by RAF KATIGBAK

The Japanese seem able to rethink everything in a fun way—even the dark stuff. Take WWII for example. Sure, they had their asses handed to them on a sushi platter by the Allies, but while other countries would be busy deciding between a statue or monument to memorialize their tragedy, Japan is all, like, “What’s the best way to teach future generations about the horrors of war—giant lizard or giant robot?” Luckily for kids all over the world, they chose both.

Fifty-one years ago, still reeling from the nuclear devastation in Nagasaki, Japanese director Inoshiro Honda and the Toho Film Company kicked off the daikaiju (giant monster) genre by creating the gigantic, city-crushing, atomic-fire-breathing reptile known as Gojira, or Godzilla. A year later, artist Mitsuteru Yokoyama drew influences from wartime devastation, traditional samurai armour, secret Nazi missile designs and the American Frankenstein film to create Tetsujin-28, aka Gigantor, the very first in a long line of giant anime robots.

Both spawned countless imitators, and legacies that, with the golden anniversary release Godzilla: Final Wars (the last installment for at least a decade, showing at Fantasia this year) and 2005’s live-action feature film Tetsujin-28, are alive and kicking today. Here’s a comparison of the two:

Godzilla: Final Wars is at the Hall Theatre on Friday, July 15, 7:15 p.m., Tetsujin-28 is at the Hall Theatre on Sunday, July 17, 3 p.m.

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