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{{short description|Japanese media genre}}
{{Italic title|reason=[[:Category:Japanese words and phrases]]}}{{More citations needed|date=September 2024}}
[[File:Gojira 1954 poster 3.jpg|thumb|Poster for ''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]'' (1954), widely considered the first ''kaiju'' film]]
{{Fantasy}}
{{nihongo|'''''Kaiju'''''|{{ruby-ja|怪獣|かいじゅう}}|kaijū|{{literal translation|strange beast}}; {{IPA|ja|kai(d)ʑɯː}}|lead=yes}} is a Japanese term that is commonly associated with media involving giant monsters. A subgenre of [[science-fiction]], more precisely [[monster movie|monster films]], its widespread contemporary use is credited to ''[[tokusatsu]]'' (special effects) director [[Eiji Tsuburaya]] and filmmaker [[Ishirō Honda]], who popularized the ''kaiju'' film genre by creating the ''[[Godzilla (franchise)|Godzilla franchise]]'' and its [[Spinoff (media)|spin-offs]].<ref name="Honda">{{cite book |last1=Ryfle |first1=Steve |url=https://archive.org/details/ishiro-honda-a-life-in-film-from-godzilla-to-kurosawa |title=Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa |last2=Godziszewski |first2=Ed |publisher=[[Wesleyan University Press]] |year=2017 |isbn=9780819570871 |pages=xiii–xiv}}</ref> The term can also refer to the monsters themselves, which are usually depicted attacking major cities, and battling either the military or other creatures.

''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]'' (1954) is often regarded as the first ''kaiju'' movie. When developing it, Honda and Tsuburaya drew inspiration from the character of [[King Kong]], both in its influential [[King Kong (1933 film)|1933 film]] and in the conception of a giant monster, establishing it as a pivotal precursor in the evolution of the genre.<ref name="kong">King Kong’s influence on the giant monster genre:
* {{cite web |last1=Newby |first1=Richard |title=20 Godzilla Monsters, Ranked From Best to Worst |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/godzilla-monsters-ranked-best-worst-1235730445/ |date=December 9, 2023 |publisher=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}
* {{cite web |last1=Del Palacio |first1=Guillermo |title=Top 25 best monster movies |url=https://es-ign-com.translate.goog/movies/71305/feature/top-25-mejores-peliculas-de-monstruos?p=5&_x_tr_sl=es&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=es&_x_tr_pto=wapp |date=April 6, 2015 |publisher=[[IGN]]}}
* {{cite web |last1=Amiguet |first1=Teresa |title=King Kong, a bestial love |url=https://www-lavanguardia-com.translate.goog/hemeroteca/20130307/54367995249/king-kong-cine-estrenos-nueva-york-80-aniversarios.html?_x_tr_sl=es&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=es&_x_tr_pto=wapp |date=July 3, 2013 |publisher=[[La Vanguardia]]}}
* {{cite web |last1=Vallin Madrid |first1=Pedro |title=Tiny men face colossi |url=https://www-lavanguardia-com.translate.goog/politica/20230602/9013653/hombres-pequenitos-enfrentan-colosos.html?_x_tr_sl=es&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=es&_x_tr_pto=wapp |date=February 6, 2023 |publisher=[[La Vanguardia]]}}
* {{cite web |last1=Jiménez |first1=Jesús |title=The true story of Godzilla and his friends |url=https://www-rtve-es.translate.goog/noticias/20160811/verdadera-historia-godzilla-amigos/1384660.shtml?_x_tr_sl=es&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=es&_x_tr_pto=wapp |date=August 11, 2016 |publisher=[[RTVE]]}}
* {{cite web |title=Disney+ plans to produce a new "King Kong" series |url=https://www-elespectador-com.translate.goog/entretenimiento/cine-y-tv/disney-planea-producir-una-nueva-serie-de-king-kong/?_x_tr_sl=es&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=es&_x_tr_pto=wapp |date=August 24, 2022 |publisher=[[El Espectador]]}}
* {{cite web |last1=Sosa |first1=Kike |title=King of Monsters |url=https://www-abc-com-py.translate.goog/especiales/fin-de-semana/el-rey-de-los-monstruos-597100.html?_x_tr_sl=es&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=es&_x_tr_pto=wapp |date=July 19, 2013 |publisher=[[ABC Color]]}}
* {{cite web |title=Five kaiju movies you can watch on Netflix |url=https://www-redbull-com.translate.goog/mx-es/kaijus-en-netflix?_x_tr_sl=es&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=es&_x_tr_pto=wapp |date=May 30, 2019 |publisher=[[Red Bull GmbH|Red Bull]]}}
* {{cite web |last1=Meyer |first1=Joshua |title=How The Original 'King Kong' Influenced 'Godzilla' (And How Lesser-Known Dino Movies Influenced Them Both) |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/580061/origins-of-godzilla-and-kong/ |date=March 29, 2021}}
* {{cite web |last1=Rahman |first1=Abid |title='Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire' Trailer Sees Epic Kaiju Team Up |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/godzilla-x-kong-the-new-empire-trailer-1235709355/ |date=December 3, 2023 |publisher=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}
* {{cite web |last1=Newby |first1=Richard |title='Godzilla vs. Kong' and the Future of the MonsterVerse |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/godzilla-vs-kong-and-the-future-of-the-monsterverse-4158992/ |date=April 2, 2021 |publisher=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}
* {{cite web |title=Next Monsterverse film titled 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire' |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/next-monsterverse-film-titled-godzilla-x-kong-the-new-empire/article66758839.ece |date=April 20, 2023 |work=[[The Hindu]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230420074341/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/next-monsterverse-film-titled-godzilla-x-kong-the-new-empire/article66758839.ece |archive-date=2023-04-20 }}
* {{cite web |last1=Di Placido |first1=Dani |title=There Will Be No Winner In 'Godzilla Vs. Kong' |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2021/01/24/there-will-be-no-winner-in-godzilla-vs-kong/?sh=778c37de24d8 |date=January 24, 2021 |work=[[Forbes]]}}
* {{cite web |last1=Draven |first1=Derek |title=Godzilla: The 15 Most Iconic Kaiju, Ranked |website=[[Screen Rant]] |url=https://screenrant.com/godzilla-most-iconic-kaiju-ranked/#king-kong |date=June 13, 2021}}</ref> During their formative years, ''kaiju'' movies were generally neglected by Japanese critics, who regarded them as "juvenile gimmick", according to authors Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski.<ref name="Honda"/>

''Kaiju'' are often somewhat metaphorical in nature; [[Godzilla]], for example, initially served as a metaphor for [[nuclear weapon]]s, reflecting the fears of [[Post-occupation Japan|post-war Japan]] following the [[atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki]] and the ''[[Daigo Fukuryū Maru|Lucky Dragon 5]]'' incident. Other notable examples of ''kaiju'' include [[Rodan]], [[Mothra]], [[King Ghidorah]], [[Gamera]], and [[King Kong]].<ref name="kong"/>

==Origins==
===Etymology===
{{multiple image
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 | image2 = Swamp Thing from The World Before The Creation Of Man.jpg
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 | footer = [[Camille Flammarion]]'s ''Le Monde avant la création de l'homme'' (''The World Before Man's Creation'') series in 1886 includes several illustrations that depict appearances of bipedal dinosaurs in modern society.
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The Japanese word ''kaijū'' originally referred to monsters and creatures from ancient Japanese legends;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.franceinter.fr/emissions/le-grand-bain/le-grand-bain-10-mai-2014|title = Les monstres japonais du 10 mai 2014 - France Inter| date=May 10, 2014 }}</ref> it earlier appeared in the Chinese ''[[Classic of Mountains and Seas]]''.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/110007480367|title=A Study of Chinese monster culture – Mysterious animals that proliferates in present age media [in Japanese]|journal=The Journal of Hokkai Gakuen University|date=September 2009|volume=141 |issue=141|pages=91–121|publisher=Hokkai-Gakuen University|access-date=March 9, 2017|last1=中根 |first1=研一 }}</ref> There are no traditional depictions of ''kaijū'' or ''kaijū''-like creatures among the ''[[yōkai]]'' of [[Japanese folklore]],<ref>Foster, Michael (1998). ''The Book of Yokai: Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore.'' Oakland: University of California Press.</ref> although it is possible to find [[List of megafauna in mythology and folklore|megafauna in their mythology]] (e.g., [[Japanese dragon]]s). After ''[[sakoku]]'' ended and Japan was [[Meiji Restoration|opened to foreign relations]] in the mid-19th century, the term ''kaijū'' came to be used to express concepts from [[paleontology]] and [[legendary creature]]s from around the world. For example, the extinct ''[[Ceratosaurus]]''-like cryptid featured in ''[[The Monster of "Partridge Creek"]]'' (1908) by French writer [[Georges Dupuy]]<ref name="Bissette 2017">{{cite book|last=Bissette|first=Steven R.|date=July 19, 2017|title=Red Range: A Wild Western Adventure|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TE4rDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT110|editor-last=Lansdale|editor-first=Joe R.|publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]|chapter=A Brief History of Cowboys and Dinosaurs|isbn=978-1684062904|access-date=May 26, 2018}}</ref> was referred to as ''kaijū''.<ref name="ndl">{{cite web|url=http://dl.ndl.go.jp/info:ndljp/pid/885790/13?itemId=info%3Andljp%2Fpid%2F885790&contentNo=13&viewMode=&__lang=en|title=怪世界 : 珍談奇話|work=NDL Digital Collections}}</ref> It is worthy to note that in the [[Meiji era]], [[Jules Verne]]’s works were introduced to the Japanese public, achieving great success around 1890.<ref>{{Cite web |title=日本ペンクラブ電子文藝館 |url=http://bungeikan.jp/international/detail/39/ |access-date=2023-08-30 |website=bungeikan.jp}}</ref>

===Film genre===
{{see also|Monster movie}}
Genre elements were present at the end of [[Winsor McCay]]'s 1921 animated short ''[[Dream of the Rarebit Fiend#The Pet (1921)|The Pet]]'' in which a mysterious giant animal starts destroying the city, until it is countered by a massive [[airstrike]]. It was based on a 1905 episode of McCay's comic strip series ''[[Dreams of the Rarebit Fiend]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|author1= Moody Katie|author2=[[Stephen R. Bissette|Bissette Stephen R.]]|date=November 22, 2010|title=Survey 1 Comic Strip Essays: Katie Moody on Winsor McCay's "Dream of the Rarebit Fiend"|website=[[Center for Cartoon Studies]]|url=http://www.cartoonstudies.org/schulz/blog/survey-1-comic-strip-essays-katie-moody-on-winsor-mccays-dream-of-the-rarebit-fiend/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130530150441/http://www.cartoonstudies.org/schulz/blog/survey-1-comic-strip-essays-katie-moody-on-winsor-mccays-dream-of-the-rarebit-fiend/|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 30, 2013|access-date=January 10, 2021}}</ref>

The 1925 film ''[[The Lost World (1925 film)|The Lost World]]'' (adapted from [[Arthur Conan Doyle]]'s 1912 [[The Lost World (Doyle novel)|novel of the same name]]), featured many dinosaurs, including a [[brontosaurus]] that breaks loose in London and destroys [[Tower Bridge]]. The dinosaurs of '' The Lost World'' were animated by pioneering [[stop motion]] techniques by [[Willis H. O'Brien]], who would some years later animate the giant gorilla-like creature breaking loose in New York City in the 1933 film ''[[King Kong (1933 film)|King Kong]]''. The enormous success of ''King Kong'' can be seen as the definitive breakthrough of [[monster movie]]s. This influential achievement of King Kong paved the way for the emergence of the giant monster genre, serving as a blueprint for future kaiju productions. Its success reverberated in the film industry, leaving a lasting impact and solidifying the figure of the giant monster as an essential component in genre cinematography.<ref name="kong" /> [[RKO Pictures]] later licensed the King Kong character to the Japanese studio [[Toho]], resulting in the co-productions ''[[King Kong vs. Godzilla]]'' (1962) and ''[[King Kong Escapes]]'' (1967), both directed by [[Ishirō Honda]].

[[Yoshirō Edamasa]] directed ''[[The Great Buddha Arrival (1934 film)|The Great Buddha Arrival]]'' in 1934. Although the original film is now lost, stills of the film have survived, and it is one of the earliest examples of a ''kaiju'' film in Japanese cinematic history.<ref name=Buddha>{{Cite web |title=Amazon.com: The Great Buddha Arrival : Hiroto Yokokawa: Prime Video |url=https://www.amazon.com/Great-Buddha-Arrival-Hiroto-Yokokawa/dp/B09KG3TPFQ/ref=tmm_aiv_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= |access-date=2023-04-30 |website=www.amazon.com}}</ref> The 1934 film presumably influenced the production of the ''[[Ultraman]]'' franchise.<ref name=Natalie>[[Natalie (website)|Natalie]], September 10, 2020, [https://natalie.mu/eiga/news/395912 「大仏廻国」はウルトラマンの原点と古谷敏が語る、マッハ文朱も来場して変身ポーズ]</ref>

[[Ray Bradbury]]'s short story published in the Saturday Evening Post, June 23, 1951 "[[The Saturday Evening Post|The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms]]" served as the basis for the film ''[[The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms]]'' (1953), featuring a [[Rhedosaurus|fictional dinosaur]] (animated by [[Ray Harryhausen]]), which is released from its frozen, hibernating state by an [[Nuclear weapon|atomic bomb]] test within the [[Arctic Circle]]. The American movie was released in Japan in 1954 under the title ''The Atomic Kaiju Appears'', marking the first use of the genre's name in a film title.<ref name="Mustachio">{{cite book|editor-last1=Mustachio|editor-first1=Camille|editor-last2=Barr|editor-first2=Jason|date=September 29, 2017|title=Giant Creatures in Our World: Essays on Kaiju and American Popular Culture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3NE3DwAAQBAJ&q=%22kaiju%22&pg=PT19|publisher=[[McFarland & Company]]|isbn=978-1476668369|access-date=April 14, 2018}}</ref> However, ''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]'', released in 1954, is commonly regarded as the first Japanese ''kaiju'' film. [[Tomoyuki Tanaka]], a producer for [[Toho]] Studios in Tokyo, needed a film to release after his previous project was halted. Seeing how well the Hollywood giant monster movie genre films ''King Kong'' and ''The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms'' had done in Japanese box offices, and himself a fan of these films, he set out to make a new movie based on them and created ''Godzilla''.<ref name="Martin">{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/10788996/Godzilla-why-the-Japanese-original-is-no-joke.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/10788996/Godzilla-why-the-Japanese-original-is-no-joke.html |archive-date=January 11, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Godzilla: Why the Japanese original is no joke|last=Martin|first=Tim|work=Telegraph|date=May 15, 2014|access-date=July 30, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Tanaka aimed to combine Hollywood giant monster movies with the re-emerged Japanese fears of [[Nuclear weapon|atomic weapons]] that arose from the [[Daigo Fukuryū Maru]] fishing boat incident; and so he put a team together and created the concept of a giant radioactive creature emerging from the depths of the ocean, a creature that would become the monster Godzilla.<ref name="Harvey">{{cite web|url=https://www.blackgate.com/2013/12/16/a-history-of-godzilla-on-film-part-1-origins-1954-1962/|title=A History of Godzilla on Film, Part 1: Origins (1954–1962)|last=Harvey|first=Ryan|work=Black Gate|date=December 16, 2013|access-date=December 16, 2013}}</ref> ''Godzilla'' initially had commercial success in Japan, inspiring other ''kaiju'' movies.<ref>Ryfle, Steve (1998). ''Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G.'' ECW Press.</ref>

<gallery widths="180" heights="180px">
Kingkongposter.jpg|''[[King Kong (1933 film)|King Kong]]'' (1933) was a major influence on the Japanese ''kaiju'' genre.
The giant escapes.jpg|''[[The Arctic Giant]]'' (1942) is one of pioneering productions to depict [[Godzilla]]-esque characters to attack a modern civilization.<ref>Spencer Bollettieri, July 25, 2023, ''[https://www.cbr.com/superman-predicted-dc-godzilla-crossover/ Superman Predicted DC's Godzilla Crossover Over 80 Years Ago]'', [[CBR (website)|CBR]]</ref>
角川大映スタジオ ガメラ - Panoramio 64715589.jpg|The ''[[Gamera]]'' franchise played a significant role in forming the genre along with the ''Godzilla'' franchise and the ''[[Ultraman|Ultra Series]]''.
Bouddha Edamasa 1934.jpg|''[[The Great Buddha Arrival (1934 film)|The Great Buddha Arrival]]'' (1934), which potentially inspired ''[[Ultraman]]'',<ref name=Natalie /> was one of the earliest kaiju films in Japan along with ''[[Wasei Kingu Kongu]]'' (1933) and ''[[The King Kong That Appeared in Edo]]'' (1938).<ref name=Buddha /> 
</gallery>

==Terminology==
[[File:Mosura trailer - Mothra attacks.png|thumb|[[Mothra]] attacking a city in the 1961 film ''[[Mothra (film)|Mothra]]'']]
The term ''kaijū'' translates literally as "strange beast".<ref>{{cite book|last1=Yoda|first1=Tomiko|last2=Harootunian|first2=Harry|title=Japan After Japan: Social and Cultural Life from the Recessionary 1990s to the Present|publisher=Duke University Press Books|page=344|year=2006|isbn=9780822388609}}</ref> ''Kaiju'' can be [[antagonist]]ic, [[protagonist]]ic, or a neutral [[Natural phenomenon|force of nature]], but are more specifically preternatural creatures of divine power. They are not merely "big animals". [[Godzilla]], for example, from its first appearance in the initial 1954 entry in the [[Godzilla (franchise)|''Godzilla'' franchise]], has manifested all of these aspects. Other examples of ''kaiju'' include [[Rodan]], [[Mothra]], [[King Ghidorah]], [[Anguirus]], [[King Kong]], [[Gamera]], [[Megalon]], [[Clover (creature)|The Cloverfield Monster]], [[Gappa: The Triphibian Monster|Gappa]], [[The X from Outer Space|Guilala]], and [[Yonggary (character)|Yonggary]]. There are also subcategories including ''[[Mecha]]'' ''Kaiju'' (Meka-Kaijū), featuring mechanical or [[cybernetic]] characters, including [[Moguera]], [[Mechani-Kong]], [[Mechagodzilla]], and [[Gigan]], which are an offshoot of ''kaiju''. Likewise, the collective subcategory ''Ultra-Kaiju'' (Urutora-Kaijū) is a separate strata of ''kaijū'' that specifically originates in the long-running ''[[Ultraman|Ultra Series]]'' franchise but can also be referred to simply by ''kaijū''. As a [[noun]], ''kaijū'' is an ''[[invariant (linguistics)|invariant]]'', as both the singular and the plural expressions are identical.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}

===''Kaijin''===
{{Redirect|Kaijin|the Chinese and Japanese legendary creature|Hairen}}
({{nihongo2|怪人}} lit. "Strange person") refers to distorted human beings or humanoid-like creatures. The origin of ''kaijin'' goes back to the early 20th Century Japanese literature, starting with [[Edogawa Rampo]]'s 1936 novel, ''[[The Fiend with Twenty Faces]]''. The story introduced Edogawa's master detective, [[Kogoro Akechi]]'s arch-nemesis, the eponymous "Fiend", a mysterious master of disguise, whose real face was unknown; the ''Moriarty'' to Akechi's ''Sherlock''. Catching the public's imagination, many such literary and movie (and later television) villains took on the mantle of ''kaijin''. To be clear, ''kaijin'' is not an offshoot of ''kaiju''. The first-ever kaijin that appeared on film was ''[[The Great Buddha Arrival (1934 film)|The Great Buddha Arrival]]'' a lost film, made in 1934. After the [[Pacific War]], the term was modernized when it was adopted to describe the bizarre, genetically engineered and [[Cybernetics|cybernetically]] enhanced evil humanoid spawn conceived for the ''[[Kamen Rider Series]]'' in 1971. This created a new splinter of the term, which quickly propagated through the popularity of superhero programs produced from the 1970s, forward. These ''kaijin'' possess rational thought and the power of speech, as do human beings. A successive ''kaijin'' menagerie, in diverse iterations, appeared over numerous series, most notably the ''[[Super Sentai]]'' programs premiering in 1975 (later carried over into ''Super Sentai''{{'}}s English iteration as ''[[Power Rangers]]'' in the 1990s).

This created yet another splinter, as the ''kaijin'' of ''Super Sentai'' have since evolved to feature unique forms and attributes (e.g., [[gigantism]]), existing somewhere between ''kaijin'' and ''kaiju''.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}

===''Daikaiju''===
{{Redirect|Daikaiju|other uses|Daikaiju (disambiguation)}}
''Daikaijū'' ({{nihongo2|大怪獣 | daikaijuu}}) literally translates as "giant ''kaiju''" or "great ''kaiju''". This hyperbolic term was used to denote greatness of the subject ''kaiju'', the prefix ''dai-'' emphasizing great size, power, and/or status. The first known appearance of the term ''daikaiju'' in the 20th Century was in the publicity materials for the original 1954 release of ''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]''. Specifically, in the subtitle on the original movie poster, ''Suibaku Daikaiju Eiga'' ({{nihongo2|水爆大怪獣映画 | suibaku daikaijuu eiga}}), lit. "H-Bomb Giant Monster Movie".{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}} ''[[Gamera, the Giant Monster]]'', the first film of the ''[[Gamera]]'' franchise in 1965, also utilized the term where the Japanese title of the film is ''Daikaijū Gamera'' ({{nihongo2|大怪獣ガメラ| Daikaijuu Gamera}}).

===''Seijin''===
''Seijin'' ({{nihongo2|星人}} lit. "star people"), appears within Japanese words for extraterrestrial aliens, such as ''Kaseijin'' ({{nihongo2|火星人}}), which means "[[Martian]]". Aliens can also be called ''uchūjin'' ({{nihongo2|宇宙人}}) which means "spacemen". Among the best known ''Seijin'' in the genre can be found in the ''[[Ultra Series]]'', such as Alien Baltan from ''[[Ultraman (1966 TV series)|Ultraman]]'', a race of cicada-like aliens who have gone on to become one of the franchise's most enduring and recurring characters other than the Ultras themselves.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}

[[Toho]] has produced a variety of ''kaiju'' films over the years (many of which feature Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra), but other Japanese studios contributed to the genre by producing films and shows of their own: [[Daiei Film]] ([[Kadokawa Pictures]]), [[Tsuburaya Productions]], and [[Shochiku]] and [[Nikkatsu]] Studios.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}

==Monster techniques==
[[File:Godzilla Raids Again (1955) Anguirus suit.jpg|thumb|upright|An [[Anguirus]] suit used for the 1955 film ''[[Godzilla Raids Again]]'']]
[[Eiji Tsuburaya]], who was in charge of the special effects for ''Godzilla'', developed a technique to animate the ''kaiju'' that became known colloquially as "[[suitmation]]".<ref name="Weinstock, Jeffery 2014">Weinstock, Jeffery (2014) ''The Ashgate Encyclopedia of Literary and Cinematic Monsters.'' Farnham: Ashgate Publishing.</ref> Where Western monster movies often used [[stop motion]] to animate the monsters, Tsubaraya decided to attempt to create suits, called "[[creature suit]]s", for a human ([[suit actor]]) to wear and act in.<ref name="Ed suit">Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/yfSARjZ0OXc Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20121030144039/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfSARjZ0OXc&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfSARjZ0OXc|title=Making of the Godzilla Suit|last=Godziszewski|first=Ed|work=Classic Media 2006 DVD Special Features|date=September 5, 2006|access-date=July 30, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> This was combined with the use of miniature models and scaled-down city sets to create the illusion of a giant creature in a city.<ref name="Allison, Anne 2006">Allison, Anne (2006) ''Snake Person Monsters: Japanese Toys and the Global Imagination.'' Oakland: University of California Press</ref> Due to the extreme stiffness of the latex or rubber suits, filming would often be done at double speed, so that when the film was shown, the monster was smoother and slower than in the original shot.<ref name="Martin"/> ''Kaiju'' films also used a form of [[puppetry]] interwoven between suitmation scenes for shots that were physically impossible for the suit actor to perform. From the 1998 release of ''Godzilla'', American-produced ''kaiju'' films strayed from suitmation to [[computer-generated imagery]] (CGI). In Japan, CGI and stop-motion have been increasingly used for certain special sequences and monsters, but suitmation has been used for an overwhelming majority of ''kaiju'' films produced in Japan of all eras.<ref name="Allison, Anne 2006"/><ref name="Failes">{{cite web|url=https://www.inverse.com/article/22234-special-effects-in-godzilla-movies-history|title=The History of Godzilla Is the History of Special Effects|last=Failes|first=Ian|work=Inverse|date=October 14, 2016|access-date=July 30, 2017}}</ref>
{{Clear}}

==Selected media==
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===Films===
{{Main|List of films featuring giant monsters}}<!-- The list shouldn't include films featuring giant monsters that aren't considered kaiju movies; these are covered separately. --><!--
* ''[[King Kong (1933 film)|King Kong]]'' (1933)
* ''[[The Great Buddha Arrival (1934 film)|The Great Buddha Arrival]]'' (1934)
* ''[[The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms]]'' (1953)
* ''[[Godzilla (franchise)|Godzilla]]'' series (1954–present)
** ''[[Godzilla (1954 film)|Godzilla]]'' (1954)
** ''[[Godzilla Raids Again]]'' (1955)
** ''[[King Kong vs. Godzilla]]'' (1962)
** ''[[Mothra vs. Godzilla]]'' (1964)
** ''[[Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster]]'' (1964)
** ''[[Invasion of Astro-Monster]]'' (1965)
** ''[[Ebirah, Horror of the Deep]]'' (1966)
** ''[[Son of Godzilla]]'' (1967)
** ''[[Destroy All Monsters]]'' (1968)
** ''[[All Monsters Attack]]'' (1969)
** ''[[Godzilla vs. Hedorah]]'' (1971)
** ''[[Godzilla vs. Gigan]]'' (1972)
** ''[[Godzilla vs. Megalon]]'' (1973)
** ''[[Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla]]'' (1974)
** ''[[Terror of Mechagodzilla]]'' (1975)
** ''[[The Return of Godzilla]]'' (1984)
** ''[[Godzilla vs. Biollante]]'' (1989)
** ''[[Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah]]'' (1991)
** ''[[Godzilla vs. Mothra]]'' (1992)
** ''[[Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II]]'' (1993)
** ''[[Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla]]'' (1994)
** ''[[Godzilla vs. Destoroyah]]'' (1995)
** ''[[Godzilla (1998 film)|Godzilla]]'' (1998)
** ''[[Godzilla 2000]]: Millennium'' (1999)
** ''[[Godzilla vs. Megaguirus]]'' (2000)
** ''[[Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack]]'' (2001)
** ''[[Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla]]'' (2002)
** ''[[Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.]]'' (2003)
** ''[[Godzilla: Final Wars]]'' (2004)
** ''[[Godzilla (2014 film)|Godzilla]]'' (2014)
** ''[[Shin Godzilla]]'' (2016)
** ''[[Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters]]'' (2017)
** ''[[Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle]]'' (2018)
** ''[[Godzilla: The Planet Eater]]'' (2018)
** ''[[Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019 film)|Godzilla: King of the Monsters]]'' (2019)
** ''[[Godzilla vs. Kong]]'' (2021)
** ''[[Godzilla Minus One]]'' (2023)
** ''[[Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire]]'' (2024)
* ''[[Rodan (film)|Rodan]]'' (1956)
* ''[[The Mysterians]]'' (1957)
* ''[[Varan the Unbelievable]]'' (1958)
* ''[[Mothra (film)|Mothra]]'' (1961)
* ''[[Gorgo (film)|Gorgo]]'' (1961)
* ''[[Gorath]]'' (1962)
* ''[[Bulgasari]]'' (1962)
* ''[[Atragon]]'' (1963)
* ''[[Dogora]]'' (1964)
* ''[[Frankenstein Conquers the World]]'' (1965)
* ''[[Gamera: The Giant Monster]]'' (1965)
** ''[[Gamera vs. Barugon]]'' (1966)
** ''[[Gamera vs. Gyaos]]'' (1967)
** ''[[Gamera vs. Viras]]'' (1968)
** ''[[Gamera vs. Guiron]]'' (1969)
** ''[[Gamera vs. Jiger]]'' (1970)
** ''[[Gamera vs. Zigra]]'' (1971)
** ''[[Gamera: Super Monster]]'' (1980)
** ''[[Gamera: Guardian of the Universe]]'' (1995)
** ''[[Gamera 2: Attack of Legion]]'' (1996)
** ''[[Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris]]'' (1999)
** ''[[Gamera the Brave]]'' (2006)
** ''[[The Great Yokai War: Guardians]]'' (2021)
* ''[[The Magic Serpent]]'' (1966)
* ''[[The War of the Gargantuas]]'' (1966)
* ''[[Ultra Series]]'' (1966–present)
** ''[[Ultraman (1967 film)|Ultraman]]'' (1967)
** ''[[Ultraman, Ultraseven: Great Violent Monster Fight]]'' (1969)
** ''[[The 6 Ultra Brothers vs. the Monster Army]]'' (1974)
** ''[[Ultraman (1979 film)|Ultraman]]'' (1979)
** ''[[Ultraman: Great Monster Decisive Battle]]'' (1979)
** ''[[Ultraman Zoffy: Ultra Warriors vs. the Giant Monster Army]]'' (1984)
** ''[[Ultraman Story]]'' (1984)
** ''[[Ultraman: The Adventure Begins]]'' (1987)
** ''[[Ultra Q The Movie: Legend of the Stars]]'' (1990)
** ''[[Ultraman Neos]] pilot film'' (1995)
** ''[[Ultraman Zearth]]'' (1996)
** ''[[Ultraman Zearth 2: Superman Big Battle - Light and Shadow]]'' (1997)
** ''[[Ultraman Tiga & Ultraman Dyna: Warriors of the Star of Light]]'' (1998)
** ''[[Ultraman Gaia: The Battle in Hyperspace]]'' (1999)
** ''[[Ultraman Tiga: The Final Odyssey]]'' (2000)
** ''[[Ultraman Cosmos: The First Contact]]'' (2001)
** ''[[Ultraman Cosmos 2: The Blue Planet]]'' (2002)
** ''[[Ultraman Cosmos vs. Ultraman Justice: The Final Battle]]'' (2003)
** ''[[Ultraman: The Next]]'' (2004)
** ''[[Ultraman Mebius & Ultraman Brothers]]'' (2006)
** ''[[Superior Ultraman 8 Brothers]]'' (2008)
** ''[[Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy]] Legends'' (2009)
** ''[[Ultraman Zero: The Revenge of Belial]]'' (2010)
** ''[[Ultraman Saga]]'' (2012)
** ''[[Ultraman Ginga Theater Special]]'' (2013)
** ''[[Ultraman Ginga Theater Special: Ultra Monster Hero Battle Royal!]]'' (2014)
** ''[[Ultraman Ginga S The Movie]]'' (2015)
** ''[[Ultraman X The Movie]]'' (2016)
** ''[[Ultraman Orb The Movie]]'' (2017)
** ''[[Ultraman Geed The Movie]]'' (2018)
** ''[[Ultraman R/B the Movie]]'' (2019)
** ''[[Ultraman Taiga The Movie]]'' (2020)
** ''[[Ultraman Trigger: Episode Z]]'' (2022)
** ''[[Shin Ultraman]]'' (2022)
* ''[[The X from Outer Space]]'' (1967)
** ''[[Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit]]'' (2008)
* ''[[Gappa: The Triphibian Monster]]'' (1967)
* ''[[Space Monster Wangmagwi]]'' (1967)
* ''[[Yongary, Monster from the Deep]]'' (1967)
* ''[[Latitude Zero (film)|Latitude Zero]]'' (1969)
* ''[[The Mighty Gorga]]'' (1969)
* ''[[Space Amoeba]]'' (1970)
* ''[[Kaiju funsen-Daigoro tai Goriasu|Daigoro vs. Goliath]]'' (1972)
* ''Mirrorman: Mirrorman is Born'' (1972)
** ''Mirrorman: The Living Dinosaur Aroza'' (1972)
* ''[[Jumborg Ace & Giant]]'' (1974)
* ''[[The Super Inframan]]'' (1975)
* ''[[The Last Dinosaur]]'' (1977)
* ''[[Legend of Dinosaurs & Monster Birds]]'' (1977)
* ''[[Yeti: Giant of the 20th Century]]'' (1977)
* ''[[The Mighty Peking Man]]'' (1977)
* ''[[The Bermuda Depths]]'' (1978)
* ''Attack of the Super Monsters'' (1982)
* ''[[Yamata no Orochi no Gyakushū]]'' (1985)
* ''[[Pulgasari]]'' (1985)
* ''[[War of the God Monsters]]'' (1985)
* ''[[Thunder of Gigantic Serpent]]'' (1988)
* ''[[Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon]]'' (1994)
* ''[[Rebirth of Mothra]]'' (1996)
** ''[[Rebirth of Mothra II]]'' (1997)
** ''[[Rebirth of Mothra III]]'' (1998)
* ''[[Zarkorr! The Invader]]'' (1996)
* ''[[Galgameth]]'' (1996)
* ''[[Kraa! The Sea Monster]]'' (1998)
* ''[[Yonggary (1999 film)|Yonggary]]'' (1999)
* ''[[Garuda (2004 film)|Garuda]]'' (2004)
* ''Demeking'' (1998)
* ''[[Chousei Kantai Sazer-X the Movie: Fight! Star Warriors]]'' (2005)
* ''[[Negadon: The Monster from Mars]]'' (2005)
* ''[[King of the Lost World]]'' (2005)
* ''[[The Host (2006 film)|The Host]]'' (2006)
* ''[[D-War]]'' (2007)
* ''[[Big Man Japan]]'' (2007)
* ''[[Cloverfield]]'' (2008)
* ''[[Ike! Godman|Go! Godman]]'' (2008)
* ''[[Deep Sea Monster Reigo]]'' (2008 Japan, 2020, America)
** ''[[Raiga: God of the Monsters]]'' (2009)
** ''[[God Raiga vs. King Ohga]]'' (2019)
* ''[[Geharha: The Dark and Long Haired Monster]]'' (2009)
* ''Demeking, the Sea Monster'' (2009)
* ''[[Death Kappa]]'' (2010)
* ''[[The God of Clay]]'' (2011)
* ''[[Pacific Rim (film)|Pacific Rim]]'' (2013)
** ''[[Pacific Rim: Uprising]]'' (2018)
* ''[[Atlantic Rim (film)|Atlantic Rim]]'' (2013)
** ''[[Atlantic Rim: Resurrection]]'' (2018)
* ''Earth Defense Widow'' (2014)
* ''[[MonsterVerse]]'' series (2014–present)
** ''[[Godzilla (2014 film)|Godzilla]]'' (2014)
** ''[[Kong: Skull Island]]'' (2017)
** ''[[Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019 film)|Godzilla: King of the Monsters]]'' (2019)
** ''[[Godzilla vs. Kong]]'' (2021)
** ''[[Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire]]'' (2024)
* ''[[Outer Man]]'' (2015)
* ''[[Attack on Titan (film)|Attack on Titan]]'' (2015)
** ''[[Attack on Titan (film)|Attack on Titan: End of the World]]'' (2015)
* ''[[Love & Peace (film)|Love & Peace]]''
* ''[[Kaiju Mono]]'' (2016)
* ''[[Colossal (film)|Colossal]]'' (2016)
* ''[[Rampage (2018 film)|Rampage]]'' (2018)
* ''[[Bravestorm]]'' (2017)
* ''[[Monster Island (2019 film)|Monster Island]]'' (2019)
* ''[[The Great Buddha Arrival]]'' (2019)
* ''[[Notzilla]]'' (2019)
* ''[[Howl from Beyond the Fog]]'' (2019)
* ''[[Attack of the Giant Teacher]]'' (2019)
* ''[[Monster Seafood Wars]]'' (2020)
* ''[[Monster Hunter (film)|Monster Hunter]]'' (2020)
* ''[[Nezura 1964]]'' (2020)
* '' [[The Great Yokai War: Guardians]]'' (2021)
* '' [[What to Do with the Dead Kaiju?]]'' (2022)
* '' [[Iké Boys]]'' (2022)
* '' [[Crabs!]] '' (2022)
* '' [[Yuzo the Biggest Battle in Tokyo]]'' (2022)<ref>{{cite web|last=Keith|title=YUZO THE BIGGEST BATTLE IN TOKYO -- First Look At Upcoming Daikaiju Movie!|url=https://www.scifijapan.com/kaiju-monsters/yuzo-the-biggest-battle-in-tokyo|access-date=2021-10-17|website=www.scifijapan.com|language=en-gb}}</ref>
* ''[[Troll (2022)|Troll]]'' (2022)
* ''Hoshi 35'' (2023)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://3yfilm.co.jp/odakamegumi35|title=小高恵美アニバーサリープロジェクト|publisher=3Y Co., Ltd.|access-date=December 1, 2022}}</ref>
* ''[[Brush of the God]]'' (2024)-->

===Manga===<!--Outside of Japan the common name is "Manga" for Japanese comics-->
* ''[[Cloverfield/Kishin]]'' ([[Kadokawa Shoten]]; 2008)
* [[Godzilla (comics)|''Godzilla'' manga]] ([[Toho]], [[Shogakukan]], [[Kodansha]]; 1954–present)
* [[Go Nagai]] Creator of Kaijus
** ''Garla'' (ガルラ, garura)(June 1976 – March 1978 Published by [[Tomy]] Company, Ltd.)
** ''MachineSaur'' (マシンザウラー, マシンサウル, Machine Sauer, Mashinzaura)(December 1979 – March 1986 Published by [[Tomy]] Company, Ltd.)
* ''[[Attack on Titan]]'' ([[Kodansha]]; 2009–2021)
* ''[[Kaiju Girl Caramelise]]'' (2018)
* ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion (manga)|Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'' ([[Kadokawa Shoten]]; 1994 – 2013) 
* ''[[Ultraman (manga)|ULTRAMAN]]'' ([[Shogakukan]]; 2011–present)
* ''[[Kaiju No. 8]]'' ([[Shueisha]]; 2020–present)
* ''[[Snowball Earth (manga)|Snowball Earth]]'' ([[Shogakukan]]; 2021–present)

===Novels===
* ''[[Nemesis Saga]]'' by [[Jeremy Robinson]] ([[St Martins Press]]/[[Breakneck Media]]; 2013–2016). A series of six novels featuring Nemesis, Karkinos, Typhon, Scylla, Drakon, Scryon, Giger, Lovecraft, Ashtaroth and Hyperion (Mechakaiju)
* ''[[The Kaiju Preservation Society]]'' by John Scalzi (Tor; 2022).

===Comics===
* [[Godzilla (comics)|''Godzilla'' comics]] ([[Toho]], [[Marvel Comics]], [[Dark Horse Comics]], [[IDW Publishing|IDW]]; 1976–present)
* ''[[Tokyo Storm Warning]]'' ([[Wildstorm]]; 2003)
* ''[[Enormous (comics)|Enormous]]'' ([[Image Comics]]; 2012, 2014, 2021–present)
* ''[[The Kaiju Score]]'' ([[AfterShock Comics|AfterShock]]; 2020–present)
* ''[[The Stone King]]'' ([[ComiXology]] Original; 2018–present)
* ''[[Dinosaurs Attack!]]'' ([[Topps Comics]]/[[IDW Publishing|IDW]]; 1988, 2013)
* The [[Nemesis Saga]] comics by [[Jeremy Robinson]] and [[Matt Frank]] ([[American Gothic Press]]/[[IDW Publishing]]; 2015–2016)
* ''[[Behemoth (comics)|Behemoth]]'' ([[Dark Horse Comics]]; 2025–present)

===Video games===
* [[List of Godzilla games|''Godzilla'' video games]] ([[Toho]], [[Pipeworks Studios|Pipeworks]], [[Bandai]]; 1983–present)
* [[Ultra Series#Video games|''Ultraman'' video games]] ([[Tsuburaya]]; 1984–present)
* [[Gamera#Video games|''Gamera'' Video games]] ([[Kadokawa Corporation|Kadokawa of Games]]; 1995–present as North American released)
* ''[[Time Gal]]'' ([[Taito]]; 1985)
* ''[[Shadow of the Colossus]]'' (developed by SCE Japan Studio and Team Ico, and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, 2005)
** ''[[Shadow of the Colossus (2018 video game)|Shadow of the Colossus remake]]'' (developed by Bluepoint Games, and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, 2018)
* ''[[King of the Monsters (video game)|King of the Monsters]]'' ([[SNK Playmore|SNK]]; 1991)
* ''[[Rampage (video game)|Rampage (1986)]]'' (formerly owned by [[Midway Games]] and now owned by its successor [[Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]]; 2021)
** ''[[Rampage: Total Destruction]]'' ([[Midway Games]], 2006)
* ''[[Dawn of the Monsters]]'' (Developed by [[13AM Games]] and published by [[WayForward]], 2022) as a [[spiritual successor]] to [[King of the Monsters (video game)|SNK's King of the Monsters]]
* ''[[Megaton Musashi]]'' (Developed by [[Level-5 (company)|Level-5]], 2021, 2022)
* ''Roarr! The Adventures of Rampage Rex – Jurassic Edition'' ([[Born Lucky Games]], 2018)
* ''[[Terror of Hemasaurus]]'' (Developed by [[Loren Lemcke]] and published by [[Digerati Distribution]], 2022, 2023)
* ''[[GigaBash]]'' (Passion Republic, 2022)
* ''[[Robot Alchemic Drive]]'' ([[Sandlot (company)|Sandlot]]; 2002)
* ''[[DEMOLITION ROBOTS K.K.]]'' (, 2020, 2021) – [[Mecha]]s A Former [[Dystopian Wars]]/Robot Killer.
* ''[[War of the Monsters]]'' ([[Sony]], [[Incognito Entertainment]]; 2003)
* ''[[Peter Jackson's King Kong]]'' (2005)
* [[Pacific Rim (video game)|''Pacific Rim'' video game]] ([[Yuke's]]/[[Reliance Entertainment|Reliance]]; 2013)
* ''[[City Shrouded in Shadow]]'' ([[Bandai Namco Entertainment]]; 2017)
* [[Colossal Kaiju Combat]] ([[Sunstone Games]]; Cancelled)
*[[13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim]] ([[Sega]], [[Atlus]], [[Vanillaware]], 2019)
* ''[[Fight Crab]]'' (2020–21, – stage City rampage)
* ''[[DAIKAIJU DAIKESSEN]]'' (2019, 2021, 2024 OneSecretPseudo)
* ''Attack of the Giant Crab'' (2022)
* ''[[I am Titan]]'' (2024, [[Entity3]])

===Board games===
* ''[[Godzilla Game]]''
* ''Godzilla: Tokyo Clash''
* ''Smash Up''
* ''[[Monsterpocalypse]]''
* ''[[King of Tokyo]]''
* ''King of New York''
* ''Monsters Menace America''
* ''Smash City''
* ''[[The Creature That Ate Sheboygan]]''
* ''Campy Creatures''

===Television===
* ''[[Marine Kong]]'' ([[Nisan Productions]]; April 3 – September 25, 1960)
* ''[[Ultra Series]]'' ([[Tsuburaya Productions]]; January 2, 1966–present)
* ''[[Ambassador Magma]]'' ([[P Productions]]; July 4, 1966 – September 25, 1967)
* ''[[The King Kong Show]]'' ([[Toei Animation]]; September 10, 1966 – August 31, 1969)
* ''[[Kaiju Booska]]'' ([[Tsuburaya Productions]]; November 9, 1966 – September 27, 1967)
* ''[[Captain Ultra (TV series)|Captain Ultra]]'' ([[Toei Company]]; April 16 – September 24, 1967)
* ''[[Kaiju ouji]]'' ([[P Productions]]; October 2, 1967 – March 25, 1968)
* ''[[Giant Robo (TV series)|Giant Robo]]'' ([[Toei Company]]; October 11, 1967 – April 1, 1968)
* ''[[Giant Phantom Monster Agon]]'' ([[Nippon Television]]; January 2–8, 1968)
* ''[[Mighty Jack]]'' ([[Tsuburaya Productions]]; April 6 – June 29, 1968)
* ''[[Spectreman]]'' ([[P Productions]]; January 2, 1971 – March 25, 1972)
* ''[[Kamen Rider]]'' ([[Toei Company]]; April 3, 1971–present)
* ''[[Silver Kamen]]'' ([[Senkosha Productions]]; November 28, 1971 – May 21, 1972) 
* ''[[Mirrorman (TV series)|Mirrorman]]'' ([[Tsuburaya Productions]]; December 5, 1971 – November 26, 1972)
* ''[[Redman (TV series)|Redman]]'' ([[Tsuburaya Productions]]; April 3 – September 8, 1972)
* ''[[Thunder Mask]]'' ([[Nippon Television]]; October 3, 1972 – March 27, 1973)
* ''[[Ike! Godman]]'' ([[Toho Company]]; October 5, 1972 – April 10, 1973)
* ''[[Assault! Human!!]]'' ([[Toho Company]]; October 7 – December 30, 1972)
* ''[[Iron King]]'' ([[Senkosha Productions]]; October 8, 1972 – April 8, 1973)
* ''[[Jumborg Ace]]'' ([[Tsuburaya Productions]]; January 17 – December 29, 1973)
* ''[[Fireman (TV series)|Fireman]]'' ([[Tsuburaya Productions]]; January 17 – July 31, 1973)
* ''[[Demon Hunter Mitsurugi]]'' ([[International Television Films]] and [[Fuji TV]]; January 8, 1973 – March 26, 1973)
* ''[[Zone Fighter]]'' ([[Toho Company]]; April 2 – September 24, 1973)
* ''[[Super Robot Red Baron]]'' ([[Nippon Television]]; July 4, 1973 – March 27, 1974)
* ''[[Kure Kure Takora]]'' ([[Toho Company]]; October 1, 1973 – September 27, 1974) 
* ''[[Ike! Greenman]]'' ([[Toho Company]]; November 12, 1973 – September 27, 1974)
* ''[[Super Sentai]]'' ([[Toei Company]]; April 3, 1975–present)
* ''[[Daitetsujin 17]]'' ([[Toei Company]]; March 18, 1977 - November 11, 1977)
* ''[[Super Robot Mach Baron]]'' ([[Nippon Television]]; October 7, 1974 – March 31, 1975)
* ''[[Dinosaur War Izenborg]]'' ([[Tsuburaya Productions]]; October 17, 1977 – June 30, 1978)
* ''[[Spider-Man (Japanese TV series)|Spider-Man]]'' ([[Toei Company]] and [[Marvel Comics]]; May 17, 1978 – March 14, 1979) 
* ''[[Godzilla (1978 TV series)|Godzilla]]'' ([[Hanna-Barbera]]; September 9, 1978 – December 8, 1979)
* ''[[Megaloman]]'' ([[Toho Company]]; May 7 – December 24, 1979)
* ''[[Metal Hero Series]]'' ([[Toei Company]]; March 5, 1982 - January 24, 1999)
* ''[[Godzilland]]'' ([[Toho Company]]; 1992 – 1996)
* ''[[Gridman the Hyper Agent]]'' ([[Tsuburaya Productions]]; April 3, 1993 – January 8, 1994)
* ''[[Power Rangers]]'' ([[Saban Entertainment]] and [[Toei Company]]; August 28, 1993–present)
* ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'' ([[Gainax]]; October 4, 1995 – March 27, 1996)
* ''Godzilla Kingdom'' ([[Toho Company]]; October 1, 1996 – August 15, 1997)
* ''[[Godzilla Island]]'' ([[Toho Company]]; October 6, 1997 – September 30, 1998)
* ''[[Godzilla: The Series]]'' ([[Sony Pictures Television]]; September 12, 1998 – April 22, 2000)
* ''Godzilla TV'' ([[Toho Company]]; October 1999 – March 2000)
* ''[[Betterman (TV series)|Betterman]]'' ([[Sunrise (company)|Sunrise]]; April 1, 1999 – September 30, 1999)
* ''[[Dai-Guard]]'' ([[Xebec (studio)|Xebec]]; October 5, 1998 – March 28, 2000)
* ''[[Kong: The Animated Series]]'' ([[BKN]]; September 9, 2000 – March 26, 2001)
* ''[[Tekkōki Mikazuki]]'' ([[Media Factory]]; October 23, 2000 – March 24, 2001)
* ''[[SFX Giant Legend: Line]]'' ([[Independent film|Independent]]; April 25 – May 26, 2003)
* ''[[Chouseishin Series]]'' ([[Toho Company]]; October 4, 2003 – June 24, 2006)
* ''[[Bio Planet WoO]]'' ([[Tsuburaya Productions]]; April 9 – August 13, 2006)
* ''[[Daimajin Kanon]]'' ([[Kadokawa Pictures]]; April 2 – October 1, 2010)
* ''[[SciFi Japan TV]]'' ([[ACTV Japan]]; August 10, 2012–present)
* ''[[Attack on Titan (TV series)|Attack on Titan]]'' ([[Wit Studio]] and [[MAPPA]]; April 7, 2013 – scheduled)
* ''[[Kong: King of the Apes]]'' ([[Netflix]]; April 15, 2016 – May 4, 2018)
* ''[[Mech-X4]]'' ([[Disney XD]]; November 11, 2016 – August 20, 2018)
* ''[[Darling in the Franxx]]'' ([[Studio Trigger]]; January 13, 2018 – July 7, 2018)
* ''[[SSSS.Gridman]]'' ([[Tsuburaya Productions]] and [[Studio Trigger]]; October 7, 2018 – December 23, 2018)
* ''Godziban'' ([[Toho Company]]; August 9, 2019–present)
* ''I'm Home, Chibi Godzilla'' ([[Toho Company]]; July 15, 2020–present)
* ''[[Pacific Rim: The Black]]'' ([[Polygon Pictures]]; March 4, 2021 – April 19, 2022)
* ''[[Godzilla Singular Point]]'' ([[Toho Company]]; April 1, 2021 – June 24, 2021)
* ''[[SSSS.Dynazenon]]'' ([[Tsuburaya Productions]] and [[Studio Trigger]]; April 2, 2021 – June 18, 2021)
* [[Super Giant Robot Brothers]] ([[Reel FX Creative Studios]], [[Assemblage Entertainment]]; [[Netflix]]; August 4, 2022)
* ''[[Monarch: Legacy of Monsters]]'' ([[Legendary Television]]; [[Apple TV (streaming service)|Apple TV]]; 2023–present)
* ''[[Skull Island (TV series)|Skull Island]]'' ([[Legendary Television]]; [[Netflix]]; 2023)
* ''[[Gamera Rebirth]]'' ([[Kadokawa Daiei Studio|Kadokawa Studio]]; [[Netflix]]; 2023–Present)
{{div col end}}

==Other appearances==
{{In popular culture|section|date=August 2023}}
* [[Steven Spielberg]] cited ''[[Godzilla (franchise)|Godzilla]]'' as an inspiration for ''[[Jurassic Park]]'' (1993), specifically ''[[Godzilla, King of the Monsters!]]'' (1956), which he saw in his youth.<ref>{{cite book |last=Ryfle |first=Steve |title=Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G |year=1998 |publisher=ECW Press |isbn=9781550223484 |page=[https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl/page/15 15] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl/page/15 }}</ref> During its production, Spielberg described ''Godzilla'' as "the most masterful of all the dinosaur movies because it made you believe it was really happening."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ryfle |first1=Steve |title=Japan's Favorite Mon-star: The Unauthorized Biography of "The Big G" |date=1998 |publisher=[[ECW Press]] |isbn=9781550223484 |page=[https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl/page/17 17] |url=https://archive.org/details/japansfavoritemo0000ryfl|url-access=registration }}</ref> One scene in the second movie (''[[The Lost World: Jurassic Park]]''), the T-Rex is rampaging through [[San Diego]]. One scene shows Japanese businessmen fleeing. One of them states that they left Japan to get away from this, hinting that Godzilla shares the same universe as the Jurassic Park movies. ''Godzilla'' also influenced the Spielberg film ''[[Jaws (film)|Jaws]]'' (1975).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Freer |first1=Ian |title=The Complete Spielberg |date=2001 |publisher=[[Virgin Books]] |isbn=9780753505564 |page=[https://archive.org/details/completespielber0000free/page/48 48] |url=https://archive.org/details/completespielber0000free|url-access=registration }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Derry |first1=Charles |title=Dark Dreams: A Psychological History of the Modern Horror Film |date=1977 |publisher=A. S. Barnes |isbn=9780498019159 |page=[https://archive.org/details/darkdreamspsycho0000derr/page/82 82] |url=https://archive.org/details/darkdreamspsycho0000derr|url-access=registration }}</ref>
* The popular ''[[Pokémon]]'' media franchise has been inspired by ''kaiju'' culture since its inception, and many of its monster designs are based on ''kaiju''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Seitz |first=Dod |date=2023-02-21 |title=10 Pokemon Designs Based On Kaiju |url=https://www.thegamer.com/pokemon-designs-based-on-kaiju/ |access-date=2023-08-31 |website=TheGamer |language=en}}</ref> 
* The music video for the [[Beastie Boys]]' 1998 song "[[Intergalactic (song)|Intergalactic]]", directed by band member [[Adam Yauch]] and featuring a giant robot battling a giant octopus-headed monster, causing destruction to a city in the process, is inspired by Japanese ''kaiju'' films and TV series such as ''[[Godzilla]]'' and ''[[Giant Robo (TV series)|Giant Robo]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/andrew-martin/5-great-beastie-boys-music-videos-directed-by-adam-mca-yauch|title=5 Great Beastie Boys Music Videos Directed By Adam "MCA" ...|website=Complex}}</ref>
* In the Japanese-language original of the ''[[Cardcaptor Sakura]]'' [[List of Cardcaptor Sakura episodes|anime series]], [[Sakura Kinomoto|Sakura's]] brother [[List of Cardcaptor Sakura characters#Touya Kinomoto|Toya]] likes to tease her by regularly calling her "''kaiju''", relating to her noisily coming down from her room for breakfast every morning.<ref>''Cardcaptor Sakura'', season 1 episode 1: "Sakura and the Mysterious Magic Book"; season 1 episode 15: "Sakura and Kero's Big Fight"</ref>
* The Polish cartoon TV series ''[[Bolek and Lolek]]'' makes a reference to the ''kaiju'' film industry in the miniseries "[[Bolek and Lolek#8. Wielka podróż Bolka i Lolka|Bolek and Lolek's Great Journey]]" by featuring a robot bird (similar to [[Rodan]]) and a saurian monster (in reference to [[Godzilla]]) as part of a Japanese director's monster star repertoire.{{Citation needed|date=June 2019}}
* The ''[[Inspector Gadget (film)|Inspector Gadget]]'' film had Robo-Gadget attacking San Francisco à la ''kaiju'' monsters. In addition, similar to ''The Lost World'', it shows a Japanese man while fleeing from Robo-Gadget declaring in his native tongue that he left Tokyo specifically to get away from this.
* Alternate versions of several ''kaiju'' – [[Godzilla]], [[Mothra]], [[Gamera]], [[King Ghidorah]], and [[Daimajin]] – appear in the ''[[Usagi Yojimbo]]'' "[[Ink wash painting|Sumi-e]]" story arc.<ref>''Usagi Yojimbo'' Vol.3 #66–68: "Sumi-e, Parts 1–3"</ref>
*In the second season of ''[[Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008 TV series)|Star Wars: The Clone Wars]]'', there is a story arc composed of two episodes entitled "The Zillo Beast" and "The Zillo Beast Strikes Back", mostly influenced by ''Godzilla'' films, in which a huge reptilian beast is transported from its homeworld Malastare to the city-covered planet Coruscant, where it breaks loose and goes on a rampage.<ref>{{cite web |title="The Zillo Beast" Episode Guide |url=https://www.starwars.com/tv-shows/clone-wars/the-zillo-beast |access-date=October 5, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704030640/http://www.starwars.com/tv-shows/clone-wars/the-zillo-beast |archive-date=July 4, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title="The Zillo Beast Strikes Back" Episode Guide |url=https://www.starwars.com/tv-shows/clone-wars/the-zillo-beast-strikes-back |access-date=October 5, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150628013908/http://www.starwars.com/tv-shows/clone-wars/the-zillo-beast-strikes-back |archive-date=June 28, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* In ''[[Return of the Jedi]]'', the [[rancor]] was originally to be played by an actor in a suit similar to how ''kaiju'' films like ''Godzilla'' were made. However, the rancor was eventually portrayed by a puppet filmed in high speed.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Cinema Behind Star Wars: Godzilla |date=September 29, 2014 |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/the-cinema-behind-star-wars-godzilla |access-date=October 5, 2014}}</ref>
* The ''[[South Park]]'' episode "[[Mecha-Streisand]]" features parodies of Mechagodzilla, Gamera, Ultraman, and Mothra.<ref name="StoneComm">{{Cite video |people=[[Matt Stone|Stone, Matt]] |date=2003 |title=South Park: The Complete First Season: "Mecha-Streisand" (Audio commentary) |medium=CD |publisher=Comedy Central}}</ref>
* ''[[Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters]]'' features the "Insanoflex", a giant robot exercise machine rampaging downtown.<ref name="AFI">{{Cite web |title=Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters |url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/64139-AQUA-TEENHUNGERFORCECOLONMOVIEFILMFORTHEATERS?sid=41c80eed-57d5-4dce-a540-522909b1f687&sr=6.1197977&cp=1&pos=0 |access-date=February 21, 2021 |website=[[AFI Catalog of Feature Films]] |publisher=[[American Film Institute]]}}</ref> 
* In the 2009 film ''[[Crank: High Voltage]]'', there is a sequence parodying ''kaiju'' films using the same practical effects techniques used for tokusatsu films such as miniatures and suitmation.{{Citation needed|date=June 2019}}
* The Japanese [[light novel]] series [[Gate (novel series)|''Gate'']] makes use of the term ''kaiju'' as a term for giant monsters – specifically an ancient Fire Dragon – in the Special Region. Also, one of the Japanese protagonists refers to the [[Japan Self-Defense Forces|JSDF]]'s tradition to fight such monsters in the films, as well as comparing said dragon with [[King Ghidorah]] at one point.<ref>''Gate: Jieitai Kano Chi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri'', book I: "Contact", chapters II and V</ref><ref>''Gate: Jieitai Kano Chi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri'' (anime series) episode 2: "Two Military Forces", episode 3: "Fire Dragon", and episode 4: "To Unknown Lands"</ref>
* Godzilla and Gamera had been referenced and appear many times throughout the [[Dr. Slump]] series.{{Citation needed|date=June 2019}}
* In ''[[Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero]]'', there is a dimension that is filled with giant monsters that live on one island where they co-exist with humans that live on a city island.{{Citation needed|date=June 2019}}
* In the "[[Sorcerous Stabber Orphen]]" series ''kaiju'' are sent as a form of punishment for the breakage of everlasting laws of the world by the Goddesses of Fate.<ref name="Mizuno2019">{{cite book|last=Mizuno|first=Ryou|title=Sorcerous Stabber Orphen Anthology. Commentary|year=2019| language=ja |publisher=TO Books|isbn= 9784864728799|pages=236}}</ref>
* Batholith the Summit Kaiju (Japanese: バソリス) is a mountain (kaiju) originating from "Summit Kaiju International", an American media company based in Denver, Colorado. Batholith was first introduced to Godzilla fan during G-Fest 2017, which is an annual convention devoted to the Godzilla film franchise. Batholith the Summit Kaiju has appeared in various print media, including Famous Monsters of Filmland "Ack-Ives: Godzilla Magazine, MyKaiju Godzilla Magazine MyKaiju Godzilla Magazine, Summit Kaiju online video series, and other online media related to the Godzilla and ''kaiju'' genre.
* In the ''[[Nemesis Saga]]'' series of novels, Kaiju, also known as "Gestorumque", are genetic weapons sent by an alien race.
* [[Naoki Urasawa]]'s 2013 one-shot manga "[[Kaiju Kingdom]]" follows a "kaiju [[otaku]]" in a world where kaiju actually exist.<ref>{{cite web|last=Silverman|first=Rebecca |title=Sneeze: Naoki Urasawa Story Collection – Review|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/sneeze/naoki-urasawa-story-collection/.164733|website=[[Anime News Network]]|date=October 20, 2020|access-date=November 29, 2020}}</ref>
* In the 2019 [[Vanillaware]] video game ''[[13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim]]'', protagonists battle large mechanized aliens called Kaiju.<ref name="AtlusGameplay">{{cite web|url=http://13sar.jp/system/|script-title=ja:十三機兵防衛圏 – System|language=ja|website=[[Atlus]]|access-date=November 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191119090439/http://13sar.jp/system/|archive-date=November 19, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
* In [[John Scalzi]]'s 2022 book ''[[The Kaiju Preservation Society]]'', kaiju are a species of gigantic monsters that exist in a parallel earth accessible through radiation sources.
* In ''[[What If...? (TV series)|What If...?]]'' [[What If...? season 3|season 3]] episode "[[What If... the Hulk Fought the Mech Avengers?]]", [[Bruce Banner (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|Bruce Banner]] attempts to cure himself from the Hulk by bombarding himself with Gamma radiation, only to a kaiju-like monster called the "Apex Hulk", which serves as the episode's antagonist.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline|Kaiju}}

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