Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.

Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.
Official Japanese poster
Directed by	Masaaki Tezuka
Produced by	Shogo Tomiyama
Written by	Masaaki Tezuka Masahiro Yokotani
Starring	Noboru Kaneko Miho Yoshioka Mitsuki Koga Hiroshi Koizumi
Music by	Michiru Ôshima
Cinematography	Yoshinori Sekiguchi
Production company	Toho
Distributed by	Toho
Release dates	13 December 2003 (2003-12-13)
Running time	91 Minutes
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese
Box office	US $12 million

Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S., released in Japan as Godzilla × Mothra × Mechagodzilla: Tokyo SOS (ゴジラ×モスラ×メカゴジラ 東京SOS, Gojira Mosura Mekagojira Tōkyō Esu Ō Esu), is a 2003 Japanese science fiction kaiju film directed by Masaaki Tezuka. It is the 28th film in the Godzilla franchise, the 27th Godzilla film produced by Toho, and the fifth film in the Millennium series. The film serves as a direct sequel to Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla. Like its predecessor, the film is in continuity with past films such as Mothra and Godzilla.

Plot

Kiryu is undergoing repair modifications after its battle with Godzilla. Prime Minister Hayato Igarashi accepts Lead Scientist Yoshito Chujo's choice to replace the Absolute Zero Cannon with a powerful Tri-Maser.

The Shobijin (Mothra's twin fairies) warn the Japanese government that Godzilla continues returning to Japan because they used the original Godzilla's bones in Kiryu's design. If they return the bones to the bottom of the sea, Mothra would gladly take Kiryu's place in defending Japan, but if they do not, Mothra will declare war on humanity. Soon enough, Kamoebas, a giant mata mata turtle, is found washed ashore on a Japanese beach. It is determined by the wounds on Kamoebas' neck that Godzilla killed it. Godzilla and Mothra fight, but Godzilla seems to have the upper hand. With the repairs finished just in time, Kiryu manages to even the odds, but Godzilla still manages to knock out both of its opponents.

Meanwhile, on Infant Island, two twin Mothra larvae hatch from Mothra's egg, and rush to help their mother. As Kiryu undergoes repairs again, the larvae try to hold Godzilla off, but Mothra is killed by Godzilla's atomic breath while trying to save the larvae. Just in time, Yoshito and the humans repair Kiryu, who stabs Godzilla's chest with a drill, causing Godzilla to bleed and roar in pain. The larvae begin to bind Godzilla up in web. Just as Kiryu's pilot, Azusa Kisaragi, receives the order by Igarashi to destroy Godzilla before the Kiryu project is scrapped, Kiryu's soul is re-awakened through Godzilla's roar. The cyborg lifts Godzilla and secures themselves with cables. Kiryu then uses its boosters to carry itself and Godzilla to the bottom of the ocean.

In the film's post-credits scene, in an undisclosed location, a laboratory is shown, filled with canisters that contain the DNA of numerous Toho kaiju. It is stated in the Japanese version via on off-screen voice giving announcements that a "bio-formation" experiment involving an "extinct subject" is about to take place, implying that the JXSDF plans to create another mecha or kaiju-based superweapon, which could mean that Godzilla or another monster could appear once again. In the Japanese version, Godzilla and Kiryu are seen one more time, roaring as they descend into the ocean.

Cast

• Noboru Kaneko as Yoshito Chujo
• Miho Yoshioka as JXSDF Lt. Azusa Kisaragi
• Mitsuki Koga as Kiryu Operator Kyosuke Akiba
• Masami Nagasawa and Chihiro Otsuka as the Shobijin
• Hiroshi Koizumi as Dr. Shinichi Chujo
• Yumiko Shaku as JXSDF First Lt. Akane Yashiro
• Koh Takasugi as JXSDF Colonel Togashi
• Kenta Suga as Shun Chujo
• Akira Nakao as Prime Minister Hayato Igarashi
• Koichi Ueda as General Dobashi
• Naomasa Rokudaira as Goro Kanno
• Tsutomu Kitagawa as Godzilla
• Motokuni Nakagawa as Kiryu

Writing

Toho had commissioned four story outlines for director Tezuka to choose from. Tezuka found them all boring, so instead he wrote a new story outline overnight and submitted it to the studio, to which they eventually approved.

Box office

Godzilla: Tokyo SOS opened on 14 December 2003 on a double bill with the animated feature Hamtaro: Ham Ham Grand Prix. In its opening weekend, it was third place at the box office with $1,686,009 (U.S).

Critical reaction

Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. has received generally positive reviews from journalistic reviewers upon its release on DVD. John Sinnott of DVD Talk gave Tokyo SOS four stars out of five, saying:

There are some problems with this movie, but when all is said and done, I really enjoyed it. .. While this movie seems to be aimed at a younger audience without a lot of plot or characterization, it was still a lot of fun. The fight scenes were exciting and though they took up most of the movie, they never dragged on or got boring.

Giving the film a score of three out of five, Stomp Tokyo said "the plot is fairly simplistic and the character relationships are painted in broad strokes," but added that the movie "[features] the best monster action Toho has produced." Joseph Savitski of Beyond Hollywood criticized the film's "uninspired script," which he wrote had "ideas [that] are never fully developed," but added that the film is "well-made" and "mak[es] for an entertaining 91 minutes." Mark Zimmer of Digitally Obsessed gave Tokyo S.O.S. a "B" score, calling it "a fun enough action film with enough explosions and destruction of Tokyo to satisfy die-hards and casual fans alike."

Home Media Releasing

Sony - Blu-ray (Toho Godzilla Collection)

• Released: 6 May 2014
• Picture: 2.35:1 (MPEG-4 AVC) [1080P]
• Sound: Japanese and English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1)
• Subtitles: English, English SDH, and French
• Extras:
• The Making of Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (SD, Japanese DD 2.0, English subtitles, 21:48)
• Theatrical Trailer (HD, Japanese DD 2.0, English subtitles, 0:35)
• Notes: This is a 2-Disc double feature with Godzilla: Final Wars.

Columbia/Tristar Home Entertainment - 50th Anniversary

• Released: 14 December 2004
• Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) [NTSC]
• Sound: Japanese and English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English
• Supplements:
• Making Of - Featurette [Special Effects] (21:47)
• Japanese Teaser Trailer
• Preview Trailers: Steamboy, Kaena: The Prophecy and Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid
• Case type: Keep Case
• Notes: Also available in a 3-Disc "50th Anniversary Godzilla DVD Collection" box set; along with Son Of Godzilla [1967] and Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla [1974].

External links

• Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. at IMDb
• Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. at AllMovie
• Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. at Rotten Tomatoes