[New Godzilla Theory] Why did special effects shift from being a subject of "criticism" to one of "analysis"? — New article now available on the special website "The Editorial Room of Questions"
We have published a new article, "[New Godzilla Theory] Why did special effects change from being a subject of 'criticism' to one of 'analysis'?" (Associate Professor Tatsushi Morishita, Faculty of Letters), on our university's special website, "The Room for Editing Questions."
In conjunction with the release of the new film "Godzilla-0.0," this article uses "Godzilla" as a theme to clearly explain how people's ways of enjoying special effects films have changed over time. The original "Godzilla," released in 1954, has been discussed primarily from a "critical" perspective, symbolizing anti-nuclear sentiment and a critique of civilization. However, with the development of otaku culture and the advent of the SNS era, the culture has shifted to one of "analysis" and "fandom." Associate Professor Morishita also touches upon the importance of perspectives that are being lost in this trend and the need to step back and re-examine the relationship between works and society. Through Godzilla, the article deciphers the changes in Japanese popular culture and society.
"The Editorial Office of Questions" is a social-oriented web magazine in which researchers from our university provide easy-to-understand explanations based on their expertise, starting with the "why?" questions that arise from news and everyday events. Its aim is to open up university research beyond specialized fields and to share it as "knowledge" with society.
Table of Contents for this Article
1. Godzilla used to be a "serious movie"
2. From an object of criticism to an object of admiration
3. Has the "analysis" boom caused "criticism" to disappear?
Lead paragraph of this article
Godzilla, which continues to fascinate people across generations, including the new film "Godzilla-0.0" released on November 3rd. Why has this special effects film, which was once the subject of heated criticism and discussion on themes such as "anti-nuclear" and "critique of civilization," now transformed into a subject of "analysis" and "favorites" on social media?
Behind this shift lies a change in how fans enjoy the franchise, from a time when they passionately critiqued works of art with each other, to a more modern approach of appreciating things without causing any trouble. This time, we spoke with Associate Professor Tatsuya Morishita, who studies popular culture, about what the 70-year evolution of Godzilla reveals about contemporary society.
Associate Professor
Hiroshi Morishita
- Specialized Field
Popular Culture Studies
- Research theme
- The formation and transformation of special effects films and the science fiction genre in postwar Japan
- Stories and Expressions in Tezuka Osamu's Early Manga Works
Godzilla-0.0 Final Trailer