Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (2003)

Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (ゴジラ×モスラ×メカゴジラ 東京SOS Gojira ekkusu Mosura ekkusu Mekagojira: Tokyo Esu O Esu.?, lit. Godzilla X Mothra X Mechagodzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.) is a 2003 tokusatsu kaiju film produced by Toho Company Ltd., and the twenty-eighth installment in the Godzilla series, as well as the fifth in the Millennium series. The film was released to Japanese theaters on December 14, 2003.
Tokyo S.O.S. was directed by Masaaki Tezuka, produced by Shogo Tomiyama, and written by director Masaaki, and Masahiro Yokotani. The film continues where Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla left off, with Mothra entering the fray in an attempt to stop humanity's use of Mechagodzilla, which is said to be morally wrong, and also bringing the newer Godzilla back, over and over again.
Tokyo S.O.S. was the only true canonical sequel to exist within the Millennium series, taking place after the aforementioned Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla. These two films would go on to be known as The Kiryu Saga, and would remain as the only films within the series to be connected to one another, canonically. However, it would not be the last film in the Millennium series, and on December 4, 2004, the finale to the series would be released, Godzilla: Final Wars.
==Plot==
The story line of Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla is continued, this time with Mothra and Kamoebas thrown into the mix along with two brand new larvae.
In the film, Mothra's twin fairies warn the Japanese government that using the first Godzilla's bones as the basis for Mechagodzilla is wrong and that the taking of the original Godzilla's bones is what brought him back - if they don't return them to the sea, then Mothra would declare war on humanity. They say that if the original Godzilla's bones are returned, however, Mothra will protect Japan from the current Godzilla. Soon enough, Godzilla comes back. Godzilla and Mothra fight, but Mothra proves to be no match for Godzilla. Kiryu is deployed to help and manages to even the odds. However, Godzilla manages to knock out both Mechagodzilla and Mothra. Meanwhile, on Infant Island, a pair of twin Mothra caterpillars hatch from Mothra's egg, and rush to Japan to help their mother. While the main character rushes to repair Mechagodzilla, Mothra's caterpillars try to hold off Godzilla, and in the process Mothra sacrifices herself to protect her children, bursting into a moth shaped fireball.
Just in time, the humans manage to repair Mechagodzilla, and it faces off against its flesh and blood rival once more. They grapple, and Mechagodzilla lands a powerful hit on Godzilla, stabbing him in the chest with a drill mounted on his right arm. Weakened by the attack, Godzilla roars in agony, and Mothra's caterpillars bind him up in webbing. However, instead of killing Godzilla off for good, Mechagodzilla chooses instead to pick up the battle weary, trussed up Godzilla and carry him off to sea. They plunge into the ocean together, and sink beneath the waves into the Japanese trench.
After the credits roll an image of a microscopic organism, the camera pans out to reveal that it is a monster DNA tank. The camera then leaves the room revealing several more tanks with different monster DNA.
==Staff==
Staff role on the left, staff member's name on the right.
*Directed by Masaaki Tezuka
*Written by Masaaki Tezuka, Masahiro Yokotani
*Produced by Shogo Tomiyama
*Music by Michiru Oshima
*Cinematography by Yoshinori Sekiguchi
*Assistant directing by Hideaki Murakami
*Special effects by Eiichi Asada
==Cast==
Actor's name on the left, character played on the right.
*Noboru Kaneko as Yoshito Chujo
*Miho Yoshioka as Azusa Kisaragi
*Katsuya Onizuka as Kyosuke Akiba
*Hiroshi Koizumi as Shinichi Chujo
*Masami Nagasawa and Chihiro Otsuka as Shobijin
*Koh Takasugi as Togashi
*Akira Nakao as Hayato Igarashi
*Takeo Nakahar as Hitoyanagi
*Koichi Ueda as Dobashi
*Yumiko Shaku as Akane Yashiro
*Itsuki Oomori as Shun Chujo
*Akira Shirai as Shinji Akamatsu
*Naomasa Rokudaira as Goro Kanno
*Takeshi Masu as Kamoebas Surveyor
*Yusuke Tomoi as Susumu Hayama
*Noriko Watanabe as Shun's Mother
==Appearances==
===Monsters===
*Godzilla
*Kiryu
*Mothra
*Kamoebas
*Vampire Plant (Stock Footage)
==Alternate titles==
*Godzilla X Mothra X Mechagodzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (Literal Japanese title)
*GXMXMG (Abbreviated title)
*Godzilla: Tokyo In Danger (Godzilla: Tokio en Peligro; Mexico)
==Theatrical releases==
*Japan - December 14, 2003; November 3, 2003 (Tokyo International Film Festival)
==Box office==
Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S opened on December 14th, 2003 on a double bill with the animated feature Hamtaro: Ham Ham Grand Prix. In its opening weekend, it was third place at the box office with $1,686,009. Its gross was estimated at $12,000,000, with approximately 1,100,000 admissions.
==Reception==
Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. is generally well-liked by Godzilla fans for its monster action and sometimes respected for being the sole direct sequel of the entirety of the Millennium series.
==Trivia==
*A giant Mosasaur was originally intended to washed up dead on the shore. Toho scrapped this idea because the thought of introducing a new creature as a dead corpse would have been odd.
**Anguirus was also originally going to be in the film as the monster that washes up dead on shore. Toho canned the idea, likely due to potential fan upset. Anguirus was replaced by Kamoebas.
*In the book "Godzilla X Mothra X Mechagodzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.: Super Complete Works," there are some drawings and concepts for a "fan fiction" style swing at extending the "Kiryu saga." The idea is fairly elaborate, using the DNA sequence from this movie's finale and the overall concept of Kiryu to create an army of mechs that include mechanized versions of Varan, Kamoebas, Baragon, Kumonga, and others. Again, as it seems quite common for someone to see these images out of context and get the wrong idea, these concepts were never intended for an actual movie but more of a "what if" scenario for more ideas from this storyline.
*Despite having a nearly identical design to the suit used in the previous film, a new Godzilla suit was created for this film, the only difference being a large scar in its chest region.
*This film has many similarities with the Showa films Mothra and Mothra vs. Godzilla. Just as in the latter film, Tokyo S.O.S. features the concept of two Mothra larvae hatching from one egg, and those larvae attacking Godzilla after their mother's death. Just as in Mothra vs. Godzilla, the two larvae encase Godzilla in a silky blanket, which aids in his defeat.
*Early teaser trailers for this film utilized stock footage of Mothra from Rebirth of Mothra.
*The character Shinichi Chujo is introduced in this film while reading a book that covers his face. This is a reference to how the character was introduced in Mothra.
*Accomplished actor Toru Minegishi, who played Goro Gondo in Godzilla vs. Biollante, makes a brief cameo in this film as a political commentator on a TV talk show.
Category:Toho
Category:Godzilla Films
Category:Millennium Era Godzilla Films
Category:Millennium Era