Mechagodzilla Launches an Assault on Fukushima Gainax!
Todd Rigney
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Out of all the incredibly cool enemies Godzilla has faced over the decades, none of them can really compare to Mechagodzilla. That’s a matter of opinion, of course, but chances are the mechanized extraterrestrial lands somewhere in your top five.
Famously crafted as a weapon by the Simians, the robotic adversary to the world’s coolest giant monster first appeared on the big screen in the 1974 flick Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla. Fortunately for unapologetic Mechagodzilla fans, the character would return several times throughout the different Godzilla eras, most recently in Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S., where the big guy is referred to as Kiryu.
If you consider yourself a hardcore Mechagodzilla nerd or just have a soft spot for all things Godzilla, then pencil in a trip to the Sakura Recreation & Learning Center for Fukushima Gainax, a kick-ass anime museum housed inside an old Japanese junior high school. The original MG-2 suit is part of the DNA of Tokusatsu exhibit, an exploration and celebration of Japanese special effects. The exhibit runs from August 3 until October 2.
Unfortunately, scoring a legit copy of Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla on Region 1 DVD is a pricey affair at the moment (used copies of the flick currently sell for upwards of $79 on Amazon). But you can still snag copies of the big mechanical menace’s other cinematic appearances on DVD and Blu-ray for a reasonable amount of cash.
And for those of us who can’t make the trip to Japan to see the MG-2 suit in all its glory, this photo will have to suffice.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_L5Fz-vDXOg&w=853&h=480]
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