Minilla
| Minilla | |
|---|---|
| Godzilla film series character | |
 | |
| First appearance | Son of Godzilla |
| Last appearance | Godzilla: Final Wars |
| Created by | Jun Fukuda |
| Portrayed by |
Shōwa series Masao Fukazawa Millennium series Naoko Kamio |
| Aliases | Minya |
| Species | Dinosaur-like creature |
| Family | Godzilla (adoptive father) |
Minilla (ミニラ Minira) is a kaiju who first appeared in Toho's 1967 film Son of Godzilla. He is the adopted son of Godzilla, and is sometimes referenced as "Minya" in the American dubbed versions. The character was poorly received among critics and fans. Godzilla historian Steve Ryfle lamented the character's anthropomorphic appearance and behavior,[1] while author David Kalat dismissed the Minilla costume as looking like a "ratty teddy bear". Donald F. Glut went as far as saying that the character resembled "something out of a medical book of human freaks."[2]
Conception
According to director Jun Fukuda, Minilla's creation was not an attempt at appealing to child audiences, but was merely a new approach for the series.[3] After filming Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster, Godzilla creator Tomoyuki Tanaka reportedly approached screenwriter Shinichi Sekizawa and suggested the idea of giving Godzilla son to commemorate the New Year.[2] According to Godzilla historian Steve Ryfle, the character's creation was likely a response to the then contemporary light-hearted Gamera films.[1]
Overview
Introduced in Son of Godzilla, Minilla was born on Sogell Island, when its egg was prematurely cracked open by a group of mutant giant praying mantis' called Kamacuras. Godzilla soon arrived, killed two of the Kamacuras, and rescued Minilla. Godzilla proceeded to train Minilla and defended it against further attacks from the final Kamacuras and the giant spider Kumonga. Godzilla and Minilla were placed in hibernation when a group of scientists completed a weather experiment, resulting in the freezing of their island. The mutant dinosaurs revived when the snow melted, and eventually relocated to Monster Island, as seen via stock footage in Godzilla vs. Gigan.
In Destroy All Monsters (which takes place in 1999), Minilla, Godzilla and many other Earth monsters live on a new island called Monsterland. Together they battle the three-headed space dragon King Ghidorah at Mt. Fuji. They kill Ghidorah and saved planet Earth. After that, Minilla and the other monsters returned to Monsterland.
Appearances
Films
- Son of Godzilla (1967)
- Destroy All Monsters (1968)
- All Monsters Attack (1969)
- Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)
Television
- Ike! Greenman (1973-1974)
Video games
- Godzilla / Godzilla-Kun: Kaijuu Daikessen (Game Boy - 1990) - In the game, Minilla is trapped in a large maze. It awaits rescue by Godzilla, the player's character. The only point in which Minilla appears is during the ending sequence.
- Godzilla Trading Battle (PlayStation - 1998)
- Godzilla Generations (Dreamcast - 1998) - A secret character that is unlocked after completing the game with Godzilla-USA, Minilla is the shortest of the playable characters and also the weakest in terms of defense. Its speed is average, and its breath weapon, atomic smoke rings, is not very powerful, as several uses are required to defeat even the Super X.
- Godzilla: Daikaiju Battle Royale (Online game - 2012)
Cultural references
- In the M*A*S*H* episode "Springtime," Radar O'Reilly asks a nurse played by Mary Kay Place if she would like to accompany him to a screening of "Firstborn of Godzilla" and remarks, "I saw the original—before Godzilla got married" (An amazing feat considering that the Korean War lasted between 1950 and 1953, but Godzilla himself did not appear on screen until 1954).
- Doom metal band Goblin Cock have a song on their debut album titled "Ichiro's Dilemma" which summarizes the plot of the film Godzilla's Revenge and mentions Minya (the alternate name for Minilla sometimes used in English dubs).
Other juvenile Godzillas
- Godzilla Junior, Godzilla's second son, introduced in the 1993 film Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II
- Baby Zilla, from the 1998 film Godzilla
- Godzooky, Godzilla's animated nephew from the 1978 series The Godzilla Power Hour
References
- 1 2 Ryfle, S. (1998). Japan’s Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of the Big G. Toronto: ECW Press. pp. 139–43. ISBN 1550223488.
- 1 2 Kalat, David (2010). A Critical History and Filmography of Toho's Godzilla Series (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co. pp. 98–102. ISBN 978-0-7864-47-49-7.
- ↑ David Milner, "Jun Fukuda Interview", Kaiju Conversations (July 1994)
