Godzilla: Tokyo SOS (Gojira tai Mosura tai Mekagojira: Tokyo S.O.S.) (2003)

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General		Extras
Category	Action	Teaser Trailer-x 2 Theatrical Trailer Trailer-Madman trailers x 3
Rating
Year Of Production	2003
Running Time	87:06
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	4	Directed By	Masaaki Tezuka
Studio Distributor	Madman Entertainment	Starring	Noboru Kaneko Miho Yoshioka Mitsuki Koga Hiroshi Koizumi Akira Nakao Kôichi Ueda Koh Takasugi Masami Nagasawa Chihiro Ôtsuka Takeo Nakahara Norman England Naomasa Rokudaira Yumiko Shaku
Case	Amaray-Transparent-Dual
RPI	?	Music	Michiru Ôshima

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1 (448Kb/s) English Dolby Digital 5.1 (448Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	2.35:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio	2.35:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	English	Smoking	Yes
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	Yes, after end credits

     Japan is still recovering eight months after the conflict depicted in Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla III. Mechagodzilla, now abbreviated to Mecha G, is still undergoing extensive repairs, Godzilla is loose in the Pacific and yet another monster is stirring. Linguist Dr Shinichi Chujo (Hiroshi Koizumi) and his nephew Yoshito (Noboru Kaneko) and grandson receive an unexpected visit from two tiny fairies, the Shobijin, the guardians of Mothra. Forty-three years earlier Dr Chujo had visited Infant Island and had helped recover the ancestors of the Shobijin from unscrupulous Japanese businessmen, and thus saved Japan from Mothra. Now the fairies have a request. They know that the bones of Godzilla have been used to create Mechagodzilla, which they tell Dr Chujo is not only contrary to nature and will also draw Godzilla back to Japan. They advise Dr Chujo that if the bones are returned to the sea then Mothra will defend Japan from Godzilla. If they are not returned, Mothra will also attack Japan. Dr Chujo takes the information to the Prime Minister, who believes that suspending the Mecha G repairs will only leave Japan defenceless against Godzilla as he does not trust Mothra. Dr Chujo’s nephew Yoshito also has a stake in rejecting the words of the fairies as he works as a mechanic repairing Mecha G and has faith in the ability of the robot to defeat Godzilla.

     When Godzilla soon after attacks Tokyo, Mothra appears to fight him. When Mothra is badly injured the Prime Minister activates Mecha G even though it has not been fully tested. In battle Mecha G is damaged and shuts down, crashing to the ground although Yoshito believes he can repair Mecha G and climbs inside the robot. Meanwhile, one of Mothra’s giant eggs has hatched on Infant Island; two larvae hatch, and rush across the sea towards Japan. Together the larvae, the injured Mothra and the partially repaired Mecha G attack Godzilla, but it seems that the latent memories within the DNA of Mecha G may well again come to the surface and affect the outcome of the battle.

     Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (the Japanese title is Gojira tai Mosura tai Mekagojira: Tokyo S.O.S.) could have been called Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla IV as the film follows directly from Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla III, continues the fight between Godzilla and Mechagodzilla, retains one of the earlier characters, (Akane, Yumiko Shaku, but in a minor part this time), and has the same director (Masaaki Tezuka in his third film in this Godzilla series). However the major difference is that the screenplay of Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. is written by Tezuka and Masahiro Yokotani (one of the writers of the excellent Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001)) and it is a vast improvement over the lame, predictable and clichéd plot of Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla III.

     The plot of Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. does make use of Godzilla staples such as a cute kid, a female pilot and government complicity, but it adds a meaningful comment about the evils of technology when humans mess with the natural order. The original Godzilla, it notes, had been created by atomic weapons and now the government had created Mecha G out of the bones of the dead creature, thus not allowing the soul of the dead to rest. The comment made by the fairies that “life has to be lived within the time allowed”, and later repeated, is really the key to this film and the rather more philosophical approach here than in many Godzilla films. The ending of Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. is also quite poignant as the creatures sink into the abyss, the defeat of Godzilla not celebrated. That does not mean that the film stints on creature action, it doesn’t and the last hour of the film is an extended series of creature fights featuring Godzilla, Mothra, Mechagodzilla and the Mothra larvae interspersed with human action.

     The special effects of Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. are directed by Eiichi Asada; he had been involved as assistant cameraman on Gojira tai Megaro (1973) and Godzilla (1984) but had not done a lot else and this is his first Godzilla film as special effects director. There is little that is new or innovative in the lengthy fights and there is a lot of pyrotechnics rather than claw to claw creature action. Nevertheless, the fights certainly look colourful and there are lots of explosions and destruction of model buildings, including the Japanese parliament, always a plus. Indeed, and despite some of the issues mentioned in the audio section below, Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. looks spectacular with some wonderful “hero” shots, such as Mothra flying out of a brilliant yellow sun (37:27). Other positives in Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. are the musical score of Michiru Ohshima that is rousing when it needs to be but can also be sad and moving, the humans, who are reasonably interesting, plus the return of the Shobijin, the twin fairies of Mothra, who are fabulous again here.

     A plot about the evils of technology when humans mess with nature, explosive creature action, reasonably interesting human characters, a rousing score and the return of the Shobijin; there is a lot to like in Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S., the fifth film in the Godzilla Millennium series.

Video

     Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. is presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, the original theatrical ratio, and is 16x9 enhanced.

     This, sadly, is the worst looking print in the Godzilla Millennium series films I have watched. The main issue is noise reduction which is evident in many scenes, not just the dark ones, giving a look as if they have been shot through a gauze. Thus detail is lost in the haze and sharpness is compromised. This also affects the colours, which look dull, while blacks and shadow detail could be better. However, many of the sequences shot on a stage with the guys in suits stomping building and throwing pyrotechnics at each other are much better while some are very good, such as Mothra against a black sky with snow falling (9:55) which is clear and detailed. Some sequences where the light source is behind the actor end up extremely glary; an example is 26:49 where it is almost impossible to make out the actors. Because of this contrast and brightness do vary.

     Other than slight ghosting with some human movement, I did not notice any marks or other artefacts.

     The layer change at 32:38 was in the middle of a scene and resulted in a slight pause.

    Subtitles in American English are in a yellow font and seemed error free.

    The video could be better.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

     Audio is a choice between Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1 or English Dolby Digital 5.1, both at 448 Kbps.

     I listened to the Japanese audio and sampled the English. Effects in both were similar while the American voice acting was about the same as usual.

     Dialogue was clear. The surrounds had nice separation and are used very aggressively for weaponry, engines, explosions, crashing buildings and cascading debris, creature screams, and music. The rears were fully utilised during the battles with explosions and crashing buildings and included panning effects such as helicopter engines, Mothra’s wings and flying rocketry. The sub-woofer gave great support to the music, the explosions, the destruction of buildings and thump of Godzilla’s feet.

     The score by Michiru Oshama was rousing when it needed to be but was also sad and moving, such as during the conclusion. It was an excellent score, suiting the visuals.

     Lip synchronisation was good in the Japanese audio track but very approximate in the English dub.

     A loud, aggressive and effective audio track.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Original Trailers

     Two teaser trailers (0:42) and the theatrical trailer (0:49)

MadmanTrailers

     Trailers for Godzilla vs Megalon (2:30), Godzilla vs Gigan (2:19) and Kwaidan (3:55).

     There are stand-alone versions of Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. in Region 2 Japan and Region 1 US. The Japanese release is a special edition with a second disc of extras, including a SFX featurette and the score recording sessions, but neither the feature nor the extras have any English subtitles. The Region 1 US adds French subtitles, but nothing by way of extras as far as I can tell. While there have been various box sets of Godzilla films released, there is no equivalent of our complete “Millennium Series” collection elsewhere as most box sets include a mix from the various Godzilla series.

     Region 4 is the pick for English speakers.

     Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. is the fifth film in the Godzilla Millennium series. It is an entertaining film with a decent plot, explosive creature action, interesting human characters, a rousing score and the return of the twin fairies of Mothra. Fans will not be disappointed. .

     The video could be better, the audio is excellent; trailers are the only extras.

     Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. is included in the Madman 6 disc box set Godzilla Millennium Series along with Godzilla 2000 (1999), Godzilla vs Megaguirus (2000), Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001), Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla III (2002) and Godzilla: Final Wars (2004). For a RPI of $39.95 the box set is still a fabulous way to stay in touch with “the original monster of mass destruction” during his later reincarnations.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall