GMK a.k.a Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001-Film)

## GMK (2001)

***Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack*** (ゴジラ・モスラ・キングギドラ 大怪獣総攻撃, *Gojira, Mosura, Kingu Gidora: Daikaijū Sōkōgeki*, also known as ***GMK***) is a 2001 Japanese *kaiju* film directed by Shūsuke Kaneko. Produced and distributed by Toho Studios, it is the 26th film in the *Godzilla* franchise and the third film in the franchise's Millennium era, as well as the 25th *Godzilla* film produced by Toho.

*Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack* stars Chiharu Niiyama, Ryudo Uzaki, Masahiro Kobayashi, Takashi Nishina, Kaho Minami, Shinya Owada, Kunio Murai, Hiroyuki Watanabe, Shingo Katsurayama, Takeo Nakahara, Toshikazu Fukawa, and Hideyo Amamoto, alongside Mizuho Yoshida as Godzilla, Akira Ohashi as King Ghidorah, and Rie Ota as Baragon. The film places Godzilla in an antagonistic role, possessed by the souls of those that were killed during World War II, while Mothra, King Ghidorah, and Baragon team up to defeat it. Like the other films in the franchise's Millennium period, *Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack* serves as a direct sequel to the original 1954 *Godzilla* film, ignoring the events of every other installment in the series.

## Plot

During a meeting of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) for the potential return of Godzilla, Admiral Taizo Tachibana briefs cadets about Godzilla's first attack. An American nuclear submarine is reported missing, which is later found to have been destroyed by Godzilla. Tachibana's daughter, Yuri Tachibana, films a docudrama with her crew for BS Digital Q at Mount Myōkō, where a mysterious earthquake randomly ensues. The odd earthquake returns later that night burying a biker gang and leaving one surviving trucker who witnesses the monster Baragon, which he mistakenly identifies as Godzilla. The next day, Yuri's friend Teruaki Takeda supports her theory that a monster may have been the cause of the mysterious Myōkō earthquake by giving her a book on *The Guardian Monsters*.

At Lake Ikeda in Kagoshima, Mothra attacks a group of teenagers attempting to drown a dog. Yuri interviews Hirotoshi Isayama, an elderly man who explains to her the legend of the Guardian Monsters: Baragon, Mothra, and King Ghidorah, and goes on that they must be awakened before Godzilla destroys Japan. Yuri and her team visit the Guardian Monsters' shrine where she finds a stone. Godzilla comes ashore to Magonote and attacks the Bonin Islands, leaving few survivors. Yuri returns to interview Isayama and discovers that the souls of all those who were killed during the Pacific War are embedded within Godzilla, and are lashing out in anguish and anger, unable to rest in peace.

A few days later, Godzilla and Baragon battle in Hakone; Godzilla is victorious and Yuri is injured. When Takeda refuses to take her to Godzilla's location, Yuri leaves. Mothra's cocoon is soon immediately discovered in Lake Ikeda. The JSDF dispatch several fighter jets to fight Godzilla but are wiped out. Tachibana sets up a defense line in Yokohama. Mothra and a yet-to-be-grown Ghidorah awaken and fly towards Yokohama to fight Godzilla. Godzilla incapacitates Ghidorah but Mothra absorbs a radioactive breath attack to save Ghidorah. The JSDF attacks but fails to stop Godzilla.

Furious, Godzilla wipes out the defense line and later kills Mothra. Mothra's spirit merges with Ghidorah and transforms Ghidorah into the 3,000-year-old dragon King Ghidorah. King Ghidorah injures Godzilla and they fight underwater. Tachibana and his colleague join the fight using the Satsuma submarine. Tachibana attempts to shoot the D-03 into Godzilla's wound but fails Yuri and Takeda report the struggle from a bridge that later collapses from Godzilla's atomic breath.

The shrine stone falls from Takeda's pockets and merges with King Ghidorah's head. Yuri and Takeda barely survive the fall and swim to the shore while the monsters continue to fight. Godzilla destroys King Ghidorah, unleashing the spirits of the Guardian Monsters, which sink Godzilla down to the deep. After entering Godzilla's body through his mouth, Tachibana is able to use a D-03 missile on Godzilla's wound. Godzilla surfaces to confront Yuri and Takeda, but the D-03 wounds Godzilla. Godzilla attempts to kill Yuri and Takeda, only to sink once more beneath the water. Tachibana escapes from Godzilla as the monster disintegrates. Japan soon rejoices at their victory against Godzilla, but his disembodied heart is still beating on the ocean floor.