Akira Takarada In "Godzilla Final Wars"

Above, Akira Takarada in Godzilla Final Wars (2004).

When Godzilla Final Wars came out in 2004, it garnered mixed reviews from fans. Some liked it and some didn't.

Admittedly, it was a bit wacky for some tastes. I saw it as a throwback to some of the Showa era's more wackier Godzilla movies. Where else can one see Minilla riding around in the bed of a pick-up truck? I was entertained by it. 

One thing that stood out about Godzilla Final Wars was that Akira Takarada displayed a great range in his acting. At times he was serious and at other times he was comedic. I thought his portrayals as UN Secretary General Naotarô Daigo and his alien doppelganger were quite good. His unmasking scene before a worldwide television audience were his best moments in the movie.

So, in remembrance of Akira Takarada, who passed away Monday at 87, I watched Godzilla Final Wars last evening. It had been quite a while since I watched Godzilla Final Wars, so it seemed fitting to screen his final Godzilla role last evening (I don't count his cameo in Legendary's Godzilla that ended up on the cutting room floor).