Shinjuku

If you didn’t know, the giant monstrous creature Godzilla was created in Japan in 1954. A fictional character who is a half-dinosaur, half-reptilian, two-legged creature, Godzilla was born from the waters of nuclear waste, a direct link to the disturbing history of the atomic bombs dropped on Japan. Godzilla has been the focus of 38 films, 33 of which were released in Japan, produced and distributed by Toho Co. LTD, and the other five films originated from the United States.

The film spawned television series, literary works, comic books and video games that propelled the franchise to a recognized product. Toho holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-running film franchise with over 60 years of history. Godzilla has his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 2015, coinciding with the opening of the Shinjuku Toho Building, a 12m (39ft) statue representing only the head of the beast was installed on the roof of a building in Shinjuku. Those who would like to have a closer view can go to the café of the Gracery Shinjuku Hotel, an outdoor terrace on the 8th floor.

 The purpose of the name “zilla” and the presence of the character even serves as a suffix to objects, made to demonstrate the form of excess or the seriousness of the situation. Nobody wants a cancerzilla!

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