Japan Times' "Godzilla, the monster with multiple personalities"

Above, a GMK Godzilla filming suit on display at the Shibuya HMV store in 2001. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Over at The Japan Times, there is a special article on Godzilla. Actually, it is more like a Valentine to the 1954 original by Mark Schilling.

Along with it, is a 45-minute video collection of Godzilla trailers to enjoy.

Why do I say the article is a Valentine to the 1954 Godzilla?

Here's a snippet to give you an idea:

Since 1954, the”King of the Monsters” has appeared in 28 Toho films (and two big-budget Hollywood films, including Gareth Edwards’ new one, which opens in Tokyo on July 25), but has the old thrill gone? 

Though crude by today’s CGI standards, the original Godzilla has retained his primitive power — he represents powerful forces, from the natural to the manmade, that humans struggle to control or understand.

In the 1954 film, the only effective weapon against Godzilla is the Oxygen Destroyer — itself so fearsome (it transforms living creatures into lifeless skeletons in seconds) that Dr. Serizawa, its conflicted creator, finally burns his research papers and ends his own life. He tries to put the dangerous genie back into the bottle, something the inventors and users of the atomic bomb knew was impossible.

Above, one of the Oxygen Destroyer props. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

 To read the full article, go here.

Tokyo Skytree Celebrates 2nd Anniversary; Operator Puts Priority On Safety

Above, the Tokyo Skytree. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Tokyo Skytree is celebrating its second anniversary today and the operator is not afraid to shut down the elevators to the observation decks for safety reasons.

According to the Mainichi Shimbun:

Tokyo Skytree, one of the metropolis' signature landmarks, turned two years old on May 22 -- and crowds of visitors showed up at the tower in the Oshiage district of Tokyo's Sumida Ward to help celebrate its birthday. 

As of the end of March this year, more than 11.7 million people had visited the observation deck of the 634-meter-tall tower during the past two years -- a figure that rises to some 84 million when including Tokyo Solamachi and other parts of the Tokyo Skytree town located at its base. 

The tower had to close down early a total of 15 times during its first year of operations -- a figure that more than doubled to 40 total closures last fiscal year.

Because of factors that make safety management of the soaring tower a difficult challenge -- including the fact that weather tends to vary greatly between its upper and lower tiers -- a substantial amount of observational data has been collected during the past two years.

Tower managers have shown that when necessary, they are not afraid to put safety first.

 To read more, including plans for celebratory festivities, go here.

Vacation In Japan and Become A Movie Extra In "Attack On Titan"

A familiar name, who raised the bar in Japanese special effects in the 1990s, is helming a new live-action movie, Attack On Titan. It is scheduled to be released in 2015.

But that's not the story. The story came from Rocket News 24 and it states that extras will be needed and a travel agency has a deal for those who are interested in traveling to Japan and become an extra.

Here's part of what they wrote:

Japan loves package tours. For many of them, you meet up with your tour guide and fellow travelers, hop on a bus for the countryside, then spend a few days relaxing in a hotel with some occasional shopping or sampling of local delicacies. It’s more or less the definition of safe and convenient, if not exactly exciting, travel. 

If you’re looking for a trip with a little more adrenaline, though, there’s a tour next month that includes an activity set to get any anime fan’s pulse racing: helping to create the Attack on Titan live-action movie. 

Not content with their domination of the manga and anime worlds, the Titans are next advancing into live-action film, with director Shinji Higuchi helming the project, which is set to premiere in 2015. It’s also cast the lead role of Eren Jaeger, who’ll be played by popular actor Haruma Miura, and the producers have decided on a handful of filming locations, as well. 

What the movie still needs, though, are extras, which is where Japan’s largest travel provider, JTB, comes in. If you’re looking to take a trip from June 7-10, JTB will take you, plus the 49 other Attack on Titan fans it hopes to recruit, to the movie’s filming site in Ibaraki Prefecture to help bring the immensely popular animated series to life.

So, if you have nothing to do June 7-10 and would like to visit Japan and be in a movie, this is your chance!

To find out the details on this offer, go here.

Another 'Jackpot' In Blog Post Pick-ups

A number of yesterday's blog posts were picked up this past evening by The Japan Daily. Another jackpot!

Here they are:

To read The Japan Daily, go here.

PayPal Added For Pre-Vacation Season Sale of "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan"

Several people wanting to take advantage of the pre-vacation season sale of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan (at a 20% discount) have asked if they can order via PayPal. Up to now, the answer was no.

However, to make it easier for them, I have set up a PayPal account with a "magic button" that requires only a click. PayPal takes the major credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and others.

The sale is through June 16, so there's plenty of time (and plenty of copies available).

The total price of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan with the discount is $12.00 (saving you $3.00 off the cover price). Shipping & handling is $2.00. The grand total: $14.00.

So, to order via PayPal just click this button (simple, eh?):

Sale over.

Godzilla Fan In Japan

One of the nice things about G-fans, they will send messages and photos while they are experiencing Japan (some for the first time), further enticing others to make the trek themselves.

Above, Ted Johnson with the Godzilla statue at Toho Studios. Photo courtesy of Ted Johnson.

Ted Johnson, who is a member of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan Facebook page and a recent purchaser of the travel guide, sent along this photo of himself with the Toho Studios Godzilla statue to the group.

Looks like he's having a grand time. He's there now.

Tokyo Voted "Best Experience" For Tourists

Above, nighttime shoppers in Ginza. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

People from around the world are discovering what many of us already knew: Japan (and Tokyo in particular) is a great place to vacation.

The Wall Street Journal's "Japan Realtime" blog has an article stating that Tokyo was voted "best experience" for tourists.

They wrote:

Tokyo has triumphed over the Big Apple and the city of Gaudi as the best destination for travelers across the world in an online poll. 

According to a survey of over 54,000 travelers conducted by Internet travel site TripAdvisor, Tokyo beat out New York and Barcelona as the city with “the best overall experience.” 

Tokyo ranked among the top 10 in 13 out of the 16 sections in the survey, and topped five of them, including the categories “helpful locals,” “best taxi services,” and “cleanest streets.”

To read the full story, go here. 

More Blog Posts Picked Up

The Japan Daily has picked up more blog posts from today.

The first is on the interview with A. A. Kidd at The Freehold on Godzilla and The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

The other one they picked up was on the new, and gigantic, LCD screen that will be operational June 1 at Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo.

To view The Japan Daily, go here.

"The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan" Back In Amazon's Top 100 In Two Categories

Above, Miki Hayashi with The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

While the print edition of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan is doing well, due to the pre-vacation season sale discount of 20% off the cover price (I mailed off a bunch of them yesterday), the Amazon Kindle ebook edition is also doing well. It is in the top 100 in two categories.

In the "Best Sellers in Japanese Travel" category, it is at number 27.

In the "Best Sellers in General Japan Travel Guides" category, it is at number 72.

To order the print edition (the pre-vacation sale ends on June 16), go here for details.

To order the Amazon Kindle ebook edition (make sure your device's platform is compatible with the Kindle program), go here.

Shibuya Crossing Getting Enormous LCD Screen

Above, Shibuya Crossing. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was featured in Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-out Attack, Lost In Translation and Gamera 3. 

And, on June 1, it will be flashier.

What is it? It's Shibuya Crossing (or Shibuya Scramble).

Rocket News 24 reported:

The Shibuya crossing, also known as the Shibuya scramble, is without a doubt one of the most famous locations in the world. Now the go-to location for establishing shots of Japan when producers aren’t focusing on geisha and picturesque temples, the intersection has been featured in numerous TV shows and movies, and is a must-see for any visitor to Tokyo. 

Surrounded by tall buildings, each covered in giant screens and ads vying for pedestrians’ attention, the Scramble is traversed by an incredible 500,000 people each day, with roughly 3,000 pedestrians crossing every time the lights change during peak hours, making it one of the flashiest and most popular places to advertise in Japan. 

And now, it’s about to get just a little bit flashier. 

From June 1, the Shibuya scramble will be lighting up even more faces with the addition of an enormous LCD screen from Hit Vision.

Shibuya Crossing is spotlighted on page 27 of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

To read more, go here.

"Godzilla" Red Smoke Flare Questions Answered

Above, a Godzilla ad with the red smoke flares. Poster by Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros.

You may have wondered what was the purpose for the red smoke flares that were trailing the paratroopers shown in the Godzilla trailers and some of the advertising posters.

To answer your questions, Rocket News 24 spoke with the movie's military technical advisor Sgt. Maj. James Dever.

With the article are several videos from the movie.

To see the article, go here.

My Interview With The Freehold Is Now Up!

Above, your truly in Tokyo.

The Freehold has posted their interview with me on Godzilla and The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan by A. A. Kidd. (They work fast!)

They begin it with this statement:

With the new Godzilla film scorching up the box office and also proving to be a surprising critical hit as well, we thought this was a good time to consult an expert in the field. Armand Vaquer, author of The Monster Movie Fan’s Guide to Japan, has long been a fan of Godzilla and other Japanese giant monsters, and has been active in G-fandom for years. He was kind enough to answer a few questions about his time in fandom and shed some light on an often-misunderstood genre and fan subculture.

To read the full interview, go here. 

The Freehold

Above, Godzilla and The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan were interview topics.

Today is starting off pretty good. I just completed an interview on Godzilla and The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan with The Freehold.

The Freehold is a blog site, run by Jonathan Baird, that (in their own words) is:

An Online Journal of Speculative Fiction from a Classical Liberal Perspective

Just so you don't get confused, a classical liberal is not what today's liberals are. Today's liberals are essentially leftists (or statists) who believe in big government, spending, power and control. Their ideology has also degenerated into economically unsound views and intolerance (particularly against Christianity and any views that don't agree with theirs).

The classical liberal's primary emphasis was placed on securing the freedom of the individual by limiting the power of the government. You can say that today's conservatives (and, to some degree, libertarians) are the classical liberals of old.

To see The Freehold, go here. I have The Freehold listed in my Blog List.

Blog Post Pick-up of Yesterday

The Japan Daily picked up the blog post from yesterday on and The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

They've been excellent in picking up my blog posts, perhaps that's why sales on the guide have been so good.

To read The Japan Daily, go here.

LAX Construction and Inconveniences

Above, the Van Nuys Flyaway bus gets me to LAX cheaply and hassle-free. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has been undergoing some construction projects lately, and more are coming.

Condé Nast Traveler has an article detailing the renovations that the airport will be undergoing. They say that LAX is not one of the easiest airports to navigate and will get much worse. Fortunately for me, I am very familiar with LAX. As a teen, I spent time riding around the LAX terminals on bikes with friends (you can't do that anymore) and we hung out inside the gate areas watching planes (you can't do that either). These were the days before the airport added the top deck (before the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics) and September 11. We all lived fairly close to the airport (at least within biking distance).

I don't even bother driving to LAX from the Valley. I use the convenient (and inexpensive) Flyaway bus service from Van Nuys to LAX. This saves me from having parking headaches. They also have bus service to LAX from Downtown Los Angeles (Union Station) and Westwood.

Anyway, back to the article.

Condé Nast wrote:

How many of you like flying to, from, or through Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)? Anyone? That’s what I thought. 

It’s true that LAX isn’t considered the easiest airport to navigate, but it’s about to get a lot worse. The airport has been under construction for years, but the construction is moving to a phase that will have a greater impact on travelers. How is LAX dealing with this? By launching a new ad campaign. 

Yep, that’s right. The previous campaign, LAneXt, talked all about the $4.1 billion in improvements and ongoing projects: the new Tom Bradley International Terminal concourse (now serving caviar cocktails), major renovations, etc. And now, it appears they need a new campaign to tell people just how much traveling through LAX will be miserable in the short term. It’s called LAX Is Happening. 

Now, I’m not opposed to the campaign itself. It's all about providing details about which construction projects are happening when, and how to make airport travel suck just a little bit less. But I really don't get the slogan’s relevance at all. 

The point is this: If you’re flying into, out of, or through LAX, you should be aware of what’s going on. There are three big projects that are going to make things messy right now.

To see what the three big projects are, go here. 

Blue Bell Ice Cream and Mount Vernon

Back in 1984, I was a member of the Ronald Reagan California Delegation to the Republican National Convention.

The convention was held in Dallas, Texas that year. But, the month it was held was in August, probably the hottest month of the year in Texas.

One of the activities convention organizers arranged for the California Delegation was a party at Mount Vernon, the home of oilman H. L. Hunt's widow, on the banks of White Rock Lake. As she was a non-drinker, the only beverage that was served that day was lemonade. I don't remember seeing water there. The lemonade would have been fine, except the party was held when the outside temperature was 112 degrees.

Above, H.L. Hunt's Mount Vernon estate in Dallas is an almost exact replica of George Washington's.

We had to endure the temperatures drinking lemonade until a big truck showed up at Mount Vernon. It contained Blue Bell Ice Cream.

Once the truck unloaded the ice cream, we got as many containers (half pints) as we could get away with and consumed them.

What brought this story up was that I saw the ad at the top of this blog post for Blue Bell Ice Cream and that jogged a 30-year-old-memory. I haven't seen Blue Bell Ice Cream in ages.

By the way, Mount Vernon is currently on the for-sale market. The asking price: $29 million.

Kyodo News: "Godzilla" rules at box office this week

Above, a giant Godzilla poster adorns a Warner Bros. office building. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Kyodo News, one of Japan's premier news agencies, has posted the story that "Godzilla rules at box office this week."

They reported:

"Godzilla" -- the Hollywood version of the Japanese movie with the same title -- set a new record in earning global box office revenues of $196.2 million at the weekend, U.S. media said Sunday. 

The movie also hit the top spot at the U.S. box office this week with revenue of $93.2 million, becoming second to "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" so far this year.

 To read more, go here.

"Godzilla" and Travel Guide

Above, Yuu Asakura with The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It appears that going to see Godzilla today is out of the question. Since I worked last night, it is likely that I might doze off during the middle of it. So, I am shooting for tomorrow.

At least I did manage to accomplish something. I mailed off the latest batch of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan at the post office this morning. So that's all taken care of. Until next week. Thanks to all.

There are still plenty of copies available at a 20% discount off the cover price. The grand total (with shipping & handling included) is $14.00. So, the time is now to grab a copy! The sale ends in less than a month from now (June 16).

Send your check or money order to:

Armand Vaquer
18618 Collins Street, #105
Tarzana, CA 91356

Mainichi Shimbun: 'Godzilla' opens with smashing $93.2 million

The Japanese media are beginning to take notice of the box office success of Godzilla over the weekend.

The Mainichi Shimbun posted:

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- "Godzilla" has smashed its way to the top of the box office.
The 3-D monster movie from Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures had the second-largest debut of the year this weekend with $93.2 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. 

"Godzilla" trails Disney-Marvel's "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," which opened with $95 million in April, and sits just above "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," which debuted with $91.6 million this month. 

Paying homage to the 60-year-old franchise in tone and spectacle, the latest iteration continues the legend of the 1954 Japanese original - Ishiro Honda's "Gojira." Reviews of the film were positive - it earned a "fresh" rating from review aggregator RottenTomatoes.com, with 72 percent of film critics responding positively.

While the $93.2 million box office take in the U.S. fell short of the $97 million Entertainment Weekly reported that it was on track to make, the amount it did make is still quite an achievement. Especially for a monster movie.

Globally, they reported:

It's also the year's biggest opening for Imax globally. It generated $103 million and 14.35 million admissions from 16,946 screens in 64 markets outside the U.S. and Canada.

To read more, go here. 

Do You Think He's Happy?

Former Toho Pictures President and Godzilla Executive Producer Shogo Tomiyama posted this on Facebook:

While I can't quite envision Mr. Tomiyama doing cartwheels (with joy) down the driveway of Toho Studios, but this comes pretty close. Maybe that will come if Godzilla does well in Japan.

Akira Takarada At Site Of JFK Assassination

Above, Akira Takarada on the south curb on Elm Street in Dealey Plaza. Photo by Tim Bean.

Actor Akira Takarada was recently in Dallas, Texas for a convention. While there, he toured the 6th Floor Museum in the former Texas School Book Depository and Dealey Plaza.

According to Tim Bean, the museum was one of the first places Mr. Takarada wanted to see. Additionally, Bean said, "Takarada-san purchased a replica of the presidential limo to take home with him."

Thanks to Tim Bean for allowing me to post his photo of Akira Takarada at Dealey Plaza.

I visited Dealey Plaza in 1984, before the museum opened.

Another Take: "Godzilla" An Anti-Global Warming Alarmism Movie

Many movies (if not most of them) contain messages that the writer or studio bigwigs wish to convey to the moviegoer.

According to an article in the Washington Times, Godzilla is no exception, except its message is that man has the arrogance "for thinking he can control nature" or, to put it bluntly, his activities are causing global warming (or climate change, if you prefer). This is what Rush Limbaugh has been arguing for years.

The global warming alarmists aren't going to like that.

Earth's climate is constantly changing. This was true eons before man appeared on this planet and will remain true after man is gone.

The article starts with:

If it’s summer movie season, that means it’s time for me to make some counterintuitive claims about the blockbusters in our midst. Last year, I made the case that Star Trek: Into Darkness was accidentally a pro-drone-strike parable and that Matt Damon’s Elysium was actually an anti-Obamacare warning. Let’s get things going this year by suggesting that Godzilla, which looks like it will open to a big box office debut, is actually a message to humanity to chill out about global warming, everything’s going to be okay.

Whether or not this is Godzilla's message, I couldn't tell you. I haven't seen the movie yet. (I am hoping to go today, but my roomie Jes is back in the hospital, so that is up in the air.) But the article does present some interesting food for thought.

To read more, go here.

Bunkamura Celebrating 25th Anniversary

Above, the Bunkamura in 2001. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

2014 marks the 25th anniversary of Shibuya, Tokyo's Bunkamura cultural complex.

Back in 2001, I attended the premiere screening of Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack in the Bunkamura's Orchard Hall. The screening was part of the 2001 Tokyo International Film Festival.

Above, Godzilla is flanked by Toho Executive Producer Shogo Tomiyama (far left),
director Shusuke Kaneko (far right) and several stars of Godzilla, Mothra and
King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack in Orchard Hall. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

According to the official website:

Bunkamura was established in 1989 as the first large-scale cultural complex in Japan. Since its opening, Bunkamura’s creative space, comprising a concert hall (music), theatre (performance), museum (art), and cinema (film), as well as a café and art-related shops, has always drawn attention as a base for introducing new cultural pursuits. Bunkamura attracts 2.8 million visitors annually and is a popular spot in Shibuya where people can enjoy a range of cultural and artistic experiences in a relaxed atmosphere.

 To view the Bunkamura's website (in English), go here.

"Godzilla" Sequel In The Works

Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. accomplished something that Sony/TriStar couldn't sixteen years ago. They created a Godzilla movie that's such a box office hit, a sequel is now in the works.

According to Variety:

Warner Bros. and Legenday Pictures faced monster skepticism from fanboys, but after scoring nearly $200 million this weekend at the global box office, the two companies are moving forward with what they anticipated would happen: a “Godzilla” sequel. 

“It’s very validating,” Legendary president and chief creative officer Jon Jashni spoke to Variety of the film’s opening.

To read more, go here. 

"Godzilla" On Track To Make $97 Million This Weekend

The King has completely stomped the competition at the box office this weekend.

Entertainment Weekly has reported the following:

The King of the Monsters took the box office crown on Friday. Godzilla, starring Bryan Cranston, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and a few enormous radioactive monsters, earned an estimated $38.5 million in theaters on its first day in theaters — the best opening day yet for 2014. (Captain America: The Winter Soldier opened with $36.9 million last month, while The Amazing Spider-Man 2 took in $35.2 on its first day two weeks ago.) That puts the film on track for an opening-weekend total around $97 million.

That is impressive! I was discussing the box office results with an executive with Toho earlier and his thoughts were:

 $98 mil., $92 mil. or otherwise, it will be an admirable opening weekend. I hope we can reprise it in Japan.

 To read more, go here.

Genghis Khan Addresses His Troops

Above, John Wayne as Genghis Khan in The Conqueror.

Genghis Khan (in John Wayne's voice):

"Men, tonight we ride! We're gonna plunder the villages, steal the sheep and rape the women!

This time, I expect you to get it right!"

2 Blogs Picked Up By The Japan Daily

The Japan Daily picked up two of my blog posts from yesterday

The first one is on "fun facts" of 2013's foreign tourism record year statistics.

The other is on transferring the "Tsukiji brand" from the current facility (set to close two years from now) to the one in Toyosu.

To view The Japan Daily, go here.

Ryfle's "Whitewashing Godzilla"

Above, Godzilla in 1954 was a by-product of the
H-bomb. The new Godzilla is a by-product of what?

Steve Ryfle (Japan's Favorite Mon-Star) wrote an article for World Cinema Paradise on the new Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros. (i.e., American) Godzilla.

Here, he takes America (instead of the movie's writers, where it rightfully belongs) to task for being "incapable of making an honest Godzilla."

What's Ryfle's problem with the movie? It is something that has also bothered me, but not to the extent where I felt compelled to write an article on. Namely, the movie states that the H-bomb detonations of the 1950s in the South Pacific weren't tests, the intent of the detonations were to kill Godzilla. Thereby taking away the true meaning of Godzilla's origin as conceived in Japan.

Ryfle makes a good point in asking why other nuclear nations detonated their bombs there as well. Did they have their own Godzillas to deal with? Good one!

Godzilla was conceived as a metaphor (or allegory) of the atomic bomb (or Hiroshima and Nagasaki) and as an anti-nuclear statement by the only nation to sustain a nuclear attack. The scenario by Legendary Pictures/ Warner Bros. does away with Godzilla's nuclear connection origin (I am going by what I've seen and read about the movie as I haven't seen it yet). It transfers the nuclear connection to the M.U.T.O.s.

On this, Ryfle wrote:

Perhaps it’s debatable whether Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. have an obligation to honor Godzilla’s origins after paying untold millions for rights to the character. But given Gojira‘s basis in actual events of the war and its aftermath, the brazen mendacity of the new film’s revisionism is rather astounding. It is not only an affront to the legacy of Honda’s Gojira, but it relies on the audience’s ignorance of and apathy toward history.

Welcome to the age of "low-information" voters, etc.

Where Ryfle loses me is when he gets into the revisionist contention that the a-bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki weren't necessary. This contention is currently in vogue by the Left in this country. It is being put forward by people who weren't there and did not take part in the decision-making process. It is curious that President Harry Truman, a Democrat, was so revered 40 years ago (along with the James Whitmore "Give 'Em Hell, Harry!"), but now the revisionists are practically making him a war criminal over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. If Truman were around today, he'd give them hell!

Other than that, and some other passages that show Ryfle's leftie political bias (suffice to say, he is entitled to his opinions, so I needn't go into them here), I generally agree with his view that the new Godzilla "whitewashes" our nuclear history and takes away the true meaning of Godzilla. Perhaps the world that Godzilla takes place is in an alternate universe?

To read the full article, go here.