Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of "The Big G" [Paperback]

Steve Ryfle (Author), Addie Kohzu (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1998

GODZILLA is... King of the Monsters! Nature's Radioactive Revenge! A Camp Superhero! The Big G!

Bigger, Badder, and more durable than Hollywood's greatest action heroes, Godzilla emerged from the mushroom cloud of an H-bomb test in 1954 to trample Tokyo. More than 40 years later, he reigns as the undisputed king of monsters, with legions of fans spanning several generations and countless international boundaries.

Japan's Favorite Mon-Star is the first complete guide to the Godzilla legend published in North America. It is also the first totally unauthorized Godzilla book to be successfully published (legal challenges from Toho Co. Ltd. have previously snuffed out two others by Fantasma Books in 1996 and Quill Publishing in 1998). This book, the culmination of many years of in-depth research, includes production details on all 22 Godzilla movies produced by Toho in Japan between 1954 and 1995, plus several "unmade" features, plus the 1998 big-budget U.S. Godzilla remake by the makers of INDEPENDENCE DAY. It dispels the myths and illuminates the mysteries of Japan's enigmatic mon-star, and is loaded with background information, trivia, and exclusive interviews with the people who created Godzilla - then and now. Interviewees and personal profiles include special effects director Teruyoshi Nakano, Godzilla suit actor Haruo Nakajima, composer Akira Ifukube and actors Yoshio Tsuchiya (MONSTER ZERO, DESTROY ALL MONSTERS) and Robert Dunham (MOTHRA, GODZILLA VS. MEGALON). With over 300 fact-filled pages and over 94 photos and illustrations, JAPAN'S FAVORITE MON-STAR is the biggest and best Godzilla book available, and the only one you'll need. 94 b&w illustrations

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Steve Ryfle is a former Los Angeles Times reporter. His articles on Godzilla and Japanese science fiction movies have been published in Cinefantastique, Sci Fi Universe, G-Fan, the Chicago Tribune, Retrovision and other publications.

Product Details

• Paperback: 374 pages
• Publisher: ECW Press (April 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1550223488
• ISBN-13: 978-1550223484
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #984,252 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Information, Yet Highly Critical, November 11, 2001

By 

Sandra S. Smith (Hurricane, WV United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of "The Big G" (Paperback)

Being a long-time Godzilla fan, I was extremely excited that such an information filled book about Godzilla was finally available to his US fans. And although this book is jam-packed with information, the author (Steve Ryfle) is so incredibly critical towards te Godzilla series that it's hard to believe he considers himself a G-fan at all. His attitude goes something like "The first eight Godzilla movies are great, but anything and everything that comes after that (...)". He doesn't even give anything after that a chance! It's like he makes up his mind about a new movie before he even sees it. After "Son of Godzilla", the highest review you'll find has just 3 and a half stars. And that's rare to find a review that high! he definetely favors old movies. However, despite all the critical opinions and Godzilla-slamming, the book is the BEST source for Godzilla behind-the-scenes information out there. While the Official Godzilla Compendium was flimsy, it had great pictures and monster-stats. If you can get past the negativity in this book, it really is the best source for Godzilla information you can find. So, my final opinion is: Buy this book for the information, and get "The Official Compendium" for the pictures and monster stats.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very informative book, June 19, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of "The Big G" (Paperback)

This book had been delayed so long many people thought it would never come out, but now it is and I was not dissapointed. Steve Ryfle has written a very informative and interesting book about Japan's Favorite Mon-Star and has included everything in his book from unmade projects to interviews. His reviews of the films are great and in-depth, he obvioulsy has researched Godzilla very well. Anybody who is a Godzilla fan must get this book, it blows away "The Official Godzilla Compendium" as is easily the best made Godzilla book around.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent history of the all-time greatest movie monster., August 10, 2002

By 

Thanos6 (Chapin, SC USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: Japan's Favorite Mon-Star: The Unauthorized Biography of "The Big G" (Paperback)

Steve Ryfle weaves a heck of a book here. It goes without saying that Godzilla fans will love this, but I'll say it anyway: Godzilla fans will love this. But that's not all. Film fans will like this as well, for it offers an intriguing look behind the scenes of Japanese cinema. And if you've ever been curious about "just who DID create Godzilla," then you should check out this book.

Ryfle reviews twenty-two Japanese Godzilla films (the few most recent, beginning with Godzilla 2000, not included), as well as the American abomination. He also gives in-depth profiles of writers, actors, and others who worked on the movies, and gives looks at unmade films (such as Godzilla vs. Frankenstein) and special projects (such as the two Godzilla episodes of Mystery Science Theater 3000).

A final ironic note: This book was originally held up by studio lawyers, which only gave Ryfle time to review the American monstrosity as well and add his savaging of it into the final product.

This book is recommended.