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Tag: Showa Series

Episode 109: ‘Terror of Mechagodzilla’ | Ft. Jack “GMan” Hudgens and Elijah Thomas | Godzilla Redux

Published February 25, 2026

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! “Godzilla Redux” kicks off with not one but two “gatekeepers” in the kaiju fandom: Jack “GMan” Hudgens and Elijah Thomas (Kaiju Conversation). They along with Nate spend nearly four hours(!) talking about why they effing love the final Showa series film, Terror of Mechagodzilla. It was Nate and Elijah’s first G-film and is one of Jack’s perennial favorites. While many regard it as Ishiro Honda’s weakest Godzilla film and barely give it more credit than the rest of the 1970s G-films, your hosts unpack a laundry list of deep themes and potent symbols. They sing the praises of the wonderful script by Yukiko Takayama (the only woman to write a full Godzilla screenplay), the exciting explosions of Teruyoshi Nakano (who considered this some of his best work), the grossly underrated kaiju Titanosaurus, and the nuanced performance of Akihiko Hirata as Dr. Mafune, among many other things. No stone is left unturned in this epic discussion! Then in the most entertaining Patreon shout-outs segment ever of all time, a certain Mr. Trump (by way of Elijah) appears….

Additional Music: “Main Title [Terror of Mechagodzilla]” by Akira Ifukube

“Meister Titano’s Counterattack”: https://www.tohokingdom.com/blog/2075-meister-titanos-counterattack-story-translation/ 

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip, and Henshin Power V3!

We’d like to give a shout-out to our free MIFV MAX patrons on Patreon: Cordell Stevens, John Pannozzi, Jacob Heron, Cool Cat Videos, Bransbow, Sean Sullivan, Frankie Wolf, Russel Hale, FRIEN Jadge, Bob Hard, ArtsieSteph, Robert O’Brien, DD Chief, Kaye, Nobody, The Indiscrite One, Clayton Warden, Enigma, Dave Blanken, Patrick Greenlaw, Mikki, Josh Baughan, Shane Cochran, and Francis Chopin.

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.

Timestamps:

  • Introduction: 0:00-18:25
  • Main Discussion (synopsis, background, analysis): 18:25-3:44:22
  • Culture Box Ad (Geek Devotions): 3:44:22-3:45:29
  • Outro (listener feedback and housekeeping): 3:45:29-3:58:34
  • Credits: 3:58:34-end

Podcast Social Media:

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives, #MonsterIslandFilmVault, #Podcast, #kaiju, #MIFV, #Godzilla, #GodzillaRedux, #TerrorofMechagodzilla

© 2025, 2026 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

  • Barr, Jason. The Kaiju Film: A Critical Study of Cinema’s Biggest Monsters. McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. 2016.
  • Brothers, Peter H. Mushroom Clouds and Mushroom Men: The Fantastic Cinema of Ishiro Honda. AuthorHouse, 2009.
  • Commentary by Keith Aikan and Bob Thomas (Classic Media DVD).
  • 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. McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. 1994.
  • Kalat, David. A Critical History and Filmography of Toho’s Godzilla Series (2nd edition). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. 2017.
  • Lees, J.D. and Marc Cerasini. The Official Godzilla Compendium. Random House. 1998.
  • LeMay, John. The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies, Volume 1: 1954-1982 (2nd edition). Bicep Books, 2017.
  • LeMay, John. Writing Japanese Monsters. Bicep Books. 2020.
  • Ryfle, Steve, and Ed Godziszewski. Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa. Wesleyan University Press, 2017.
  • Skipper, Graham. Godzilla: The Official Guide to the King of the Monsters. Welbeck Publishing Group. 2022.
  • “Terror of Mechagodzilla.” IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073373/.
  • “Terror of Mechagodzilla.” Toho Kingdom. https://www.tohokingdom.com/movies/terror_of_mechagodzilla.htm.
  • “Terror of Mechagodzilla.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terror_of_Mechagodzilla.
  • “Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975).” Wikizilla. https://wikizilla.org/wiki/Terror_of_Mechagodzilla.

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Episode 104: ‘Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla’ (1974) | Ft. Robert Kelly of Record All Monsters | Godzilla Redux

Published June 4, 2025

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! This episode marks the final “Godzilla Redux” of season four, and it’s a low-key banger! Robert Kelly, who managed to escape capture by the British police after episode 103, returns to discuss his first G-film, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974), and share what Nate says is the most unique take he’s ever heard on this film. Namely, Robert says Godzilla is his friend, because Godzilla’s monstrousness is a virtue in the vein of G.K. Chesterton. No kidding! But it isn’t the only take they discuss—and some are hotter than Big G’s nuclear breath! They get into the so-called “alien apes as Americans allegory,” the history and culture of Okinawa as it relates to this film (which is to that island what Lord of the Rings is to New Zealand), and more! King Caesar’s ghost!

“Jimmy’s Notes” on this episode COMING SOON!

Additional Music:

Buy Robert’s book, Record All Monsters: The Book of the Essays from the Podcast (https://a.co/d/gFq6W2U).

Listen to the Record All Monsters’s episode on Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974): https://www.spreaker.com/episode/s2e20-godzilla-vs-mechagodzilla-with-my-mom-wooo-and-aubrey–51852549.

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip, and Henshin Power V3!

We’d like to give a shout-out to our MIFV MAX patrons Danny DiManna (author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project); Damon Noyes, The Cel Cast, TofuFury, Eric Anderson of Nerd Chapel, Wynja the Ninja, Christopher Riner, The Indiscrite One, Eli Harris, Jake Hambrick, Matt Walsh (but not that Matt Walsh), Jonathan Courtright, Leon Campbell, Michael Watson, and Sam Allred! 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.

Timestamps:

  • Introduction: 0:00-8:14
  • Main Discussion: 8:14-2:28:22
  • Outro (housekeeping, etc.): 2:28:22-2:47:14
  • Credits: 2:47:14-end

Podcast Social Media:

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault    #Godzilla            #Mechagodzilla #kaiju           #Okinawa        #GodzillavsMechagodzilla            #Toho  #GodzillaRedux

© 2024, 2025 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

  • Barr, Jason. The Kaiju Film: A Critical Study of Cinema’s Biggest Monsters. McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. 2016.
  • 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. McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. 1994.
  • “Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla.” IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071565/.
  • “Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla.” Toho Kingdom. https://www.tohokingdom.com/movies/godzilla_vs_mechagodzilla.htm.
  • “Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godzilla_vs._Mechagodzilla.
  • ”Godzilla vs. Mechacgodzilla (1974).” Wikizilla. https://wikizilla.org/wiki/Godzilla_vs._Mechagodzilla.
  • Kaijuvision Radio, Episode 19: Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) (The Reversion of Okinawa: History and Culture) (https://youtu.be/LODiyjrAb68?si=tG7N_cB0Xdu5ZEVo).
  • Kalat, David. A Critical History and Filmography of Toho’s Godzilla Series (2nd edition). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. 2017.
  • Lees, J.D. and Marc Cerasini. The Official Godzilla Compendium. Random House. 1998.
  • LeMay, John. The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies, Volume 1: 1954-1982 (2nd edition).
  • LeMay, John with Ted Johnson. The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies: The Lost Films – Mutated Edition.
  • LeMay, John. Writing Japanese Monsters.
  • Skipper, Graham. Godzilla: The Official Guide to the King of the Monsters. Welbeck Publishing Group. 2022.

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Bonus Episode #5: First Anniversary Special

Published September 30, 2020

Hello, kaiju lovers!

Today’s special bonus episode is long, but can you blame us? It’s for MIFV’s first anniversary! Nathan makes a rare OOC (out of character) appearance and is joined by Patron and former guest Danny DiManna, author/creator of the Godzilla Novelization Project, to party like 2020 is finally over. In the first half, they present a “George Lucas extended version” of their Kaiju Con-Line presentation, which was titled “The Original MCU: Connecting Showa Era Continuity.” Essentially, they weave 26 of Toho’s tokusatsu movies (and one TV series) into a Marvel-style shared universe. Then for the second half, they play, read, and discuss feedback from listeners who shared their favorite episodes and moments from the podcast’s first year—including two messages from the other side of the fourth wall! Two words: multiversal madness! This is followed by several big announcements, including the theme for season two of MIFV coming in 2021. You don’t want to miss it!

Here’s a link to comedy of errors that was Nathan and Danny’s Kaiju Con-Line presentation.

Here’s a link to “Meister Titano,” the unofficial future of the Showaverse.

Features the song “10 Minutes of Hypothermia” by Metal Man. Download the album from Overclocked Remix.

Please support the show on Patreon!

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

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault

© 2020 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

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