Summary
Netflix’s Godzilla anime adaptations offer unique and stylish depictions of the iconic monster, making them worth watching for fans of the franchise. This animated trilogy takes a dark and overt sci-fi approach, including a 1000-foot tall Godzilla and a living city called MechaGodzilla. The Singular Point series combines the tone and themes of the first Godzilla films with a unique twist, introducing a smaller but confusing and otherworldly version of Godzilla.
Godzilla Minus One debuted in Japan to critical acclaim and box office success. Before Toho’s latest live-action Godzilla film opens in North American theaters on December 1, Godzilla fans should check out Netflix’s Godzilla anime adaptation. Including the 2017-2018 trilogy and the 2021 Singular Point series, Netflix’s anime adaptations contain some of the most interesting and unique depictions of Godzilla in the franchise’s history.
Netflix’s two Godzilla anime adaptations are considered part of the franchise’s Reiwa era, which began in 2016 with the release of Shin Godzilla and is named after the current Emperor of Japan.
While both the anime trilogy and Singular Point were divisive among Godzilla fans, their portrayals created truly unique perspectives on Godzilla, and each film has enough style to make it worth a watch. at least once. Godzilla fans should definitely not ignore the anime trilogy or the Singular Point series.
2016’s Shin Godzilla was directed by Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno.
Godzilla animated film trilogy
Planet of the Monsters (2017), City on the Edge of Battle (2018) and The Planet Eater (2018), written by Gen Urobuchi
Although the Godzilla series has featured science fiction elements since the first film and frequently featured other alien planets and characters, The anime trilogy is the most overtly sci-fi story in Godzilla history. The plot is set in motion when the appearance of kaiju forces humanity to flee Earth and into space, with the last survivors being teleported through time and returning to Earth in the distant future , where Godzilla has become the dominant life form. Overall, this anime trilogy unfortunately tends to be too dark for its own good, perhaps not surprising given that the trilogy is written by Gen Urobochi, also the author of Puella Magi Madoka Magica notoriously dark.
While the narrative aspects of the trilogy stumble at times, the trilogy puts an undeniably interesting twist on the classic aspects of the series. Godzilla Earth, the trilogy’s version of Godzilla, is a towering Godzilla 1000 feet tall, the largest Godzilla ever depicted on screen, MechaGodzilla is a living city that threatens to assimilate the entire planet, and King Ghidorah is an illusory, extra-dimensional energy being. However, the entire trilogy ditched most of the human cast and ended on a bleak note and overall felt rather futile. While undeniably stylish, the Godzilla anime trilogy still struggles to deliver much substance. it is a novel that recreates the series.
Watch on Netflix
Godzilla singular score
The 2021 series is directed by Atsushi Takahashi and written by Toh EnJoe
Paradoxically, Godzilla Singular Point is both a return to the tone and themes of the early entries in the series, and the most unique Godzilla story in the entire franchise. Fittingly, the paradoxical nature of the Single Point fits with the series’ Quantum Mechanics theme and the central idea that two opposite states can be true at the same time. Singular Point’s Godzilla is smaller than most other versions of Godzilla, but just as depicted in Shin Godzilla, this version of Godzilla is a nightmare because of how confusing and otherworldly it is. By altering the laws of physics in its vicinity and spreading its influence, Godzilla of Singular Point threatens to break the rules of reality simply by existing.
The paradoxical nature of the Single Point fits with the series’ Quantum Mechanics theme and the central idea that two opposite states can be true at the same time.
Over-reliance on the rules of Quantum Mechanics is also Singular Point’s biggest weakness. Singular Point is a very exposition-heavy series with things like time loops and parallel dimensions discussed in great detail. While these explanations are generally accurate so that the viewer will learn something about Quantum Mechanics, it can be difficult to follow. As a result of numerous scientific discussions between human characters, Singular score is the target of the franchise’s long-standing criticism that it focuses too much on humans and not enough on Godzilla. However, even though Singular Point Godzilla has a relatively small amount of screen time, especially because of his unique strangeness, he still steals every scene he’s in.
Watch on Netflix
While Netflix’s Godzilla anime adaptations certainly have their storytelling flaws, both the trilogy and the Singular Point anime series inject undeniable unique touches into the series, and there are plenty of them. style. For Godzilla fans, both the trilogy and Singular Point are worth seeing at least once. Rewatching these Netflix anime adaptations has been fun the perfect way to prepare for the North American release of Godzilla Minus One on December 1st.
Godzilla: Minus One
Release date: 2023-12-01
Manager: Takashi Yamazaki
Rating: Not yet rated
Category: Action, Adventure, Horror
Writer: Takashi Yamazaki
Studio(s): That thing
Prequel(s): Shin Godzilla
Franchise(s): Godzilla