Photo courtesy of Toho. TM & ©TOHO CO., LTD.
Source: Toho Co., Ltd.
Promo art for Godzilla Fest 2023. Photo courtesy of Toho. TM & ©TOHO CO., LTD.
Toho's "Godzilla Fest 2023" (ゴジラ・フェス 2023, Gojira Fesu 2023) will be held on on Godzilla Day, Friday, November 3. The event returns to the Hibiya area of Tokyo for the first time in four years, with a day full of Godzilla presentations and activities planned for the Hibiya Step Square as the main venue, plus the Hibiya Godzilla Square in front of the Toho Cinemas, and other nearby locations.
The overall host of the event will be freelance announcer Shinsuke Kasai, who will celebrate with fans the start of the 70th anniversary year of the first Godzilla movie, which was released on November 3, 1954. In the decades since, a total of 36 Godzilla feature films have been produced, including 29 domestic, 3 animated, and 4 Hollywood versions.
The day will feature the premiere of a new full CG short film GODZILLA VS. MEGALON directed by Takuya Kaminishi, the unveiling of the new Jet Jaguar suit by sculptor Shinichi Wakasa, a new special effects short directed by Kazuhiro Nakagawa, an interview with special guest Takashi Yamazaki, writer/director/FX director of the new film, GODZILLA MINUS ONE (ゴジラ-1.0/ゴジラマイナスワン, Gojira Mainasu Wan), as well as many other attractions.
■ GODZILLA MINUS ONE Director Takashi Yamazaki Appears at Izakaya Godzilla
GODZILLA MINUS ONE Director Takashi Yamazaki. Photo courtesy of Toho.
The annual "Izakaya Godzilla" (居酒屋ゴジラ, Izakaya Gojira) event offers a relaxed -- and sometimes heated -- discussion among Godzilla legends. This year's event, which occurs on the same day as the release of the latest Godzilla film, will present an appearance by that movie's director, Takashi Yamazaki.
Yamazaki, who previously featured Godzilla at the beginning of ALWAYS -SUNSET ON THIRD STREET- 2 (ALWAYS 続・三丁目の夕日, Ōruweizu: Zoku San-chōme no Yūhi, 2007), and directed the award-winning “Godzilla the Ride: Giant Monsters Ultimate Battle” (ゴジラ・ザ・ライド大怪獣頂上決戦, Gojira za Raido Daikaijū Chōjō Kessen) attraction at Seibuen Yuenchi, will join Shinsuke Kasai onstage to talk about GODZILLA MINUS ONE, just in time to spoil the film for fans who didn't attend the very first screenings.
Takashi Yamazaki said, "This is the opening day of GODZILLA MINUS ONE so I can finally talk as much as I want. I'm allowed to drink a little alcohol, so I'm looking forward to discussing about all the things I've been dying to talk about."
Megalon from Takuya Kaminishi's new CG short film. Photo courtesy of Toho. TM & ©TOHO CO., LTD.
■ Megalon Celebrates 50th Anniversary with Takuya Kaminishi's Latest Film, GODZILLA VS. MEGALON
Director Takuya Kaminishi created the computer animated short film, GODZILLA VS. GIGAN REX (ゴジラ VS ガイガンレクス, Gojira VS Gaigan Rekusu), which premiered at"Godzilla Fest 2022", was shown in U.S. theaters as part of a Godzilla Night hosted by Fathom Events, and currently has over 7.8 million views on YouTube. This year, Kaminishi will present his new CG/live-action hybrid short GODZILLA VS. MEGALON (ゴジラVSメガロ, Gojira vs Megaro) in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Megalon.
The new GODZILLA VS. MEGALON was backed by GEMSTONE Creative Label, Toho's digital production brand which began as the GEMSTONE talent search project co-sponsored by Toho and ALPHABOAT. It features live-action footage by Akihiro Shibata, creator of the popular GEMSTONE short GIFU GODZILLA (岐阜ゴジラ, Gifu Gojira), and depicts a monster battle on a much grander scale than seen in Kaminishi's previous works.
A teaser trailer is currently being shown on YouTube.
Godzilla Fest celebrates the 50th anniversaries of Megalon and Jet Jaguar. Photo courtesy of Toho. TM & ©TOHO CO., LTD.
■ New Annual Special Effects Short Film Will Also be Released
Following last year's FEST GODZILLA 3: GIGAN ATTACKS (フェス・ゴジラ3 ガイガン来襲 Fesu Gojira Surī: Gaigan Raishū), Jet Jaguar will take center stage in the fourth installment of the annual tokusatsu (special effects) short film series by Kazuhiro Nakagawa.
Monster maker Shinichi Wakasa. Photo courtesy of Toho.
The Jet Jaguar suit for this short was created via the "Jet Jaguar Suit Complete Reproduction Project" (ジェットジャガースーツ完全再現プロジェクト, Jetto Jagā Sūtsu Kanzen Saigen Purojekuto) as part of the Jet Jaguar 50th Anniversary Project. The speedy action unique to the Jet Jaguar suit sets the character apart from other Toho giants.
■ New Jet Jaguar Suit Unveiling and Meet & Greet
The Jet Jaguar suit from the original GODZILLA VS. MEGALON has been recreated 50 years later and will be unveiled to the public at "Godzilla Fest 2023". The new suit was created with the support of many fans through a crowdfunding campaign that was held from the end of June through August. Shinichi Wakasa, the monster suit maker for many of the Heisei and Millennium Godzilla movies and last year's Gigan short film, was in charge of sculpting Jet Jaguar. He will appear on stage to talk about the behind-the-scenes production process. A meet and greet with the new Jet Jaguar is also planned.
Godzilla Fest 2023 schedule. Photo courtesy of Toho. TM & ©TOHO CO., LTD.
■ "Godzilla Fest 2023" Schedule*
12:00 p.m. - Opening
12:20 p.m. - GODZILLA VS. MEGALON Screening
1:10 p.m. - Godzilla News
2:40 p.m. - Jet Jaguar 50th Anniversary "Jet Jaguar Suit Complete Reproduction Project" with Monster Maker Shinichi Wakasa
3:30 p.m. - Godzilla, Jet Jaguar and Chibi Godzilla Meet & Greet
4:05 p.m. - "Godzilla, Battle Line" Match
5:15 p.m. - Godzilla, Jet Jaguar and Chibi Godzilla Meet & Greet
5:55 p.m. - Screening of New Live-Action Special Effects Short by Kazuhiro Nakagawa
6:55 p.m. - "Izakaya Godzilla" Chat with GODZILLA MINUS ONE Director Takashi Yamazaki
7:55 p.m. - Wrap Up
* Events Subject To Change
About Toho Co. Ltd.
Toho Company provides high-quality entertainment to a wide range of customers through its film production, distribution, and exhibition business, which is solidly supported by its real estate business including the Shinjuku Toho Building and Hibiya Chante, animation production, DVD software production and sales, and TOHO Cinemas' efforts to expand its network of multiplex cinemas. Among these, "Godzilla," which has been around since 1954, is Toho's flagship IP that has many fans around the world and has been loved for many years.