Seventy years ago, a giant monster awoke in the waters of the Pacific. Its skin bore the marks of radiation, its roar was filled with pain, and its fury was directed against a humanity that had dared to toy with forces beyond its control. It was Gojira (ゴジラ), for the rest of the world Godzilla.
Godzilla was not just a movie monster: he was a mirror through which Japan, and then the world, could look at its deepest fears.
The Origins of a Living Metaphor
The first Godzilla was inspired by the US film The Beast of 20,000 Fathoms (“The Fog Horn”) from 1953. A science fiction film directed by Eugène Lourié and loosely based on the story “The Fog Horn” (1951) by Ray Bradbury, also author of the famous “Fahrenheit 451”.
The director Ishiro honda But he had something much deeper in mind: a powerful metaphor of atomic bombs dropped less than 10 years earlier on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Godzilla's scaly skin represented the keloid scars of survivors of nuclear attacks, while his origin (awakening due to nuclear tests in the Pacific) was a clear reference to, and a warning about, the consequences of atomic weapons.
What many people don't know is that Western audiences have been seeing a completely different version of the original film for years. About 20 minutes of political content was cut, eliminating any explicit reference to Hiroshima. The result? A simple monster movie, stripped of its deeper message.
As he pointed out William Tsutsui, author of Godzilla on My Mind (released to celebrate Godzilla’s 50th anniversary), “Most Americans think that if you left the theater in tears, it was only because you laughed too much.” A simplification that still today prevents us from fully grasping the complexity of this character.
The monster as a mirror of society
Godzilla's Metamorphosis in the 60 years perfectly reflects the changes in Japanese society. The country was emerging from American occupation, the economy was recovering, and new generations were trying to overcome the traumas of the past. In this context, our monster also began to evolve.
In King Kong vs. Godzilla of 1962, we already see a significant change: the Japanese they seek a non-nuclear solution to defeat the monster. It is a detail that may seem minor, but it reflects the country's new attitude towards nuclear weapons. This theme is taken up again in Mothra vs. Godzilla from 1964, where the help of a mythological creature is sought instead of resorting to weapons of mass destruction.
The transformation continues with Ghidrah, The Three-Headed Monster e Invasion of Astro Monster, where Godzilla gradually becomes an ally of humanity. It is interesting to note how this evolution coincides with the period of Japan's greatest economic growth and improving relations with the United States.
Godzilla as a moral guardian
- Years' 70 see Godzilla take on an even more significant role as protector of the environment. It is the period that reflects my first memories of the character (and evidently the formation of the environmentalist conscience of my generation. Between Godzilla, Barbapapa and Conan, boy from the future the message of safeguarding the planet was everywhere in the minds of children, unfortunately not in the political chancelleries).
In Godzilla vs. Hedorah in 1974, our anti-hero faces an alien monster made of smog, which feeds on toxic waste. The film came out at a crucial time: the rapid urbanization increased traffic in cities. And above all, Japan was facing a serious environmental crisis with the Chisso Corporation which had dumped over 27 tons of mercury into the Shiranui Sea between 1932 and 1968 (doesn't this echo anything that happened years later? in Fukushima?).
There is a symbolic scene in the film in which Godzilla extracts waste from Hedorah's body and looks directly at the audience with contempt, breaking the "fourth wall".
During the Cold War, Godzilla returns to his original role as the emblem of the nuclear threat. In the 1985 film, the monster triggers an international crisis by attacking a Soviet submarine. It is interesting to see how the film uses this plot to allow Japan to articulate its anti-nuclear position.
The Ambiguous Yankee Godzilla
The American interpretation of Godzilla has always followed a different trajectory, reflecting the United States' complex relationship with its nuclear past.
In the movie Part 1998, for example, Godzilla is created from a French nuclear test, not an American one: a detail that cleverly avoids any reflection on the role of the USA in the development of atomic weapons. In Godzilla Part 2014 di Gareth Edwards, the monster is portrayed as a force of nature, indifferent to humanity. It is more similar to a hurricane or an earthquake than a political metaphor.
This shift in perspective reflects the classic U.S. approach to global threats like climate change: something inevitable about which we can do little.
Return to the origins
The Oscar won by Godzilla Minus One di Takashi Yamazaki in 2023 proves how relevant this monster still is. The film takes Godzilla back to his roots, re-exploring themes of post-war mourning and the horrors of war. And perhaps this “reminder” is needed.
Last year the world spent the equivalent of $250 million a day on nuclear weapons.
This data, together with the Doomsday Clock stopped at 90 seconds to midnight, reminds us that the fears that Godzilla represented 70 years ago are still terribly current. It is no coincidence that the Nobel Peace Prize 2024 has been assigned al Nihon Hidankyo, the Japanese movement of atomic bomb survivors.
The cultural legacy of an icon
Godzilla's influence goes far beyond cinema. In video games, the King of the Monsters has inspired dozens of titles, from Godzilla vs. Monster of Monsters Part 1988 up to recent VR games. His figure has been reinterpreted by contemporary artists such as Takashi Murakami, which made it a symbol of the conflicting relationship between tradition and modernity in Japan. Even NASA named a constellation “Godzilla” in 2018, recognizing the lasting impact of this creature on the collective imagination.
The Visual Evolution of Godzilla
Godzilla's appearance has evolved dramatically over the past 70 years, reflecting advances in filmmaking technology and shifts in public perception. From the rubber suit of 1954 to the photorealistic CGI of today, each incarnation of the monster has brought with it new meanings. The most recent version, with its skin resembling nuclear waste and eyes glowing with radiation, demonstrates how modern special effects can amplify the character's metaphorical power without betraying its original essence.
The Monster We Didn't Understand
Perhaps we have underestimated the role of Godzilla in our culture for too long. He is not just a monster that destroys cities: he is a messenger which constantly reminds us of the consequences of our actions. Its longevity is not a coincidence: In an age of climate crisis, nuclear tensions, and global conflict, we need more than ever powerful metaphors to help us visualize and understand the threats we face.
Seventy years later, the King of the Monsters continues to roar, and his message is more relevant than ever. The real question is not whether we will confront him and send him away once and for all. I can tell you that we never will. Godzilla will always be replaced by others, a reflection of our fears.
The real question, rather, is whether we will finally learn to listen to what he is trying to tell us.
