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Jimmy’s Notes on Episode 37 – ‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters’ & Bonus Episode 7: ‘Gammera the Invincible’

Published April 6, 2021

You’re getting a twofer today. I’ve got notes on both episode 37 (which has proven to be one of our most popular episodes yet) and the bonus episode on Gammera the Invincible. For the latter, I didn’t take any notes, but Nate had some of his own left over. I’m just as surprised as you are.

Admittedly, much of my notes on the episode are rants about Snazzy, but they must be said.

  • Snazzy was a little bugger! He’s lucky he didn’t hit the emergency evacuation button and launch KIJU into space…or at least to the Japanese beach. Again. (Seriously, we’ve had two incidents where something or someone from the Island ended up on the Japanese coastline. Just ask Nate).
  • “Sidekick Central”? That sounds like some fifth-rate comic book company making a rip-off of the Teen Titans. Either that or a humor comic about all the kids who keep getting employed by Batman as sidekicks. (I hope Eric Elliott is reading this).
  • I have a lot of ironically-named buttons on my board. That way no one is quite sure how to properly use it, creating some job security for me. For example, I labeled the caller button “Bidi-Bidi,” the mute button “Mando,” and the volume control dial “Marchand.”
  • Those aren’t “mandibles,” Nate. They aren’t in Mothra’s mouth. Those are claws. Or as this image on mantis anatomy says, “double-spined murder clamps.”
  • Dante’s Inferno describes Satan as having three faces but not necessarily three heads. That’s close enough to Ghidorah, though.
  • “Boisters”? You meant “bolsters,” Brandon.
  • I will not be replaced by…whatever Snazzy is! My guess is he’s a “Whatever” like Gonzo.

Here are Nate’s leftover notes:

The Film

  • I like this movie. I always have. The problem I have is many of the others who also say they like this movie give the worst reasons for liking it. (i.e. “It’s supposed to be bad like the old movies!”) (Idiots making everyone look bad. –Jimmy)
  • The opening is very Gamera 3. Characters lose loved one during a kaiju attack but the kaiju meant no harm. (The whole MonsterVerse stole from the Gamera Heisei trilogy. –Jimmy)
  • Dougherty said in his commentary that he saw Mothra’s lifecycle as reincarnation. Each Mothra generation inherits the memories of the past ones. It adds a spiritual element and fits with what’s implied in the Japanese films. It’s also in keeping, as I’ve noted, with Shinto teachings.
  • I will admit not all of the film’s jokes work. “Ghidorah-gonorrhea” is the best example of a bad one. “Dude hates Titans,” is also a bit too on the nose to be funny. I know one podcast said they expected better jokes from Dougherty. (We’ve called Ghidorah worse around here, most of which isn’t fit to print. –Jimmy)
  • The “intimidation display” scene is one of the best in the film. It’s suspenseful and scary. I confess I jumped in the theater when I first saw it. It’s also a clever expansion.
  • The death of Dr. Graham is cited as an issue. It’s similar to how the elder Brody died about 45 minutes in. Jason Barr defended that by saying it shows that no characters are safe.
  • It is a little astonishing that Emma Russell has a Ted Talk prepared when she makes her villain speech. I’ve heard people call her crazy, but there are people who think like her. And if you think people won’t do crazy things because of grief, you’re mistaken. As for Mark saying it won’t bring their son back, it make sense because he was getting to the heart of the matter. She’s always conflicted throughout the film. Alan Jonah is the true believer.
  • Am I the only one who thought the climax taking place at Fenway with the “Green Monster” was intentionally ironic? (Maybe. As a Yankees fan, I enjoyed seeing it get destroyed. 😛 –Jimmy)
  • I’m really tired of the “day battles” people. Stuff like this and Pacific Rim is set at night—as someone on Twitter pointed out—because with their colorful attacks and abilities, they show up better. Kong: Skull Island is in the day because those earthy colors and less flashy creatures look better. It isn’t always some excuse to hide SFX flaws.

KOTM Spirituality

  • Godzilla is also similar to God in the OT, casting out humanity from Paradise after violating the natural order, or even the God who flooded the Earth to wipe it clean of humanity’s moral bankruptcy.
  • Rodan, to a certain extent, could be seen as Judas figure, bowing to whoever he sees as the strongest alpha. Unlike Judas, he survives his betrayal and, so it seems, is repentant.
  • Humanity must make peace with these “gods” and realize they are not the most powerful beings on Earth, even with all their weapons.
  • Godzilla, while born out of war, has evolved since then, taking on more significance while not losing his roots as an atomic allegory. “This art born of war, this new mythology, makes Godzilla and his fellow beasts of burden, like Mothra, Gamera and Rodan, not unlike the American superheroes who became a means for children and adults to process WWII and instill a sense of patriotism. And like those caped and costumed heroes, these giant monsters have seen their share of evolution and rebooting over the years in order to better reflect the society that relies on them.”
  • “There’s still that element of fear, fear of dying off, fear of destroying the world, but King of the Monsters suggests that fear doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Fear can drive our desire to reconnect with our earth and also our gods. Humanity’s fear in this context is a positive aspect as both a call to action and a reminder of a human need to be made aware of our modest scale and to feel in awe of something again. King of the Monsters is about relinquishing control.”

KOTM and The Nuclear Agenda

  • Tell us what you got from that long fortune cookie.
  • Radiation is used to treat cancer (chemotherapy)

Here’s what’s left from Gamera-Double-M:

  • I wasn’t allowed to watch the RiffTrax. (Too similar to MST3K, apparently. –Jimmy)
  • Arrow’s presentation is by far the best this has ever looked compared to the numerous cheap releases because it’s public domain. Ring in pig’s snout.
  • “Red alert.” I can’t hear that without thinking of Star Trek. This was before ST.
  • Newspapers in English.
  • “Papa-san”? (This line was odd. Like most of the movie. –Jimmy)
  • The dubbed dialogue actually says Gammera will starve in a month. (They underestimate that big turtle. It’d take at least two months. –Jimmy)
  • I don’t remember the establishing interior shots in the Plan Z facility. (But I love them! I took a tour of the place once. I almost wish I worked there. –Jimmy)
  • It says “Sayonara Gammera” and “The End” at the end. (A fitting place to finish my notes. –Jimmy)

With King of the Monsters out of the way, it’s time for the culmination of the “Kong Quest” with the long-overdue Godzilla vs. Kong. There was quite an eventful premiere for it on the Island. Trust me, I know because I tried to have a rematch with the big ape in Mechani-Kong Mk. 2. Yep. Nate was joined by his friend and collaborator, Eric Anderson, for that special broadcast. Then we return to the “Year of Gamera” with a film dramatizing one of the most exciting chapters of life, Gamera vs. Viras. We’ll be joined by two of the hosts from The Drift Space podcast, J.R. Villers and my barroom brawl opponent Jack “GMan” Hudgens (I’ll happily take a rematch).

Until then, remember: #WeShallOvercome

Follow me on Twitter: @NasaJimmy

Follow MIBOD on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD
Follow Raymund Martin (The MIFV Legal Team) on Twitter: @MIFV_LegalTeam
Follow Crystal Lady Jessica on Twitter: @CrystalLadyJes1

#JimmyFromNASALives

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Special Report #2: ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ (SPOILERS!)

Published April 1, 2021
Poster by Kyle Gilmore.

Greetings, kaiju lovers!

It’s the day after the BIGGEST kaiju film of the year—if not the decade—Godzilla vs. Kong has premiered across the world in theaters and on HBO Max, and Nate is diving headlong into a spoiler discussion! You won’t believe what you hear: surprise appearances from a famous henshin hero and the new so-called “king of the monsters.” Heck, apparently even Nate and his intrepid producer, Jimmy From NASA made cameos in the movie! That’s what happens when you need a podcaster and an engineer. And then a famous “final warrior” calls in to explain how he gave Godzilla a nose ring.

Whether you’ve seen the film or not, you’d be a fool not to listen to this special bonus episode!

Podcast Social Media:
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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
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www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault       #GodzillaVsKong

© 2021 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

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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.

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A Compassionate Ultraman | One Monstrous Moment: Alpha Edition

Published March 28, 2021

As part of Ryan “The Omni Viewer” Collins’ “One Monstrous Moment: Alpha Edition” to celebrate our favorite moments in kaiju media in anticipation of Godzilla vs. Kong, I’m submitting an entry featuring an unlikely scene from an unlikely series. In this case, from episode eleven of Ultraman: The Ultimate Hero (aka Ultraman Powered). What happens when a henshin hero battles a truly innocent monster? What can we learn about co passion and empathy from this oft-derided Ultra series? Listen to find out!

Music:
–Ultraman Powered/Ultraman: The Ultimate Hero BGM (by Suzuki Kisaburo?)

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       #OneMonstrousMomentAlphaEdition            #Ultraman

© 2021 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

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Jimmy’s Notes on Episode 36: The MSTies vs. ‘Gamera vs. Gyaos’

Published March 16, 2021

Michael, Michael, Michael. Now you’ve gone and done it. You have supplanted John LeMay as my new nemesis. You haven’t surpassed Commander Hell—the self-proclaimed “emperor of the universe” during the War in Space—but that’s hard to do since he’s an evil overlord. But, well, I may wait a little a little longer to retrieve you next time you take a tour of Monster Island’s jungle. You need a bit more excitement in your life, anyway.

Besides that, here are my other notes from last week’s episode on Gamera vs. Gyaos:

  • You should know better than to eat food in a cockpit around sensitive equipment, Michael! Serpentera Mk. 3 is a delicate machine!
  • Can’t tell, Michael? Nate, are we sure about his loyalty? #justsaying
  • I regret not reminding Nate to let Damon talk at the beginning about how he got to the Island, especially when it involved Giant Robo and Johnny Socko (he’s a friend of mine). Of course, Michael kept butting in.
  • The full name of Eiichi’s little actor is Naoyuki Abe.
  • In 1967, $1,000 was 360,000 yen, and the film’s budget was 60 million yen. Now I, too, want to know how many times Gyaos used that ray!
  • Haneda airport is nice. Japanese customs sucks, though. They never let me keep my laser pistol. I have a permit, damnit!
  • Good grief, did Damon and Michael go on and on and on at the end of the episode. Nate wisely chopped 20 minutes out. I feel sorry for the listeners here on the Island who had to hear it all.

Now for Nate’s leftover notes. He actually used all his Toku Topic notes again. Good work.

  • We’re quickly introduced to Gamera and his “Kenny,” Eiichi. Gamera eats some fire from the erupting Mt. Fuji. Reporter asks if he’s storing flames for energy or burnt to a crisp. Of course he’s still alive! He’s in the title!
  • Kojiro Hongo returns from the previous film.
  • Of course there are bats in the vampiric Gyaos’s cave!
  • Gamera is supposed to be holding Eiichi, but his hands are clearly open in the next shot. Also, he either stretches his arm like Mr. Fantastic or is crazy flexible because he’s able to place Eiichi on his back at an impossible angle. (Well, he was in space for a while, so maybe he found some cosmic rays? –Jimmy)
  • “Gyaos” is how he sounds? Okay. (Sounds like me when I cough. –Jimmy)
  • I see why Gyaos was brought back in the Heisei trilogy. He’s the easiest one to reboot.
  • There are gags like the car slicing in this. And Gyaos having a rock fall on his newly grown toe.
  • HEADSHOT on Gamera. Gyaos shoots off his own toes—but Gamera shoots off his own hand.
  • Gyaos looks constipated while re-growing his toes. (We’ve all made that face at some point, Nate. –Jimmy)
  • I want Gyaos to speak like Bela Lugosi.
  • “Exactly like our blood!” Because it’s pink? Cotton candy?
  • There’s a bit character named Toku. Okay. (Does that mean we talk about him in every episode? –Jimmy)
  • It never occurs to Gamera the THREE TIMES Gyaos drops him from midair to start flying?
  • “Put a rock in it!” (I’ll remember this the next time I want you to shut up, Marchand! –Jimmy)
  • Gyaos is barely in the volcano before the village leader says the road construction can continue.

From my books:

  • The rivalry between Godzilla and Gamera at this time was likened to The Beatles and the Rolling Stones by Patrick Macias.
  • Kichijiro Ueda, who plays the village mayor, told Yuasa, “I will defeat Gamera in performance!”
  • The humans’ efforts against Gyaos were inspired by Mission: Impossible, according to the producers.

The Commentary by Stuart Galbraith IV

  • It was decided by all to make this a children’s film. The kids would play on the floor or go buy popcorn during scenes in first two films with adults. This was made like a children’s storybook. Everything moves briskly.
    • They used a lot of real locations/offices instead of sets. One scene was Daiei’s dubbing studio.
    • This is the same Gamera suit from the previous film, but the eyes were made bigger and friendlier.
    • Daiei liked having expressive eyes on their kaiju. Detailed and brightly lit.
    • Yuasa said kaiju should all be night creatures to hide the defects of the special effects and because it’s dramatic. (Take that, day battlers!) 😛
    • The fat villagers, that actor committed suicide a few months after this movie released at age 31 because his career wasn’t going anywhere after some big success in TV.
    • Yuasa saw giant monsters and illogical, so scientists have much less screen time and no solutions. He wanted the kid audience to join Eiichi in coming up with solutions. (And yet we have an entire science lab dedicated to the kaiju here on the Island…. –Jimmy)
    • This year saw more foreign films out-grossing Japanese films.
    • Gyaos gave a press conference to promote the film, which angered some reporters. (Maybe he should be the next president’s press secretary. –Jimmy)

There you go.

The “Year of Gamera” takes a brief hiatus as we prepare for the long-awaited release of Godzilla vs. Kong, which will have a special premiere on Monster Island. Next week you’ll hear when Nate was joined by the biggest guests to be on the show (so far): Ryan “The Omni Viewer” Collins and Brandon Jacobs, the host of Up From the Depths on YouTube. Ryan’s sidekick, Snazzy, hung out with me and Jet Jaguar in the producer booth. And pushed random buttons. Before I put him in a headlock.

Until then, remember: #WeShallOvercome

Follow me on Twitter: @NasaJimmy

Follow MIBOD on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD
Follow Raymund Martin (The MIFV Legal Team) on Twitter: @MIFV_LegalTeam
Follow Crystal Lady Jessica on Twitter: @CrystalLadyJes1

#JimmyFromNASALives

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Episode 36: The MSTies vs. ‘Gamera vs. Gyaos’ (feat. Michael Hamilton and Damon Noyes)

Published March 10, 2021

Hello, kaiju lovers!

Nate and his guests, MIFV MAX members Michael Hamilton (co-host of Kaiju Weekly and The Kaiju Groupie) and Damon Noyes, reach the peak of the Showa Gamera series—which isn’t as high as Nate wants it to be. (Or does he just want to get high?) Once again as part of the Board-mandated “Year of Gamera,” the Tourists get to watch the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode featuring this film while Nate must view the original Japanese version to compare notes. Even so, Nate riffs his way through the episode so the Stockholm syndrome doesn’t set in. Michael sighs almost as much as he talks with all the jokes Nate and Damon drop about “gassy Gyaos nipples” and “plane murder.” You’d almost think Nate was enjoying himself. It’s a great act.

The Toku Topic for this episode is the Sanrizuka Struggle, which was a movement against the construction of Narita Airport. It inspired a key plot element in this movie and helped Nate prove to Michael and Damon that there was a social commentary in the film. It’s also the last social commentary in a Gamera movie for years, so enjoy it while it lasts.

Before the broadcast, Nate tries to tell his intrepid producer, Jimmy From NASA, how he plans to be a small thorn in the Board’s side only to be interrupted by Raymund Martin, the head of the Monster Island Legal Action Team, who promptly tells Nate why he can’t do that.

Raymund Martin was created and voiced by Damon Noyes.

Prologue written by Nathan Marchand with Damon Noyes.

Music:
-“Perry Mason Theme” by Buddy Morrow
-“Phoenix Wright – Pursuit Cornered | Epic Rock Cover” by Friedrich Habetler
-“Here We Go” by Chris Classic

Sound effects sourced from Freesound.org.

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!

Check out Michael podcast, The Kaiju Groupie, and Damon’s puppetry work on AllThingsZ.

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

Timestamps:
Prologue: 0:00-4:45
Intro: 4:45-13:04
Entertaining Info Dump: 13:04-22:03
Toku Talk: 22:03-1:13:10
Ad: 1:13:10-1:14:09
Toku Topic: 1:14:09-1:47:19
Housekeeping & Outro: 1:47:19-end

Podcast Social Media:
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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:

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Jimmy’s Notes on ‘Episode 35: Prophecies of Nostradamus (feat. John LeMay)

Published March 2, 2021

I’m happy to report that episode 35 got off without incident between myself and my former flame war nemesis, John LeMay. Not only is it difficult to fight a flame war when you’re on two different social media platforms, but Mr. LeMay is such a chill guy, flame wars don’t last long. That being said, I do have notes:

  • Mr. LeMay, you have no Twitter because of me? Have you seen what happens on Twitter? I practically have to fight a new War in Space every day!
  • Nate, you said, “Prophecies of Japan,” when you meant, “Submersion of Japan.” I don’t think you want to combine these movies. I shudder to think of it.
  • I do know who killed JFK:
  • Yes, I fixed Venus, and let me tell you, fixing a planet isn’t easy. It’ll be a whole chapter in my autobiography.
  • The Walking Dead comic started in 2003 and the show started in 2010 (on Halloween, I might add), which puts 2007—the supposed date of Nostradamus’ zombie apocalypse—right in the middle. Maybe he was off by a few years? That seems to be a common excuse believers in his prophecies give.
  • According to Gojipedia: “The Soft-Bodied Humans get their name due to how they are described as looking like ‘humans with peeled back skin’ following the events of a devastating nuclear war.”
  • I let John win on finding the Soft-Bodied Humans’ designer. I didn’t want to bruise his ego…again.
  • Maybe I want you to get shot into space, Marchand. Then I could take over the show for real. 😛

And now for Nate’s leftover notes (with my commentary, of course):

  • There was going to be a sequel, but it never materialized. A sequel to the novel it was based on was released in 1991, though.
  • Leonard Maltin’s reviewers jokingly said it was “presented, perhaps, by the National Enquirer.”
  • The scene with the slugs is one of the few with “kaiju.” It reminds me of a classic Doctor Who story, “Doctor Who and the Silurians.” (And funny enough, that predates this film by four years! –Jimmy)
  • They talked about overpopulation in Japan when it has dropped drastically. Argues that large population centers lead to stress and death. Arguing against civilization? (Sounds like something Alan Jonah would say. These people aren’t eco-terrorists, are they?  –Jimmy)
  • The young guy’s father wants to give up on life because the fish are all dying so he offers himself to the sea. The scene that follows is a bit like Submersion of Japan with the daughter and the boyfriend discussing how the sea is full of death but there’s still hope. They make love on a boat but aren’t interrupted by disaster.
  • Now we get to deformed children being born. One in three in Kysushu. Tamura’s colleague has a dead grandchild. He described it as if it was a thing and not a child.
  • The little girl wants to be an actress when she grows up but she’s acting now! (#Irony. –Jimmy)
  • A rare Japanese Christian who brings up Revelation. (Rev. Mifune would be proud. –Jimmy)
  • Does Tamura realize how crazy he sounds? Proposing that all but essential factories be closed, population kept in check, the old and weak dying, strict diets. It feels like COVID-land.
  • So, there’s snow in Egypt and the Hawaiian islands are freezing.
  • This does take the disasters happening only to Japan and applies them to the whole world.
  • Those seriously look like the same radiation suits from Mothra (1961).
  • It’s Audrey II! (Or Three? –Jimmy)
  • These bat props have the advantage of quick cuts. The editing helps them. If you look at them too long, they look terrible.
  • Of course everything goes wrong as soon as they take their helmets off. (Did these people not see Prometheus? –Jimmy)
  • The English acting is terrible. Even by English speakers. (Again, #irony. –Jimmy)
  • How do they even know if any of the people in the cave are alive? They looked pretty dead to me. And yet this is supposed to be horrific that they shoot all of them.
  • Like in The Last War, the Bible is quoted. In this case, Psalm 23 during a funeral.
  • Over an hour in and we finally get some tokusatsu model work.
  • Mississippi River flooding. The worst ever. That happened in the ‘90s.
  • Why connect Nostradamus to the apocalyptic environmentalism? It seems like it was inevitable. Was it a warning? Could it be prevented?
  • The mother tells her daughter that she must care for the child no matter how bad things get. I appreciate the pro-life stance. (Me too. –Jimmy)
  • This highway scene looks cool, but it’s absurd. How could one exploding car make all of them go up? (Uh…action movie logic? –Jimmy)
  • There’s a sense of hopelessness as opposed to dread.
  • This uses stock footage from The Last War and Submersion of Japan. No wonder it looked familiar.
  • The PM says Japan must set an example. Japan-centric. He also says the government has little to no power without the support of the people.
  • Suddenly I’m wondering if any of this movie was “real.” There’s hope for future generations if people act, but wasn’t there already a bunch of apocalyptic things? Was it all an illustration of Tamura’s speech?
  • Story has it that (Nostradamus) bowed to Franciscan monk, referring to him as “His Holiness,” who in 1585—years after Nostradamus’s death—was by the College of Cardinals as Pope Sixtus V.
  • (Nostradamus’) practice thrived in large part because he saw his patients as friends and treated them as such.

I predict that Mr. LeMay—whose episodes are all in MIFV’s top ten most popular on iTunes right now—will return next season…because moments after this broadcast, Nate invited him back. For what movie? Wait and see!

Next week Nate welcomes MIFV MAX members Damon Noyes and Michael “My Other Former Nemesis” Hamilton to continue the Year of Gamera with Gamera vs. Gyaos. Buckle up for that one, kaiju lovers! Then to get everyone hyped for Godzilla vs. Kong, we’ll be joined by the biggest guests we’ve had on the show (so far): Ryan “The Omni Viewer” Collins and Brandon Jacobs, the host of Up From the Depths on YouTube. Ryan is bringing his sidekick, Snazzy, who will hang out with me in the producer booth. With Jet Jaguar in there, it’s going to be crowded!

Until then, remember: #WeShallOvercome

Follow me on Twitter: @NasaJimmy

Follow MIBOD on Twitter: @MonsterIslaBOD
Follow Raymund Martin (The MIFV Legal Team) on Twitter: @MIFV_LegalTeam
Follow Crystal Lady Jessica on Twitter: @CrystalLadyJes1

#JimmyFromNASALives

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Episode 35: ‘Prophecies of Nostradamus’ (feat. John LeMay)

Published February 24, 2021

Hello, kaiju lovers!

Jimmy’s (former?) flame war nemesis, tokustasu scholar John LeMay, returns to discuss the second banned film to be covered on MIFV: Prophecies of Nostradamus. This infamous disaster film—which is as different from Submersion of Japan as night is from day—was Toho’s biggest hit of 1974 and features the last appearance by Takeshi Shimura in a Toho tokusatsu film, which only makes its banishment to the back of the vault all the more puzzling. Nate and John explain that the film was banned because of a 30-second scene (that wasn’t even real!) featuring “Soft-Bodied Humans” that was seen as offensive to atomic bombing survivors. Nate also gives a history lesson on who the popular but misunderstood French seer Nostradamus was and his book of prophecies, which inspired this bizarre film.

Yes, we know that this episode went over the Board-mandated time limit for “mini-sodes”—and we don’t care!

You can buy John’s latest books here and here on Amazon.

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.

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Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @NasaJimmy
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© 2021 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

  • Complete Works of Nostradamus, The. Compiled by Arcanaeum (2003).
  • “Furylfuramide” (Wikipedia)
  • 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.
  • LeMay, John. The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies Volume 1: 1954-1982.
  • LeMay, John. The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies: The Lost Films (Mutated Edition).
  • LeMay, John. Terror of the Lost Tokusatsu Films!
  • LeMay, John. Writing Giant Monsters.
  • Lost Films Fanzine: Movie Milestones #3, The. (John LeMay).
  • Nostradamus: The Prophecies. Translated by Richard Sieburth. Introduction by Stéphane Gerson. Published by Penguin Books (Penguin Classics).
  • Roberts, Henry C. (translator, editor, and interpreter). The Complete Prophecies of Nostradamus. Updated by Robert Lawrence. Published by Three Rivers Press.

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Jimmy’s Notes on Episode 34: The MSTies vs. ‘Gamera vs. Barugon’

Published February 17, 2021

I know I’m late posting this week. Again. But that’s what happens when someone lets Barugon out of the kaiju zone on Monster Island and MIBOD (the Board) tasks you with recovering him and installing a new fail-safe in the security system. Mechani-Kong Mk. 2 and I have been busy. Sadly, Jet Jaguar is going through a weird retro phase and was too busy modding himself in my garage to help. However, I’ve finally found some downtime to get this blog written and posted.

My notes/corrections/riffs for episode 34 on, conveniently (hmm…), Gamera vs. Barugon are:

  • I’ve yet to test the shielding against the wrathful lightning of otakus. We have new shielding coming in next month, supplied by Solstice Technologies. I’ve been assured that it can withstand even Godzilla’s atomic breath.
  • Executive produced by Gamera? While I know none of his own movies were produced by him, there are rumors he might be an uncredited producer on Godzilla vs. Kong, but that might only be so he can rub his new “king of the monsters” title in those two’s faces.
  • I may or may not be on the “feed to Barugon list”? Ever seen the post-credits scene in Pacific Rim? I did that before Hannibal Chau. Long story.
  • How to say, “I pity the fool!” in Japanese. (Mic drop).
  • Beriberi is a thiamine (or vitamin B1) deficiency. It doesn’t sound pleasant.
  • The psychiatric admission during the War in Space wasn’t as high as the New Guinea Campaign, but it was potent. Lovecraftian fear of the void is real. Trust me, I know. I may have met an elder god once in my travels in space.
  • It’s Chris “Cook” not “cookie,” Joe. Also, “otaku” isn’t part of his name. However, I lay this goof on Nate because he gave you a poorly written note. I’m sure Chris loves cookies, though, and might even start a second podcast about cookies.

Now, for Nate’s leftover notes:

The Movie

  • Awkward jump cut in early scene because a prop fell down.
  • The color in this does look nice.
  • Here’s a horrific death for the kids. Not really. But it’s the fastest five minutes ever. (This is why I don’t like time travel. –Jimmy)
  • Grenades with fuses instead of pins? Okay. Never seen anything like that. (Actually, old grenades—as in Civil War era—did have fuses. –Jimmy)
  • I just realized this guy has a farmer’s tan. Nice detail. (You’d notice because you have one, Nate. You need a little more time on the Monsterland beaches. –Jimmy)
  • Barugon’s birth is actually pretty effective. It’s weird and creepy and even a bit gross. Yuasa said it was one of his favorite scenes.
  • Barugon appears about 41 minutes in.
  • The random narrator didn’t need to explain what was happening on screen.
  • “We have to strike the monster out of range of its tongue attack.” (Horrible paraphrase).
  • Gamera finally returns almost 53 minutes in!
  • I think Gamera is getting high on Barugon’s breath. (The scientists on the Island tested that theory. Barugon’s breath isn’t a narcotic, thankfully. –Jimmy) 
  • Here’s a science lesson for you! (What science lesson was that? That kaiju like shiny things? –Jimmy)
  • Did everyone forget about Gamera this whole time? (You definitely can’t now! –Jimmy)
  • I can see the wires as Barugon dies. (I could use those wires now! –Jimmy)
  • Commentary:
    • The flashback wasn’t in the film originally. Added for those who didn’t see it.
    • The screenplay originally had the meteor change the capsule’s course and it re-entered the atmosphere.
    • Kurobe Dam is 610 feet tall and Japan’s largest.
    • The koto is the national instrument of Japan. (I took some lessons for it as a kid while living in Japan for a while. –Jimmy)
    • Gamera originally appeared before Barugon was born. Onodera saw the turtle flying, dropped the opal, and it fell under a lamp.
    • The reverence for the war dead’s bones is because not returning them is believed to break family lines and bring bad luck.
    • The Sandy Frank dub mistranslated the line about Barugon’s weakness to water. In the Japanese dialogue, it’s stated he can’t live long in water. (It’s still dubious. –Jimmy)
    • Lake Biwa is the largest freshwater lake in Japan.
  • Other factoids
    • Director Noriaki Yuasa was replaced with Shigeo Tanaka, one of Daiei’s top directors who helmed the prestige picture, The Great Wall (and WWII propaganda films for Daiei). Yuasa became special effects director.
    • It was released on double bill with Daimajin in 1966 during Japan’s “Golden Week” and was considered a major event.

Nate continues to improve his skills at sharing his notes on the Toku Topics. He got through all of them in this episode.

Next week we cover a very different film with the banned Prophecies of Nostradamus, which will feature the return of my former social media nemesis, John LeMay. That film was buried deep in the back of the Vault right next to Half-Human. Then the “Year of Gamera” continues with what might be the most famous (not “infamous”—that’s later) entry in the Titanic Terrapin’s classic movie series: Gamera vs. Gyaos. Nate will be joined by my other (former?) nemesis, Michael Hamilton, and mailman by day, actor by night, Damon Noyes (no relation to Adam).

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a huge ice-breathing reptile to catch with my giant robot ape.

Follow me on Twitter: @NasaJimmy

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#WeShallOvercome

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