Retro Toons #3: Godzilla

Up from the Depths.....

Back in the 50's, 60's, and 70's Japanese production company Toho hit it big with its genre inspiring movies of a Giant Lizard destroying Japan. Originally named Gojira, Toho romanized the name to Godzilla. The franchise is the longest living giant monster franchise to date, with over 28 movies, cartoons, comics books, and toys, including Roland Emerich's version which many criticize as the worst monster movie ever.
However during the late 70's and looking to capitalize on Godzilla's domestic success Hanna Barbera animation studios partnered with Toho to produced a cartoon series based on the franchise. It aired in several formats through the subsequent years most notably as part of the Godzilla Power Hour where it was partnered with Jana of the Jungle.

2 seasons comprised of 13 episodes each where produced and recycled through out its 4 year life span. The Episodes featured a different monster of the week, and offered some very interesting ones to be sure. There were such creatures as an electric monster, a seaweed creature, a giant centipede and a Minotaur from a Greek mythology inspired episode among others.

Thirty Stories High

The main cast is the crew of a science research ship called the Calico. The rough, beard wearing captain: Carl Majors. The all encompassing science member Dr. Quinn Darien. Brock (of course no last name) is the prerequisite African-American on the show, and is the good Dr's assistant. He also doubles as the ships first mate. Finally we have the young Pete Darien, Dr. Darien's nephew, yes, yes, no 80's cartoons were allowed to have children only nieces or nephews they could take on their dangerous adventures. Pete is not only the "damsel in distress" of the show, he's also the proud owner of a dangerously over sized pet. You see for an 80's cartoon to be an 80's cartoon it also needs a comedy sidekick. Since Godzilla is battling huge monsters the humans cannot really take part in that, so they threw in Godzilla's offspring: Godzooky err.. Godzuki however its spelled. He's a smaller version of Godzilla who is lighter in color, and has small wings under each arm with which he can fly clumsily. Yes, Godzooki's entire shtick throughout the series is his inability to properly land, and his continuous efforts to imitate Godzilla's atomic breath, which result merely in doughnut shaped puffs of smoke.
The Star of the show of course is Godzilla. Unlike in most of his movie appearances form the 50's and 60's he's not the bad guy in the show. He helps the crew of the Calico and any other humans who happen to be in peril at the time by fighting big monsters that threaten their safety. Some based on his movies, and others made for the show.

Breathing Fire...

Godzilla isn't all just brute force, he also has some special powers. His signature atomic breath is present in a modified version as merely fire breathing, and he also gets laser vision as well as his tail swipe.
How you may ask does he know where danger lurks so he can go save the humans in constant danger, well Captain Majors is equipped with a special device on his belt with a big red button. When he presses the button it emits a sound that summons Godzilla to where the Captain is. Which most of the time is aboard the Calico and being attacked by some monster. Godzilla does get a completely different roar sound effect than the one in the Toho films. Less mechanized but deeper and more guttural if you will.
The animation is decent for such an old cartoon, and Godzilla is pretty cool. Yes its not consistent with Toho's early depictions of the big lizard but who cares. He takes down all sorts of foes and does it with style.

His head in the Sky

Of course a show this old is not without errors or inconsistencies. One major issue I always had with the show is the constant change of the water level. Godzilla would poke his head out of the water leading you to believe it was several fathoms deep, but seconds later he'd be standing in the same spot with the water merely around his ankles. What was up with that
Anyway, its a decent cartoon of the time, and one of my childhood favorites, so for that it deserves a mention. Go check it out, its currently on iTunes, or you can click below to buy it from Amazon.