If you’re looking for a book with a lot of info about Godzilla and other kaiju, this isn’t it.
That said, it’s a beautiful and intriguing book, especially if you are interested in the graphic arts, and in kaiju-related art in particular. Vartanian is the founder of Goliga Books, Inc., a book-packaging company specializing in art, photography, and design. He appears to be a genuine kaiju fan, and has included a brief bio of the most famous of the Japanese genre, each accompanied by a curious legend denoting their characteristics and abilities.
The artwork, however, is the primary focus of this book, one of a type commonly referred to as “coffee table books.” Stunning photographs, in both black and white and a muted form of color, render this book a feast for the eyes of any lover of the genre. Some of the text is interesting, some of it is in Japanese, and some of the English text is just plain strange, as for example, the description of an original character, a sort of “potato kaiju,” designed and illustrated by Mark Nagata .
The redundant title is somewhat misleading, since there’s a lot more here than just “beasts” from Japanese films. If you are among the G-fans who enjoy creating and drawing kaiju, anime, or wacky stuff in general, you will adore this book. If, like me, you are simply a fan who loves classy pictures of Godzilla and his pals, you will also love this book.
What better book to place on the coffee table of a G-fan?
Bottom line: more artsy than informative, and beautiful to behold.