The meteoric star power of Godzilla burned brighter at this year’s annual Godzilla Fest 2024 in Hibiya, Tokyo, presented by Toho Studios in honor of the King of Monsters 70th birthday on Nov. 3. The festival attracted approximately 380,000 fans in person and countless more online.

Fuji TV personality, actor and returning master of ceremonies, Shinsuke Masaki kicked off festivities in the afternoon and led thousands of kids and their families in cheering on Godzilla in all its iterations. As expected, a plethora of products and previews on the big screen ensued delighting the audience growing by the hour. Heisei-era actress, model, and fan favorite Yumiko Shaku fought valiantly in a Godzilla Battle live gaming tournament on stage, assuring male and female devotees she would continue to always do her best for the community.

Tokyo Midtown’s Godzilla Square offered: Godzilla-related foods, Godziban puppet demos, kids’ games, two Godzilla Store pop-up shops and opportunities to meet costumed characters. Throughout the day long lines of young and old waited to meet Godzilla (1954), Chibi (Little) Godzilla, Jet Jaguar, Godzilla 2004 from Godzilla: Final Wars and Gigan from the Showa-era films Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972) and Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973).

Later in the afternoon, a Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) 50th anniversary talk show was presented with Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993), Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002), and Godzilla: Tokyo SOS (2003) director, Masaaki Tezuka and veteran SFX director, Eiichi Asada where they discussed the different organizations in control of the various Mechagodzillas and some of their anecdotal memories from developing scripted elements and shooting the legendary films.

Overflow crowds cued up for “Fes-Godz5,” the final installment of previous shorts, as preorders of a Blu-ray compiling all the vignettes went on sale directly after the festival slated for an April 2025 release. Creature maker, Shinichi Wakasa of Monsters Inc. said afterwards, “I used the same Jet Jaguar suit as last year’s which is as compatible as possible to the original and added this year’s new Gigan-like claws for this latest film.”

Master artist, Yuji Kaida is briefly featured once again playing a stoic commander with the ultimate decision-making power within the Godzilla countermeasure team. Kaida spoke of the 2024 festival while looking back at the shooting last August at Toho Studios stage number 9 in Setagaya, Tokyo.

“The recent Godzilla Festival was a huge success, even more than usual,” Kaida said. “I was very happy, because this sequel to last year’s short where I play the same determined role was well received even though as an actor, I am an amateur.”

Across the Pacific, Godzilla Day continues to grow with complimentary events in the Little Tokyo section of downtown Los Angeles that included screenings, a Godzilla film fest and a parade to the popular store Jungle, whose parent stores are firmly based in Japan.

The day-long commercial pitch for the “Big G” back on home turf culminated in a sold-out Japan 4K premiere of Godzilla (1954) at Toho Cinemas Hibiya during the Tokyo International Film Festival. Prior to the English-subtitled screening, the press and theater goers were treated to an exclusive talk show with Godzilla Minus One (2023) director Takashi Yamazaki who carried an Oscar home for Best Visual Effects at the 96th annual Academy Awards in Hollywood. The Japan premiere also highlighted Yoshio Suzuki, an original modeler and production designer of Godzilla costumes for the God of Japanese Special Effects filmmaking Eiji Tsuburaya, and director Ishiro Honda, close friends of Oscar honored director, Akira Kurosawa of Seven Samurai, also released by Toho in 1954.

It was explained that the Shodai (first generation) costume was made of scarce materials. It was extremely rigid, heavy, crude and unforgiving by today’s standards, but faithfully worn and animated by “Mr. Godzilla,” Haruo Nakajima and Katsumi Tezuka decades ago in postwar Japan.

Suit actor Nakajima once in a while during production would hurl complaints at Suzuki, because it was extremely hard for him to act in such a bulky costume.

Suzuki mentioned that Nakaijima “would get angry and sometimes punch me for making such an immobile suit.” To the surprise and amusement of the audience and director Yamazaki, it was derided that this type of action on set would only have happened 70 years ago.

The lucky attendees at the 4K premiere were pleasantly shocked as the historic talk show ended and rows of Toho Visual Effects producers, directors, camera men, suit actors, technicians, and family, some still working in the industry assembled for a once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity on stage. Thirty-six stalwart keepers of movie making magic proudly held a 70th Anniversary banner flanked by Yamazaki from the latest epic and Suzuki from the first generation of the biggest, baddest, box office draw of all time, Godzilla King of the Monsters.

Designer and content creator John Ruffin who eagerly awaited the premiere commented after, “The Godzilla 4K Remaster was more than a movie experience, but a reunion of legends that made it a historical event for Toho on and off the screen.” “I will not forget it,” said Ruffin.

Godzilla Fest is a beast of a day even for the seasoned fan, but one can only imagine what directors Honda, Tsuburaya, and producer Tomoyuki Tanaka would think about the enduring significance of Godzilla culture on society. The icon has seen it all and continues to leave an indelible foot print since the feature’s first horrific and thought-provoking projection at Japanese cinemas eons ago.

Upon Godzilla Minus One’s monumental Oscar win earlier this year, director Yamazaki exclaimed, “I think Godzilla has opened up so many doors for us through this project. I don’t know where those doors are going to lead, but I don’t want to turn down any opportunity.” Later he added “…Japan is such a small country that we need international box office revenue to sustain the industry. This should be the start of something bigger, I hope, for the industry as a whole.”

Thankfully Toho has fully greenlit the next Godzilla film now in preproduction with Yamazaki appropriately back at the helm. “Go Go Godzilla!”

Edward L. Holland is a US veteran, photographer for hire and correspondent for international websites and magazines. Follow his photographic exploits on Instagram @edwardlholland

Naval Air Facility Atsugi

Yokosuka Naval Base

Yokota Air Base

Camp Zama

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