| Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II | |
|---|---|
Official Japanese poster |
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| Directed by | Takao Okawara |
| Produced by | Tomoyuki Tanaka Shogo Tomiyama |
| Written by | Wataru Mimura |
| Starring | Masahiro Takashima Ryoko Sano Megumi Odaka Shelley Sweeney Yusuke Kawazu Daijiro Harada Kenpachiro Satsuma as Godzilla |
| Music by | Akira Ifukube |
| Cinematography | Yoshinori Sekiguchi |
| Editing by | Miho Yoneda |
| Distributed by | Toho TriStar Pictures (Sony Pictures Entertainment) |
| Release date(s) | Japan December 11, 1993 United States/Canada April 28, 1998 (VHS premiere) |
| Running time | 108 min. |
| Country | Japan |
| Language | Japanese, English |
| Budget | $9,500,000 (U.S) |
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, released in Japan as Godzilla VS Mechagodzilla (ゴジラVSメカゴジラ Gojira tai Mekagojira), is a 1993 science fiction kaiju film directed by Takao Okawara and written by Wataru Mimura. It was the twentieth film in Toho's Godzilla series and the first to feature BabyGodzilla. It is also the fifth film to feature Rodan and the third film to feature Mechagodzilla. The plot involves the discovery of a Godzilla egg in the nest of Rodan, which is brought back to Japan, luring both Rodan and Godzilla there, forcing the Japanese Self-Defense Force to send in Mechagodzilla, a giant robot resembling the mutated dinosaur, to combat the two monsters. It is the third Godzilla film to be updated/remade from a previous Godzilla film, 1974's Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla. However, the films plot and characters are not at all connected or related to the original.
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In 1994,the Japan Self Defense Forces lift the remains of Mecha-King Ghidorah from the ocean. Using the armor and robotic technology that the Futurians gave them, they create Mechagodzilla, a super weapon that they hope will finally kill Godzilla.
On a mission to an island in the Pacific, a Japanese team comes across a dinosaur egg. They take the egg and attract Godzilla and Rodan after stopping the fight that they are engaged in. The egg is taken back to Japan where it hatches into BabyGodzilla. Godzilla appears in Kyoto to rescue the infant Godzillasaur, but Mechagodzilla battles Godzilla, knocking him to the ground. However, Godzilla uses his nuclear pulse, shutting down Mechagodzilla. Godzilla shoves Mechagodzilla aside and continues searching for BabyGodzilla, though he is hidden by G-Force scientists in a room that blocks off his psychic mind waves. Godzilla gives up and returns to his ocean home, but not before destroying the island out of anger and sadness.
Tests on BabyGodzilla reveal that he has a second brain in his hips that control his legs and tail. The JSDF assume that the same goes for Godzilla, since Godzilla and BabyGodzilla are both Godzillasaurs. They decide to use BabyGodzilla to bait Godzilla to them and use the G-Crusher, a system designed to destroy Godzilla's second brain, on the mutant dinosaur. Instead Rodan, now transformed into Fire Rodan, is attracted to the bait as well and fights the JSDF attack aircraft Garuda and defeats it. He turns his attention to Mechagodzilla and attacks, losing horribly, being no match to the super weapon though he does disable Mechagodzilla's right eye laser cannon. Godzilla then shows up and starts to battle Mechagodzilla. Mechagodzilla combines with Garuda and turns into Super Mechagodzilla and uses the G-Crusher on Godzilla. Godzilla's secondary brain is ruptured, completely paralyzing him, but is revived when Fire Rodan sacrifices himself and transfers his remaining life energy to Godzilla. Godzilla is enraged by Rodan's death and uses his newly acquired spiral atomic breath to destroy Super Mechagodzilla as revenge.
Godzilla then reclaims BabyGodzilla as his son and they both swim off into the ocean to find a new home.
The original ending for Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II was that Mechagodzilla killed Godzilla, therefore ending the Heisei series. But, Godzilla transfers his energy to BabyGodzilla who grows into the new Godzilla. Instead, the scenario was used two years later in Godzilla vs. Destoroyah. Another ending considered is that Godzilla is killed by Super Mechagodzilla, but not before damaging the Garuda. The nuclear engine inside irradiates Godzilla, giving him new strength to defeat his mechanical clone. This was changed to Fire Rodan giving him life energy to provide a more emotional ending.
Original Showa Godzilla director Ishirō Honda was slated to direct this film, but died in early 1993.
Mechagodzilla was intended in the next sequel's Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla, but considering three Godzillas would have been a one-sided battle for Godzilla to team up with the same robot twin that nearly killed him. Instead, it was replaced by Moguera.
The film's main theme is based on the theme from the Toho film King Kong Escapes.
The film sold approximately 3,800,000 tickets in Japan grossing roughly $18,000,000 (U.S).
Monster Zero said that "some critical flaws exist" but felt overall that "of all the films of the [Heisei era], Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla II represents Toho's most technically and artistically successful effort," adding that "the action sequences in this film are impeccable... excitingly staged, logical, and quite dramatic."[1] American Kaiju said the film "stumbles in the areas of both story and special effects" but concluded it to be "a good, solid entry in the Godzilla series," saying that "the battles between Godzilla and Mechagodilla entertain" and "Akira Ifukube's music score soars."[2] Japan Hero said "the story was interesting," "the soundtrack is plain gorgeous," and "the costume designs are just as great," concluding: "While this is not my top favorite movie [of the Heisei series], it is definitely one of the best."[3]
To tie in with the American remake, Sony Tristar distributed the previously unreleased Heisei Godzilla films on April 28, 1998, less than half month before the release of Tristar's Godzilla remake. Excluding Godzilla 1985 and Godzilla vs. Biollante, since they've already been released prior. Some VHS copies that opened with the 1984 Tristar Pictures logo.
Columbia TriStar