ATTACK OF THE KAIJU DAY: Monster Planet of Godzilla (1994)

 

At one time, in the Tokyo theme park Sanrio Puroland, this Godzilla movie appeared as part of a ride. It was made with costumes and props from the Heisei Godzilla movies (WikiZilla says they’re the “RadoGoji Godzilla suit and Rodan puppet from Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, and the Mothra imago puppet from Godzilla vs. Mothra” and the launching area for the space ship comes from Bye-Bye Jupiter), with Megumi Odaka (Princess from the Moon, Miki in Godzilla vs. Biolante) appearing in the beginning as Miki, Koichi Kawakita doing the special effects and Akira Ifukube music.

This footage comes from the Japan-only Godzilla Final Box release. During the original ride, as Godzilla battles Rodan and Mothra, General Hello Kitty saves the day. For copyright reasons, this was edited out.

But what riders got was a 4D 70mm face-to-face showdown with Godzilla. And you could even smell the kaiju. What was their scent? I wonder. According to this article, the team that made it initially made Godzilla smell like alligators. 

This site explains it all: “You can enter a Virtual Reality world with Godzilla, at the amusement park Sanrio Puroland in Tokyo. Battle with Godzilla, Rodan and Mothra as you try to help defend Japan.

Your adventure begins in the prep room, where you wait while the group ahead of you enjoys the film. In the prep room, several video monitors display a lengthy Godzilla trivia quiz. Then your hostess, played by Megumi Odaka, and her sidekick friend, Hello Kitty, explain your mission. Your UNGCC fighter craft is demonstrated by your pilot. With your 3D glasses in your hand, you are asked to enter the theater. Once safe and secure in your seats, the show begins.”

Directed by Kôichi Kawakita and written by Marie Terunuma, this is a rare modern Godzilla film featuring all the classic monsters. A spaceship called Earth has been sent to a monster planet where all the kaiju now live. It spots the other ship, Planet, and saves it by shooting at Godzilla. However, a dimensional portal opens, sending everyone to Japan, where the kaiju rampage through the streets (even destroying Tokyo Station, where Sanrio’s competition has their offices) before being sent back home in bubbles. 

Those kaiju and their bubbles. Gets them every single time.

You can watch this on YouTube (and fast-forward to 10:30 for the Godzilla live action).

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