Godzilla Events In Hollywood of 2004

Here are some more photos from the Godzilla Final Wars/50th Anniversary events in Hollywood ten years ago:

Above, Johnny Grant dances with Godzilla (Tsutomu Kitagawa) at the Walk of Fame ceremony.

Above, producer Shogo Tomiyama addresses the Walk of Fame ceremony.

Above, Johnny Grant and Godzilla.

Above, Godzilla and Shogo Tomiyama.

Above, the Godzilla Final Wars float.

Above, the Godzilla Final Wars float at the Hollywood Christmas Parade.

All photos © Armand Vaquer.

Tenth Anniversary of Godzilla In Hollywood

Above, Godzilla at the Walk of Fame star unveiling ceremony. I am at left video taping the event.

Incredible as it may seem, yesterday and Friday marked ten years since the festivities were held in Hollywood for Godzilla. (See the video below.)




First, Godzilla was sent down Hollywood Blvd. on a float sponsored by Toho Co., Ltd. in the Hollywood Christmas Parade. I was asked by Toho to write the announcer's (Rick Dees) narrative for when the float passed the main reviewing and media stands.

Above, Godzilla vaporizing the media. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The next day, Godzilla was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in a morning ceremony with Hollywood's Honorary Mayor Johnny Grant serving as master of ceremonies. The ceremony featured remarks by City Councilman Tom LaBonge and producer Shogo Tomiyama. Grant read a history of Godzilla that I wrote at Toho's request (Grant had a difficult time pronouncing several monster names, to everyone's amusement). I arranged for a proclamation of "Godzilla Month" by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the office of Sup. Michael Antonovich.

Above, producer Shogo Tomiyama addresses the ceremony attendees. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Mr. Tomiyama said in his remarks that Godzilla would be resurrected by new generations of filmmakers. Well, it took ten years, but Godzilla returned to the screens this year, courtesy of Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures.

That evening, Godzilla Final Wars premiered at Grauman's Chinese Theater. Following this, a private party was held at the complex at Hollywood and Highland, hosted by Toho.

Below, is a video of news coverage of the events by two local Los Angeles stations.



Ten years certainly has flown by.

Godzilla Anniversaries

Above, Godzilla and producer Shogo Tomiyama unveil Godzilla's
star on the Walk of Fame in 2004. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Godzilla reached 60 yesterday. The occasion, although noted among fans and some media outlets, was a far cry from the hoopla that took place ten years ago this month when the 50th anniversary of Godzilla was celebrated. Godzilla opened in Japanese theaters on November 3, 1954.

This is quite understandable as the 50th anniversary of anything is generally noted for being a half-century old, time-wise.

Back in 2004, Godzilla's 50th anniversary was celebrated by the premiere of the last Japanese-produced Godzilla movie, Godzilla Final Wars at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood. The Hollywood celebrations also included a Godzilla Final Wars float that traveled down Hollywood Boulevard at the Hollywood Christmas Parade and the unveiling of Godzilla's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The unveiling was led by the then-Honorary Mayor of Hollywood, the late Johnny Grant.

Above, the Godzilla Final Wars float in Hollywood. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There was also a major exhibit in the town of Koriyama, Japan (said to be Eiji Tsuburaya's hometown) of Godzilla artifacts in 2004. The exhibit was called "Since Godzilla."

This year, Toho Studios got into the 60th anniversary spirit yesterday as a ceremony was held before the new Godzilla mural at the studio. Nearby, a man-sized Godzilla statue stands near the Toho Studios main entrance.

According to the Asahi Shimbun:

Tokyo’s Setagaya Ward honored Godzilla on Nov. 3 as one of its most globally recognized citizens during a ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the fictional prehistoric monster's big screen debut. 

The award ceremony took place at Toho Studios in the ward’s Seijo district, where most of the Godzilla movies were filmed. The long-running franchise is one of the world's most popular movie series. 

At the event, crowds looked on as Setagaya Mayor Nobuto Hosaka presented Minami Ichikawa, the director of the board at Toho, with a certificate. Also on hand was an actor in a Godzilla suit, no taller than the mayor, who appeared with the two in front of a 14-meter-high wall featuring a giant mural of the popular creature.

 To read the full article on yesterday's event at Toho Studios, go here.

"Godzilla Final Wars" Hollywood Premiere and Walk of Fame Ceremony

This video is from the Toho Godzilla Final Wars DVD, but I recently discovered it on YouTube.

It is incredible that in four months, it will be ten years since these events happened.

It's Getting To Look A Lot Like Christmas...

Here's some photos that I took of the Godzilla Final Wars float that Toho Co., Ltd. entered in the Hollywood Christmas Parade in 2004.

Above, a group of Godzilla fans known as the Goon Squad at the parade.