Happy Godzilla Day 2026!

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Happy Birthday, G-Man!

Please stop using generative AI.

 

 
 
Sad to have to say that, especially since it was completely unnecessary and Toho already got a small amount of flak for it last year. I'm sure it was probably (hopefully) some higher-up's idea and it's thankfully used very sparingly (from what I can tell, at least), but it's still such a shame to realize there's slop mixed into what was supposed to be celebration of loving, traditional, hand-crafted art. I mean, it mostly still is, but now there's this little black spot marring their efforts and it was completely avoidable.

Please. Don't keep doing this, Toho. Your crowdfunding events go as well as they do because the fans you've spent the last 70+ years earning LOVE these practical effect shorts. Miniature cities painstakingly assembled down to the littlest detail. Monsters sculpted and painted head-to-toe by artists and brought to life by actors. Daring, carefully planned feats of pyrotechnics and wire work. These are marvels of human creativity and ingenuity and your continued use of them, even in an age where more advanced digital techniques have rendered them obsolete, is a gesture of respect and appreciation toward the generations of men and women before you who pioneered this artform. That is a beautiful thing. Please, always remember that.

 

That said... it was otherwise an incredible short, one of their best efforts so far. I won't say much else besides that in case you haven't watched it yet. There are some pretty fun little twists in there that I never would've seen coming and I had a blast watching it. I'm still looking forward to next year's sequel, where we'll see the New Monster General Election's winner... Xenolhu!

Anybody surprised? Yeah, me neither!

Congratulations, to Xenolhu, the artists who designed him, and everyone who voted for him! I can't wait to see what this monster looks like in full 3D!

I also can't wait to see Godzilla: Minus Zero... hopefully soon!

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