This year is the 60th anniversary of the special-effects kaiju film “Godzilla,” and fans are celebrating. I love Godzilla too; I wrote about it late last year. The long-awaited new film “GODZILLA” is due in July. A CS channel first picked the top four “Best of Godzilla” from all 28 films, from the first “Godzilla” (1954) to the 28th “Godzilla: Final Wars” (2004). A runoff “Godzilla general election” among those four is also under way.
My vote is, of course, the 1954 original. In the first film the National Diet Building is destroyed. Same Chi-
yoda Ward, but Palaceside Building was not yet built; The Mainichi Newspapers was at 1-1 Yurakucho. In Yurakucho a Godzilla statue stands in Nemunoki Hiroba north of Hibiya Chanter (Toho Hibiya Building) (photo above). It was made for the 40th anniversary and installed in 1995 to coincide with “Godzilla vs. Destoroyah.”
The first film wrecked more than the Diet. Destroying Matsuzakaya in Ginza and the Wako clock tower brought complaints from those concerned that it was “unlucky” — a famous story. Later the idea grew that being wrecked by Godzilla brought luck, and some even ask to have their building chosen.
In the 28 films, the one place Godzilla has not landed is Shikoku. In the 22nd, “Godzilla vs. Destoroyah,” Godzilla tries to attack the Ikata plant (Ikata, Ehime) but is stopped short; a first Shikoku landing has still not happened.
Among buildings nationwide managed by Mainichi Building, which manages Palaceside Building, Mainichi Fukuoka Kaikan in Fukuoka (photo at center; Nishitetsu Inn Fukuoka is in the
building) came closest. Across Meiji-dori, Fukuoka’s main east–west street, due south of Mainichi Fukuoka Kaikan, Acros Fukuoka is destroyed by Godzilla in the 21st film, “Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla.” Acros is a large mixed-use building on the old Fukuoka prefectural-office site; it had not yet opened (the film was 1994, opening 1995) but was being sold as a new Fukuoka landmark. Had Godzilla come ashore from the sea, the hall directly opposite should not have escaped — yet I do not think it appeared. The hotel then in the building was a Tokyu Hotel.
The photo below looks from Mainichi Fukuoka Kaikan toward Nakasu, Kyushu’s largest entertainment district. The river in the picture is about where the Naka and Yakuin meet. In the 18th film, “Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah,” King Ghidorah’s beams wreck Nishitetsu Fukuoka Station and the waterfront park area of Nakasu. The small riverside park with greenery at the bottom of the photo is that park. A little off and the beam would have hit Fukuoka Kaikan next door. A close call.