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GODZILLA (1954-1975)

Godzilla embodies many roles, from destroyer to defender.

From a terrifying force of nature representing the horrors of war, to a parental figure primed for blockbuster kaiju team-ups, Godzilla's role varied with each new Show era incarnation.

1954's Godzilla emerged as a massive, 50-meter-tall monster with craggy dorsal fins from neck to tail. Never before had movie-goers beheld a monster of this magnitude, and when Godzilla breathed its horrifying heat ray to set Tokyo ablaze, cinema was changed forever.

But Godzilla’s features would continue to shift. While Godzilla’s eyes grew, its iconic tail, teeth, claws, and dorsal fins were toned down through the ‘60s and ‘70s.

Godzilla’s motives would also evolve. In early films, Godzilla tended to tussle with any kaiju that happened to be in the way. But by 1964’s Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, Godzilla was willing to work with others to defend Earth.

GODZILLA (1954-1975) By
The Numbers

Appears In 15 Movies
First Introduced 1954
Largest Height 50 Meters
Largest Weight 20,000 T

GODZILLA (1954-1975) Through
The Ages

Movies &
WHERE TO STREAM

Godzilla (1954)

Godzilla rises from the depths of the Pacific to attack Tokyo in this remarkable allegory for mankind's own disregard for nature and one another.

Directed By

Ishiro Honda

Music By

Akira Ifukube

Story By

Takeo Murata & Ishiro Honda

Godzilla Raids Again

The spiny and ferocious kaiju, Anguirus, faces off against Godzilla and wreaks havoc on the streets of Osaka in this 1955 sequel.

Directed By

Motoyoshi Oda

Music By

Masaru Sato

Story By

Takeo Murata & Shigeaki Hidaka

King Kong vs. Godzilla

A battle for the ages, Godzilla goes against the infamous King Kong, leaving behind terror and destruction all throughout Japan.

Directed By

Ishiro Honda

Music By

Akira Ifukube

Story By

Shinichi Sekizawa

Mothra vs. Godzilla

When Godzilla appears and begins another rampage, the mighty Mothra is called upon in hopes of stopping the kaiju in this popular Showa era classic.

Directed By

Ishiro Honda

Music By

Akira Ifukube

Story By

Shinichi Sekizawa

Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster

Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra join forces to stop the three-headed alien kaiju, King Ghidorah, in this electrifying debut of Godzilla's archnemesis.

Directed By

Ishiro Honda

Music By

Akira Ifukube

Story By

Shinichi Sekizawa

Invasion of Astro-Monster

Two astronauts witness attacks by the dreaded Monster Zero while exploring Planet X, launching an intergalactic battle amongst humans and kaiju.

Directed By

Ishiro Honda

Music By

Masaru Sato

Story By

Shinichi Sekizawa

Ebirah, Horror of the Deep

The citizens of Letchi Island call on the mighty Godzilla and Mothra to save them from the Red Bamboo terrorist group and the sea monster, Ebirah.

Directed By

Jun Fukuda

Music By

Masaru Sato

Story By

Shinichi Sekizawa

Son of Godzilla

As secret weather-control experiments create a radioactive storm, Godzilla sets out to rescue the loveable kaiju hatchling Minilla from giant insects.

Directed By

Jun Fukuda

Music By

Masaru Sato

Story By

Shinichi Sekizawa & Kazue Kiba

Destroy All Monsters

Earth's kaiju are safely contained on "Monster Land," until alien forces causes them to leave the island and rampage across cities.

Directed By

Ishiro Honda

Music By

Akira Ifukube

Story By

Takeshi Kimura & Ishiro Honda

All Monsters Attack

A boy named Ichiro befriends Minilla and finds they have more in common than they thought, including being tormented by a bully named Gabara.

Directed By

Ishiro Honda

Music By

Kunio Miyauchi

Story By

Shinichi Sekizawa

Godzilla vs. Hedorah

Godzilla takes on Hedorah, aka the Smog Monster, a kaiju that feeds on humanity's industrial waste and illustrates the dangers of pollution.

Directed By

Yoshimitsu Banno

Music By

Riichiro Manabe

Story By

Takeshi Kimura & Yoshimitsu Banno

Godzilla vs. Gigan

Evil aliens disguised as humans at a "harmless" theme park try to summon a space kaiju to destroy the planet. Can Godzilla and Anguirus save the day?

Directed By

Jun Fukuda

Music By

Akira Ifukube

Story By

Shinichi Sekizawa

Godzilla vs. Megalon

The Seatopians unleash Megalon on the surface for revenge (later joined by Gigan), and Jet Jaguar and Godzilla team up to stop them.

Directed By

Jun Fukuda

Music By

Riichiro Manabe

Story By

Shinichi Sekizawa

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla

Created by aliens to conquer Earth, Mechagodzilla is unleashed on humanity. Can Godzilla defeat this new mechanical foe?

Directed By

Jun Fukuda

Music By

Akira Ifukube

Story By

Jun Fukuda

Terror Of Mechagodzilla

This follow-up Mechagodzilla film ends the Showa era, featuring a mad scientist who wants to unleash the kaiju Titanasaurus to the world.

Directed By

Ishiro Honda

Music By

Akira Ifukube

Story By

Yukiko Takayama