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Tag: tokusatsu

MIFV’s 5th Anniversary Livestream

Livestreamed September 25, 2024, Nathan is joined by MIFV MAX member/“executive producer” Damon Noyes for fun and prizes to celebrate five years of podcast excellence on The Monster Island Film Vault. Festivities included MIFV trivia, MIFV fun facts, and a live reaction to episode 1. Let’s just say Nathan has come a long way as a podcaster.

Watch the video version here: https://www.youtube.com/live/lC3Weaku6p8?si=Zgx_R5Jn63gvexn6.

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, Ted Williams, 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.

Podcast Social Media:

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault    

© 2024 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

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Episode 97: ‘Godzilla vs. Gigan’ | Ft. Daniel DiManna | Godzilla Redux

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! In the longest MIFV episode ever (of all time), Nate is joined by Daniel DiManna of the Godzilla Novelization Project (no surprise why it’s long) to discuss the most underestimated of G-films: Godzilla vs. Gigan (aka Godzilla on Monster Island). They discuss every possible aspect of this film, from its under-funded production to its quirky yet iconic dub and everything in between—and we do mean everything. But the most surprising part of this epic episode is Nate and Danny’s discussion of the historical context in which it was made—a time of market penetration by foreign corporations and the explosion of the popularity of theme parks—the fascinating unmade drafts of its script written by both Shinichi Sekizawa and Takeshi Kimura, and the brilliant meta commentary it makes on Godzilla as a pop culture icon. “There’s something funny going on” in today’s episode of MIFV!

Here’s the Sekizawa and Kimura panel Danny and I hosted at G-Fest 2019: https://youtu.be/D3fROnC-Sso?si=SJjlQ5kie_XYuDRA.

Jimmy’s Notes on this episode COMING SOON! 

Additional Music:

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, Ted Williams, Wynja the Ninja, Christopher Riner, The Indiscrite One, Eli Harris, Jake Hambrick, Matt Walsh (but not that Matt Walsh), Jonathan Courtright, Leon Campbell, and Michael Watson! 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: 0:00-19:15
  • Main Discussion – Production History and More: 19:15-1:48:27
  • Main Discussion – Film Analysis and Appreciation: 1:48:27-3:40:12
  • Outro (listener feedback and housekeeping): 3:40:12-4:02:41
  • Credits: 4:02:41-end

Podcast Social Media:

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault    #GodzillaRedux                       #Godzilla        #GodzillaVsGigan      #kaiju             

© 2024 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

  • Danny’s brain
  • 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. Gigan.” IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068371/.
  • “Godzilla vs. Gigan.” Toho Kingdom. https://www.tohokingdom.com/movies/godzilla_vs_gigan.htm.
  • “Godzilla vs. Gigan.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godzilla_vs._Gigan.
  • “Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972).” Wikizilla. https://wikizilla.org/wiki/Godzilla_vs._Gigan.
  • Kaijuvision Radio, Episode 17: Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972) (Globalization/Trade/Corporations, 1972 Winter Olympics) (https://youtu.be/fdq71P6g1ls?si=jlPN9GjthymbH5hD)
  • Kalat, David. A Critical History and Filmography of Toho’s Godzilla Series (2nd edition). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. 2017.
  • 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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Episode 96 Epilogue: “Mother, May I?”

Having located “Big Mama” and her offspring in a Thai cave, Jimmy launches a new drone, the P-2, to lure the creatures out so Ricky’s drones can bag-and-tag them and return to the Island. Nate feels left out, but even Kaguya is busy shopping for wedding dresses online. But when the P-2 is wrecked by Big Mama, Kaguya says they can call her friend May, the now grown girl who found Big Mama’s egg years ago, for help.

Listen to the main episode here: http://monsterislandfilmvault.com/index.php/2024/08/12/episode-96-the-lake-2022-vs-jacob-lyngle/.

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, Ted Williams, Wynja the Ninja, Christopher Riner, The Indiscrite One, Eli Harris, Jake Hambrick, Matt Walsh (but not that Matt Walsh), Jonathan Courtright, Robert Kidd, Leon Campbell, Michael Watson, Edwin Gonzalez, and Erik Pearl! 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    #TheLake2022            #MonsterIslandWorldTour     #Thailand

© 2024 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

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MIFV Interview Series – Dr. Jeffrey Angles

Nathan interviews Dr. Jeffrey Angles, who translated the original novelizations of Godzilla (1954) and Godzilla Raids Again by Shigeru Kayama and got them published outside of Japan. These gave G-fans new insights into the production of these films and Japanese genre fiction. He’s currently working to get The Luminous Fairies and Mothra translated and published. This was a book commissioned by Toho that became the film Mothra in 1961. Dr. Angles even reads an excerpt from his translation (an MIFV exclusive!).

Watch the original version here: https://www.youtube.com/live/k-EJay-FZCE?si=R47UBu4mQMHsiqyM.

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men, 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, Ted Williams, Wynja the Ninja, Christopher Riner, The Indiscrite One, Eli Harris, Jake Hambrick, Matt Walsh (but not that Matt Walsh), Jonathan Courtright, Leon Campbell, and Michael Watson! 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    

© 2024 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

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Episode 96: ‘The Lake’ (2022) vs. Jacob Lyngle

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! With Korea finally behind them—much to Nate’s relief—he and Jimmy migrate to Thailand. There they are joined by the founder and editor of Kaiju United, your premiere kaiju website, to discuss the ambitious “thaiju” (ba-dum-tsh!) film, The Lake (2022). Jacob had the privilege of interviewing its director, Lee Thongkham, for KU, which is frequently referenced in this episode since there is shockingly little info online for this film. Not even the usual kaiju wiki pages have anything! Regardless, it’s an ambitious little movie, and compared to some of Thailand’s other giant monster fare, it’s practically a masterpiece. (Looking at you, Garuda!) Thongkham said his film was inspired by local legends of a serpent god, which inspired Nate to research the naga as this episode’s Toku Topic.

Jimmy’s Notes on this episode COMING SOON! 

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, Ted Williams, Wynja the Ninja, Brad “Batman” Eddleman, Christopher Riner, The Indiscrite One, Eli Harris, Jake Hambrick, Matt Walsh (but not that Matt Walsh), Jonathan Courtright, Robert Kidd, Leon Campbell, Michael Watson, Edwin Gonzalez, and Erik Pearl! 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: 0:00-17:40
  • Entertaining Info Dump: 17:40-26:41
  • Toku Talk: 26:41-1:41:07
  • Ad (Henshin Power V3): 1:41:07-1:43:16
  • Toku Topic (The Naga): 1:43:16-2:18:58
  • Outro (listener feedback and housekeeping): 2:18:58-2:40:17
  • Credits: 2:40:17-end

Podcast Social Media:

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault    #TheLake2022            #MonsterIslandWorldTour     #Thailand

© 2024 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading COMING SOON!

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MIFV Interview Series – Elijah Thomas

While Nathan catches up on his podcast production (watch for updates), join him as he launches yet another subseries by interviewing his friend and fellow podcaster, Elijah Thomas (Kaiju Conversation), who is also an aspiring filmmaker. They discuss Elijah’s new short film, Edo Kami no Gyakushu, which premiered at G-Fest XXIX. They’ll also discuss the perils and perks of indie filmmaking, especially in the kaiju/toku sphere.

Watch the original version here: https://www.youtube.com/live/Ueqo3Kq2iOI?si=RyRKXwtyastmVmgz.

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men, 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, Ted Williams, Wynja the Ninja, Christopher Riner, The Indiscrite One, Eli Harris, Jake Hambrick, Matt Walsh (but not that Matt Walsh), Jonathan Courtright, Leon Campbell, and Michael Watson! 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    

© 2024 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

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NEW PODCAST – Henshin Power V3 (promo trailer)

Henshin Power V3: Where three friends have three minutes to talk about tokusatsu! Nathan (aka “The TsuBro”) has finished both Henshin Men and The Power Trip, but his friends Chris (aka “Sentai Guy”) and Jake (aka “The Metal Don”) won’t let him stop discussing henshin heroes just yet! A new tokusatsu journey begins July 10, 2024 (Ultraman Day)!

Podcast Social Media:

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault     #HenshinPowerV3

© 2024 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

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Jimmy’s Notes on Episode 94: ‘Pulgasari’ vs. Tomi Trembath

I’ve survived the infamous War in Space. I battled the Virasians alongside by best friend and Gamera. I’ve seen and done things you can only imagine. But none of it prepared me for North Korea. I questioned the wisdom of the Board for sending us there to do Episode 94 on Pulgasari, and now I’m almost certain they must’ve cut a deal with the “Dear Leader” to make us “disappear.” They knew well that Nate would open his Venus-sized mouth and cause an “international incident.” Sarcasm is his native language, and it’s @#$%-ing illegal in that country! I smell a conspiracy of gay frogs proportions! But maybe I’m just “salty,” as the kids say, because that bullheaded punk, Pulgasari, ate part of my robot and technically ate my fiancée—before he petrified, exploded, and reverted to a baby. It’s been a weird week. Anyway, here are my notes on the episode.

  • The Kims suck at Counterstrike. All they do is try to use rockets. They’ll intentionally avoid using any other weapons but those.
  • I have a memo from Tomi to hound Nate to read Kaijumax. I keep telling him it’s fodder for the podcast, but does he listen to his producer? Negative, Ghost Rider!
  • Russian dolls of oppression are nasty things! I went on a mission toward the tail end of the Cold War to take some out…oh, wait…that’s still classified. I can’t talk about it.
  • I’ll talk to Elijah about acquiring the rights for a “Tickle Me Pulgasari.” After his success with Titanic Creations’ Yongary figure, that should be easy for him.
  • I used to eat farming implements until Tomi Trembath told me to “stop it!” But hey, I had an iron deficiency.
  • I wish I could dive into water when I’m hot and bothered. But then I’d hardly see Kaguya—you know, the reason I’m hot and bothered.
  • You wanted a “Pulgasari freakout face” gif? Here’s your Pulgasari freakout gif. (Although, Nate insists there’s a better shot for it).
  • James Bond movies aren’t real?! WHAT?! I’m rethinking my entire life! Next you’ll tell me, I’m not real!
  • I worked for a different “agitation department.” All we did was pull pranks. We were “Punk’d” before Punk’d.
  • I found an entire article detailing North Korean wedding customs. It’s both funny and depressing. For one thing, you can be arrested for going on a honeymoon (yikes!), but this line reads like something out of The Babylon Bee: “When someone gets married and has a baby in North Korea, people often say that another gun or bomb has been born. Some parents have even named their babies ‘gun’ or ‘bomb.’ That is the power of brainwashing.”

We here at MIFV are still busy, even after escaping North Korea. Depending on timing, our next episode will either be a Patreon pick from The Cel Cast for some kaiju action in Star Wars…and I have mixed feelings about it. Nate is calling it, “The Zillo Beast Saga,” and it will involve a discussion of two episodes of The Clone Wars and three episodes (sorta) of The Bad Batch. Then Nate and his friend Elijah Thomas from Kaiju Conversation have their annual Harryhausen crossover, “Monster Conversation,” with The Golden Voyage of Sinbad. Next month, we move to Thailand (which is already safer than North Korea) to discuss The Lake and recapture its wild monster.

Until next time, remember…we shall overcome!

Social media:

#JimmyFromNASALives      #WeShallOvercome                #MonsterIslandFilmVault

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Episode 94: ‘Pulgasari’ vs. Tomi Trembath

Hello, Kaiju Lovers! Nate and Jimmy venture across the 38th parallel into North Korea to cover the most infamous kaiju film ever made and recapture its star monster: Pulgasari. Tomi Trembath of the Giant-Sized Violence podcast, who grew up with its strange American remake, The Adventures of Galgameth, joins Nate via video call (for obvious reasons) to discuss this “North Korean Godzilla,” which is surrounded by urban legends and even wilder true stories. It’s a pseudo-remake of a lost South Korean film and, arguably, the Daimajin trilogy–because it’s an ’80s movie that looks like a grungy ’60s movie. (Thanks, “Dear Leader”!) But it saved the life of its kidnapped director, Shin Sang-ok, and his actress wife, Choi Eun-hee, which is the subject of our Toku Topic.

Listen to this episode’s prologue: https://monsterislandfilmvault.com/index.php/2024/06/27/episode-93-prologue-the-hunting-of-the-snarky-nate-part-1/.

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode on the MIFV website! (https://monsterislandfilmvault.com/index.php/2024/06/27/jimmys-notes-on-episode-94-pulgasari-vs-tomi-trembath/).

Check out Nathan’s spinoff podcasts, The Henshin Men and The Power Trip. Henshin Power V3 coming July 10, 2024 (Ultraman Day)!

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, Ted Williams, Wynja the Ninja, Brad “Batman” Eddleman, Christopher Riner, The Indiscrite One, Eli Harris, Jake Hambrick, Matt Walsh (but not that Matt Walsh), Jonathan Courtright,  Robert Kidd, Leon Campbell, and Michael Watson! 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.

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Timestamps:

  • Introduction: 0:00-6:45
  • Entertaining Info Dump: 6:45-14:57
  • Toku Talk: 14:57-1:14:50
  • Ad (Toku Toy Town): 1:14:50-1:16:12
  • Toku Topic (The Story of Shin Sang-ok and Choi Eun-hee): 1:16:12-2:00:12
  • Outro: 2:00:12-2:14:30
  • Credits: 2:14:30-end

Podcast Social Media:

www.MonsterIslandFilmVault.com

#JimmyFromNASALives       #MonsterIslandFilmVault    

© 2024 Moonlighting Ninjas Media

Bibliography/Further Reading:

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