Watch Godzilla vs. Gigan

Godzilla Vs. Gigan is a science fiction kaiju film from the production house of Toho, released in Japan in 1972. The movie was directed by Jun Fukuda and was the twelfth film in the Godzilla franchise. The story surrounds the efforts of the nefarious Earth-destroying aliens to conquer Earth with the help of their giant mechanical monsters, Gigan, and King Ghidorah. In the face of this attack, the remaining Titans on earth, Godzilla and Anguirus, form an alliance to save the earth.

The movie opens with a young cartoonist named Gengo Kotaka (Hiroshi Ishikawa) earning a job to design new monsters for a children's amusement park at the World Children's Land. During a visit to the park, Gengo meets a young woman named Tomoko (Yuriko Hishimi). Together they discover that the park is a facade for an alien race with an ulterior motive to conquer planet Earth. The alien race plans to use their monsters: Girgoya, and King Ghidorah and the mechanical twins of their race, Gigan and Megalon, to achieve their goals.

As the aliens ramp up their plans, Godzilla and Anguirus are forced to ally to save the Earth once again. They sense danger as the aliens' beam causes an earthquake that dots the city. The Kaiju senses turn out to be true as two mechanical monsters, Gigan and King Ghidorah, make their appearance for the first time. The first battle between the Kaiju sees Anguirus and Godzilla sort out their differences before returning to the battleground to face Ghidorah and Gigan. The Kaiju duo finds itself overpowered by the advanced abilities of the mechanical monsters.

Meanwhile, Gengo and the others investigate the headquarters of the aliens, discovering their plan to take over the planet. They eventually manage to send out a signal to Godzilla and Anguirus, warning them to avoid a trap set by the aliens. As the battle between the monsters ensues, Gengo finds himself in possession of a tape recording that contains a secret code that could stop the world's invasion. When Earth is on the brink of destruction, Gengo, aided by the other humans, sets out to detonate the secret weapon hidden at the World Children's Land.

The movie draws to a spectacular climax as the last fight between the Godzilla and Gigan takes place. The battle is epic, filled with explosions and destruction, as Godzilla and his allies draw on their intellectual abilities to break Gigan apart. Eventually, the instrument of the Kaiju, the high-frequency generator, is used to defeat the aliens, sending them back to their home planet in defeat.

Godzilla Vs. Gigan was enthusiastically received by fans upon its release in Japan. While it has a serious tone, the movie successfully injects some comedy elements to create a well-rounded plot. The special effects and battle scenes are well-choreographed, filled with explosions and destruction, keeping the viewer engaged throughout.

The acting isn't anything special, but the film's story-arc and the tone of the movie lend themselves better to embodying classic sci-fi campiness rather than serious character developments. It's all about getting the viewer to cheer for their favorite beloved monster and to see them take on newer and fiercer kinds in a war that seemingly never ends. As a result, much of the film comes off as predictable, with no real surprises in store for the longtime kaiju fans.

Overall, Godzilla Vs. Gigan is a worthy edition to the King of the Monsters franchise, and the film's ample special effects and action scenes ensure that it can still hold its own, even decades after its release. While it misses a lot of the heart and characterization that was found in other offerings in the franchise, it remains a fan favorite among kaiju enthusiasts the world over.

Godzilla vs. Gigan is a 1972 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 29 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.6.