Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (released in Japan as Godzilla × Mechagodzilla) is a 2002 Japanese science fiction tokusatsu kaiju film featuring Godzilla, produced and distributed by Toho. It is the 27th film in the Godzilla franchise, the 26th Godzilla film produced by Toho, and the fourth film in the Millennium Series. The film is directed by Masaaki Tezuka and written by Wataru Mimura. Unlike much of the Millennium series, the film is in continuity with past films such as Godzilla, Mothra, and War of the Gargantuas. The film was followed up with a direct sequel the following year, Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S..

Plot
In 1999, 45 years after Godzilla's first attack in 1954, Lieutenant Akane Yashiro, a maser-cannon technician, is unable to kill a new member of Godzilla's species during her first fight. She is made a scapegoat for the military's losses during the battle and transferred to a desk job. During the battle, it was discovered that Godzilla is immune to maser fire, rendering all of the Japanese military useless against it should it return. Scientists, including single father Tokumitsu Yuhara, are gathered to build a bio-mechanical robot from the original Godzilla's skeleton. Four years later, the cyborg Mechagodzilla, named Kiryu, is finished and inducted into the Japan Self-Defense Forces along with its human pilots as the Kiryu Squadron. Akane becomes the main pilot for Kiryu. However, memories of Akane's actions during the original fight still linger, and one of her squadron mates, Second Lieutenant Susumu Hayama holds her responsible for the death of his brother (who was crushed to death when Godzilla stepped on his car while he was inside during their first fight).

Four years later, in 2003, Mechagodzilla is shown to the world, and the complete system that controls the unit is explained. Controlled remotely from a control craft that resembles a very large jet fighter with V/STOL capabilities, it can be remotely recharged from the ground using microwaves that are relayed through a power system on one of the command aircraft, and then beamed back down to the robot. For the end of the presentation, its greatest and most powerful weapon, the freezing Absolute Zero Cannon, is shown. At the same time, Godzilla shows up once again, and Kiryu is launched into battle. In the midst of the first battle, Kiryu's soul is awoken by Godzilla's roar and brings with it the memories of the original Godzilla's death. As if possessed by the original Godzilla, Kiryu proceeds to destroy the city around it after Godzilla retreats to the ocean floor. Horrified, the Kiryu Squadron can only watch in alarm as the rampaging cyborg destroys more city property than Godzilla did. After one hour, Kiryu runs out of energy and is brought back to headquarters for further work.

All the while, Akane attempts to settle matters involving Hayama, Tokumitsu, and his distressed daughter, Sara (who sees Kiryu as a being with a right to life and believes that it should befriend Godzilla rather than battle it). Later, Godzilla attacks again. After repairs are made, Kiryu is released from the air and hits Godzilla with immense speed. At this point, Godzilla and Mechagodzilla face off in a head-to-head battle where each combatant sizes up its opposite and exchange powerful blows that also devastate the cityscape around them. Kiryu gains the upper hand and beats down Godzilla. Kiryu proceeds to launch the Absolute Zero Cannon, but Godzilla fires its atomic breath. During the course of the impact, Kiryu is disabled, and the remote piloting system completely taken off-line. In an effort to continue the fight and press what advantage over Godzilla they still have, Akane orders the pilot to land his command craft so that she can make her way to Mechagodzilla and take control from its internal backup cockpit. Now under direct human control, Kiryu rises from the ground one more time and closes in on Godzilla for a final blow, hoping to use the Absolute Zero Cannon at point-blank range. The two titans collide, and Akane uses Kiryu's thrusters to propel it and Godzilla out to sea before the cannon fires, freezing a huge portion of the ocean around them. After the blast clears, Godzilla is shown to be alive but with a huge gash in its chest, steadily walking back into the ocean. Kiryu is heavily damaged, missing its right arm, and the Absolute Zero Cannon is devastated. With the Kiryu Squadron successful in defeating the monster, Godzilla retreats. In a post-credits scene, Akane agrees to have dinner with Tokumitsu and Sara and gives Kiryu one last salute for its aid in battling Godzilla.

Cast

 * Yumiko Shaku as JXSDF Lt. Akane Yashiro, the main human protagonist
 * Shin Takuma as Tokumitsu Yuhara
 * Kana Onodera as Sara Yuhara
 * Kou Takasugi as JXSDF Colonel Togashi
 * Akira Nakao as Prime Minister Hayato Igarashi
 * Yūsuke Tomoi as JXSDF 2nd Lieutenant Susumu Hayama
 * Junichi Mizuno as JXSDF 1st Lieutenant Kenji Sekine
 * Kumi Mizuno as Prime Minister Machiko Tsuge
 * Yoshikazu Kanō as Hishinuma
 * Takeo Nakahara as JXSDF Chief Ichiyanagi
 * Kōichi Ueda as Dobashi
 * Midori Hagio as Kaori Yamada
 * Akira Shirai as Shinji Akamatsu
 * Naomasa Rokudaira as Dr. Gorō Kanno
 * Shinji Morisue as JXSDF 1st Lieutenant
 * Hideki "Gojira" Matsui as Himself
 * Tsutomu Kitagawa as Godzilla
 * Hirofumi Ishigaki as Kiryu

Production

 * Mechagodzilla is mostly referred to as Kiryu (derived from Kikai-ryu, the Japanese word for "machine dragon") throughout this film. This was done to differentiate the character from previous versions. It was, however, referred to as "Mecha-G" and "Mechagodzilla" in the English dubbing of the next film, Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S..
 * Japanese baseball star Hideki Matsui has a cameo as himself in the film, due to his nickname "Godzilla".
 * As has been done since the early 1970s, Toho had the international version of Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla dubbed in Hong Kong. This dubbed version was released on DVD by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment in 2004.

Soundtrack
Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla the first film of the series with a soundtrack recorded outside of Japan. Director Masaaki Tezuka once again turned to composer Michiru Oshima following their successful collaboration on Godzilla X Megagurius, with the score itself being recorded by Moscow International Symphonic Orchestra, under conductor Konstantin D. Krimets. Tezuka and Oshima would both return for the film's sequel, Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.

Release
Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla was released in Japan on 14 December 2002.

Budgeted at roughly $8.5 million, Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla opened in Japan on December 13, 2002, and earned $2,253,231 in its opening weekend. It went on to gross approximately $16 million in Japan, making it the second biggest hit of the Millennium Godzilla films at the box office. It sold approximately 1.7 million admissions.

Critical reaction
Reviews of Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla have been positive. Mike Pinsky of DVD Talk gave the film three stars out of five, saying: "While I did have some minor complaints, [this is] a fine entry in the series." Pinsky said "the plot is more interesting than most giant monster movies," and "the battle scenes, which are the main reason anyone watches these films to begin with, were great." Giving the film a "B+" score, Mark Zimmer of Digitally Obsessed said that it's "a good deal of fun and one of the better entries in the series." Digital Monster Island gave the film a "B" score, calling it "a fun and exciting film that should please most kaiju fans."

Home media releases
Sony - Blu-ray (Toho Godzilla Collection) 
 * Released: September 9, 2014
 * Picture: 2.35:1 (MPEG-4 AVC) [1080P]
 * Sound: English (5.1 DTS-HD MA) Japanese (Dolby Digital 5.1)
 * Subtitles: English and English SDH
 * Extras: Original Trailer (1080i, 1:36)
 * Notes: This is a 2-Disc double feature with Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack.

Sony Pictures - R1 America - Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment
 * Released: March 23, 2004
 * Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 (Anamorphic) [NTSC]
 * Soundtrack(s): Japanese (Dolby Digital 5.1) English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
 * Subtitles: English (Dubtitles) and French
 * Extras: Trailers: The Medallion, Returner, Tokyo Godfathers and Tube
 * Case Type: Keep Case
 * Notes: American Title - "Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla" "International Version" 88:29 mins, English opening and closing credits (otherwise same as the original Japanese version)