My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fan Fic: 'Attack of the Giant Monsters'

Prologue

Another dimension. Another world. No ponies roamed around here, any were just simple animals on farms. It was midnight in the West. Somewhere far off the coast of Japan was an island. On it were many trees, bushes, waterfalls, pretty much everything an island in the middle of the ocean would have. In the center was a large ancient Rome-like structure. No sound was being made. Inside the structure were stone walls, stairs that led up, and a shrine. The walls had markings on them. Engraved in the center of the ground was a cross-like emblem. Standing on it were two tiny figures.

"Something is not right." One of them said.
"Yes. Why are they all disappearing?" The other asked.
"I do not know Moll. This is disrupting the natural order. The universe...reality itself cries out against the disruption. Things that belong here must stay here, or it could mean the end of everything."

The ladies looked at each other, they both we're thinking the same thing.

"We have to call Mothra."

End of prologue

This dimension. This world. Equestria. Ponyville. Nothing was out of the ordinary, it was a peaceful day. Ponies walked around happily, shopping, talking, and just enjoying the nice warm weather. On the outskirts of the village was the cottage of Fluttershy. The door burst open as Fluttershy exited. She was very happy today. She turned her head around to say something to her pet bunny Angel.

"Now you be good, I'll be back in a couple of hours after going out with the girls."

And with that, she closed the door and was on her way to Ponyville.

If it's one thing Fluttershy liked doing, it was hanging out with her friends. Though not everything was dandy, she had a very throbbing headache. It had started in the morning, she couldn't understand what had triggered it. "Oh well," she thought, "it would go away while being with the others". As she entered Ponyville she noticed some strange cracks in the ground.

"Sewer or construction work perhaps?" She said to herself.

Getting to the spa was only a couple of minutes distance. As she walked deeper into the village, she could spot her friends in front of the building.
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"It's about time she got here, she's like ten minutes late!" Rainbow Dash said as she and the others spotted Fluttershy coming their way.

"Fluttershy's always on time, I'm sure she has a good reason for being late." The always positive Twilight replied.

"Sorry I'm late girls, one of my hummingbirds had a broken wing so I had tend to it." Fluttershy said as she walked toward them.

"See, what'd I tell you? A good reason."

Then the ground shook beneath their hooves, all the ponies in Ponyville felt it.

"What in tarnation was that?" Applejack asked.
"Oooooh, look!" Pinkie Pie said as she pointed to the sky.

The Mane 6 and all the Ponies that were outside looked.up. Something was forming, something large that kept circulating.

"It's a portal!" Twilight shouted.

The portal kept getting bigger, then stopped. Something fell from it and hit the ground in front of them. The portal closed. Standing was something very big, far bigger than the ponies and even bigger than some of the buildings. Its color was dark green. On its back were large and very spiky dorsal plates, and it had a very long tail. It's face was that of some kind of lizard. The thing that had fallen out of the portal was some kind of monster.

"Is it some kind of dragon?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"I don't think so. Look!" Twilight shouted.

The dorsal plates on the monster started to glow blue. Moments later it shot a blast of something powerful from its mouth. It struck the ground, making explosions. Any other ponies that were still there fled in terror.

"Did that thing just shoot a blast of fire?!" Rarity asked.
"That wasn't fire, don't you recognize it? That's atomic radiation! That's worse than fire, it's far more destructive!" Twilight said.

The monster roared.

"I...I can understand him." Fluttershy said quietly since she was surprised.
"What was that dear?" Rarity asked.
"I'll be right back." Fluttershy said and then flew toward the monster.
"Fluttershy!" Twilight shouted.
"I'll get her!" Rainbow Dash said as she was about to fly, but was grabbed by Applejack.
"Hold on there Rainbow, let's see what Fluttershy's going to do."

The Poines watched earnestly as Fluttershy flew toward the giant. She flew by the side of its head.

"Um, excuse me, mr. monster sir, is it alright if I know your name?"

The monster turned its head toward Fluttershy. It was surprised she could understand him.

"The humans call me Godzilla." He said.
"Well Godzilla, um, can I ask you to not destroy this village?"
"I'm not trying to destroy your village, I'm trying to attack the thing that's underneath it."
"Underneath..."

And then as if right on time, something jumped, or rather drilled out of the ground some distance in front of them. It was another monster about the size of Godzilla. This time however it looked really strange. Its head resembled that of a beetle, it was black and yellow and instead of hands it had drills. It roared at Godzilla, taunting him.

Its name was Megalon.

Godzilla roared and charged full speed toward the drill-beetle. The latter roared what sounded like laughter in anticipation. Fluttershy flew toward him.

"What is she crazy?" Rainbow Dash said back on the ground.

Before Godzilla could make contact, Fluttershy flew in-between them. Godzilla stopped running and Megalon stopped laughing as they both looked at her. Fluttershy didn't quite understand why she felt no fear, she guessed it was the realization of the fact that her headache had stopped and she could understand these creatures. She turned to face Megalon.

"Um, maybe you and Godzilla could not fight here? It's damaging our village, and-" Fluttershy never got to finish because Megalan sent her flying with a whack from his right drill.

"Fluttershy!" Twilight shouted.
"I got her!" Rainbow Dash said and then zoomed to catch her falling friend.

Back in the monsters' point of view, Godzilla watched Fluttershy go flying, then turned angrily to Megalon. He was mad that such a creature who was nice to him got whacked away. He roared and swung his tail. Megalon ducked. He stood back up and started laughing at the fact that he just dodged an attack from Godzilla. The latter on the other hand was not amused and tackled a surprised Megalon to the ground. Back with the Ponies, they all watched in awe at the two giant monsters when Rainbow Dash returned with Fluttershy.

"Are you alright Fluttershy?" Twilight asked.
"Yes, but I understood him! The one with the spikes on his back. He said the humans call him Godzilla."
"What are humans???" Pinkie Pie asked. Applejack shrugged.
"I don't think Godzilla's evil. I couldn't quite understand what the other one was saying, it came out as jumbled, as if he were mindless." Fluttershy stated.
"Or as dumb as a rock." Rainbow Dash chimed in.

Godzilla's roar was heard, breaking the conversation. The Mane 6 then saw Megalon go flying.

"Run!" Twilight shouted.

They all ran and jumped out of the way as a beaten Megalon crashed into the ground, taking down the spa with him. After the realization that they could have all died right there, Twilight stepped in front and turned around for another inspiring speech.

"We can't let these monsters destroy Ponyville, we have to contact Princess Celestia."

The other Ponies nodded and they all raced to Twilight's house, all the while with Godzilla's roar in the background.

End of Act 1

It was madness as the Mane 6 ran through town. Ponies were running and screaming, the whole village was trying to evacuate. It was a good thing Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were out of town on a school field trip. Finally they reached their destination. Twilight bolted the door open.

"Alright Spike, I need to write a letter and...Spike?"

Twilight and then the others noticed he was shivering under a table.

"Did you hear them? They're not dragons Twilight, they're something a lot bigger!" He said in a frenzied state.
"Spike, get out of there, I need to write a letter to Princess Celestia."
"I already wrote to her, four times! She never got back to any of them!"
"What?"

Then Spike shouted in horror and pointed at the window. The Ponies looked behind themselves and gasped. A huge yellow eye was looking at them.

"Incoming!" Applejack shouted as the largest monster hand they ever saw appeared.

It crushed part of the house clean off. The monster then lowered its head so it could see. It had a crocodile like head, gigantic hands, and a hole in its left shoulder for some reason.

Its name was Orga.

Twilight noticed that the hole started to glow.

"It has a built in shoulder canon, run!" Twilight yelled.

She grabbed Spike and ran outside with the rest of the Ponies as a large yellow beam went clean through the house. Once they were outside they saw just how big Orga was, he looked like a monster that would do amazing in a wrestling competition.

"Can you believe it? That thing had a shoulder canon, what monster has a shoulder canon??" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Apparently these kind Pinkie." Applejack stated.

They were running but then out of nowhere Orga jumped in front of them.

"How can that brute of thing jump so high?" Rarity asked.
"Oh dear." Fkuttershy said as Orga charged up his shoulder canon.

The Ponies backed away, but there was no way for them to escape. Twilight couldn't believe this is how it would end. Orga was about to fire, but then some kind of spiky circular object smashed into him, making the beam hit the sky. The circular object went onto the ground and stretched itself from a ball. Turns out it was a four legged creature with a back full of spikes and could go into a ball form.

"That thing looks like an Anylosaurus!" Twilight said.

Indeed, for its name was Anguirus.

Orga was caught off guard, but once he saw how little Anguirus looked, he roared.

"Such a bully, he's laughing at him because he's so small!" An angered Fluttersay stated.

Anguirus growled, while Orga raised his hands to attack him. But before Orga could, something knocked him down from behind. It was a brown flying monster with a beak. It was on top of Orga, pecking at him before the later slapped him off. The flying monster got up and stood next to Anguirus.

"That's a giant Pteranodon!" Twilight shouted.
"The flying one and the spiky one are friends. Look, the he's telling him a plan and-"
"It's great you understand them Fluttershy, but we all should probably use this opportunity to get out of here." Applejack interrupted.
"Agreed. Let's go the other way." Twilight said.

Then they heard a familiar noise of a portal opening behind them. They turned around not knowing what they would face.

"What is that thing?!" Spike said.

Now this was a very odd looking monster. It had one eye like a Cyclops, except it was red and looked like it belonged on some science fiction robot. On its belly was a buzzsaw and instead of hands it had large blades. It was green and yellow. Gigan had arrived.

"Ooooh, it's a giant chicken!" Pinkie Pie said.
"Pinkie, how can you see a chicken in that thing?" Applejack asked.
"How can you not? Look at its head and beak and..."

Pinkie was interrupted by Gigan's high pitched shriek. None of the Ponies knew what he said, only Fluttershy, and it was something she wouldn't be forgetting anytime soon.

"I WILL CUT YOU OPEN AND CHOKE YOU WITH YOUR OWN INTESTINES!"

Fluttershy was shocked at how cruel something could be, she had never heard something so vile. Normally she would have start tearing up at something so mean, but not today. She instead flew so she was face-to-face with the red eye.

The rest of the Mane 6 looked at each other then back up to see what Fluttershy was going to say.

"Do you think just cause you're big you can say such cruel things to us? Listen because I know you can understand me, I..."

Fluttershy never got to finish her speech because Rainbow Dash flew in and tackled her away from Gigan's eye laser which would have fried her.

"Fluttershy, what is wrong with you?! You can't stand up to a monster like that!"
"But do you know what he said? It was so mean."

All of a sudden the flying monster crashed into Gigan, knocking them both down. The Ponies were standing by an onslaught of large bushes, where they heard a familiar voice say,

"Ponies, come in here, hurry!"

So they jumped inside the bushes.

"Zecora!" Twilight said.

"You ponies know not what you get yourselves into. These aren't just monsters my friends, they are daikaiju." The lady zebra said.
"Dai-what?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Daikaiju. Magical beasts. They are legendary creatures that are more powerful than the monsters around here, kaiju are planet threatening." Zecora said.
"And how do you know about them?" Spike asked.
"I've been to many places young dragon, there are some things you ponies should never have to face."

A few monster, or rather kaiju roars were heard. The Ponies including Zecora poked their heads out of the bushes. That area of Ponyville was completely destroyed, and there were still monsters fighting it out. And in the midst of it all, another portal opened, dropping an overly large shrimp.

"Chaos. Absolute chaos." Zecora said.
"Chaos...wait a second." Twilight said. She took her head out of the bush, as did the others.
"What are you getting at Twi?" Applejack asked.
"Don't you girls see it? Don't you think it's a little convenient that a monster or kauji or whatever popped up directly outside my house when we were there? Do you think it's a coincidence that one popped up behind us right after we were saved? It's almost like someone, or something is toying with us. Chaos. That's what it is, and this could only be the work of one being...

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"Ohahahhahaha. You are so bright Twilight Sparkle, always one step ahead of the competition, it makes toying with you all the more fun!" Discord said.

He was in a large dark, circular room capable of holding quite a few of the monsters. In the back was a  barred window. He was looking at an image of Twilight and friends through a little cloud he had conjured up.

"This is just marvelous. Wouldn't you agree my crystal-shouldered friend?"

He didn't receive a response from the monster on the other side of the room. It had its back turned, which was filled with dorsal plates. On its shoulders were two large crystals sticking out.

"Such fun, I could do this forever. I wonder what monster I should send next...oooh, perhaps this one, this one looks like a monster made of smog." Discord laughed at his own words.

The other monster didn't answer. Truth of the matter is it didn't care about any of that. It was only concerned with the thing it was watching through a crystal ball. Godzilla.

"You won't get away with this Discord!" A voice yelled from the right side of the room.

"Ohahahaha. My dear Princess Celestia, this is why I've missed you, always so heroic and trying to stay positive. Such drama is always fun to watch." Discord said as he walked toward the right side of the room.

There was a cage made by him, imprisoning both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.

"Do you truly think that monster is going to work with you? He'll sooner betray you once he has fulfilled his desire, whatever that may be." Celestia said.

Discord laughed once again and lowered his head so only the Princesses could hear him.

"You see, I already have plans. After I'm done using his resources and the monsters from his dimension destroy all of Equestria, I'll go drop him off somewhere, perhaps Tartarus, hahaha."
"You don't understand Discord, I sense great evil in that creature, even greater than your own evil."
"My sister is right." Luna said.

Discord raised his head back and laughed once again.

"Ah my poor princesses, so honorable. Why don't we see what's happening now with our little ponies?"

Discord made a cloud appeared.

"What's this? I don't remember sending that monster."

The crystal shouldered creature turned around and started walking toward Discord. His face was similar to Godzilla's, with its head having some kind of yellow star, it looked like he had a crown on. He stepped next to Discord and looked into the cloud. He roared, the sound was deep and high pitched at the same time.

"Alright alright, keep your crystals on my fellow chaos-maker. I will send the Smog Monster, hahahahha."

On the other side of the room, the Princesses looked at each other, they were both thinking the same thing.

They didn't know how Twilight and her friends would win this battle.

End of Act 2

"Discord? The Elements of Harmony made that guy a statue!" Rainbow Dash said.
"Yeah, I mean, it's not like he can just get up and start walking!" Pinkie Pie added.
"I'm sure this is all his doing. Can't you see it? There's a system, he's toying with us. He's--"

Twilight didn't get to finish cause they heard a roar, though it was softer than the ones they've heard today. They looked behind. Something huge was flying toward them. It had wings, big blue insect-like eyes, and antennae.

"Ooooh, a butterfly!" Pinkie Pie said.
"It's a moth Pinkie." Fluttershy said.
"And she is just glamorous!" Rarity popped in.
"Uh Rarity, how do you know that's a girl?" Applejack asked.
"Can't you see her colorful wings? Only a lady could have such style!"
"Be careful my ponies, she is landing." Zecora said.

The giant moth landed on the ground some distance between them. For a few moments nothing happened, then suddenly Spike spotted something.

"Something's coming! Something small for a change."

In the distance a much smaller version of the moth was approaching. Riding on it were two little ladies, one dressed in blue and one in red. The little moth went directly in front of them.

"We are the Shobijin." The little figures said.

The Ponies looked dumbfounded at them. The ladies looked at each other, then the one dressed in red spoke.

"My name is Moll, this is my sister Lora "

The one dressed in blue smiled at them.

"And she is Mothra." She said pointing at the large moth.

"You are all aware of the monsters attacking your world?" Moll asked.
"Very much so, what do you-"
"Alright, that's it! What do you two little things know about this?" Rainbow Dash said, interrupting Twilight and confronting the Shobijin.
"Rainbow! Take it easy." Applejack said.
"She is right, an explanation is needed. But a quick one since we're running out of time. The monsters, they are not from here, your world, your dimension. They come from a much different world than this one. Hours ago we noticed a disturbance, something was messing with the natural order of things. The monsters were disappearing. Lora and I knew something had to be done. You see, a very powerful and evil monster known as SpaceGodzilla has been brought here, we fear he has a part in this."
"SpaceGodzilla? Would he be related to Godzilla?" Fluttershy asked.

The two sisters looked at each other, then Moll answered.

"We see you have already met Godzilla. Our main goal is to find him and the other Earth monsters. But first, SpaceGodzilla. He's a clone of Godzilla from outer space, when Godzilla's DNA merged with crystalline objects, it formed into him. Unlike the majority of monsters whose goal is to either survive or destroy, SpaceGodzilla wants to conquer. He is evil. He considers himself a god of destruction, he considers himself above everything else. But most of all, he wants to kill Godzilla in every way possible."

"That's horrible!" Fluttershy said.

The little moth flew in front of Twilight.

"We came to this spot because we sensed magical energies here, emitting from you six ponies. These energies are tied to the earth are similar to what Earth's monsters have. We need you six to find SpaceGodzilla and the other force we sense at work." Moll said.

Twilight thought about mentioning Discord, but decided against it for now. Suddenly the ground shook beneath them.

"Now what?" Rainbow Dash said.

Right in front of them a big creature emerged. It was dark red, had a horn on its head, big floppy ears, and walked on four legs. It was the complete opposite of the mean-looking Orga or insane Gigan.

"This is Baragon, a guardian monster." Moll said.

The red monster roared.

"Awwwwwww! He's saying hello, how cute!" Fluttershy said. She was already on top of his head, petting him. Baragon seemed to like it.

"So let me get this straight, these monsters or kaiju as Zecora calls them are from another dimension and this SpaceGodzilla is somehow involved? And a force around here is the source?" Rainbow Dash said.

"Precisely blue Pegasus." Moll said.

The little moth flew above them. This time they spoke together in sinc.

"We need your help, Ponies of this world."

Twilight stepped up to the plate.

"Of course we'll help. Introductions...I'm Twilight Sparkle, this is Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Zec-"

She interrupted herself because Zecora was no longer there.

"That's weird, she was there just a minute ago."

All of a sudden Mothtra roared. The little moth flew toward her. Fluttershy flew down to her friends.

"Mothra said we all should hurry since there's not much time." She said.

The two sisters went directly in front of Mothra.

"Mothra, go get Rodan and Anguirus, they are essential to the battle." They said.

Mothra nodded and she began to take off. Her glorious wings shined above as she flew over the bushes into the destroyed Ponyville. Baragon then lowered its head.

"Please get on, you'll travel much faster while riding on him." Moll said. The ponies hopped on Baragon one by one.

"Alright I gotta admit, this is pretty cool." Applejack said.
"What's the plan now?" Twilight asked.
"We sense powerful magical items, they will be essential in the fight. Do you know what they are?" Lora asked.
"Magical items...the Elements of Harmony!" Twilight said.
"We must obtain these Elements, once my sister and I can feel them, we'll know where SpaceGodzilla and the malevolent force behind this is." Moll said.
"They're at the library, or what's left of it." Twilight said.
"Please, tell Baragon how to get there from here." Moll said.

Twilight nodded to Fluttershy, who then said a few things into Baragon's giant ear. The monster's eyes widened. He roared, then started stomping toward their destination rather fast, forcing the surprised Ponies to hold on. Moll and Lora followed.

End of Act 3

There wasn't much of Twilight's library left. Moll and Lora were outside, and Baragon was sitting down. Some moments later the Ponies came out with Twilight holding a book. She put it on the ground. The little moth came toward it.

"That robot thing still creeps me out." Fluttershy said, looking at Gigan's severed body next to the library.
"It's more of a cyborg than robot." Twilight corrected.

Before Twilight opened the book, the roar of Mothra was heard. Everyone looked up. Coming from the distance was the colorful moth herself, and flying beside her the giant brown Pteranodon. In a few moments they landed on the ground next to Baragon. And then a large rumble was felt. Something was rolling toward them. A spiky ball emerged, then unwrapped itself. It was Anguirus. He stood next to the Pteranodon and roared. The former nodded.

"Excellent. Mothra has brought Rodan and Anguirus. Now, let us..." The two ladies were interrupted by a familiar noise coming from the sky. A portal started to open.

"Not again!" Spike shouted.

The portal kept getting bigger and bigger, then stopped. And then the craziest monster the Ponies had ever seen emerged from it. Its body was hard to make out, it was as if it were covered in smog. It had large diamond-shaped eyes. Its scent was pretty awful.

"That is the ugliest monster I have ever seen!" Rarity shouted.
"Hedorah." Moll and Lora said at the same.
"Who?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"A monster from another planet, it is highly dangerous and powerful." Moll said.

Hedorah roared, or rather made a strange sound. Rodan was the first to roar back, then flew toward the Smog Monster. Anguirus started to run toward it, followed by Baragon and Mothra. Rodan was going to attempt an attack, by flying straight into the Smog Monster. Before he could make contact, Hedorah swatted him away with its right hand, or whatever you could call it. Anguirus rolled into Hedorah, making pieces of smog go all over the place. Rarity yelled as a piece almost hit her. Anguirus tried tail-whipping, but it was ineffective. Baragon claw-swiped, but it didn't appear to phase Hedorah. Mothra shot a few beams, which seemed to annoy it, making it turn his attention to her. It stretched its arm out, slapping a surprised Mothra to the ground. By this time Rodan had gotten up and flew toward Hedorah. Instead of going for the body, this time he went for the legs, knocking down the Smog Monster. It got back up and made a sound. Then another sound was heard in the distance. A thump on the ground was heard, and another, and another. Then silence. And then a blue beam came from the distance, blasting a hole straight through Hedorah!

"Godzilla!" The Shobijin shouted.

Indeed, for the King of Monsters, Godzilla, had arrived. He walked into the area. Rodan roared in anticipation and flew by Godzilla side, and Anguirus did the same.

"Those three are very good friends." Fluttershy said to the rest of the Ponies.

Baragon roared a sound of alert. Hedorah was starting reform. Mothra shot a few beams, halting the reformation in time for Godzilla and his two friends to come. Godzilla plucked his hand into Hedorah, taking out its odd looking heart. He blasted it with atomic radiation, ending the Smog Monsters menace. Godzilla, Angurus, and Rodan roared in triumph. The Shobijin sighed. Then Moll spoke.

"Quickly! Open the book!"

Twilight opened it. The Elements of Harmony shined so brightly that it even got the monsters' attention. The ladies went toward them. They felt Twilight's Element and closed their eyes.There was silence for a few moments. Finally they opened their eyes and spoke in sinc.

"We know where SpaceGodzilla and the other malevolent force is. Somewhere hidden in a place called Everfree Forest. We will guide you."

Then they flew up to the side of Godzilla's head.

"Godzilla," they began, "we need your help. SpaceGodzilla is here."

Fluttershy noticed somdething in Godzilla's eyes, anger and determination. The later nodded. Then the ladies came down to the Ponies' level in front of Twilight. Moll spoke.

"Please, put on your Elements. You all will be needed in this battle."
"Pardon my asking, but with so many of these giant monster kaiju things, what can we do?" Applejack asked.
"We sense you six will play a major part in this battle." The ladies said.
"That's good enough for me!" Rainbow Dash said.

The Ponies put on their elements, which instantly re-energized them. Godzilla roared.

"He says we should get moving." Fluttershy said quietly to her friends.

The ladies flew next to Mothra.

"Follow us." They said.

Mothra roared the same thing so the other monsters could hear it. Baragon lowered himself so the Ponies could hop on him. Then everyone started to follow the Shobijin and Mothra into the Everfree Forest.

End of Act 4

While it was daytime, it felt like night in Everfree Forest. The Shobijin flew ahead, with Baragon and the Ponies on top of him in back. Godzilla and Anguirus followed, with Rodan and Mothra flying overhead.

"Is it me, or have the trees really grown?" Rainbow Dash quietly said.
"It's not just you Rainbow, the trees really have grown." Applejack replied.
"Ooooooh, look!" Pinkie Pie shouted.

In front of them all was a large door, big enough for a monster to go through. It was a normal wooden door, except the knob was missing.

"This is where the malevolent force is, now we must figure out how to get-" Moll was interrupted by something charging from behind her. That charge belonged to Godzilla who smashed into the door, breaking it down. Inside was total darkness. Godzilla turned around and motioned everyone to follow.

"I love this guy!" Rainbow Dash said.

The Shobijin went in, followed by the rest of the monsters. It was pitch black all around them, like they were in a void or had fallen into a black hole. The sound of lightning was heard, and slowly things started to appear. Far away a window appeared, and above them a roof. They were in a very, very large room. A familiar laughter was heard.

"Bravo, bravo!" A voice said.

Discord emerged from the shadows, clapping his hands. He looked exactly the same, except he was far bigger, the size of a kaiju.

"Discord!" Twilight said.

Godzilla got ready to charge, but Mothra looked at him, as if telling him not yet.

"You are the force bringing the monsters here!" The Shobijin said.
"Oh are these the little ladies?" Discord asked.
"You know not what you do creature, you are disrupting the natural balance."
"I know! Such disharmony, such chaos, it's really astounding."
"I knew it was you all along Discord!" Twilight shouted.
"Ah, always the resourceful one Twilight Sparkle. It's why I decided to toy with you ponies so much, sending out random monsters at the worst possible times, and sending a fake Zecora to explain things."
"No wonder Zecora disappeared, she was just an illusion!" Spike said,

Discord laughed.

"Of course, none of this would have been possible without my crystal-shouldered friend."

An area was lighted in back of Discord, showcasing a monster. It looked like Godzilla, except it was bulkier, had two large crystals sticking out of its shoulders, and had some kind of yellow crest on its head.

"SpaceGodzilla." The Shobijin said.

SpaceGodzilla roared, but did not move.

"Strange, I can't understand him." Fluttershy thought.

"Wondering why you can't understand, Fluttershy? You see, to make things even more interesting, I gave you the ability to make you understand these wonderful creatures!" Discord said, then laughed again.

SpaceGodzilla stood motionless, he looked bored.

"Now that you're all here, which I'm honestly surprised about, it's time I send out something I've been wanting to send out for awhile. Behold, even I'm about to be impressed."

Discord shot some kind of beam into the roof. A very large portal, the largest anyone had seen, started to open. SpaceGodzilla had been motionless the whole time, but now he seemed alive. He roared which almost sounded like a roar of panic. He shot a Corona beam into the portal, but it was too late. Something was falling from it. The thing struck the ground. It was the largest monster the Ponies had ever seen. It was red, purple, and black. It had two large bat-like wings, which was pretty astonishing if they actually worked because of the creature's size. On its shoulders a horns stuck out, and a very sharp one on its head. There was nothing but red in its eyes. The creature looked liked something straight out of Hell. Fluttershy noticed something in Godzilla's eyes. No one else would have noticed, but since she knew animals and creatures very well, she saw a slight sense of fear in his eyes.

"Destoroyah." The Shobijin said.

"Yes, isn't he just magnificent? The perfect monster aside from my crystal-shouldered friend." Discord said.

SpaceGodzilla didn't say anything.

"Now my demonic friend, why don't you go take care of our guests?" Discord said.

Destoroyah didn't do anything for a moment. Then he turned his head toward Discord.

"What, what are you doing?"

Destoroyah grabbed Discord by the neck. Godzilla roared and took this opportunity to charge toward SpaceGodzilla. Anguirus and Rodan followed. Baragon let down the Ponies and went to join himself.

"Well not much we can do at the moment." Twilight said.

The Shobijin came toward them.

"While you cannot combat them, you are all still needed, look." Lora said, pointing in the distance.

A barrier was there and in it two familiar figures.

"Princess Celestia, Princess Luna!" Twilight said.

Mothra shot a beam, breaking the barrier. The Ponies ran toward the Princesses. They look bruised and battered.

"My dear Twilight Sparkle, I knew you and your friends would come." Princess Celestia said weakly.
"My sister, it's time we send these monsters back to where they come from." Luna said.
"Yes Luna. Despite the crystaled one draining us of our power, combined we should be able to open a portal." Celestia said.

The sisters locked horns. Energy started to appear. They shot a beam passing right by Discord and Destoroyah. The beam opened up a portal. Unlike the other portals, this one had a sucking wind.

"That's my cue." Discord said.

He snapped his fingers and disappeared from the grasp of a surprised Destoroyah. The later started to get sucked in. He fought against it, being one of the strongest monsters in existence. He got ready to shoot a beam, but Mothra stopped him with a beam of her own, striking Destoroyah and sending him into the portal. She called to Godzilla and the other monsters fighting SpaceGodzilla. They responded by backing off and walking back toward the group. SpaceGodzilla didn't follow, rather he was curious of what they were going to do. Then he found out. The Princess moved the portal right in back of him. It started to suck him in. He lifted up his right hand and all of a sudden everyone was lifted off the ground. The portal's sucking wind ceased.

"His gravity powers were never this powerful, his power has grown." Moll said.
"It is because he has been stealing our power." Celestia said.

SpaceGodzilla stood observing, as if he were thinking of what to do with them.

"Please, you your Elements, they are only things that can stop him now." The Shobijin said.

Celestia noticed for the first time that the Ponies had their Elements on.

"Yes my little ponies, concentrate." She said.

Twilight looked up at her element, then nodded.

"Alright girls, concentrate."

All the Ponies closed their eyes, they slowly levitated out of SpaceGodzilla's hold. The latter roared in shock and observed. Twilight opened her eyes, it was filled with nothing but light. A barrier went around them, then a beam combined from the Elements fired. SpaceGodzilla roared and fired his own beam to counter. The beams collided. Due to his concentration on the Ponies, his hold weakened, and Godzilla broke free. He charged up and fired his own beam, striking SpaceGodzilla. The later was too stunned to continue countering and the beam from the Elements struck him, sending him into the portal. The Ponies fell to the ground, tired but relieved.

"Skreeeeeeonk!" Godzilla roared in victory.

End of Act 5

Epilogue

The evening had come, but it was still pretty bright out. Ponyville laid in ruins, but it was over. In the center stood everyone, the monsters, the Mane 6, the Princesses and the Shobijin.

"Thank you, thanks to you Ponies and Princesses the balance has been restored. We shall take our leave now. Farewell!"

Mothra's eyes turned green. From them she shot a beam. It opened up a portal. The Shobijin started to fly in, followed by Mothra, Baragon, Rodan, and Anguirus. Godzilla looked down to see Fluttershy, whom was looking at him smiling. He nodded and preceded into the portal. It closed.

"Well that was quite possibly our coolest adventure yet." Rainbow Dash said.
"Discord is still out there." Twilight said.
"Yes, but let's not worry about him now. We have a lot of rebuilding to do." Princess Celestia said.
"I think a celebration is in order!" Pinkie Pie said.
"Right after we rebuild a bit Pinkie." Applejack said.
"Godzilla was such an amazing creature. He has a really tough exterior, but on the inside, he's really caring." Fluttershy said.
"I still can't get over that monster made of smog!" Rarity said.

Everyone laughed and preceded to get started on rebuilding Ponyville.

The End.

On GODZILLA #3

You notice how each issue goes, less and less people are talking about the series? I am astonished of the lack of talk for the latest issue in this series. As you know, my reviews for said comic has migrated to Unleash the Fanboy, check out my review of Issue #3 here. Get ready for heavy spoilers in the coming paragraphs. This issue has opened up some new plot developments. One of them is my worst fear coming to life: these 'Monster Hunters' are taking down whole monsters! Yes, it's true. As I mentioned in my review, none of this stuff is really possible unless you have a Mechagodzilla. The worst part? Some of these guys don't even get to have to have a struggle shown on page!

Okay, I can buy how they took out Anguirus. They managed to lure him into an erupting volcano, that's fine. But then they took out Kumonga AND Battra! See, this is not a very good thing by having these monsters losing so easily. The thing about Godzilla monsters is they are above military threat. They can't defeat them. The monsters (well, most of them anyway, sorry Ebirah) are like storms, you can try and battle them, but it's futile, you just have to let them pass. By having a bunch of hunters defeat them, they lose their magic. The biggest offender is having Kumonga offed in just a few panels! The whole battle happened off panel and we're left with the monster that almost killed Godzilla in his debut film getting buried by a mountain like a total weakling. It's just very, very sad. Battra is taken out by an electric net. Amazing how he used to be the tough monster in Kingdom of Monsters but now has ended up like this. However, I do applaud them making my main man Rodan not get defeated. You see, Rodan hasn't been a big hitter at all these comics, sadly enough. He had a pretty impressive first appearance way back in Kingdom of Monsters #2, but after that he became a mindless slave for the twins, then lost in ONE HIT to Godzilla, while Battra went toe-to-toe with the big G. So I'm happy to see him getting some respect and a big fight coming up...

Godzilla himself barely does anything in this issue. My main problem is that he's mimicking his Heisei incarnation, which isn't bad, but he has even less personality than that version. Is it really so hard to give personality to these guys? Dark Horse did it. It could be done here too. If these Monster Hunters were actually pretty engaging characters, them defeating the monsters wouldn't be as bad, but they've been pretty cardboard, Boxer is becoming a really unlikable character, Steven Woods from Kingdom of Monsters was someone you could root for, with this guy you're slowly wanting Godzilla to stomp on him. With Kumonga, Anguirus, and Battra defeated, all there's left at the moment is Godzilla, Rodan, Titanosaurus, and SpaceGodzilla who's roaming around on the moon. Though after reading the comic again, I noticed something interesting in the dialogue, that the Monster Hunters 'get paid to take the monsters down, not store them.' That could be a foreshadow of what's to come. This issue wasn't all that bad, it's really only hardcore Godzilla fans that will be a disappointed at how cannon fodder they made some of the monsters. But the next issue looks to be the payoff....RODAN VS. TITANOSAURUS! I gotta say I haven't been this excited for a comic since Kingdom of Monsters #1. Well, let's see if it will actually be a payoff.

GODZILLA #2 Review

The second installment in IDW's new ongoing Godzilla series is here. If it's one comic I look forward to, it's this. After not seeing these guys since 2007 in the game Godzilla Unleashed, it's great to see them back in media with new stories. The first issue was a pretty solid start, not great or outstanding, but good enough. It featured our favorite monsters and not a bad main character focus. Issue #2 is the same. Not fantastic, but still a fun little issue with lots of monster destruction.

Here's the official description from Image:

Boxer is ready to settle the score with Godzilla, and assembles his "Monster Kill Crew," a group of highly-trained weirdos, each with their own private grudge against the kaiju. As we get to know these mercenaries the team stocks up on all the equipment they'll need to take down their first bounty—ANGUIRUS!

One of my main problems with this series is the monsters. You can swap out any of them with any monster and it still wouldn't matter. They all have the same character, which is no character. Aguirus, Rodan, Kumonga, and Godzilla are all acting the same and doing the same things. It's like they're all being controlled in Final Wars. (Who knows...that could actually be true.) With that said, it is nice to see Kumonga taking some spotlight in this series. It feels like a scene from a film when he destroys a US border patrol car. The monster destruction is pretty satisfying. The first shot with Godzilla plowing through some buildings was admittedly awesome. Anguirus takes more of center stage here, it's great to see him doing some heavy damage. 

My other problem with this series is the monster bounty hunter angle. C'mon, you know they can't really do anything to these monsters, I know that, and even writer Duane Swierczynski appears to know that, as Anguirus easily clobbers them. This monster bounty hunter angle is pretty much pointless. Boxer is a gruff main character, generic, and lacking the likable exterior that Steven Woods had from Kingdom of Monsters. I'm not saying he's a bad focus, but there's nothing particularly interesting about him. The most fun parts of dialogue is the bickering between him and a Claire, a person he recruited for the cause. (Who happens to be his ex wife.) 

The art is pretty good. While it obviously isn't very detailed, it succeeds in making the monsters look movie accurate and their destruction fun to look at. As stated in the previous review, Godzilla is in his Heisei incarnation, it looks great. Anguirus is actually the best drawn of all them, matching his lovable and slightly fearsome Showa self nearly perfect. Kumonga looks good, and Rodan in his brief shot looks fine. (Again, it appears Rodan is getting the shaft sadly.) The first cover showcases Godzilla underwater, (which doesn't happen at all in the comic, go figure) and is a very nice and different piece. Cover B by Matt Frank features a closeup of Godzilla's head (reminiscent from 2000 Millennium) and Boxer. Dynamic and just awesome. The RI features a wonderful looking Anguirus drawn by the always amazing Jeff Zornow.

Overall, a pretty fun second issue. But, the series is lacking a 'punch.' This issue featured a lot of great monster destruction, but that's it. Boxer and his monster hunters *attempt* to do something to Anguirus, while the reader is left laughing because they know these guys won't be able to do a single thing against him. GODZILLA #2 all Godzilla fans should and most likely will pick up, but this series so far is lacking in the 'great' department.

7/10

Godzilla vs. Gigan Review

1972 and 1973 were two declining years for Godzilla. (It technically started with Revenge, but that one's stock footage was used in a dream.) This film started to go back to basics after the strange Godzilla vs. Hedorah. With director Jun Fukuda at the helm, you know we're in for light-toned adventure. Godzilla vs. Gigan is famous for a few different things, really great things. The only thing holding thing it back is its use of stock footage.

Official description from Sony TriStar:

Imagine the fun at the new, high-tech, Tokyo amusement park with its gargantuan make-believe monsters and mechanized rides. But this pastoral playground is nothing more than a staging ground for destruction as a strange group of orange-uniformed "men" unleash a force of devastation the likes of which has never been known. They call their insatiable monster robot Gigan , built specifically to destroy Godzilla. But there's more. To assist Gigan , they enlist the help of King Ghidorah , the infamous three-headed flying hydra. The forces Godzilla to recruit his former foe, the stegosaurus-like Anguirus, in what turns out to be the most radical monster tag-team match-up of all time.

With Jun Fukuda, you know exactly what to expect. All his Godzilla films have a very similar tone and atmosphere. Once again, alien invaders are used. What separates them from the other aliens in the previopus films is that their real forms are cockroaches. (They literally use real life cockroaches, no props there folks.) The characters are truly defined in their traits. The usual main character, a tough-willed female (who is a black belt in karate) an always worried girl, and what fans define as a 'hippie.' (Sunglasses, a goatee, and bananas, don't forget the bananas.) What this film is known best for (besides the debut of the always-awesome Gigan) is the long drawn out fight at the end. It goes on for about half an hour. It's great stuff, but the stock footage really does ruin it sometimes. I think it'd be best if I start talking about the very interesting cast.

Hiroshi Ishikawa portrays our main character, the manga artist Gengo. He's a fun character to watch on screen when there's no monsters around. Though one scene did bother me with him. When he and Tomoko were running up the stairs of the Godzilla tower, he trips amd says "I'm finished." Now that was strange, he was part of this grand plan, then he trips and says he's through? If the purpose was to make the viewer laugh, it succeeded. Then there's his (I presume) girlfriend Tomoko. A lovely fun character for sure. (A black belt in karate no less.) Who can't help but smirk at the scene where she walks in, beats three of the Nebulans up, and forces them to leave the house? Good stuff. Then there's Machicko and her 'hippie' friend. First off, Tomoko Umeda as Machiko gives a very likable and realistic performance. The only real problem is there's really no character development for her. She seems to know a few things, but the film doesn't explain her or her hippie friend much. Then there's the bananas, it was kinda interesting, if not a bit strange. (And then Gengo threw the banana before he had finished it.) Zan Fujita plays the main villain this time around, Chairman Fumio Shudo. He never left an impression on me the first couple times I saw the film, but now I see what a great antagonist he is. What separates him from the other alien leaders is how young he is. I personally think he was the best character in the whole thing, an underrated perforamce. (He's right up there next the Controller of Planet X and the Commander of the Aliens of the Thid Planet from the Black Hole.) And as usual, the monsters stole show, some with mixed results surprisingly.

The Godzilla suit is looking really outdated here. It looked great in DESTROY ALL MONSTERS, but in this film it looks extremely outdated. (It's hard to make out the eyes. I know it's night, but still.) King Ghidorah isn't looking much better. The wings barely flap at all, it had lost its menacing look after being used so many times. Gigan is the new monster this time around. It's no surprise that's he my favorite of them all. With an amazingly unique design and great personality, Gigan makes a fine addition to this franchise. (A giant cyborg chicken-looking thing from outer space with the personality of a serial killer? TOHO really knew how to make them.) The only thing missing is his laser beam, which was showed on the posters for the film. (It's beyond me on why it wasn't used.) But yeah, Gigan is a fantastic monster. (Some great shots of him with the fire from the burning buildings.)

The score is fantastic, done by Akira Ifukube, featuring-wait a second, then you remember one thing: this movie just has stock music. But it's Ifukube's best themes, it fits every single scene in the film well. Then at the same time it doesn't have an original soundtrack. But again at the same time, no other themes would fit the scenes like these do. The main thing about this film is the drawn-out fight at the end. There are wisley put human scenes in-between the fight so it doesn't lose its momentum. As for the actual fight, it's really fun. Sadly, the stock footage ruins it sometimes. Sometimes they work, (the stock footage in Monster Zero from Rodan) but not here. Day switches to night instantly, and the Godzilla suits switch from 64 to this one! Great scenes, such as Anguirus's famous attack on Ghidorah from DESTROY ALL MONSTERS, are used. It's almost a crime. What we do get in this fight is the use of blood, something the Godzilla films had barely used before. It's brutal, but man it's awesome. Of course, some scenes in the film actually re-used, it gets kinda annoying seeing Godzilla throw Ghidorah down three times in a roll. Now, the most infamous thing about this film is the 'monster dubbing.' Basically, in two scenes, the monsters are given voices. On Monster Island, it goes out like this...

"Hey Angilas!" 
"What do ya want?"
"Something funny's going on, you'd better check!"
"Oh yeah."
"Hurry up!"


Then in the water...
"Hey Angilas come on, there's a lot of trouble ahead! We gotta hurry!"
"Okay."

Yeah it's kinda silly, but so awesome. How can one not smile at these scenes? Never gets old.

Overall, Godzilla vs. Gigan is fun little film. It has a fun cast and great monsters. (Minus the Godzilla and Ghidorah suits.) The pacing isn't that bad, the story is fun enough to keep the viewer invested with a great final fight. Unfortunately, it can't get the rating it was supposed to achieve cause of the overuse of stock footage. Either way, Godzilla vs. Gigan is a fun entry in the Godzilla franchise.

7.5/10.

Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla Review

Ah, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla. It's probably the most energetic and bombastic Godzilla movie ever made. Before this film, the G series were suffering from some poorly made films. After Destroy All Monsters, the films went into a decline. Godzilla vs. Hedorah would stand out as a well-done entry with no stock footage, but the rest: Revenge, Vs. Gigan, and Vs. Megalon, they had a very low budget. This film would bring back G to his glory with the inclusion of what would be a fan favorite, Mechagodzilla. With its energetic tone and classic plot, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla proves to be a highlight when the films where declining.

Official description from Sony TriStar:

Imagine a monster with the enormity and strength of Godzilla, but enhanced with rocket-propelled legs, nuclear finger missiles and a suit of indestructible steel. At first, this titan of terror wears a reptilian skin, making him indistinguishable from the real Godzilla -- and when the two super-monsters battle, the entire world is confused by this Jurassic imposter. But when the gloves come off, so does the lizard skin, and the real threat is exposed. But who on Earth would create such a destructive creature? Or perhaps, it's not from Earth at all...

Back in the Showa days, there were two main Godzilla directors: Ishiro Honda and Jun Fukuda. You can tell by the films how different they are. Honda appears to prefer a classy and 'darker' tone whereas Fukuda prefers a bombastic and energetic tone. Making his debut in Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster, you could already differentiate him from Honda. Who's the better director is up to the viewer to decide, but both have a solid track record. Honda appears to have more of a quality approach, whereas Fukuda prefers a more 'fun' approach, as seen here. The film begans rather awesomely, with Anguirus making his way somewhere underneath the ocean. One must love the character Fukuda injects into this film, all the monsters have distinctive personalities. I also love some of the concepts here, especially the Fake Godzilla disguise. Now that was unique and something you've never seen before in the G films. More on the monsters soon, but first the cast.

The strange thing about this film is that there's really no set main character. It's a bit unusual, it feels like the film wasn't developing the characters on purpose. There's Gosuke, his brother Masahiko, and two female leads, Saeko Kaneshiro and Eiko Miyajima. There's also an Interpol Agent in the form of Nanbara. Now he was a blast to watch on screen, 70's espionage at its best. There's really not much to say about the other characters. They aren't bad, but not much emotion was emitting. They were just there to keep the story moving. Saeko had some genuine acting in some of her scenes, but everyone else wasjust there, nothing to write home about in the acting apartment. Oh, let's not forget about Professor Miyajima. A pretty solid performance, his guilt later and wanting to help Nanbara felt fluid and real. The main villain aside from Mechagodzilla would be Kuronuma, the leader of the Aliens of the Third Planet from the Black Hole. Nanbara and Kuronuma were definitely the best human characters. Goro Mutsumi really gave a solid performance as the villain, probably the best human antagonist performance from any  Godzilla film, only rivaled by the Controller of Planet X from Monster Zero.

Wow, the monsters had some incredible scenes this time around. Whereas in the previous two entries where there's only one BIG monster fight at the end, the film satisfies with more than one fun fight. After watching Son of Godzilla, the suit used in this film just looks 100x better. In fact, it's my personal favorite suit aside from the one used in 2000. Full of character and is just awesome, this Godzilla is definitely my favorite incarnation aside from the 2000 one. People may think his move-set and the way he fights cheesy, but it's truly fun and a treat to watch on the screen. Mechagodzilla makes his proud introduction here. This robot is the 70's incarnated into a character! Man, looking back at that time, his design was truly unique. Full of character and style, something future robots in the franchise would lack. Anguirus as you know makes his triumph return here. The suit is the same one from Destroy All Monsters and Godzilla vs. Gigan, it still holds up great. By far the best Anguirus suit. Hey, let's not forget King Caesar. A unique design, it looked like a cross between a lion and a dog. (Since it was modeled after a Shisa, a beast that looks like a combination of a dog and a lion.) Great concept, good execution, but underused. I would have liked to see more of a team-up between him and G.

This is one energetic soundtrack. You can tell that this is a Fukuda film thanks to it. Can't touch Ifukube's themes, but they are fun nonetheless. They're great for battles, especially the Fake Godzilla vs. Anguirus theme. And Godzila gets his classic theme back, with a 70's remix to it. (And who doesn't like the incredibly catchy King Caesar theme?) The monster scenes are just fun, and doesn't get tiresome at all. (The Heisei films are guilty of this.) Fake Godzilla's emergence was dramatic, as was his transformation into his real form. The fight with Anguirus was very well-done and just brutal. The part where Fake Godzilla breaks his jaw ranks among the most brutal in the G films. (At 16, I still flinch at that scene.) You really do feel for Anguirus as he walks away limping. Godzilla's emergence was cool, but a bit strange. The way the film shows you was like he juat popped out of that warehouse. The first showdown between him and Mechagodzilla was well choreographed, we even get a beam war, something the Heisei films would later overuse. The final showdown is very impressive and just (yes, I'm using this word again) energetic. Mechagodzilla's final assault was a pretty spectacular show. In fact, the effects as a whole were very good in this film. The explosions were just spectacular. I must question a few things however. The scene where Azumi Nobility has a vision that a monster will come down and bring fire to the land is accompanied by a few stills. In those stills you hear the familiar cackle of King Ghidorah, then they actually show a still of him burning Japan and its people It always did puzzle me why they did that since ol' Ghidorah doesn't have anything to do with the story. (Perhaps a vision for Destroy All Monsters? You never know.) But yeah, that didn't make much sense. I also must question the part where Gosuke was chasing a Simeon on the ship. He had a gun, why didn't he use the blasted thing? Then it's an eye-roll scene when the Simeon uses the gun that he COULD have used against the alien. And....while being steamed to death why does no one take off their coats? Now that I didn't get. It also seems that Godzilla gets some strange powers in the later Showa films. In Vs. Hedorah, he flew, in Vs. Megalon, he flew-kicked, and in this one he uses magnetic powers. It's execution was pretty cheesy, (you could see the strings when he was pulling Mechagodzilla to him) but plain fun. You just gotta love these films and their craziness.

Overall, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla represents a highlight in the Showa era. After Vs. Gigan and Vs. Megalon, this was truly welcome. The monsters have character and are just a blast to watch on screen. The acting was a bit stale however. Not horrible, but not much emotion. The story is great, with the Simeons being good alien invaders. (Planet of the Apes fans will get a kick out of them.) Mechagodzilla proves to be a great adversary for the King of Monsters. King Caesar makes a fine addition to the universe. It's just a really great and fun Godzilla movie. Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla is something I'd even recommend to non-fans, you will have a blast watching it.

8/10.

Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters #9 Review

Happy belated Thanksgiving. I apologize for the lateness of this review, I had ordered the Matt Frank Gigan variant, and it wasn't in Wednesday afternoon. I ended up getting it today. (Which was a good thing, since I got a sale, instead of $20, it was $10, thank you Black Friday.) Now, let's get on to the review.

I have been following this series very closely, some fans have dropped the book completely. I'll admit, some issues were almost unbearable, making me actually think of dropping it. (A passing thought, mind you.) We can thank the real-world references for that. It would have been fine, but the issues really threw it in your face. (I gave Issue Five a 3/10, the lowest score I've ever given in a review.) But unlike most fans surprisingly, I thought Issue Six was a good issue, putting the series back on track. The last issue featured a titanic battle, which I thought was pretty well-done. Now, it was announced that the current writers, Eric Powell and Tracy Marsh would be leaving. One has to wonder if that was due to the complaints from the fans. So with a new writer on board, the series was going (well, that was what I was hoping) to get better. The question on your, the reader's mind, is: "Does it?" Yes, yes it does.

The story follows Steven Woods as he attempts to control Mechagodzilla. Meanwhile, underground, Persident Ogden wants some good news, and sadly, there really aren't any. Back above ground, Mechagodzilla runs into Anguirus, before advancing onto the battlefield where Godzilla defeated King Ghidorah......

Basing things on this issue, it appears that the series will have more of a serious tone, there was really no comedy in this issue at all. Those real-world references looked to have dried out, I doubt they will play any major role in the future. (Thank goodness.) This comic is definitely a breather from last issue's craziness, but it still packs a very well-done monster fight, and a pretty good plot with actual good writing.

The first couple of issues had pretty unbelievable characters which you just want to slap off the pages. The President was pretty good in his past appearances, but nothing special. At least in this issue, he's showing character in that the government isn't just hiding underground. Steven Woods is good, like always. He gets a flashback involving Godzilla. A bit generic and was a bit sudden, none of the prior issues gave indication that he disliked Godzilla for personal reasons. But it fits in to the story nonetheless.

We get a very good battle between Mechagodzilla and Anguirus near the beginning. Each blow was felt, and was less "messy" than Godzilla's battle with King Ghidorah in the previous issue. Angurius was very good, showcasing his rolling ability from Final Wars in an amazing splash page. (Heh, the Anguirus from Legends seems like a total weakling when compared to this one, then again, he was battling Destoroyah.) The only major problem this series has right now is Godzilla's portrayal. He's not really the focus, and is really nothing more than a walking event. Hopefully he gets some character later, Gangsters and Goliaths did a good job with that.

The only problem keeping this book behind is the art. I've gotten use to it, and the action sequences were good, but the art just isn't that great. The humans don't look realistic at all. This time, both covers are pretty spectacular. The main one, showcasing a Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla version of Godzilla staring down at a sub is very good. Though, the cover gives you the illusion that the sub plays some sort of importance in the story, it doesn't appear or get mentioned. The Matt Frank variant, which showcases Gigan in Showa form, is very amazing. If only the cyborg would appear in the story, I'm still waiting for him.

Overall, a very impressive issue. There are zero real-world references and no slapstick comedy. The actual plot with the monsters is back to being the focus. With what looks to be a titanic battle for the next issue, I'm pumped. And just wait until you see the cliffhanger ending. Casual readers will be intrigued, but hardcore fans like myself will be wide-eyed and shouting "Say what?!" I'm now buying this series not just cause I'm a die-hard fan, I'm buying it also cause it has a very interesting story, let's hope it stays that way.

9/10.

Godzilla: Legends #1 Review

Godzilla: Legends is one of those series where it's truly the fans who would appreciate it. At its core, the concept is like a fan-fic, Destoroyah vs. Anguirus?! As a Godzilla fan, the concept is something I've always wanted, and now it's happening in the form of Legends. The possibilities are endless. Now Godzilla himself is awesome, but it's his allies and enemies who are just as interesting and deserve tales of their own. I've been anticipating this comic for quite sometime, it may just be my most anticipated comic of the year aside from Kingdom of Monsters #1. Of course, Kingdom of Monsters has disappointed me, but Gangsters and Goliaths was an amazing mini-series, so Legends had a big thing to live up to. Does it? Yes, yes it does.

The story begins with the sudden appearance of the most devastating monster of all time, DESTOROYAH. Before the good folks at G-Force could decide what to do, the monster destroys their building. Only two make it out, and are deciding what to do when a familiar roar is heard. The spiky armadillo known as Anguirus appears, and Destoroyah wouldn't mind a little massacre. Can Anguirus hope to beat the beast? Of course not, so get ready for a slaughter.

Well first off, you have to think for a second about this concept. Destoroyah vs. Anguirus? A bit random. You see, Anguirus is no match for Destoroyah, it's like comparing an ant to a tiger. This issue was perfect in applying the monster's strengths and weaknesses, I applaud at how accurate the story was. Anguirus tried and tried, but was met with unstoppable resistance. It's good stuff, just like how a movie would be.

This being a self-contained story, there isn't much time for development of the human characters. With that said, they were pretty much your average people. You have the loyal second-in-command, the hard-as-nails commander, and the scientist that just wants to do the right thing, always mellowing in self misery. So no one truly stood out, but they weren't bad either, just your generic summer blockbuster types.

Of course, we're here to watch the two monsters battle it out on paper, and it delivers. There are some amazing scenes, such as Anguirus standing in front of  the monstrous Destoroyah. One of things things that made me smile as a longtime Godzilla fan was when G-Force was talking about Anguirus's past encounters with other monsters, it showed Godzilla firing his atomic ray at him, (from Godzilla Raids Again) King Ghidorah grabbing him, (from Destroy All Monsters,) and Gigan slashing him. (From Godzilla vs. Gigan.) I love that, it makes this story canon, it was truly a treat to see those scenes referenced on paper. One amazing scene in the issue was when Destoroyah was slowly breaking Anguirus' jaw, it truly gave the mass murderer persona he has.

The art is another high point of the book, easily beating Kingdom of Monsters and even Gangsters and Goliaths. It has a certain style I like, both the humans and monsters look great. Especially Destoroyah, there are some spectacular scenes with him. He looks, as Doctor Who would say, fantastic. Anguirus also looks great, matching his look from Destroy All Monsters perfectly. The covers are also fantastic. The main one by Arthur Adams is probably the best representation of Anguirus in a comic yet. Bob Eggleton's has some really nice detail, giving off a dramatic atmosphere. (Love how Godzilla is drawn.) The one I got, by Matt Frank, is truly awesome in capturing the feel of the issue, Destoroyah looks amazing on it, and the silhouette of Godzilla in the background was a nice touch. It's in his universe, but the other two are the stars. Now if only Kingdom of Monsters could get Frank doing the art.

Overall, Godzilla: Legends #1 is one of the most simple comics I've ever read. It features a bunch of soldiers deciding what to do while two monsters duke it out, and I loved every second of it. In terms of quality, it doesn't match up to the first issue of Gangsters and Goliaths, it's mainly a fun popcorn style issue. With it's amazing monsters, great battle, and spectacular art, Godzilla: Legends #1 is a must-buy for any Godzilla fan.

9/10.

Godzilla Raids Again Review

Godzilla's Counterattack, once known to American audiences as Gigantis, the Fire Monster, is-wait a second, let's stop there for a moment. If you've been a fan of the franchise for as long as I've been, you would know the infamous story about that title. For the uninformed, I'll put it simply. The original Godzilla, (Gojira) was a smash hit in Japan. So, what's the first they thing any movie company decides to do? Get a sequel released quick of course. In this case, it was ultra-quick, it was released in six months after Gojira came out! The sad part is, neither famed director Ishiro Honda nor legendary music composer Akira Ifukube returned for the film. It was a rushed cash-in to the first, received poorly by both fans and critics alike. So bad was the reception, Godzilla wouldn't get another film until 1962, when he battled King Kong. However, when compared to the English version's reception, the Japanese version's was box office hit.

For some odd reason, Hollywood decided that they wanted this film to be completely separate from the first, a standalone you could say. Wow, they didn't just dub it, they changed almost everything. Godzilla's roar was changed to sound like Anguirus, (why?!) and there's narration, overly annoying narration. With that said, this review will be on this infamous version, so let's get started.

Two pilots are out searching for some tuna when one of the planes malfunctions and the pilot is forced to land near Iwato Island. The other pilot finds this guy, then they hear a roar. Above where they are, a familiar face appears, which is instantly recognized as the infamous Godzilla.(Yes, I will refer to him as Godzilla throughout the review, since I cannot stand the name Gigantis.) But that's not all, a spiky four legged monster called Angurius is also there battling it out with the monster. The battle takes to the ocean, where both monsters fall deep into it. They aren't done yet, when the two pilots make it back to Japan, they realize the beasts are coming to the city to finish their epic confrontation.

Whereas the first film had a very dark atmosphere, this film is definitely more light. The whole blame can be put on the overbearing narration. Wow, it was just too much. The guy describes practically everything. "As she looked outside her window, she realized the city was in shambles." Not exactly word for word, but close enough. This isn't a novel, the images could speak for themselves. The actual guy narrating, Tsukioka, has no emotion whatsoever. In fact, everyone in the film was lacking emotion, they were just dull. The sad part is that  this film places the main focus on the human characters, and they are just too dull to watch. The monsters go too long without appearing, and there's too much emphasis on the human side-plots, such as the poorly developed romance between Kobayashi and Hidemi. (Now you see why no one really likes this entry, hence why they never went this route again.)

Now I could get into the part I like typing about: the monsters. This is the second ever appearance of Godzilla, think about that for a second. This film is famous for two things. One, it features the first ever giant monster battle, and two, the first appearance of everyone's favorite aramdillo: Anguirus. Godzilla is lacking his character from the first, the problem was his very little screen time. For a film made in 1955, the monster suits hold up well. A fun thing I noticed is how strong Anguirus was portrayed, when compared to his later appearances. I mean, he shrugged off Godzilla's atomic ray like a boss. (And the atomic ray was referred to as fire. Fail.) The fight between the two is the main redeeming factor. What's interesting is that the footage is sped up, thus making the fight supremely fast. It's truly different than the slow-moving fights we get later on. The fight is cool, vicious, but the screen gets oddly dark when the major fight in the city happens. I found myself squinting trying to figure out what was happening sometimes.

It's hard to live up to the Akira Ifukube's great themes, and this film fails in the music category. Where's Godzilla's theme? There were no standout themes, this might be the worst of the Godzilla movies' soundtrack. Example of one of, if not the worst dub. The film is not very long, only an hour and eighteen minutes. It felt like two hours.

Overall, Godzilla Raids Again is definitely one of the lower Godzilla movies. Probably the worst dub ever, shallow characters, too little monster appearances, and generic soundtrack. Still, this film did revolutionize the franchise, featuring the first ever kaiju fight, and first appearance of Anguirus. Really, only if you're a big Godzilla fan, can you enjoy this film.

5/10.

Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters Look-Back

I remember last year back in December the announcement of this series. I usually don't get hyperactive over announcements, but some things I do. This was one of them. I remember the headline over at ComicBookResources: "Godzilla, King of the Monsters, Returns at IDW." That was the biggest announcement of the decade besides the upcoming film being confirmed. I was extremely impatient with waiting for this series, then it got pushed back from March to April. Wow, I thought they were just messing with me. Anyways, when that April 27th came, I found Issue One and had two options. Go with the Godzilla solo cover, or go with the cover showcasing some of the monsters. Usually I would have gone with the latter, but the first had such great detail when compared to the other. So I bought it, then I went home to feast my eyes on my most anticipated comic ever. I'll repeat that, most anticipated comic ever.

I read, or should I say, blasted through it. It was probably the fastest comic I've ever read. It showcased Godzilla attacking Tokyo, and the President. (Who bares a striking resemblance to Obama.) Pretty much a normal, generic Godzilla story. Was I disappointed? A bit, but it wasn't a bad first start. It was Godzilla destroying things, alright in my book. Of course, even that would get a bit boring after awhile, like the films, it's always more exciting when there's another monster. So with the debut of supersonic horror Rodan and spiky armadillo Anguirus next issue, it would get better. And it did......for a bit.

The second issue floored me, I had the impression that this would be a very good series. It was a combination of Godzilla, 2012, and The Walking Dead. As the issues went on, something happened. Each month it seemed that the issues had lost focus. It seemed hell-bent on poking at today's culture rather than focusing on the monsters. I gave Issues Four and Five pretty harsh reviews, the first got a 4/10 while the latter got a 3/10. At that point, my enthusiasm went dry, I was then only collecting this series just cause I'm a Godzilla fan. Personal honor you could say. My past two reviews of Issues Seven and Eight were good, the series was on the right track. Now that Eric Powell is out, I decided to revisit the series, read all all eight issues back-to-back. Reading them again made me realize something.....they are much better read that way.

Re-reading Issue One made me realize that it was a perfect start. The reason why I found the first issue disappointing back months ago was that I felt so excited having the first issue in my hands to read. I was expecting something big, I just gazed over the issue, and finished it within five minutes. Now that I was more relaxed, I took my time with the issue. It was actually a lot better than I remember. Godzilla's emergence was great, and it a very good issue now that I've re-read it. Godzilla's portrayal was spot-on, and the humor, (at that point, remember that) was actually funny. I especially liked the scene where they nuked him and their reaction to his having the ability to shoot an atomic beam because of it. So I'm glad I re-read this issue, I've gained a better appreciation for it.

It's really the other monsters and confrontations I was looking forward to. I have the same opinion as before, Anguirus and Rodan make fine intros. I don't think the writers like Rodan all that much. I mean, he appears the least, (not counting Kumonga, will address that soon) and when he finally is in a fight, he gets mind controlled. I wasn't expecting the monsters to be portrayed 100% accurately, but they were. Both Godzilla and Rodan are aggressive and attack anything that moves. Anguirus isn't as aggressive, more like minding his own business as he intends to cope with the situation. Beautiful. However, Godzilla's portrayal turns into something of a mindless monster. In the films, he always had a distinctive character, (villain against Japan, hero of Japan, anti-hero, etc) here he's becoming just a raging beast. By issue eight, he's more of a walking event than an actual character. The thing that separates Godzilla from other giant monsters is his character. He isn't some raging one-shot Tyrannosaurus, he has character, and I hope this series will give him that soon.

It's hard to surprise people today, mainly cause every time type of surprise has been done already. Issue Three back when I read it had the perfect cliffhanger: the surprise arrival of Battra. Of course, re-reading it didn't have that same effect, but it's still such an amazing appearance. Battra so far is lacking his character from the film. There he was not truly evil, he was the protector of earth. He just couldn't stand humanity, and wanted to purge the earth of all humans. That's what puts him at odds with Mothra. In this series so far, he seems to be a mindless slave for the Twins. Speaking of them.....

Who are these strange twin girls? Despite all these monster appearances, they are the main antagonists. I don't mind new characters, but using them over established monsters is almost a crime. They can control monsters such as Battra and Rodan? That's sure to get on some fans' nerves. (I still cannot get over Rodan being controlled.) We get introduced to two monsters in Issue Six: Mechagodzilla and Kumonga. The ladder gets ONE scene and hasn't appeared since. I mean, it seems like he was just thrown in just to have another monster appearance. Take out that appearance, it doesn't effect anything. Mechagodzilla gets a pretty good and accurate portrayal, based solely on his look from Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II. However, as stated in my review, the part where he goes haywire doesn't make sense. It's a homage to when Kiryu (Mechagodzilla III) went haywire, but here it happens all too quick. There isn't any reference to him having DNA from Godzilla, so it makes zero sense. He reappears in the latest issue, but goes dead for no apparent reason.

KING GHIDORAH. Now there's a name every Godzilla fan knows. Universally accepted as Godzilla's greatest opponent, his appearance in Kingdom of Monsters was inevitable. Even after re-reading issue seven, I STILL think that was a great issue, unlike in most of the reviews. Ghidorah's build-up was perfect, but is thrown away in the next issue. The battle was of epic proportions, but once he lost, he felt like a throwaway character. I mean, it seems the writers are more bent on making the Twins the menacing force rather than King Ghidorah himself. If he doesn't come back anytime soon, there will be trouble. I hope the same doesn't happen to Destroyah.......

I actually really like the art back in Issue One. It wasn't Jim Lee, but it was good. The splash pages are nice, and the monsters look great. There are some amazing shots of them. However, starting at issue three, the art falters. The humans look odd and just plain bad. I don't know what happened, one issue the President looks fine, the next he looks like he needs a face transplant. I don't want to say this, but the art is making the humans look slapstick. The covers themselves are always something I look forward to. Powel's covers are mixed. His cover for issue one stands out as the best. Matt Frank's covers are truly phenonminal. My only problem is that sometimes it gives you the illusion of what's going to happen. I mean, one of the covers for issue three showcased Godzilla, Anguruis, and Roan battling it out. Did we get? Nope. Not even a meeting between the three. What's worst is that in the actual comic, they say "Next Issue!" Which features Godzilla shooting at Mothra. She didn't even appear in the following issue, that was false advertisement right there. (Where is she anyway? She's only been hinted at, her appearance is overdue.)

Overall, re-reading the first eight issues of Kingdom of Monsters back-to-back made me realize something. It's a solid tale when read like that. I actually enjoyed it better than when I bought the issues every month. The real-world references are more durable when read like this, the story has MUCH better pacing. The first fight, Godzilla vs. Anguirus, was disappointing when I first read it. Now that I've re-read, I appreciate the detail put into it, the monster fights are great, they just need to be a bit longer sometimes. Steven Woods and Allie's plot felt like it was going nowhere each month, but when read back-to-back, it feels a lot better paced. I wrote in to IDW and got my letter published in the letter column of Issue Three. I said it had potential to be the greatest comic book series ever. After reading the issues that came after, I revoked that claim. Now that I've re-read the first eight issues, I don't think the series is a disgrace to the Godzilla name anymore. It has a long way to go before being "great" however. It's a fun story, go check out the trades.