Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.

Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.
Japanese theatrical release poster
Directed by	Masaaki Tezuka
Written by	Masaaki Tezuka Masahiro Yokotani
Produced by	Shogo Tomiyama
Starring	Noboru Kaneko Miho Yoshioka Mitsuki Koga Masami Nagasawa Chihiro Otsuka Kou Takasugi Hiroshi Koizumi Akira Nakao
Cinematography	Yoshinori Sekiguchi
Edited by	Shinichi Fushima
Music by	Michiru Ōshima
Production company	Toho
Distributed by	Toho
Release date	13 December 2003 (2003-12-13)
Running time	91 minutes
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese
Box office	¥1.3 billion[1]

Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (ゴジラ×モスラ×メカゴジラ 東京SOS, Gojira x Mosura x Mekagojira Tōkyō Esu Ō Esu, lit. 'Godzilla × Mothra × Mechagodzilla: Tokyo SOS')^[2] is a 2003 Japanese kaiju film directed by Masaaki Tezuka, written by Tezuka and Masahiro Yokotani, and produced by Shogo Tomiyama. Produced and distributed by Toho Studios, it is the 28th film in the Godzilla franchise, the fifth film in the franchise's Millennium series, the 27th Godzilla film produced by Toho, and a direct sequel to the 2002 film Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla. The film features the fictional monster characters Godzilla and Mothra, along with the mecha character Mechagodzilla, who is referred to in the film by the name Kiryu.

Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. stars Noboru Kaneko, Miho Yoshioka, Mitsuki Koga, Masami Nagasawa, Chihiro Otsuka, Kou Takasugi, Hiroshi Koizumi, and Akira Nakao, with Tsutomu Kitagawa as Godzilla and Motokuni Nakagawa as Kiryu. It is the only installment in the franchise's Millennium period to share continuity with a previous Godzilla film (aside from the original 1954 film), namely Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla.

Plot[]

In 2004, Kiryu undergoes repair and modifications after its battle with Godzilla one year earlier.^[a] However, the Shobijin warn the Japanese government that Godzilla continues returning to the country because they used the original Godzilla's skeleton in Kiryu's construction. If they return the bones to the sea, Mothra will take Kiryu's place in defending Japan. Due to Mothra attacking Japan in 1961,^[b] Prime Minister Hayato Igarashi refuses, but agrees to discontinue Kiryu once it kills Godzilla. Godzilla and Mothra fight, but the former has the upper hand. With the repairs finished, Kiryu joins the fray, but Godzilla knocks both it and Mothra out.

Meanwhile, on Infant Island, twin Mothra larvae hatch from Mothra's egg and rush to help their mother. As lead scientist Yoshito Chujo heads in to repair Kiryu from its internal backup cockpit, the Japan Xenomorph Self-Defense Forces (JXSDF) and larvae try to hold Godzilla off, but Mothra sacrifices herself to protect the latter from Godzilla's atomic breath. Concurrently, Yoshito finishes repairing Kiryu, allowing it to weaken Godzilla. As the larvae bind Godzilla in silk and Kiryu's remote pilot, Kyosuke Akiba, receives the order to destroy Godzilla, Kiryu's spirit is reawakened by Godzilla's roar. The cyborg lifts Godzilla, uses its boosters to carry them both out to sea, and turns over to let Chujo escape before it plunges into the ocean.

In a post-credits scene, an undisclosed laboratory is shown with canisters containing the DNA of numerous kaiju. In the Japanese version, an unidentified voice announces that a "bio-formation" experiment involving an "extinct subject" is about to take place. Additionally in the Japanese version, Godzilla and Kiryu land at the bottom of the ocean, where the former awakens and roars.

Cast[]

Production[]

Writing[]

Toho had commissioned four story outlines for director Tezuka to choose from. Tezuka found them all boring, so instead he wrote a new story outline overnight and submitted it to the studio, which they eventually approved.^[3]

Reception[]

Box office

Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. opened on 14 December 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 (U.S).

Critical response

Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. has received generally positive reviews from journalistic reviewers upon its release on DVD. John Sinnott of DVD Talk gave Tokyo S.O.S. four stars out of five, saying:

There are some problems with this movie, but when all is said and done, I really enjoyed it...While this movie seems to be aimed at a younger audience without a lot of plot or characterization, it was still a lot of fun. The fight scenes were exciting and though they took up most of the movie, they never dragged on or got boring.^[4]

Giving the film a score of three out of five, Stomp Tokyo said "the plot is fairly simplistic and the character relationships are painted in broad strokes," but added that the movie "[features] the best monster action Toho has produced."^[5] Joseph Savitski of Beyond Hollywood criticized the film's "uninspired script," which he wrote had "ideas [that] are never fully developed," but added that the film is "well-made" and "mak[es] for an entertaining 91 minutes."^[6] Mark Zimmer of Digitally Obsessed gave Tokyo S.O.S. a "B" score, calling it "a fun enough action film with enough explosions and destruction of Tokyo to satisfy die-hards and casual fans alike."^[7]

Home media[]

The film was released on DVD by Columbia/Tristar Home Entertainment^[8] on 14 December 2004. It included a "Making Of - Featurette for Special Effects." It is also available in a 3-Disc "50th Anniversary Godzilla DVD Collection" box set; along with Son of Godzilla [1967] and Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla [1974].

The film was released on blu-ray on the Toho Godzilla Collection^[9] on 6 May 2014 in a 2-Disc double feature with Godzilla: Final Wars. It included a "Making of" documentary.

Notes[]

References[]

External links[]

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.

• Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. at IMDb
• Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. at AllMovie
• Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. at Rotten Tomatoes
• "ゴジラ×モスラ×メカゴジラ 東京SOS (Gojira tai Mosura tai Mekagojira Tōkyō Esu Ō Esu)" (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Retrieved 2007-07-21.