In 1998, after the American Godzilla film was released in Japan, the executives at Toho decided that they were unsatisfied with the American rendition of their favorite monster. One Japanese working at Toho said "It was just like meeting a stranger with the same name". Many faithful fans and critics were disappointed, remarking that the American design strayed too far from the path taken by the original Godzilla. So in early 1999 they announced their 23rd Japanese Godzilla film, "Godzilla 2000 Millennium". Furthermore, Toho also announced plans to great a trilogy of Shinsei - or, "Next Generation" Godzilla films. These films - being referred to as the "Alternate Universe" series, are different from any Godzilla film series ever made before. You see, the reason that these are called "Alternate Universe" is because no two films take place in the same dimension. The only connection to any Godzilla films past is the original in 1954 and in the case of "Godzilla 2000", "Godzilla 1985". So, an example is the development of a dangerous weapon used by the "G-Graspers" that takes place in Osaka in 1996, according to the plot of "Godzilla X Megagiras: G-Vanishing Operation". However, almost any fan with a more than casual knowledge of the big guy will tell you that he melted down in Tokyo in 1996 in "Godzilla vs. Destroyer." So the new plot cancels out all the old ones, as will any more upcoming additions to the "Alternate Universe" series. Whew!
When Toho created "Godzilla 2000 Millennium" in Japan, the film cost something within the vicinity of $12 million, making it one of the most expensive Japanese films ever made, it clocking in after only a handful of films such as Kurosawa's 1985 masterwork "Ran" or Studio Ghibli's animated epic Princess Mononoke. Godzilla 2000 was moderately successful in Japan and had one of the largest ad-campaigns in Japanese movie history. The film's release in America, however, gathered very little in box-office terms, creating a profit of something like $11 million.
The plot centers around the plight of the GPN (Godzilla Prediction Network), led by a scientist named Shinoda and his young, irritating daughter. As predicted, Godzilla appears and lays waste to Nemuro, Hokkaido. While the military is battling Godzilla, another strange occurrence occurs which is that of a giant rock that some scientists take from the bottom of the Japan trench. It flies away, making them all feel very idiotic. The rock appears at Shinjuku, as does Godzilla. Godzilla destroys the rock's outer shell, revealing it to be a UFO. It then changes entirely to a giant squid thing and then eventually, Orga, a giant alien behemoth. He and Godzilla begin to battle....
A new director, a new plot, a new twist on an old monster. Meganuron first appeared in the 1956 classic "Rodan". Meganuron would munch on coal miners, Rodan would munch on them. Circle of life. But now, Toho's creative forces have conceived an entirely new creature. First, it hatches into Meganuron. Then Meganura. Then, the final, winged, gargantuan form, Megagiras. A meganura is like a giant dragonfly, about the size of a minivan, perhaps less. A meganuron is about the size of a human being, and the Megagiras is just plain huge. The film is to be released on December 16th nationwide in Japan, then possibly released theatrically (dependent on talks between Toho and Tristar) in the states. If not, it will most certainly be released directly to video. It's going to feature a scene in which a soldier actually rides on Godzilla using something like a jet-ski!
The plot
centers around the "G-Graspers", a new militance unit designed to eliminate
Godzilla. However, it begins in 1996. In the 90s, the Japanese government
made it a top priority to vanquish Godzilla. They developed a "clean energy"
source that would subdue the monster. However, Godzilla attacked the Clean
Energy Factory that had developed a plasma generator in Osaka, and in the
process, the commander of a special military squad designed to stop the
monster was killed by falling rubble. One soldier in particular, named
Kiriko Tsujimori, later becomes head of the "G-Graspers" in 2001. She is
determined to kill the monster. The G-Graspers are assembled for the only
purpose to destroy Godzilla completely, meaning, no giant corpse slowly
emitting toxins in the air, no meltdown, no Godzilla. An inventor develops
the "Dimension Tide", a device designed to create artificial black holes
when attached to a satellite. This way, Godzilla, as a whole, will be completely
gone forever. However, some of the scientists accidentally (and idiotically)
create a black hole which spews out some ancient Meganurons. These creatures
quickly begin terrorizing the Japanese populace and feeding off of humans.
They then mutate into Meganurae, which are giant, winged creatures. They
see Godzilla and begin feasting on his boundless energy. They inject some
of his cells into a special larval Meganuron and then the larva becomes
the enormous, 180 foot long Megagiras! The battle between the swarm, the
G-Graspers, Megagiras and Godzilla now begins......
