Kaiju Vs. History

Another non-Godzilla Kaiju classic from Ishiro Honda...or is it? We have all the standard elements of a monster masterpiece with two times the monsters and a sibling rivalry that will go down in history. This is 1966's "War of the Gargantuas"

We head back to the small screen for a special episode looking at one of the most influential and long standing Tsuburaya Productions in Kaiju History. Join us as we cross our forearms and press our capsule buttons in 1966's "ULTRAMAN" Twitter: @kaijuvshistory Email: kaijuvshistory@kaijuvshistory

Starting of a trilogy of fantasy history Kaiju epics we start with the seminal hard-to-find classic from Daiei. Join us this week as we do a deep dive into the Edo inspired world of 1966's "Daimajin"! Twitter: @kaijuvshistory Email: kaijuvshistory@kaijuvshistory

We return to the now colorful world of mythic jungle beasts and Flying turtles with an oddity in the Showa Gamera films - a movie without a friendly child. Will this departure spell this picture's doom or will the rainbow foe light up the screen? Find out with this weeks look at 1966's "Gamera Vs. Barugon" Twitter: @kaijuvshistory Email: kaijuvshistory@kaijuvshistory

This week we dip our toes into the world of Historical Fantasy Kaiju for the first (but definitely not last) time this decade. Join us on a ninjutsu adventure with our examination of 1966's "The Magic Serpent"! Twitter: @kaijuvshistory Email: kaijuvshistory@kaijuvshistory

This week we have a special episode, taking a step away from the cinemas and into the world of Kaiju television. Join us as we dip our toes into the world of mystery and monsters in 1966's "Ultra Q". A television show that kicked of waves of Kaiju and Tokusatsu masterpieces over the airwaves, and was the build up to one of the most popular Japanese sci-fi franchises of all time with "Ultraman" lat...

Ishiro Honda returns for another monster film in a decade that is soon to become crowded with them. This time the trope of alien invaders is fully cemented in the annals of kaiju cinema. This week we examine the history of 1965's "Invasion of Astro-Monster"! Twitter: @kaijuvshistory Email: kaijuvshistory@kaijuvshistory

This week's special episode is not a history lesson-styled review, but our first ever commentary track. Last year we streamed a watch party of the original Gamera film and recorded a in depth commentary track. Sync up a viewing of the film and get real time facts and trivia on this classic kaiju commentary! (Press Play on the film when the Podcast intro music fades out) Twitter: @kaijuvshistory Em...

A new kauji combatant enters the ring from rival studio Daiei films, to capitalize on the growing monster movie explosion. A giant turtle is released from the arctic ice by an atomic blast, this week we dive into the rat-infested history of 1965's Gamera, The Giant Monster! Twitter: @kaijuvshistory Email: kaijuvshistory@kaijuvshistory

Finally the idea generated over a decade earlier comes to fruition at the hands of Ishiro Honda. This week we examine the interesting twists and turns it took in order to make 1965's "Frankenstein Conquers the World".

We take a look at one of the most often cited "Best" of the Showa era, with 1964's "Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster" Take a deep dive into the history behind the first showdown between the alien kaiju and Godzilla and friends in this Ishiro Honda classic. Twitter: @kaijuvshistory Email: kaijuvshistory@kaijuvshistory

Ishiro Honda is back with another non-Godzilla series Kaiju flick, but one that feels very different from Gorath and The Mysterians. This week gangsters, diamond G-men and invisible tentacles battle it out in 1964's "Dogora"! Twitter: @kaijuvshistory Email: kaijuvshistory@kaijuvshistory

Two of Toho's titans return to tower over Tokyo in this fresh versus battle, the heroic fan favorite Mothra against the still villainous Godzilla. Ishiro Honda is back to direct what many consider the best kaiju film of the decade, this week's episode is 1964's "Mothra vs. Godzilla" Twitter: @kaijuvshistory Email: kaijuvshistory@kaijuvshistory

Set sails for an adventure from the master Ishiro Honda aboard the Gotengo! This week we are diving into 1963's "Atragon". Will the monstrous Manda take down the crew or will our heroes put aside their political differences and save the world from undersea authority! Twitter: @kaijuvshistory Email: kaijuvshistory@kaijuvshistory

This week we look at a watershed moment in the history of kaiju cinema. Its east meets west, tradition vs the atomic age, King vs God! This week we look at Ishiro Honda's seminal monster masterpiece, 1962's "King Kong vs Godzilla"! Twitter: @kaijuvshistory Email: kaijuvshistory@kaijuvshistory

We are back for another Ishiro Honda scifi epic that Toho producer Tomoyuki Tanaka insisted has a giant Walrus monster in it. This is technically a Kaiju flick, 1962's amazing planet X disaster film "Gorath". Twitter: @kaijuvshistory Email: kaijuvshistory@kaijuvshistory

This might be it. One of the greatest Kaiju origin film since the original King Kong and Godzilla. This week on Kaiju vs. History we take a look at the appearance of a new monster moth on the scene. A featured creature that will go on to be one of the greatest Kaiju of all time. This week is Ishiro Honda's 1961 classic "Mothra"! Twitter: @kaijuvshistory Email: kaijuvshistory@kaijuvshistory

We are back for even more European Kaiju Cinema this week with 1961's "Gorgo" from director Eugène Lourié. They took equal parts King Kong and Godzilla to create their own Gaelic folk monster. This is a film that will astound you, and if you've never heard about it it is worth a look. Twitter: @kaijuvshistory Email: kaijuvshistory@kaijuvshistory

61 Years ago this month the rights to make a King Kong sequel were sold from RKO to create a new 8th wonder of the world. Instead we got Alfred Pennyworth going on a murdering spree with his weapon of choice: a man in a gorilla costume. This is 1961's "Konga".

This week's episode starts season 2 of the podcast, as we enter into the swinging 60's and take a vacation from US and Japanese monster movies entirely. This week's episode comes from the heart of Europe, and a unique monster movie to start this decade off on the right foot. This week's episode in 1961's Reptilicus!

We finish watching early Kaiju cinema and the many different monster movies of the 1950's and talk about them in this season's wrap-up episode! Join us as we look at some of the Kaiju-adjacent films that we skipped in the decade, talk about the themes and motifs of the 50's, and talk about our final scores. What made the top 5 films of season 1? What about the worst Kaiju film of the decade? Find...

We head to England for one of the first european Kaiju, but certainly not the last, in this weeks historic look at 1959’s “The Giant Behemoth”. With a script steeped in nuclear fears, production trying to recapture the Kaiju flame, and a beautiful shooting locale will this be a smashing hit or a dreadful daikaiju bollocks? Find out on this week’s Kaiju Vs. History. Twitter: @kaijuvshistory Email:...

We return to Toho, but take a step back from the last two prior Kaiju outings, as this week we look at the black and white originally made for TV film 1958’s “Varan the Unbelievable”. Is this film as bad as many critics say? Was the production as irredeemable as Ishiro Honda remembers? Find out all that and more in this week’s Kaiju Vs. History! Twitter: @kaijuvshistory Email: kaijuvshistory@kaiju...

A sequel to 1957’s original giant monstrous human, we discover the history behind another rushed sequel, with 1958’s “War of the Colossal Beast”. We get clip shows, new characters, and tenuous links to the original film. With prosthetic makeup similar to Bert I. Gordon’s film “Cyclops” the Colossal Beast cuts a striking figure, but little is added to the original film. Will this film make a larger...

One of the most influential pop culture icons of 1950s scifi comes alive on the big screen in 1958’s “Attack of the 50 Foot Woman”. With some of the most iconic poster art of all time, we dive into this campy classic to see if the film is worth the time. Is this film worth of its long legacy or is it another in the line of over hyped and under performing American monster movies? Find out on this w...