First appearing in 1954, Godzilla has starred in a total of 38 films: 33 Japanese films produced and distributed by Toho Co., Ltd. and five American films, one produced by TriStar Pictures and four produced by Legendary Pictures. The monster has also appeared in countless other entertainment mediums, which include comic book lines, novelizations, and video games; each appearance expands upon the universe created by the films.
Toho later translated the monster's Japanese name as "Godzilla" for overseas distribution. The first recorded foreign usage of "Godzilla" was printed in the Hawaii Tribune-Herald on November 20, 1955.
Within the context of the Japanese films, Godzilla's exact origins vary, but it is generally depicted as an enormous, violent, prehistoric sea monster awakened and empowered by nuclear radiation. Although the specific details of Godzilla's appearance have varied slightly over the years, the overall impression has remained consistent. Inspired by the fictional Rhedosaurus created by animator Ray Harryhausen for the film The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, Godzilla's character design was conceived as that of an amphibious reptilian monster based around the loose concept of a dinosaur with an erect standing posture, scaly skin, an anthropomorphic torso with muscular arms, lobed bony plates along its back and tail, and a furrowed brow.
In the original Japanese films, Godzilla and all the other monsters are referred to with gender-neutral pronouns equivalent to "it", while in the English dubbed versions, Godzilla is explicitly described as a male. In his book, Godzilla co-creator Tomoyuki Tanaka suggested that the monster was probably male; but also suggested that the original 1954 version could have been female. In the 1998 film Godzilla, the monster is referred to as a male and is depicted laying eggs through parthenogenesis. In the Legendary Pictures Godzilla films, Godzilla is specified as a male.
Godzilla's allegiance and motivations, as well as its level of intelligence, have changed from film to film to suit the needs of the story. Although Godzilla does not like humans, it will fight alongside humanity against common threats. However, it makes no special effort to protect human life or property and will turn against its human allies on a whim. It is generally not motivated to attack by predatory instinct; it does not usually eat people and instead sustains itself on nuclear radiation and an omnivorous or piscivorian diet consisting especially of cetaceans and large fish. When inquired if Godzilla was "good or bad", producer Shōgo Tomiyama likened it to a Shinto "God of Destruction" which lacks moral agency and cannot be held to human standards of good and evil. "He totally destroys everything and then there is a rebirth. Something new and fresh can begin." Tomoyuki Tanaka noted in his book that Godzilla and humanity can become temporary allies against greater threats, but they are essentially enemies due to the difficulty to co-exist.
Godzilla's signature weapon is its "atomic heat beam" (also known as "atomic breath"), nuclear energy that it generates inside of its body, uses electromagnetic force to concentrate it into a laser-like high velocity projectile and unleashes it from its jaws in the form of a blue or red radioactive beam. Toho's special effects department has used various techniques to render the beam, from physical gas-powered flames to hand-drawn or computer-generated fire. Godzilla is shown to possess immense physical strength and muscularity. Haruo Nakajima, the actor who played Godzilla in the original films, was a black belt in judo and used his expertise to choreograph the battle sequences.
Various films, non-canonical television shows, comics, and games have depicted Godzilla with additional powers, such as an atomic pulse, magnetism, precognition, fireballs, convert electromagnetic energy into intensive body heat, converting shed blood into temporary tentacle limbs, an electric bite, superhuman speed, laser beams emitted from its eyes and even flight.
Godzilla's size is inconsistent, changing from film to film and even from scene to scene for the sake of artistic license. The miniature sets and costumes were typically built at a 1⁄25–1⁄50 scale and filmed at 240 frames per second to create the illusion of great size. In the original 1954 film, Godzilla was scaled to be 50 m (164 ft) tall. This was done so Godzilla could just peer over the largest buildings in Tokyo at the time. In the 1956 American version, Godzilla is estimated to be 121.9 m (400 ft) tall, because producer Joseph E. Levine felt that 50 m did not sound "powerful enough".
As the series progressed, Toho would rescale the character, eventually making Godzilla as tall as 100 m (328 ft). This was done so that it would not be dwarfed by the newer, bigger buildings in Tokyo's skyline, such as the 243-metre-tall (797 ft) Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building which Godzilla destroyed in the film Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991). Supplementary information, such as character profiles, would also depict Godzilla as weighing between 20,000 and 60,000 metric tons (22,050 and 66,140 short tons).
The first suit, weighing in excess of 100 kg (220 lb), consisted of a body cavity made of thin wires and bamboo wrapped in chicken wire for support and covered in fabric and cushions, which were then coated in latex. It was held together by small hooks on the back, though subsequent Godzilla suits incorporated a zipper. Prior to 1984, most Godzilla suits were made from scratch, thus resulting in slight design changes in each film appearance. The most notable changes from 1962 to 1975 were the reduction in Godzilla's number of toes and the removal of the character's external ears and prominent fangs, features which would all later be reincorporated in the Godzilla designs from The Return of Godzilla (1984) onward. The most consistent Godzilla design was maintained from Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989) to Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995), when the suit was given a cat-like face and double rows of teeth.
Several suit actors had difficulties in performing as Godzilla due to the suits' weight, lack of ventilation and diminished visibility. Haruo Nakajima, who portrayed Godzilla from 1954 to 1972, said the materials used to make the 1954 suit (rubber, plastic, cotton, and latex) were hard to find after World War II. The suit weighed 100 kilograms after its completion and required two men to help Nakajima put it on. When he first put it on, he sweated so heavily that his shirt was soaked within seconds. Kenpachiro Satsuma in particular, who portrayed Godzilla from 1984 to 1995, described how the Godzilla suits he wore were even heavier and hotter than their predecessors because of the incorporation of animatronics. Satsuma himself suffered numerous medical issues during his tenure, including oxygen deprivation, near-drowning, concussions, electric shocks and lacerations to the legs from the suits' steel wire reinforcements wearing through the rubber padding. The ventilation problem was partially solved in the suit used in 1994's Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla, which was the first to include an air duct that allowed suit actors to last longer during performances. In Godzilla (1998), several scenes had the monster portrayed by stuntmen in suits similar to those used in the Toho films, with the actors' heads being located in the monster's neck region and the facial movements controlled via animatronics. However, because of the creature's horizontal posture, the stuntmen had to wear metal leg extenders, which allowed them to stand two metres (six feet) off the ground with their feet bent forward. Kurt Carley performed the suitmation sequences for the adult Godzilla.
In 1967, the Keukdong Entertainment Company of South Korea, with production assistance from Toei Company, produced Yongary, Monster from the Deep, a reptilian monster who invades South Korea to consume oil. The film and character has often been branded as an imitation of Godzilla.
As the series progressed, so did Godzilla, changing into a less destructive and more heroic character. Ghidorah (1964) was the turning point in Godzilla's transformation from villain to hero, by pitting him against a greater threat to humanity, King Ghidorah. Godzilla has since been viewed as an anti-hero. Roger Ebert cited Godzilla as a notable example of a villain-turned-hero, along with King Kong, Jaws (James Bond), the Terminator and John Rambo.
Godzilla's ubiquity in pop culture has led to the mistaken assumption that the character is in the public domain, resulting in litigation by Toho to protect their corporate asset from becoming a generic trademark. In April 2008, Subway depicted a giant monster in a commercial for their Five Dollar Footlongs sandwich promotion. Toho filed a lawsuit against Subway for using the character without permission, demanding $150,000 in compensation. In February 2011, Toho sued Honda for depicting a fire-breathing monster in a commercial for the Honda Odyssey. The monster was never mentioned by name, being seen briefly on a video screen inside the minivan. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society christened a vessel the MV Gojira. Its purpose is to target and harass Japanese whalers in defense of whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. The MV Gojira was renamed the MV Brigitte Bardot in May 2011, due to legal pressure from Toho. Gojira is the name of a French death metal band, formerly known as Godzilla; legal problems forced the band to change their name. In May 2015, Toho launched a lawsuit against Voltage Pictures over a planned picture starring Anne Hathaway. Promotional material released at the Cannes Film Festival used images of Godzilla.
In a 2007 interview, Japanese defense minister Shigeru Ishiba said that he would mobilize the Japan Self-Defense Forces in response to an appearance by Godzilla.
Japanese: ゴジラ, Hepburn: Gojira; IPA: [ɡoꜜʑiɾa] ⓘ /wiki/Japanese_language
Williams, Owen (March 3, 2021). "An Essential Guide To All The Godzilla Movies". Empire. Archived from the original on August 6, 2022. Retrieved August 6, 2022. https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/godzilla-movie-guide/
Souder, William (2012); On a Farther Shore - The Life and Legacy of Rachel Carson. Broadway Books, New York, 496 pp. ISBN 978-0-307-46221-3
Merchant, Brian (August 25, 2013). "A Brief History of Godzilla, Our Never-Ending Nuclear Nightmare". Vice. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2022. https://www.vice.com/en/article/a-brief-history-of-godzilla-our-never-ending-nuclear-nightmare/
Eric Milzarski (December 12, 2018). "How Godzilla films were actually a metaphor for how postwar Japan saw the world". We Are the Mighty. https://www.wearethemighty.com/entertainment/godzilla-films-japanese-metaphor
"Is Godzilla a metaphor for the United States?". Fox News. October 13, 2016. https://video.foxnews.com/v/5166986165001#sp=show-clips
Ambrosia Viramontes Brody (January 23, 2012). "Trojans explore the fantastic aspects of reality". USC News. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved August 8, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201112195639/https://news.usc.edu/32825/trojans-explore-the-fantastic-aspects-of-reality/
Barr 2016, p. 83. - Barr, Jason (2016). The Kaiju Film: A Critical Study of Cinema's Biggest Monsters. McFarland. ISBN 978-0786499632.
Robbie Collin (May 13, 2014). "Gareth Edwards interview: 'I wanted Godzilla to reflect the questions raised by Fukushima'". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 11, 2022. Retrieved May 19, 2016. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/10820543/Gareth-Edwards-interview-I-wanted-Godzilla-to-reflect-the-questions-raised-by-Fukushima.html
Godzilla, King of the Monsters (vol. 1) #1 (Marvel Comics, 1977)
Godzilla, King of the Monsters (vol. 1) #20 (Marvel Comics, 1979)
Godzilla, King of the Monsters (vol. 1) #23 (Marvel Comics, 1979)
Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong(vol. 1) #1 (DC Comics and Legendary Comics, 2023)
Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong(vol. 1) #1 (DC Comics and Legendary Comics, 2023)
Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong(vol. 1) #5 (DC Comics and Legendary Comics, 2024)
Ragone 2007, p. 35. - Ragone, August (2007). Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters. Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-0-8118-6078-9.
Ryfle 1998, p. 23. - Ryfle, Steve (1998). Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G. ECW Press. ISBN 9781550223484. https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl
"Gojira Media". Godzila Gojimm. Toho Co., Ltd. Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved November 19, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110711103915/http://www.godzillaondvd.com/mediapageloads/still05.html
Satoshi Yamaguchi, April 2013, ゴジラ誕生物語, p.20, Bunken Shuppan https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%B1%B1%E5%8F%A3%E7%90%86
Ryfle 1998, p. 23. - Ryfle, Steve (1998). Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G. ECW Press. ISBN 9781550223484. https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl
Ryfle 1998, p. 23. - Ryfle, Steve (1998). Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G. ECW Press. ISBN 9781550223484. https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl
Ryfle & Godziszewski 2017, p. 88. - Ryfle, Steve; Godziszewski, Ed (2017). Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa. Wesleyan University Press. ISBN 978-0-8195-7087-1.
"キネマ旬報: Issues 1109-1112" [Kinema Junpo: Issues 1109-1112]. Kinema Junpo (in Japanese). No. 1109–1112. 1993. p. 119. Retrieved May 14, 2023 – via Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?id=41YaAQAAIAAJ
Ryfle & Godziszewski 2017, p. 88. - Ryfle, Steve; Godziszewski, Ed (2017). Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa. Wesleyan University Press. ISBN 978-0-8195-7087-1.
Ryfle & Godziszewski 2017, p. 88. - Ryfle, Steve; Godziszewski, Ed (2017). Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa. Wesleyan University Press. ISBN 978-0-8195-7087-1.
"文藝春秋: Volume 62" [Bungei Shunjū: Volume 62]. Bungei Shunjū (in Japanese). Vol. 62. November 1984. p. 83. Retrieved May 14, 2023 – via Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?id=C0s4AAAAMAAJ
"キネマ旬報: Issues 1109-1112" [Kinema Junpo: Issues 1109-1112]. Kinema Junpo (in Japanese). No. 1109–1112. 1993. p. 119. Retrieved May 14, 2023 – via Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?id=41YaAQAAIAAJ
"文藝春秋: Volume 62" [Bungei Shunjū: Volume 62]. Bungei Shunjū (in Japanese). Vol. 62. November 1984. p. 83. Retrieved May 14, 2023 – via Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?id=C0s4AAAAMAAJ
"キネマ旬報: Issues 1109-1112" [Kinema Junpo: Issues 1109-1112]. Kinema Junpo (in Japanese). No. 1109–1112. 1993. p. 119. Retrieved May 14, 2023 – via Google Books. https://books.google.com/books?id=41YaAQAAIAAJ
Ryfle 1998, p. 23. - Ryfle, Steve (1998). Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G. ECW Press. ISBN 9781550223484. https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl
Ryfle & Godziszewski 2017, p. 89. - Ryfle, Steve; Godziszewski, Ed (2017). Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa. Wesleyan University Press. ISBN 978-0-8195-7087-1.
Ryfle 1998, p. 22. - Ryfle, Steve (1998). Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G. ECW Press. ISBN 9781550223484. https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl
Ryfle & Godziszewski 2017, p. 89. - Ryfle, Steve; Godziszewski, Ed (2017). Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa. Wesleyan University Press. ISBN 978-0-8195-7087-1.
"CHRONICLE". Hawaii Tribune-Herald. November 20, 1955. p. 5. Retrieved May 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/556515405/
Ryfle 1998, p. 74. - Ryfle, Steve (1998). Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G. ECW Press. ISBN 9781550223484. https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl
Peter Bradshaw (October 14, 2005). "Godzilla | Culture". The Guardian. London. Retrieved September 25, 2013. https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2005/oct/14/6
Biondi, R, "The Evolution of Godzilla – G-Suit Variations Throughout the Monster King's Twenty-One Films", G-Fan #16, July/August 1995
Greenberger, R. (2005). Meet Godzilla. Rosen Pub. Group. p. 15. ISBN 1404202692 /wiki/ISBN_(identifier)
Kishikawa, O. (1994), Godzilla First, 1954 ~ 1955, Big Japanese Painting, ASIN B0014M3KJ6
Kravets, David (November 24, 2008). "Think Godzilla's Scary? Meet His Lawyers". Wired. Retrieved May 21, 2013. https://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2008/11/godzilla-terror/
Snider, Mike (August 29, 2006). "Godzilla arouses atomic terror". USA Today. Retrieved May 30, 2013. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2006-08-28-godzilla-dvd_x.htm
Tsutsui 2003, p. 23. - Tsutsui, William M. (2003). Godzilla on My Mind: Fifty Years of the King of Monsters. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 1403964742.
"Gojira". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved June 2, 2013. https://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/384918
Making of the Godzilla Suit!. Ed Godziszewski. YouTube (December 24, 2010) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfSARjZ0OXc
Tsutsui 2003, p. 12. - Tsutsui, William M. (2003). Godzilla on My Mind: Fifty Years of the King of Monsters. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 1403964742.
Tanaka, Tomoyuki (1984) [July 15, 1984]. Definitive Edition Godzilla Introduction (14th ed.). Shogakukan (published November 20, 1996). pp. 18, 30, 117, 120. ISBN 4-09-220142-7. 4-09-220142-7
Ryfle 1998, p. 336. - Ryfle, Steve (1998). Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G. ECW Press. ISBN 9781550223484. https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl
Harris, Aisha (May 16, 2014). "Is Godzilla Male or Female?". Slate. Archived from the original on May 2, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2018. https://slate.com/culture/2014/05/godzilla-male-or-female-what-gender-is-the-movie-monster.html
Scott, Ryan (December 31, 2024). "Godzilla's Gender: Is The Iconic Kaiju Male Or Female?". /Film. Archived from the original on January 1, 2025. Retrieved January 1, 2024. https://www.slashfilm.com/1746895/godzilla-gender-kaiju-male-female/
Scott, Ryan (December 31, 2024). "Godzilla's Gender: Is The Iconic Kaiju Male Or Female?". /Film. Archived from the original on January 1, 2025. Retrieved January 1, 2024. https://www.slashfilm.com/1746895/godzilla-gender-kaiju-male-female/
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964). Directed by Ishirō Honda. Toho. /wiki/Ghidorah,_the_Three-Headed_Monster
Godzilla: Unleashed – Godzilla 2000 character profile /wiki/Godzilla:_Unleashed
Schaefer, Mark (November 2004). "Godzilla Stomps into Los Angeles". Penny Blood. Archived from the original on February 3, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050203181104/http://www.pennyblood.com/godzilla2.html
The Return of Godzilla (1985). Directed by Koji Hashimoto. Toho /wiki/The_Return_of_Godzilla
Milliron, K. & Eggleton, B. (1998), Godzilla Likes to Roar!, Random House Books for Young Readers, ISBN 0679891250 /wiki/ISBN_(identifier)
Tanaka, Tomoyuki (1984) [July 15, 1984]. Definitive Edition Godzilla Introduction (14th ed.). Shogakukan (published November 20, 1996). pp. 18, 30, 117, 120. ISBN 4-09-220142-7. 4-09-220142-7
Schaefer, Mark (November 2004). "Godzilla Stomps into Los Angeles". Penny Blood. Archived from the original on February 3, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050203181104/http://www.pennyblood.com/godzilla2.html
Tanaka, Tomoyuki (1984) [July 15, 1984]. Definitive Edition Godzilla Introduction (14th ed.). Shogakukan (published November 20, 1996). pp. 18, 30, 117, 120. ISBN 4-09-220142-7. 4-09-220142-7
Scott, Ryan (April 18, 2019). "Godzilla Blasts His Atomic Breath in Stunning King of the Monsters Poster". MovieWeb. Retrieved July 10, 2019. https://movieweb.com/godzilla-king-of-the-monsters-poster-2/
An Anatomical Guide to Monsters, Shoji Otomo, 1967
Interview with Haruo Nakajima. Godzilla – Criterion Collection 2012 Blu-ray/DVD Release.
The Art of Suit Acting – Classic Media Godzilla Raids Again DVD featurette /wiki/Godzilla_Raids_Again
An Anatomical Guide to Monsters, Shoji Otomo, 1967
Tanaka, Tomoyuki (1984) [July 15, 1984]. Definitive Edition Godzilla Introduction (14th ed.). Shogakukan (published November 20, 1996). pp. 18, 30, 117, 120. ISBN 4-09-220142-7. 4-09-220142-7
Godzilla 2000 (1999). Directed by Takao Okawara. Toho. /wiki/Godzilla_2000
Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters (2017) /wiki/Godzilla:_Planet_of_the_Monsters
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991). Directed by Kazuki Ōmori. Toho /wiki/Godzilla_vs._King_Ghidorah
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974). Directed by Jun Fukuda. Toho /wiki/Godzilla_vs._Mechagodzilla
Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989). Directed by Kazuki Ōmori. Toho /wiki/Godzilla_vs._Biollante
Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee (2002). Pipeworks Software /wiki/Godzilla:_Destroy_All_Monsters_Melee
Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle (2018) /wiki/Godzilla:_City_on_the_Edge_of_Battle
Godzilla Singular Point, Episode 9 (2021) /wiki/Godzilla_Singular_Point
CR Godzilla Pachinko (2006). Newgin
Zone Fighter (1973). Directed by Ishirō Honda et al. Toho /wiki/Zone_Fighter
Godzilla (1978 TV series) (1978). Directed by Ray Patterson and Carl Urbano. Hanna-Barbera Productions /wiki/Godzilla_(1978_TV_series)
Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971). Directed by Yoshimitsu Banno. Toho /wiki/Godzilla_vs._Hedorah
Stradley, R., Adams, A., et al. Godzilla: Age of Monsters (February 18, 1998), Dark Horse Comics; Gph edition. ISBN 1569712778 /wiki/ISBN_(identifier)
Various. Godzilla: Past Present Future (March 5, 1998), Dark Horse Comics; Gph edition. ISBN 1569712786 /wiki/ISBN_(identifier)
NPR Staff. "What's In A Roar? Crafting Godzilla's Iconic Sound". NPR.org. National Public Radio. Retrieved September 7, 2015. https://www.npr.org/2014/05/18/312839612/whats-in-a-roar-crafting-godzillas-iconic-sound
Ryfle 1998, p. 74. - Ryfle, Steve (1998). Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G. ECW Press. ISBN 9781550223484. https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl
David Milner, "Takao Okawara Interview I" Archived February 24, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, Kaiju Conversations (December 1993) http://www.davmil.org/www.kaijuconversations.com/okawar.htm
NPR Staff. "What's In A Roar? Crafting Godzilla's Iconic Sound". NPR.org. National Public Radio. Retrieved September 7, 2015. https://www.npr.org/2014/05/18/312839612/whats-in-a-roar-crafting-godzillas-iconic-sound
Ray, Amber (May 22, 2014). "'Godzilla': The secrets behind the roar". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 19, 2016. http://www.ew.com/article/2014/05/22/godzilla-roar-interview-timeline-video
Schaefer, Mark (November 2004). "Godzilla Stomps into Los Angeles". Penny Blood. Archived from the original on February 3, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050203181104/http://www.pennyblood.com/godzilla2.html
"Godzilla". Gvsdestoroyah.dulcemichaelanya.com. Retrieved September 25, 2013. http://www.gvsdestoroyah.dulcemichaelanya.com/Bsmodels.htm
"Amazing and Interesting Facts about Godzilla Special Effects – Special Effects in Godzilla Movies – Hi-tech – Kids". Web Japan. Retrieved September 25, 2013. http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/hitech/godzilla/godzilla03.html
Lees & Cerasini 1998, p. 124. - Lees, J.D.; Cerasini, Marc (1998). The Official Godzilla Compendium. Random House. ISBN 0-679-88822-5. https://archive.org/details/officialgodzilla00lees
Ryfle 1998, p. 27. - Ryfle, Steve (1998). Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G. ECW Press. ISBN 9781550223484. https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl
Tsutsui 2003, p. 54-55. - Tsutsui, William M. (2003). Godzilla on My Mind: Fifty Years of the King of Monsters. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 1403964742.
Lees & Cerasini 1998, p. 125. - Lees, J.D.; Cerasini, Marc (1998). The Official Godzilla Compendium. Random House. ISBN 0-679-88822-5. https://archive.org/details/officialgodzilla00lees
Lees & Cerasini 1998, pp. 124–125. - Lees, J.D.; Cerasini, Marc (1998). The Official Godzilla Compendium. Random House. ISBN 0-679-88822-5. https://archive.org/details/officialgodzilla00lees
"Godzilla Ultimate Trivia". The Movie Bit. Archived from the original on June 6, 2014. Retrieved May 21, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140606203438/http://www.themoviebit.com/2014/04/godzilla-ultimate-trivia.html
Owusu, Kwame (February 28, 2014). "The New Godzilla is 350 Feet Tall! Biggest Godzilla Ever!". MovieTribute. Archived from the original on August 30, 2016. Retrieved February 20, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20160830223625/http://www.movietribute.com/874/new-godzilla-is-350-feet-tall-biggest-godzilla-ever/
"2016年新作『ゴジラ』 脚本・総監督:庵野秀明氏&監督:樋口真嗣氏からメッセージ". oricon.co.jp. Retrieved April 1, 2015. http://www.oricon.co.jp/special/47834/
Ragone, August (December 9, 2015). "Japanese Press Reveals Shin Godzilla's Size". The Good, the Bad, and Godzilla. Retrieved February 20, 2018. http://augustragone.blogspot.com/2015/12/japanese-press-reveals-shin-godzillas.html
Miska, Brad (December 27, 2017). "The Latest Godzilla is Three Times the Size of its Predecessors!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved April 20, 2019. https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3476184/latest-godzilla-three-times-size-predecessors/
Whalen, Andrew (May 30, 2019). "'Godzilla' Size Chart Shows How Much the 'King of Monsters' Has Grown Over the Years". Newsweek. Archived from the original on February 16, 2022. Retrieved February 16, 2022. https://www.newsweek.com/godzilla-size-chart-comparison-king-monsters-ghidorah-1439644
Mancuso, Vinnie (March 29, 2021). "'Godzilla vs. Kong' Tale of the Tape: Who Ya Got?". Collider. Archived from the original on February 16, 2022. Retrieved February 16, 2022. https://collider.com/godzilla-vs-kong-who-will-win/
Failes, Ian (October 14, 2016). "The History of Godzilla Is the History of Special Effects". Inverse. Retrieved March 19, 2018. https://www.inverse.com/article/22234-special-effects-in-godzilla-movies-history
Ryūsuke, Hikawa (June 26, 2014). "Godzilla's Analog Mayhem and the Japanese Special Effects Tradition". Nippon.com. Retrieved March 19, 2018. https://www.nippon.com/en/views/b04001/
Ryfle 1998, p. 21. - Ryfle, Steve (1998). Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G. ECW Press. ISBN 9781550223484. https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl
Making of the Godzilla Suit!. Ed Godziszewski. YouTube (December 24, 2010) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfSARjZ0OXc
Kalat 2010, p. 36. - Kalat, David (2010). A Critical History and Filmography of Toho's Godzilla Series (second ed.). McFarland. ISBN 9780786447497.
Kalat 2010, p. 160. - Kalat, David (2010). A Critical History and Filmography of Toho's Godzilla Series (second ed.). McFarland. ISBN 9780786447497.
Ryfle 1998, p. 254-257. - Ryfle, Steve (1998). Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G. ECW Press. ISBN 9781550223484. https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl
Making of the Godzilla Suit!. Ed Godziszewski. YouTube (December 24, 2010) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfSARjZ0OXc
Fackler, Martin (September 1, 2013). "Rubber Suit Monsters Fade! Tiny Tokyos Relax!". The New York Times. Retrieved January 23, 2022. https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/02/world/asia/japan-films-shed-rubber-suits-godzilla-roars.html
Clements, J. (2010), Schoolgirl Milky Crisis: Adventures in the Anime and Manga Trade, A-Net Digital LLC, pp. 117–118, ISBN 0984593748 /wiki/ISBN_(identifier)
Kalat 2010, p. 258. - Kalat, David (2010). A Critical History and Filmography of Toho's Godzilla Series (second ed.). McFarland. ISBN 9780786447497.
Ryfle 1998, p. 298. - Ryfle, Steve (1998). Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G. ECW Press. ISBN 9781550223484. https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl
Ryfle 1998, p. 337-339. - Ryfle, Steve (1998). Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G. ECW Press. ISBN 9781550223484. https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl
Mirjahangir, Chris (November 7, 2014). "Nakajima and Carley: Godzilla's 1954 and 1998". Toho Kingdom. Archived from the original on July 27, 2022. Retrieved April 5, 2015. http://www.tohokingdom.com/articles/2014-11-07_nakajima_carley_godzilla_1954_1998.html
Ryfle 1998, p. 232. - Ryfle, Steve (1998). Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G. ECW Press. ISBN 9781550223484. https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl
Ryfle 1998, p. 337-339. - Ryfle, Steve (1998). Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G. ECW Press. ISBN 9781550223484. https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl
Rickitt, Richard (2006). Designing Movie Creatures and Characters: Behind the Scenes With the Movie Masters. Focal Press. pp. 74–76. ISBN 0-240-80846-0. 0-240-80846-0
Rickitt, Richard (2000). Special Effects: The History and Technique. Billboard Books. p. 174. ISBN 0-8230-7733-0. 0-8230-7733-0
"Godzilla Lives! – page 1". Theasc.com. Retrieved January 22, 2014. http://www.theasc.com/magazine/jun98/godzilla/art1/pg1.htm
Dudek, Duane (November 8, 2013). "Oscar winner & Kenosha native Jim Rygiel gets UWM award". Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved December 10, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131213114405/http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/entertainment/dudek.html?tag=Rygiel
Carolyn Giardina (December 25, 2014). "Oscars: 'Interstellar,' 'Hobbit' Visual Effects Artists Reveal How They Did It". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 28, 2014. Retrieved December 28, 2014. https://archive.today/20141228141250/http://m.hollywoodreporter.com/entry/view/id/887324
Arce, Sergio (May 29, 2014). "Conozca al actor que da vida a Godzilla, quien habló con crhoy.com". crhoy.com. Archived from the original on May 24, 2019. Retrieved March 26, 2015. https://archivo.crhoy.com/conozca-al-actor-que-da-vida-a-godzilla-quien-hablo-con-crhoy-com-v2k0k2x/entretenimiento/
"Godzilla: King of the Monsters Final Credits". SciFi Japan. May 23, 2019. Archived from the original on May 24, 2019. Retrieved May 23, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190524013046/http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2019/05/23/godzilla-king-of-the-monsters-final-credits/
Ashcraft, Brian (August 1, 2016). "Meet Godzilla Resurgence's Motion Capture Actor". Kotaku. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2016. https://kotaku.com/meet-godzilla-resurgences-motion-capture-actor-1784640157
Collis, Clark (January 23, 2024). "'Godzilla Minus One' scores monster's first Oscars nomination". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 26, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2024. https://ew.com/godzilla-oscar-nomination-king-kong-8547915
Sharp, Jasper (2011). Historical Dictionary of Japanese Cinema. Scarecrow Press. p. 67. ISBN 9780810857957. 9780810857957
West, Mark (2008). The Japanification of Children's Popular Culture: From Godzilla to Miyazaki. Scarecrow Press. p. vii. ISBN 9780810851214. 9780810851214
Interview with Tadao Sato. Godzilla – Criterion Collection 2012 Blu-ray/DVD Release.
"The Psychological Appeal of Movie Monsters" (PDF). Calstatela.edu. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 19, 2007. Retrieved September 28, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20070819142841/http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/sfischo/psychological_appeal_of_movie_monsters1.pdf
Kalat 2010, p. 92. - Kalat, David (2010). A Critical History and Filmography of Toho's Godzilla Series (second ed.). McFarland. ISBN 9780786447497.
Demoss, David (June 18, 2010). "Yongary, Monster from the Deep". And You Thought It Was...Safe(?). Retrieved March 19, 2018. http://aytiws.com/2010/06/yongary-monster-from-the-deep-1967/
Rafferty, T., The Monster That Morphed Into a Metaphor, New York Times (May 2, 2004) http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/popcult/handouts/metaphor/godzilla/godzilla.html
Lankes, Kevin (June 22, 2014). "Godzilla's Secret History". Huffington Post. Retrieved March 19, 2018. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/kevin-lankes/godzillas-secret-history_b_5192284.html
Goldstein, Rich (May 18, 2014). "A Comprehensive History of Toho's Original Kaiju (and Atomic Allegory) Godzilla". The Daily Beast. Retrieved March 19, 2018. https://www.thedailybeast.com/a-comprehensive-history-of-tohos-original-kaiju-and-atomic-allegory-godzilla
Grebey, James (May 28, 2019). "The history of Ghidorah, Godzilla's rival for the title of King of the Monsters". Syfy Wire. NBCUniversal. Retrieved May 27, 2020. https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/the-history-of-ghidorah-godzillas-rival-for-the-title-of-king-of-the-monsters
Lankes, Kevin (June 22, 2014). "Godzilla's Secret History". Huffington Post. Retrieved March 19, 2018. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/kevin-lankes/godzillas-secret-history_b_5192284.html
Ebert, Roger (2013). Ebert's Bigger Little Movie Glossary. Andrews McMeel Publishing. p. 22. ISBN 978-0-7407-9246-5. 978-0-7407-9246-5
Lankes, Kevin (June 22, 2014). "Godzilla's Secret History". Huffington Post. Retrieved March 19, 2018. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/kevin-lankes/godzillas-secret-history_b_5192284.html
Grebey, James (May 28, 2019). "The history of Ghidorah, Godzilla's rival for the title of King of the Monsters". Syfy Wire. NBCUniversal. Retrieved May 27, 2020. https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/the-history-of-ghidorah-godzillas-rival-for-the-title-of-king-of-the-monsters
Glut, Donald F. (2001). "Godzilla, Saurian Superhero". Jurassic Classics: A Collection of Saurian Essays and Mesozoic Musings. McFarland & Company. pp. 225-229 (225-6). ISBN 978-0-7864-6246-9. 978-0-7864-6246-9
Kogan, Rick (September 15, 1985). "'It Was A Long Time Coming, But Godzilla, This Is Your Life". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 22, 2020. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-09-15-8503020410-story.html
"Godzilla Wins The MTV Lifetime Achievement Award In 1996 – Godzilla video". Fanpop. November 3, 1954. Retrieved April 13, 2010. http://www.fanpop.com/spots/godzilla/videos/7584880/title/godzilla-wins-mtv-lifetime-achievement-award-1996
"USATODAY.com – Godzilla gets Hollywood Walk of Fame star". Usatoday30.usatoday.com. November 30, 2004. Retrieved September 25, 2013. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/people/2004-11-30-godzilla_x.htm
Beck, Jerry (ed.) (1994). The 50 Greatest Cartoons: As Selected by 1,000 Animation Professionals. Atlanta: Turner Publishing. ISBN 1-878685-49-X. /wiki/ISBN_(identifier)
"Godzilla Genealogy Bop" – MST3K season 2, episode 13, aired February 2, 1991
Song Review by Donald A. Guarisco. "Godzilla – Blue Öyster Cult | Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved September 25, 2013. http://www.allmusic.com/song/godzilla-mt0004247257
Martha T. Moore. "Godzilla Meets Barkley on MTV". USA Today. September 9, 1992. 1.B.
Paul Gravett and Peter Stanbury. Holy Sh*t! The World's Weirdest Comic Books. St. Martin's Press, 2008. 104.
Kalat 2010, p. 23. - Kalat, David (2010). A Critical History and Filmography of Toho's Godzilla Series (second ed.). McFarland. ISBN 9780786447497.
Phipps, Keith (June 2, 2010). "Gamera: The Giant Monster". AV Club. Archived from the original on December 30, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2018. https://www.avclub.com/gamera-the-giant-monster-1798165079
Don (June 16, 2015). "Reptilicus: Godzilla Goes To Denmark". Schlockmania. Retrieved March 19, 2018. http://schlockmania.com/reptilicus/
Kalat 2010, p. 92. - Kalat, David (2010). A Critical History and Filmography of Toho's Godzilla Series (second ed.). McFarland. ISBN 9780786447497.
Romano, Nick (April 6, 2015). "How Kim Jong Il Kidnapped a Director, Made a Godzilla Knockoff, and Created a Cult Hit". Vanity Fair. Retrieved March 19, 2018. https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/04/pulgasari-north-korea-cult-hit
Murray, Noel (May 8, 2014). "Meet Gorgo, the "British Godzilla"". The Dissolve. Archived from the original on March 20, 2018. Retrieved March 19, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180320043737/https://thedissolve.com/features/movie-of-the-week/550-meet-gorgo-the-british-godzilla/
Monetti, Sandro (January 13, 2008). "Cloverfield: Making of a monster". Express. Retrieved March 19, 2018. https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/films/31340/Cloverfield-Making-of-a-monster
Gasparini Z, Pol D, Spalletti LA. 2006. An unusual marine crocodyliform from the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary of Patagonia. Science 311: 70–73.
Naish, Darren (November 1, 2010). "The science of Godzilla, 2010 – Tetrapod Zoology". Scienceblogs.com. Retrieved September 25, 2013. http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/2010/11/01/science-of-godzilla-2010/
Toho sues Subway over unauthorized Godzilla ads, The Japan Times (April 18, 2008) http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2008/04/18/news/toho-sues-subway-over-unauthorized-godzilla-ads/
Toho suing Honda over Godzilla, TokyoHive (February 12, 2011) http://www.tokyohive.com/article/2011/02/toho-suing-honda-over-godzilla/
"Sea Shepherd Conservation Society :: The Beast Transforms into a Beauty as Godzilla Becomes the Brigitte Bardot". Seashepherd.org. May 25, 2011. Archived from the original on April 3, 2012. Retrieved September 25, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20120403063406/http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/2011/05/25/the-beast-transforms-into-a-beauty-as-godzilla-becomes-the-brigitte-bardot-13
Gojira htm Biography and Band at the Gauntlet, The Gauntlet http://www.thegauntlet.com/bio/1611/Gojira.html
"Voltage Pictures Sued For Copyright Infringement". torrentfreak.com. Retrieved July 9, 2015. https://torrentfreak.com/voltage-pictures-sued-for-copyright-infringement-150520/
Ryfle 1998, p. 15. - Ryfle, Steve (1998). Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G. ECW Press. ISBN 9781550223484. https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl
Ryfle 1998, p. 17. - Ryfle, Steve (1998). Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G. ECW Press. ISBN 9781550223484. https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl
Freer, Ian (2001). The Complete Spielberg. Virgin Books. p. 48. ISBN 9780753505564. 9780753505564
Derry, Charles (1977). Dark Dreams: A Psychological History of the Modern Horror Film. A. S. Barnes. p. 82. ISBN 9780498019159. 9780498019159
Kalat 2010, p. 318. - Kalat, David (2010). A Critical History and Filmography of Toho's Godzilla Series (second ed.). McFarland. ISBN 9780786447497.
"Gojirasaurus". Arctos. Retrieved January 28, 2023. https://arctos.database.museum/guid/NMMNH:Paleo:4666
"(101781) Gojira". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved July 19, 2018. https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=101781
"MPC/MPO/MPS Archive". Minor Planet Center. Retrieved July 19, 2018. https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/ECS/MPCArchive/MPCArchive_TBL.html
"Pacific undersea province given name 'Godzilla Megamullion'". The Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved January 28, 2023. https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14521947
"Japan ready to tackle Godzilla". UPI. December 22, 2007. https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2007/12/22/Japan-ready-to-tackle-Godzilla/22641198366042/
"Godzilla is Tokyo's newest resident and ambassador". New York Post. April 9, 2015. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201108132217/https://nypost.com/2015/04/09/godzilla-is-tokyos-newest-resident-and-ambassador/
"Godzilla recruited as tourism ambassador for Tokyo". The Guardian. April 9, 2015. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201108112826/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/09/godzilla-recruited-as-tourism-ambassador-for-tokyo
"Godzilla recruited as tourism ambassador for Tokyo". The Guardian. April 9, 2015. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201108112826/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/09/godzilla-recruited-as-tourism-ambassador-for-tokyo
"Godzilla is Tokyo's newest resident and ambassador". New York Post. April 9, 2015. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201108132217/https://nypost.com/2015/04/09/godzilla-is-tokyos-newest-resident-and-ambassador/