Skip to content

Category: Mini-analysis

The Simple Heroism of Jet Jaguar | “Operation: Jet Jaguar” | Minus One Monstrous Moment

Published November 30, 2023

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! This year for Godzilla Day (Nov. 3), Toho celebrated the 50th anniversary of Godzilla vs. Megalon with the release of the short film, “Operation: Jet Jaguar.” In it, everyone’s favorite smiley superhero robot (and Jimmy From NASA’s “sidekick”) battles Godzilla in epic fan service at its best. But it’s more than just that. Nate waxes philosophical about it in this special mini-sode as part of Ryan “The Omni Viewer” Collins’ Minus One Monstrous Moment series on YouTube.

Script by Nathan Marchand.

Additional music:

Sound effects sourced from Freesound.org.

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Travis Alexander; Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Damon Noyes, The Cel Cast, TofuFury, Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel, Ted Williams, Wynja the Ninja, Brad “Batman” Eddleman, Christopher Riner, The Indiscrite One, Jake Hambrick, Edwin Gonzalez, Matt Walsh (but not that Matt Walsh), and Jonathan Courtright! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month! (https://www.patreon.com/monsterislandfilmvault)

Buy official MIFV merch on TeePublic! (https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-monster-island-gift-shop). NEW MERCH NOW AVAILABLE!

This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Podcast Social Media:

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault            #MinusOneMonstrousMoment          #kaiju  #OneMonstrousMoment            #JetJaguar       #Godzilla        #GodzillaDay

© 2023 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Comments closed

Episode 41: ‘Sayonara Jupiter’ (Mini-Analysis)

Published May 26, 2021

Hello, kaiju lovers!

A chapter closes on today’s episode as Nate concludes his “mini-sode” series on the Toho classics he missed out on in his previous podcast life. This week he discusses the almost-forgotten hard sci-fi tokusatsu film from 1984, Sayonara Jupiter (aka Bye Bye Jupiter). It was something of a transitional film for Toho since its cast and crew included players from both the Showa and Heisei eras, including Akihiko Hirata (in his final role), Sakyo Komatsu (author of Submersion of Japan), Koichi Kawakita (FX director for the Heisei Godzilla series), and Koji Hashimoto (director of Return of Godzilla/Godzilla 1985). Unfortunately, the Hollywood-caliber special effects can’t save it from an overstuffed script that has a Jupiter Solarization Project, an eco-cult/terrorist group, and Nazca lines on Mars, among other things. If the film is known for anything, though, it’s the (in)famous zero gravity sex scene (which may or may not be intrepid producer Jimmy From NASA’s favorite part). Yep.

After Nate gets into all of this, he reads some listener feedback in the form of three new Apple Podcasts reviews and then gets a visit from Monster Island’s security chief, Captain Douglas Gordon, who brings along a famous friend he says is upset with Nate. This leads to an important announcement about MIFV’s next episode series.

After the credits, Nate and Jimmy are visited by Jessica, still fresh off of her exploits as magical girl superheroine Crystal Lady. She’s been given some, shall we say, “special” earrings by the nefarious Monster Island Board of Directors. Let’s just say Nate and Jess butt heads more than usual because of them.

Guest stars:

  • Sarah Marchand as Jessica Shaw

Epilogue Parts 1-2 (“Introducing Godzilla Redux” and “Influencers”) written by Nathan Marchand.

Additional music:

Sound effects sourced from Freesound.org, including one by InspectorJ, and the Toho Foley library.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio); Bex from Redeemed Otaku; and Damon Noyes! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month!

This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Timestamps:
Intro/Film Analysis: 0:00-15:14
Ad: 15:14-17:09
Listener Feedback: 17:09-22:17
Outro, Epilogue Part 1, and Credits: 22:17-31:31
Epilogue Part 2: 31:31-end

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD
Follow the Raymund Martin and the MIFV Legal Team on Twitter: @MIFV_LegalTeam
Follow Crystal Lady Jessica on Twitter: @CystalLadyJes1

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2021 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Comments closed

Bonus Episode 7: ‘Gammera the Invincible’ (Mini-Analysis)

Published March 31, 2021

Hello, kaiju lovers!

Due to contractual obligations, Nate covers a “13th” Gamera movie as part of the “Year of Gamera”: Gammera the Invincible (he’s a loony). This heavily-edited Americanized version of Gamera the Giant Monster was given the Godzilla, King of the Monsters! 1956 treatment—but it’s far less interesting as a movie and as a piece of kaiju film history. Nate details the key differences—one being the de-emphasis of Psycho Kenny, er, Toshio-san—and explains the rather mundane reasons for why the movie was drastically changed. Also, he gives the Board-appointed “king of the monsters” a new nickname: “Gamera-Double-M.”

Up next: Godzilla vs. Kong!

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio); Bex from Redeemed Otaku; and Damon Noyes! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month!

This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD
Follow the Raymund Martin and the MIFV Legal Team on Twitter: @MIFV_LegalTeam
Follow Crystal Lady Jessica on Twitter: @CystalLadyJes1

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2021 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

  • Flower, James. “A Guide to English Language Gamera.” (Arrow Video Gamera: The Complete Collection)
  • Galbraith IV, Stuart. Japanese Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films: A Critical Analysis and Filmography of 103 Features Released in the United States 1950-1992.
  • “Gamera (1965)” (Wikizilla)
  • “Gamera, the Giant Monster” (Wikipedia)
  • LeMay, John. The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies Volume 1: 1954-1982.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Comments closed

Episode 33: ‘Submersion of Japan’ (feat. Adam Noyes)

Published January 27, 2021

Hello, kaiju lovers!

Nate is joined by podcaster/YouTuber/filmmaker Adam Noyes to cover something a bit different this week: the original 1973 tokusatsu disaster film Submersion of Japan (aka Japan Sinks). Think of it as a kaiju film without a kaiju. It’s based a novel by Sakyo Komatsu, who Adam describes as “the Japanese Michael Crichton.” The novel was a blockbuster, and this film was an even bigger hit. You can tell this was what Toho invested most of their money into and not Godzilla vs. Megalon that year. Adam and Nate discuss the film’s better-than-Hollywood special effects, the horribly truncated and re-edited U.S. version called Tidal Wave made by Roger Corman, and the film’s wrestling with Japanese national identity, among other things.

Also, Nate’s “pseudo-sister” magical girl superheroine clone, Jessica, meets him just before the broadcast to let him know she just moved back to Monster Island. He’s…overjoyed.

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode.

Featuring Sarah Marchand as the voice of Jessica Shaw.

Prologue script by Nathan Marchand.

Music: “A weird thing” by Chiro.
Sound FX sourced from Freesound.org.

The episode thumbnail was created by Michael Hamilton.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio); Bex from Redeemed Otaku; and Damon Noyes! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can join MIFV MAX on Patreon to get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month!

This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Timestamps:
Prologue: 0:00-2:45
Main Discussion: 2:45-51:54
Outro: 51:45-end

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD
Follow the Raymund Martin on Twitter: @MIFV_LegalTeam

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2021 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Comments closed

Episode 31: ‘Space Amoeba’ (feat. Giant Monster BS)

Published December 23, 2020

Hello. kaiju lovers!

The end has come…for MIFV’s first season, that is. It was supposed to be an epic episode on Godzilla vs. Kong…but instead Nathan is joined by Matt and Gratton from the “Giant Monster Ben Shapiro,” er, “BS” podcast to discuss Space Amoeba (aka Yog, Monster from Space), a weird lesser classic from the Toho tokusatsu library. Released in 1970, it marked a shift in the Showa era for Toho films. This was the year special effects wizard Eiji Tsuburaya died, the studio contract system was discontinued in Japan, and Ishiro Honda left Toho, just to name a few big changes. Jet Jaguar hung out with the intrepid Jimmy From NASA in the producer booth to act as a “dump button” in case the GMBS boys went full-tilt HBO on a family show. They along with Nathan discuss the film’s quirky characters and plot, its three well-executed but almost forgotten monsters, and the wonders of the “Weedmobile” before Jimmy is called away to quell a rowdy Godzilla and Kong with his newly rebuilt Mechani-Kong. That goes about as well as you’d expect, so Nathan, Matt, and Gratton have to pilot another giant robot to save his intrepidness.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, kaiju lovers!

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode.

Listen to Matt and Gratton’s episode on Space Amoeba.

The prologue and epilogue were written by Nathan Marchand.

This episode features sound effects sourced from www.FreeSound.org, Brand Name Audio, and the Pipeworks/Atari Godzilla video games.

The music tracks heard in this episode are “Global Defense Force: Moguera” by Heavy Melody Music (from the Godzilla Unleashed OST) and “King Kong 2 – Main Theme (Metal Cover)” by Sharp Rain Music.

The episode thumbnail was created by Michael Hamilton.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our Patreon patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio), and Bex from Redeemed Otaku! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can support us on Patreon and get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month!

This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2020 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

  • The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies Volume 1: 1954-1982 by John LeMay
  • Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa by Steve Ryfle and Ed Godzisewski
  • Japanese Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films: A Critical Analysis and Filmography of 103 Features Released in the United States 1950-1992 by Stuart Galbraith IV
  • Kaijuvision Radio, Episode 53: Space Amoeba (1970) (Japanese Colonialism in Oceania)
  • Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda by Peter H. Brothers
  • Writing Giant Monsters by John LeMay

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

1 Comment

Episode 30: ‘Latitude Zero’ (Mini-Analysis)

Published December 9, 2020

Hello, kaiju lovers!

This week’s episode is a “traditional” mini-analysis of Latitude Zero, an almost obscure 1969 Toho science fiction film directed by Ishiro Honda, who probably had to take a dip in the “Bath of Immunity” to endure the stress of making it. To say it was harrowing would be an understatement. This strange American/Japanese co-production has a troubled history full of clashing sensibilities and creative differences (which you can hear more about in MIFV episode six). However, the main topic of the episode is the concept of utopia because Latitude Zero seems to be a rare example in fiction of a successful one. Spoiler warning: Nathan doesn’t buy it. 

Afterward, Nathan and Jimmy are visited by the Monster Island Board of Directors’ executive assistant, Ms. Perkins, who is the Island’s head of PR. She wanted to discuss recent “fake news” being spread by Jimmy From NASA and also announce the Board’s decision on Nathan’s proposals for season two of MIFV. All this plus listener feedback! 

This episode features Celeste Mora as Ms. Perkins (Twitter: @VOCelesteMora).

The song heard in the episode is “Opening the Way” by Pablo Coma, which is a remix from the video game Shadow of the Colossus. It is from the OCRemix album, BadAss Boss Themes: Volume III.

The episode thumbnail was created by Michael Hamilton.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our Patreon patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio), and Bex from Redeemed Otaku! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can support us on Patreon and get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month!

This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode.

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2020 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

  • “The Ambiguous Necessity of Utopia: Post-Colonial Literatures and the Persistence of Hope” by Bill Ashcroft (Social Alternatives, Vol. 28 No.3, 2009)
  • The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies Volume 1: 1954-1982 by John LeMay
  • The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies: The Lost Films (Mutated Edition) by John LeMay
  • “Dystopia: Who Needs It?” by Adrian Mourby (History Today; Dec 2003; 53, 12; ProQuest Research Library, pg. 16)
  • Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa by Steve Ryfle and Ed Godzisewski
  • Japanese Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films: A Critical Analysis and Filmography of 103 Features Released in the United States 1950-1992 by Stuart Galbraith IV
  • Kaijuvision Radio – Episode 52: Latitude Zero (1969) (The South China Sea Disputes)
  • Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda by Peter H. Brothers
  • “News from Somewhere: Enhanced Sociability and the Composite Definition of Utopia and Dystopia” by Gregory Claeys (The Journal of the Historical Association)
  • “Pragmatism, Utopia and Anti-Utopia” by Ruth Levitas (Critical Horizons: A Journal of Philosophy and Social Theory 9.1, May 2008, 42–59)
  • “The problem with utopia” by Michael Shermer (This Week and Aeon)
  • Utopia by Thomas More
  • “Utopia isn’t just idealistic fantasy – it inspires people to change the world” by Heather Alberro (The Conversation)
  • “Utopian Fiction as Moral Philosophy; Imagination and Critique” by Roger J. H. King (Utopian Studies, No. 3 (1991), pp. 72-78)
  • Writing Giant Monsters by John LeMay

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

1 Comment

Episode 27: ‘Frankenstein Conquers the World’ (feat. Travis Alexander)

Published October 28, 2020

Hello, kaiju lovers!

“FRONKENSTEEN! FRONKENSTEEN!”

In what has to be a providential “accident,” our Halloween episode is the perfect kaiju film for the spookiest time of the year: Frankenstein Conquers the World. Nathan is joined by Travis Alexander, co-host of Kaiju Weekly and the biggest Baragon fan we know (#Justice4Baragon), to discuss this wild if uneven Toho classic directed by Ishiro Honda. We discuss the film’s relation to the hibakusha, the discriminated survivors of the atomic bombings, because Frankenstein’s plight in the film mirrors their real-life struggles. Also, Travis gets to meet Godzilla’s bumbling nephew, Godzooky (he’s practically Travis’s spirit animal), who helps Jimmy From NASA in the producer booth because he’s still reeling from his beatdown at the hands of Daimajin.

Episode image created by Michael Hamilton.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our Patreon patrons Travis Alexander (of course) and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio), and Bex from Redeemed Otaku! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can support us on Patreon and get this and other perks starting at only $3 a month!

This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode.

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2020 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

1 Comment

Episode 25: ‘Dogora, the Space Monster’ (feat. Michael ‘The Kaiju Groupie’ Hamilton)

Published September 23, 2020

Hello, kaiju lovers!

Making his third trip to Monster Island—but his first appearance on MIFV—is none other than the Kaiju Groupie himself, Michael Hamilton. He paid Nathan and Jimmy a visit to discuss Dogora, the Space Monster, which was one of three kaiju films released in 1964 by Toho. The titular space squid is a nightmare straight out of an H.P. Lovecraft story—minus the sorta lame weakness. (To quote Batman, “Bees. My god.”) Nathan and Michael also discuss Japan’s infamous mafia, the Yakuza, since there are elements of it in this film. Enjoy!

Check out Michael’s titular podcast and social media here.

Episode image created by, well, Michael Hamilton.

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our Patreon patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (co-hosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio), and Bex from Redeemed Otaku! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can support us on Patreon!

This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2020 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Comments closed

Episode 23: ‘Atragon’ (Mini-Analysis)

Published August 26, 2020

Hello, kaiju lovers!

This month’s mini-sode is yet another excerpt from the paper Nathan wrote for his Ishiro Honda independent study in grad school, and it’s on one of his favorite tokusatsu films: Atragon. This Jules Verne-ian sci-fi adventure story has deep connections to the Japanese national spirit as it was inspired by a militaristic 1899 novel and the ongoing newspaper stories about World War II stragglers being found on Pacific islands. The film also comments on resurgent Japanese nationalism in the early 1960s. All this plus listener feedback, and MIFV’s intrepid producer, Jimmy From NASA, tells a bit of his story about taking the Gotengo (the flying super-sub in the film) for a joyride in the ’80s. (If you want to hear the entire story, listen to Kaiju Weekly episode 38). And much to Nathan’s annoyance, Jimmy relays an outrageous announcement from the Monster Island Board of Directors about Godzilla vs. Kong.

Episode thumbnail created by Michael Hamilton.

We’d like to give a shout-out to our Patreon patrons Travis Alexander and Michael Hamilton (cohosts of Kaiju Weekly); Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Eli Harris (elizilla13); Chris Cooke (host of One Cross Radio), and Bex from Redeemed Otaku! Thanks for your support!

You, too, can support us on Patreon!

This episode is approved by the Monster Island Board of Directors.

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode.

Podcast Social Media:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
Follow the Monster Island Board of Directors on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2020 Nathan Marchand & Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

1 Comment