I have always found myself drawn to giant monster movies for some reason. I’m not sure if it’s the amazing abilities these kaiju have against human militaries; or the unique relationship they have with the planet that nobody seems to be able to figure out. Whether it’s about the King of Monsters tearing apart all of his rivals, the guardian of the children who needs a comeback, or even just changing one monster into a hero; these feel like genuine messages of ecological equilibrium and pointing out the flaws in systems when written right.
Movies however are the most common way to depict them. Because who doesn’t wanna see people in costumes rampage around a set. It’s like being a kid again without consequences. Unfortunately when I tried to find manga about kaiju it is usually just uninspired adaptations of existing movies or franchises. Original pieces meanwhile feel uninspiring unlike their western counterparts. The stuff that feels critical of tropes while being satirical about some situations. Only for that same satire to turn ugly.
The Quiet Before the Storm
First let’s get the original two manga that feature some of the tropes from these giant monster sci-fi franchises. The first is Kiriwo Terrible, an attempt to step into the domain of Ultraman from a different perspective. Like in the franchise, the hero tries to do good by fighting against the giant monsters that appear in his hometown; by becoming a giant monster. Unfortunately, the first fight he gets into with the kaiju is so destructive; his monster identity is yet another threat. In fact, the maid in the hero’s house gets her job because his monster form destroys her old one.
So the hero has to try and defend his home all the while learning to reduce the damage; while keeping his identity a secret to avoid public backlash and a government who want to use him as a weapon. It has good concepts and ideas but after a while the series rushes its ending. Some notable flaws include leaning too heavily into familiar tropes and commentary that exist in the more notable mecha genre.
Then there’s ZIGA, which by all accounts was little more than trying imitate the success of other kaiju like Godzilla. Even the title just looks like a Godzilla logo. Combine that with heavy exhibition and a rushed plot and it essentially goes nowhere.
The Kaiju Soul
This was more than disappointing as Kaiju series are a lot more than just monsters with bad breath. When done right they can be an enjoyable pastime with relevant messages. SSSS.Gridman even shows how the concept can be brought to the little screen. The director and artists put in hard sweat and tears into making it look like a genuine tokusatsu flick; the characters and monsters actually move like they’re practical effects rather than just a generic adaptation. And the cast actually live their lives outside of the giant monster battles.
Over in the West ironically, I found more love for kaiju in comics than its native developers ever did. Aside from IDW’s numerous takes on Godzilla which depending on the media range from good enough to amazing; I found two series that really stand out.
Kaiju Prison Culture
This Eisner award winner Kaijumax is very much inspired by Ultraman under a different lense. In the Ultraman franchise, the alien defenders bond with humans to protect Earth from evil monsters. However Kaijumax instead has the giant spandex wearers as prison guards with the monsters acting ironically more human. Most of the Kaiju however are career criminals and gangsters with tattoos; some of them spout their own philosophies relating to their categorizations.
But not all of the inmates share this system like POV character Electrogor. Electrogor is a kaiju who was only living his life to sustain his two kids. However being in the wrong place and wrong time lands him in Kaijumax. Unable to coexist with his more vile inmates; he desperately wants to get back to his kids and keep them away from human civilization. Through Electrogor and his interactions with the other characters; it shows a social commentary on how prisons function. The most obvious being how it tends to be pointed out for racial discrimination; and making things worse than intended.
Humanity as a whole only see the monsters as pests that either need to be killed or contained; because numerous kaiju ways of life clash with humans like when they consume power lines. Unfortunately this only seems to organize monsters that would create more problems. Often the torturous build up in the prison leads to severe consequences. One comes from a child kaiju who after much abuse eventually goes berserk.
These People Need a Reality Check
The prison staff meanwhile are less the idealistic do-gooders that populate the Ultraman franchise and are instead very flawed beings. One guard named Gupta actually goes behind the backs of his superiors to deal drugs to monster gangs outside; he is willing to be cruel to get what he wants like threaten inmates or outright try to kill them. Another of the staff who later joins the police, Jeong, is a North Korean refugee going through the stages of a mental breakdown; complete with his giant form gaining more spiky aesthetics. The empathic Dr. Zhang while idealistic at first gets manipulated into an abusive relationship with the monster Zonn; she spoils him and does things to make him happy even if that means allowing Electrogor to be violated. Even the fearsome warden Chang is still having trouble getting things together; less his boss Nobuko Matsumoto makes things even worse by attempting to kill any Kaiju after a childhood trauma.
The Struggles of Being Strange
When Electrogor manages to escape with all of the other inmates loose; we see kaiju lifestyles clashing with the outside world. Because of Kaiju activity and their sustenance on power lines and radioactive material; they end up getting in the way of human civilization. Even the ones that are on parole and trying to live an honest life are subjected to constant pullovers; humanity essentially considers them lesser beings they have the authority to push around. Some Kaiju can’t even coexist with each other, often getting into conflicts more similar to gang wars than territorial disputes.
Torgax, Electrogor’s daughter meanwhile has to take drastic measures to protect her younger brother. She becomes just as vicious and unforgiving like the inmates. Most Kaiju meanwhile find out that they’re not the biggest and strongest as they like to think they are; especially after taking drug trips that have them meet Cthulhu. But even then, the Great Old Ones are just old news; Electrogor gives Cthulhu a smackdown for mistreating his girlfriend.
Redemption means Coexistance
However, with every flaw there comes the chance for improvement. Many characters come to the realization that some of the things they did were wrong. Sometimes they find people who genuinely care about them. Even Jeong when still dealing with his psychological issues finds love with a giant robot named Chisato; somehow they’re expecting a baby. Zhang meanwhile is getting her wish to better understand the Kaiju after killing her abusive ex-boyfriend; and winding up in the female monster prison while stuck in her giant form. Season Four even ends with a strong hope when it comes to redemption.
Kaiju Are Hard to Live Alongside
In Goliath Girls, a group of orphans (and neglected) composed of Zelda, Eunice, and Juliet are attempting to make contact with the King of All Goliaths. Their goal is to coexist with the giant monsters after they started to appear and end the Forever War between them and humanity. Having adopted a Goliath they call Ginger Spice as a baby and raising her to help quell the other monsters; they wish to start a movement that sees a world where (despite all the havoc they cause) Goliaths can share it with humanity. However, they enter conflicts with competitors. Rather than coexist with the kaiju; they wish to weaponize them or in the case of Zelda’s disapproving mother use the Goliaths as lab rats. Comixology likes the series so much it simulcasts in Japanese along with the English version. All so that the land of the rising sun can share in the crazy hijinks.
Along with the comedy and craziness however are dramas such as clashing beliefs like relationships turning sour. Every character has their reasons for doing their activities. Some want revenge, others want power and influence. Even the side characters bring up how the war allows opportunities for profit; all by supplying the rest of the world’s demand.
The Fallout of Love and Exploitation
As this series’ source of inspiration tends to display; trying to control such integral parts of the ecosystem for one’s own benefit can tear crucial pieces of Earth apart. Looking closely the only people trying to make things better are kids. In fact Zelda acts more like a child soldier not unlike Shinji Ikari. She wants her mothers support and affection but her mother seems to possess no ability to love. It’s also that same attitude that drives wedges between Zelda’s former and current teammates. Come on, these people are kids, they’re not supposed to be taking on these tasks. Unfortunately, there are no responsible adults around.
Overall
Kaiju series tend to say a lot things; that the world is full of mysteries; and that trying to understand things can help solve problems that would come up. Caution is required but not to the point of being apprehensive about it. Most kaiju as far as I can tell are actually stand-ins for when nature comes back to haunt humanity after all of its times of messing with it. With Godzilla you have uncontrolled and improperly used nuclear power rearing its destructive head. Gamera shows hope for the future by protecting kids but sees humanity as a leech who create more monstrosities. And the Cloverfield monster represents fears after securities are torn down by an unknown outside force.
But unlike the abominations of the Cthulhu Mythos, nature is fragile and breaks down overtime. This might sound good when it comes to dealing with monsters; but this means dealing with mutual destruction. Worse yet, something arises to fill the niche overtime. Without a means to coexist, the conflicts would arise again and repeat until humanity is wiped out by its vast consumption.
Thanks for coming to the end and as always remember to look between the panels.