movie review of Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.
Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. is a sequel to Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla. One year later, Mechagodzilla is being repaired after the damage inflicted it by Godzilla. Losing consistency from the previous film, a different crew is manning the Mechagodzilla. That’s a robotic Godzilla, built over the skeleton of the original Godzilla, that died at the end of the original Godzilla movie in 1954. The central character in this film is Yoshito Chûjô. He’s the son of Dr. Shin’ichi Chûjô, the star of the original Mothra movie. Yoshito is the chief technician on the “Mecha G” project. He’s trying to get Mechagodzilla repaired in the event of Godzilla’s eventual next rampage. However, Mothra has something to say …
Mothra’s twin fairies
Mothra’s fairies, twin ladies, appear to the Chûjô family, warning them. Mankind has violated the sanctity of life by using the skeleton of the original Godzilla in the construction of Mechagodzilla. They must return the bones to the sea, or Mothra will attack. The humans point out that Mechagodzilla is their only defense against Godzilla. So the fairies promise that Mothra will defend them. But only if they return Godzilla’s bones. Due to the imminent danger, the Japanese prime minister refuses to decommission Mechagodzilla, however.
Soon enough, Godzilla attacks. Yoshito’s father and nephew signal Mothra …. By duplicating Mothra’s symbol from school desks at an evacuated school. Soon, a three-way brawl in effect. Godzilla vs. Mothra and Mechagodzilla being tag-teamed, so to speak. Mothra’s egg hatches and its’ twin larvae emerge and try to come to Mothra’s defense. Mechagodzilla is down, and Yoshito comes to the rescue, trying to do what repairs he can. He gets Mechagodzilla back into the battle. At one point, Mechagodzilla breaks free of human control. It seizes the injured Godzilla, and flies them both to the bottom of the sea.
Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. isn’t a bad Godzilla movie, but not exceptional, either. I rate it 2.5 stars out of 5.
Cast of characters
- Noboru Kaneko … Yoshito Chûjô
- Miho Yoshioka … Pilot Azusa Kisaragi
- Mickey Koga … Mechagodzilla Operator Kyôsuke Akiba
- Hiroshi Koizumi (Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster) … Dr. Shin’ichi Chûjô (Linguist / Yoshito’s father)
- Akira Nakao (Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla) … Premier Hayato Igarashi
- Kôichi Ueda (Godzilla 2000) … General Dobashi
- Kô Takasugi (Godzilla Final Wars) … JSDF Lieutenant Togashi
- Masami Nagasawa … Shobijin (Twin Fairy)
- Chihiro Ohtsuka (Godzilla Final Wars) … Shobijin (Twin Fairy)
- Takeo Nakahara (Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.) … JSDF Chief Hitoyanagi
- Norman England … Sgt Woodyard
- Naomasa Musaka (Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.) … Gorô Kanno
- Yumiko Shaku (Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla) … Akane Yashiro
- Yûsuke Tomoi (Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla) … Lieutenant Hayama
Editorial review of Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S., courtesy of Amazon.com
Mechagodzilla, the superior-armed, state-of-the-art, all-robot version of Godzilla, is undergoing repairs after his devastating battle against the world’s monsters. A pair of psychic fairies appear and warn scientists to stop rebuilding Mechagodzilla — but their warning goes unheeded. As the great robot nears completion, a series of mysterious incidents rock the world and awaken Godzilla, who unleashes a reign of terror against Tokyo. Mothra joins him and Japan’s desperate Prime Minister has no choice but to launch the unfinished Mechagodzilla against Mothra and Godzilla. But who will fight for whom? And in the end–will the survivor be monster, robot or man?
Trivia for Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.
- Original title: Gojira tai Mosura tai Mekagojira: Tôkyô S.O.S. which roughly translates to Godzilla vs. Mothra vs. Mechagodzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.
- In this film, Hiroshi Koizumi reprises his role of Professor Shin’ichi Chûjô from the original Mothra (1961), which he starred in 40 years earlier.
- After the adult Mothra’s death, the eyes of her offspring change from blue to red. Following the color change, they become very active fighters against Godzilla. In the previous movie, Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla, when Mecha Godzilla went out of control, it’s eyes turned red as well.
- The dead monster that washes up on the shore was originally intended to be Anguirus. But the producer convinced him to change it to the less popular Kamoebas to avoid fan outrage. Kamoebas is a much more obscure monster, having previously appeared in only one film, Space Amoeba (1970).