The Monster Island Film Vault

On September 25, 2019 , Nathan re-entered the world of kaiju podcasting with a new show he wasn’t sure would work. Four years of ups and downs later, this unique blend of film analysis and audio drama is still going strong. Nathan is joined by several guests, including Damon Noyes (guest host, Patron, and actor), Sarah Marchand (his sister and the voice of Crystal Lady Jessica), and Neil Riebe (au...

Yeah, I’m thinking Gamera is back! And since his return is in anime form, of course Nate invited Drew and Jacob from The Cel Cast to join the discussion. Gamera: -Rebirth- is a six-episode anime that just dropped on Netflix, and it’s infinitely better than the fake anime Nate and the Cel Cast boys covered a few months ago . Writer-director Hiroyuki Seshita gets his redemption story in this, provin...

In an impromptu livestream, Nate discusses the trailer for the upcoming epic G-film Godzilla: Minus One directed by Takashi Yamazaki. These 90 seconds tell us much and nothing at all, making it prime for questions, theorizing, and speculation. In other words, it’s a darn good trailer. The film releases in Japan Nov. 3 and in the U.S. Dec. 1. Send us your theories about Minus One to read on a futur...

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! In this impromptu but timely "Godzilla Redux" episode that's technically from the future of the MIFV timeline, Nate sits down and discusses the first true Heisei G-film, Godzilla vs. Biollante, with YouTuber Kaiju Kim and GNP creator/author Daniel DiManna. Why did he move it up and feature them as guests? So they could promote the Kickstarter for their animated tie-in fanfilm...

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! In this epic livestream audio (and rare public MIFV MAX episode), Nathan is joined by his friend, MIFV MAX member Daniel DiManna ( Godzilla Novelization Project ) to discuss G-Fest 28. This was the convention’s second year at the Hyatt in Rosemont, Illinois—and it’s most attended ever with estimates as high as five-thousand! Nathan was on four panels and Daniel six; they met s...

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! We interrupt our regular episode schedule for a “special report” on the Skull Island “anime” from Netflix and Powerhouse Animation. (Yes, the first “special report” was an experiment and the other a gag, but work with us). Obviously, Nate calls on his animation experts, Drew and Jacob of The Cel Cast, to discuss this, well, train wreck. SPOILER WARNING: It’s the worst thing in...

It’s not often Nate has actors from kaiju films on the show, let alone two of his buddies! Yes, believe it or not, his friends Daniel DiManna (Godzilla Novelization Project) and Elijah Thomas (Kaiju Conversation) both “starred” and “co-directed” the independent schlock-fest ZillaFoot from SRS Cinema. In this episode, which is more of an interview than a review/discussion, Daniel and Elijah talk ab...

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! MIFV MAX members Michael “The Man of Many Nicknames” Hamilton and Daniel “Godzilla Novelization Project” DiManna sponsored this Patreon episode on the semi-obscure ‘80s cartoon Dinosaucers, a comedy-action series about anthropomorphic alien dinosaurs battling each other. Sadly, Nate doesn’t find it as cool as that description sounds, much to his guests’ chagrin. The nostalgic...

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! To celebrate Ray Harryhausen's birthday (and their birthdays), Nate is joined by the “Littlest Gatekeeper,” Elijah Thomas of Kaiju Conversation, to continue their yearly series discussing the filmography of the stop-motion master. Today, it's 1977's Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger. (Classic rock and Rocky III references, anyone?) It’s the third in the unconnected Sinbad trilog...

Nathan Marchand gives you a crash course on the tokusatsu medium! This was recorded at JAFAX (Japanese Animation, Film, and Art Expo) June 9-11, 2023. This is also premiering on The Monster Island Film Vault YouTube channel, and the audio will be shared on the MIFV podcast feed. Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/zvh09FrXqLM . Check out Nathan’s other podcasts, Henshin Men and The Powe...

In this JAFAX panel, you’ll take a crash course in the Ultraman series with Nathan Marchand! This required a bit of tweaking because it angered the automated YouTube overlords that Nathan dared show the trailer for Ultraman Blazar, which is why it cuts off at the end. You can hear a similar version of this presentation by listening to episode 48 of Henshin Men, which features Daniel DiManna, and i...

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! In this excerpt from a Patreon-exclusive livestream for MIFV MAX members, I share many stories from my weekend tabling at All Monsters Attack 2. I represented Kaiju Ramen Media and promoted MIFV, Henshin Men, and The Power Trip along with several content creator friends, including Travis A;exander, Michael Hamilton, and Elijah Thomas. You'll hear everything from my pre-con Vie...

Hey, Kaiju Lovers! To tide you over while I finalize the next few episodes, here’s an abridged version of the 4 ½ hour livestream I did with Elijah Thomas of the Kaiju Conversation podcast. In this excerpt, we talk with Mark Bailey, the editor of Giant Bug Cinema: A Monster Kid’s Guide. This was a collection of essays on B-movies featuring huge insects, to which both Elijah and I contributed. The...

While contemplating if raiding the Boardroom is a good idea, Nate stumbles across the second episode of the Monster Island Gatekeepers podcast, which was broadcast April 1, 2022. It features a half-drunk William H. George III attempting to discuss how, contrary to popular belief, loving the MonsterVerse makes one a true kaiju fan—with the Old Janitor. Hilarity ensues. Listen to episode one here: h...

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! Nate is joined by a fresh face on the show: gaming journalist and podcaster Alex McCumbers. It makes sense because today’s “Ameri-kaiju” film is Rampage (2018) starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, which is based on a classic arcade game. While the movie is “almost good,” as Alex puts it, it does embrace some of the wackiness of its origins with wisecracking “Agent Negan” and ca...

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! The final “Godzilla Redux” episode of season three features three guests! Longtime staples Joe and Joy Metter and first-timer Brendan Morley join Nate to discuss Ebirah, Horror of the Deep (aka Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster). It’s Brendan’s favorite Godzilla film, so it was only natural he’d be here. Nate enticed Joe and Joy to return by having them watch the “banned” Mystery S...

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! “Ameri-kaiju” continues with a bit of an unusual entry; one that, serendipitously, Nate also covered around the same time on his other podcast, The Power Trip : the controversial Power Rangers (2017). While Nate has grown to appreciate this film quite a bit, he intentionally brought on Chris Cooke (co-host of One Cross Radio, Radio Arcade, and Powerbombs and Piledrivers) to di...

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! As part of The Omni Viewer’s ( https://www.youtube.com/@omniviewer2115 ) “One Monstrous Moment: Star of Ultra Edition” series, Nate waxes poetic about a mecha-kaiju—from Zyuranger! Yes, he kinda combines all of his podcasts into one short essay that discusses grief, vulnerability, legacy, and Jason David Frank. Have some tissues ready! Additional music: “Kyoryu Sentai Zyurange...

To tide you over while I finish production on episode 74, I’m re-sharing this Kaiju Weekly classic! You’ll get to hear me and Travis Alexander discuss a deathly serious horror movie that features DeForrest Kelly fighting giant killer rabbits! This was originally published in spring 2020. The audio quality is a bit inconsistent because we recorded on Discord. Original show notes: “This week Travis...

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! While production continues on the last quarter of MIFV season three, I’m sharing this excerpt from the latest MIFV MAX livestream, on which the subject was the finally-released Shin Ultraman. In this portion, we interview the producer of the Ultraman Connection website, Jeff Gomez, who shares why tokusatsu—and especially Ultraman—is important to him. We then move to the work h...

What happened to season three? Where’s season four? Nathan answers these answers and explains what’s been interfering with MIFV production. Don’t worry! The show isn’t going anywhere! Just keep Nathan in your prayers. Thanks! We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Travis Alexander; Michael Hamilton; Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project ); Eli Harris ( e...

Merry Christmas, Kaiju Lovers! And yes, you read that right! Nathan is covering a holiday “monster movie”—because his real sister said so! Yes, Sarah Marchand joins him as a guest host to discuss one of the movies that they’ve, ironically, bonded over: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, starring Jim Carrey. While it stretches the purview of the podcast thinly, Nathan does justify it with some weak co...

(This episode was largely recorded and written before the tragic news of Jason David Frank’s death). Hello, Kaiju Lovers! In what you could call the perfect crossover between their podcasts, MIFV MAX members Drew and Jacob of The Cel Cast sponsor a discussion of Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: The Movie. It has animated kaiju in it—they’re just bad CGI robots. But the real star of this film, like o...

As a warm-up to MIFV season 4—“The Monster Island World Tour”—Nathan and his friends Michael Hamilton and Daniel DiManna discuss Netflix's new Norwegian kaiju movie, Troll. Is this a secret MonsterVerse film? Is it pulling from the same lore as 2010’s Trollhunter? What do Norwegian fairytales say about trolls? All these questions and more are discussed and answered by Nathan and two trolls he call...

On November 28, 2022, a multitude of podcasters and YouTubers—Nathan Marchand, Michael Hamilton, Travis Alexander, Jack “GMan” Hudgens (The Drift Space), J.R. Villers (The Drift Space), Rebecca Hudgens (The Drift Space), Kaiju Kim, Chris Cooke, and Jimmy from Zeo 2 Hero—came together to celebrate the life and work of Jason David Frank. From acting to martial arts to teaching to motivational speaki...