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Godzilla on My Mind: Fifty Years of the King of Monsters (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: kaijú eiga, eiga genre, oxygen destroyer, King Kong, United States, King Ghidorah (more...)
3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

Winner of the 2005 William Rockhill Nelson Award for Non-Fiction. This honor is granted by The Writers Place and The Kansas City Star, and commends the best book by a Kansas or Missouri author published in 2004.
 
"Godzilla On My Mind is a good read, well written, occasionally provocative and full of facts that show it to be well researched as well as a labour of love." -Dr. Dolores Martinez, the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), and author of The Worlds of Japanese Popular Culture

"Bill Tsutsui blends impeccable scholarship with witty writing and an eye for fascinating detail as he follows the romping, stomping path of Godzilla across global popular culture: from Japanese film making in the 1950s, to rap lyrics in the present day; from issues of nuclear disarmament to the character of science fiction fandom; from wind-up toys to advertisements for Nike, Taco Bell, and Dr. Pepper. Inspired by his life-long affection -- passion? mania? -- for the monster, Tsutsui has written a stellar book; an entertaining and vivid look at Japanese pop culture, its globalization, and American encounters with Japan."
--Ted Bestor, Harvard University and author of Tsukiji: The Fish Market at the Center of the World

"William Tsutsui's Godzilla takes a fresh, original, and appealing look at one of our more intriguing pop culture icons. Although informed by careful scholarship, the book is highly accessible. It's funny, stimulating, and an overall pleasure to read. I'll never look at Godzilla the same way again!
--Susan Napier, author of Anime from Akira To Princess Mononoke: Experiencing Contemporary Japanese Animation


Product Description

This year, to mark the fiftieth anniversary of his first appearance on the screen, the original, uncut version of Godzilla was released in American theaters to the delight of Sci-Fi and B-Movie fans everywhere. Ever since Godzilla (or, Gojira, as he is known in Japan) crawled out of his radioactive birthplace to cut a swath of destruction through Tokyo, he has claimed a place alongside King Kong and others in the movie monster pantheon. He is the third most recognizable Japanese celebrity in the United States, and his fan base continues to grow as children today prove his enduring appeal. Now, Bill Tsutsui, a life-long fan and historian, takes a light-hearted look at the big, green, radioactive lizard, revealing how he was born and how he became a megastar. With humorous anecdotes, Godzilla on My Mind explores his lasting cultural impact on the world. This book is sure to be welcomed by pop culture enthusiasts, fans, and historians alike.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 256 pages
  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan; illustrated edition edition (September 23, 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1403964742
  • ISBN-13: 978-1403964748
  • Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #201,541 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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    #75 in  Books > Arts & Photography > History & Criticism > Regional > Middle Eastern

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Godzilla on My Mind: Fifty Years of the King of Monsters
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Customer Reviews

20 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
3.8 out of 5 stars (20 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding !!!, November 2, 2004
By Samurai6 (Westchester,New York United States) - See all my reviews
An excellent analysis and history of a great movie icon. Godzilla on My Mind is an impressive, well written discussion of the impact Japan's (and the world's) favorite rampaging movie monster has made on the film industry and pop culture in general. The author thoroughly reviews all aspects of the Godzilla phenomenon (the Godzilla films are the longest series of movies in history -50 years old !!!)and tries to answer the question "Why do people love Godzilla so much?". It is an entertaining and affectionate look at a cherised character. A must read for any Godzilla fan.
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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars I need to find those movies!, January 16, 2005
I didn't consider myself a Godzilla fan. I liked the icon and the destruction Godzilla represented, but I didn't consider myself to be all-knowing about him. But he interested me nonetheless, and I decided to pick up this book and boy was I startled by the sheer amount of knowledge this book contains! If you want to start loving Godzilla, this is what you got to read first!

The six chapters are broke down as following: "Chapter I: The Birth Of Gojira" talks about the first movie and the establishment of an icon. "Chapter II: The Godzilla Franchise" explains everything there is to know about the tewnty six sequels to the original Gojira. "Chapter III: Understanding the monster" tries to analyse why Godzilla is so appealing and why everyone knows him. "Chapter IV: The Making Of An American Icon" explains why, of all places, Godzilla made a name for himself in America, and why he is cemented in American culture. "Chapter V: A Personal Godzilla" analyses the fans of Godzilla, why they love him, and just how much they love him. And finally, "Chapter VI: Godzilla's Spawn" talks about the moviemaking trend started by Godzilla, from the equally loveable Gamera to the american-made Godzilla.

Quite frankly, I never was so interested by a book that didn't feature a story. It is written with a lot of insight and might make anyone who reads it a Godzilla fan. Now, where can I find those movies?

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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars JUST BUY IT......, November 25, 2006
This is a really great fun read written by a lifelong fan of THE BIG-G. As a Godzilla fan myself, I find this book to be an insightful overview of not only the films but also of the times when these films were made. Tsutsui covers his subject with style and humor, informative without being academic. This is both a FRIENDLY read and a WELL WRITTEN history of Godzilla and his affect on pop culture then and now. Buy this book. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book
Wish my professor of Film Art had had the insight that this author has into the Godzilla legend.
Published 13 months ago by The Doctor

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book
I have always been a fan of the Godzilla movie series, so when I heard that there was finally going to be a book that dealt with the series in a bit more depth than websites do,... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Cosmoetica

3.0 out of 5 stars Three and a half stars! Great try, tough turn
Its a tough act to write a good book on Godzilla because the movies are disparate - they were hardly conceived as a coherent suite, they just grew from a successful start. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Mark Slattery

5.0 out of 5 stars King of Godzilla Books
Our son has been fixated on Godzilla for a few years now. This book was part of his 12th birthday present. Never has he been so interested in a book in his life. Read more
Published 21 months ago by AMA

1.0 out of 5 stars A real downer...
This book ridicules G-fans, stating that the movies were intended as "campfests". Not true. Most of the movies had serious social and political commentary. Read more
Published on March 20, 2007 by AJ

5.0 out of 5 stars Godzilla In Our Hearts
Godzilla On My Mind is a wonderful celebration of the movies, the myths and the magic of Godzilla. Professor Tsutsui writes with both candor and passion about the "monster" so... Read more
Published on February 1, 2007 by Kevin Jennings

3.0 out of 5 stars Meh, it is alright.
If you are looking for a book that gives a lot of facts, this is not the book for you. Get Steve Ryfle's "Japans Favorite Mon-star", hell, even get "The Godzilla Compendium"... Read more
Published on January 12, 2007 by J. Spray

4.0 out of 5 stars Feel, understand and explore the love of the Big G...
...or maybe not. Associate Professor William Tsutsui attempts to detail and explain the alluring popularity of watching a guy in a latex suit tearing through a mock-up of a... Read more
Published on August 11, 2005 by Chadwick H. Saxelid

2.0 out of 5 stars A Godzilla book by a non-Godzilla fan? Hmmmm
William Tsutsui claims to be a huge Godzilla fan, but he spends most this book (the part that I could read anyway) trashing Godzilla's films. Read more
Published on June 9, 2005 by Mojo Jojo

2.0 out of 5 stars A little redundant and critical
Yes, it doesn't look like the author really had enough info for a book even as long as this. He does repeat himself a lot. Read more
Published on February 27, 2005 by Ned

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