yokaipedia).  Directed by Takashi Yamazaki (Godzilla Minus One, Eternal Zero, Parasyte 1 & 2), this adaptation of the "Ghost Book Obakezukan" picture books tells the story of a group of children who share a wish that can only be granted if they accept a series of challenges given to them by a magical and otherworldly Ghost Book.  The children are tasked with finding and defeating various yokai creatures (who join their quest once defeated).  We'll give our thoughts on the film, Yamazaki's brand of family friendly fantasy, our hopes for Godzilla Minus One, and more.  Relax and enjoy the conversation!

We're joined again by Tom and Kevin to talk about Kadokawa's most recent entry in their Yokai Monsters series, Great Yokai War: Guardians!  With Takashi Miike (2005's Great Yokai War) back in the director chair, it features a myriad of yokai, as well as a special guest appearance from Daimajin!  Along the way, we learn about brotherhood, pacifism, and the folly of war.  So how did this long awaited sequel fare?  We'll get there, but first, we have all the news from Godzilla Day, including the long awaited confirmation of Takashi Yamazaki's upcoming G film and reviews of the two Godzilla vs. Gigan short films.  Kick back and enjoy the discussion!

SciFi Japan's Bob Johnson returns to discuss the return of Godzillafest, the largest Godzilla film festival in the country. We also talk about Bob's commentary track on Arrow's Gamera the Brave blu-ray, the complicated nature of the Godzilla series' home video rights in the United States, how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted movie screenings over the last year, starting the Planet 8 Podcast, the passing of iconic American anime producer Fred Ladd, and more! Relax and enjoy the conversation!

This year, Godzillafest will take place during the weekends of August 20-22 and August 27-29 at the Balboa Theater in San Francisco, CA.  For more information, visit https://www.bayareafilmevents.com/godzillafest The Planet 8 Podcast: https://planet8podcast.blogspot.com/

Byrd, Matt, and Kevin are joined by Jared Foust (Xenofauna on Twitter/Instagram) to discuss modern artist Takashi Murakami's 2013, film debut, Jellyfish Eyes.  Mostly known for his artwork and design work (including for artists such as Billie Eilish and Kanye West), Murakami decided to try his hand at making a children's film that would combine his aesthetic with other inspirations from kaiju/tokusatsu and video games to tell a story about kids and their monster pets (called FRIENDS) in a post-Fukushima Japan (complete with a rampaging kaiju).  We discuss Murakami's career, why most of the film's practical tokusastsu effects were scrapped, the recently canceled sequels, religious cults in Japan, the film's Criterion release, and more!

Byrd and Matt are joined by frequent guests Tom and Trev to unpack the recent cross over film, Godzilla vs. Kong.  We give our review, as well as discuss the film's long road to completion, director Adam Wingard, cut subplots, and the future of the MonsterVerse.  So how did the rematch nearly 60 years in the making fare?  Listen and find out!

Byrd and Matt are joined by director Daniel Lusko to discuss his new film Ape vs. Monster from the Asylum!  We discuss how he got started in the business, the Asylum's production model, working with extremely limited time and money, how he chooses projects, the "mockbuster" formula, Eric Roberts, taking pride in making low budget movies, and more!

Byrd, Matt and Maser Patrol's Kevin Derendorf scrape the bottom of the barrel for more King Kong rip offs and come back with tales to tell!  This time, we discuss the Italian-Canadian film Yeti: Giant of the 20th Century (1977), the Asylum's King of the Lost World (2005) and Bigfoot (2012), the uber obscure The Abominable (aka Ice Kong, 2006), and the recent micro budget reboot, Konga TNT (2020)!  As always, we'll give our reviews and a fair bit of trivia.  Relax and enjoy!

Byrd and Matt are joined by Maser Patrol's Kevin Derendorf and Josh Greilich to discuss the four-film retelling of Neon Genesis Evangelion.  With the long awaited fourth film, Thrice Upon a Time now out on Amazon Prime, we finally get a chance to unpack this reintroduction into the world of Evangelion that was 14 years in the making.  Along the way, we debunk some common myths around topics like Anno being a troll and Mari being a stand in for his wife.  We discuss the long, complicated production history of each film, as well as our reviews.  So how does this new take on Hideaki Anno's classic story hold up?  Listen and find out!

Byrd, Matt, Tom and Trev are back in the Asylum, this time reviewing their 25th anniversary film, 2025 Armageddon!  Aliens invade our world by sending the Asylum's giant monsters to attack Earth.  We have Mega Piranha, Mega Shark, Crocosaurus, Megaboa, Sharknado, Transmorphers, zoombies, and more causing mayhem.  Does this live up to the hype?  Listen and find out!  But first we play a bit of Asylum catch up with a review of 2021's Megaboa starring Eric Roberts.  We'll also spend a good amount of time talking about the state of the Asylum in a post-video store/TV movie special climate and how we think they should adapt to the new market.  Relax and enjoy the conversation!

Byrd and Matt are joined by guest hosts Tom (Final Forum - A Dragonball Podcast), Kevin (Maser Patrol), Lux (of metal bands Soulmass and Wraithstorm), Connor (Easter's Kaiju Kompendium blog) for a giant round table discussion on Tsuburaya's recent reboot, Shin Ultraman!  The film was directed by Shinji Higuchi and Hideaki Anno, following up their massively successful Shin Godzilla (2016).  We'll give our full review of the movie as well as talk a bit about how the project came to be.  But first we have a kaiju sized news roundup as we discuss the director announcement for the upcoming Gamera: Rebirth, the news of a THEM remake, a recap of the recent King Kong at 90 exhibit in Michigan, a mini review of the recent documentary Theaters of War, and the recently leaked documents about the United States military's involvement in Godzilla 2014.  This is a super sized, action packed episode, so get comfy and join our conversation!

We finally take our first step into the vast "giant bug" subgenre with the granddaddy of them all, 1954's classic Them!  Along with the Beast From 20,000 Fathoms and Godzilla, this film helped kick off a new era of atomic monster film, warning the public about the threat of nuclear weapons.  Written by Ted Sherdeman (Latitude Zero) and directed by Gordon Douglas (Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye), it tells the tale of giant radioactive ants terrorizing New Mexico, as our main characters fight to stop the threat before it spreads around the globe.  This film has gone on to become one of the most influential monster films of the 50s, kicking off a whole subgenre of giant bug films and inspiring films like Rodan and Aliens.  In addition to our review of the movie, we'll talk about its turbulent production history, its far reaching influence and lasting relevance, and how the nuclear bomb has been trivialized by Hollywood in the years since its release.  Tune in and relax!