Godzilla (animated series)

For animated series based on the 1998 TriStar film, see Godzilla: The Series.
Godzilla

Original title card for Godzilla
Based on Godzilla
by Toho Ltd.
Developed by Dick Robbins
Duane Poole
Directed by Ray Patterson
Carl Urbano
Voices of Ted Cassidy
Don Messick
Composer(s) Hoyt Curtin
Country of origin United States
Japan
No. of episodes 26
Production
Executive producer(s) William Hanna
Joseph Barbera
Producer(s) Doug Wildey
Running time 30 minutes
Production company(s) Hanna-Barbera Productions
Toho Ltd.
Distributor Warner Bros. Television Distribution (1996–2003)
Classic Media (2003–2012)
DreamWorks Classics (2012–present)
NBCUniversal Television Distribution (2016–present)
Release
Original network NBC (United States)
Tokyo Channel 12 (Japan)
Original release September 9, 1978 – December 8, 1979

Godzilla is a 30-minute animated series co-produced between Hanna-Barbera Productions and Toho Ltd. in 1978 and aired on NBC in the United States and TV Tokyo in Japan. The series is an animated adaptation of the Japanese Godzilla movies produced by Toho. The series continued to air until 1981, for a time airing in its own half-hour timeslot until its cancellation.

Format

The series follows the adventures of a team of scientists on the Calico, a hydrofoil research vessel, headed by Captain Carl Majors. The rest of the crew include scientist Dr. Quinn Darien, her nephew Pete, and her research assistant Brock. Also along for the ride is Godzooky, the "cowardly cousin" of Godzilla and Pete's best friend, who has a lighthearted role in the show. Godzooky can attempt to fly using the small wings under his arms. Whenever Godzooky tries to breathe fire, he usually just coughs up smoke rings.

The group often call upon Godzilla by using a special signaller when in peril, such as attacks by other giant monsters. Godzooky is also able to howl to summon Godzilla. Godzilla's size in the animated series shifts radically, sometimes within a single episode or even one scene. For instance, Godzilla's claw can wrap around a large ship, and only minutes later the team of scientists fit rather neatly on Godzilla's palm. In addition, Godzilla's trademark atomic breath is altered so he breathes simple fire. He can also shoot laser beams from his eyes much like Superman's heat vision.

Hanna-Barbera was unable to use Godzilla's trademark roar, so they cast Ted Cassidy to voice the character, similar to his role in the live-action series The Incredible Hulk. The basic formula of a scientific team and research vessel in league with Godzilla investigating strange phenomena was revived in another cartoon, Godzilla: The Series, which served as an animated continuation of the 1998 Godzilla film. Each episode would include a brief exposition on a scientific instrument or phenomenon, thus providing an educational segment for the show.

Production

In regards to the origin of the series, Joseph Barbera came up with the idea of licensing Godzilla. He explained in a 1990s interview "My job back then was to dig up new characters, new ideas, new shows, and I had wanted to do Godzilla for awhile. I liked the monster thing, and the way it looked, and I thought we could do a lot with it. So I contacted Henry Saperstein, who was a very good friend and we got talking about it. Then there was an executive at the network who wanted to get into the act, and urged us to lighten the story line up. So, I came up with the character Godzooky, who was like his son. The show had a sort of father-son relationship, which we had done before on shows like Augie Doggie and Jonny Quest.[1]

Barbera also explained why the show had little violence and deviated from the source material. "The problem with the show was simply this: When they start telling you in Standards and practices, "Don't shoot any flame at anybody, don't step on any buildings or cars," then pretty soon, they've taken away all the stuff he represents. That became the problem, to maintain a feeling of Godzilla and at the same time cut down everything that he did. We managed to get a fair show out of it. It was OK. Godzooky kind of got the kids going."[1]

Voices

Series monsters and villains

Broadcast history

Godzilla originally aired in the following formats on NBC:

The Godzilla Power Hour consisted of half-hour episodes of Godzilla and Jana of the Jungle. A total of 13 original episodes were produced in 1978, with the first eight airing as part of The Godzilla Power Hour. In November 1978, the show was expanded to 90 minutes with the addition of Jonny Quest reruns and retitled The Godzilla Super 90.

For the second season beginning in September 1979, the show was separated from its package programs and aired in its own half-hour timeslot as simply Godzilla. The original plan was to keep it as part of another 90 minute arc. Only it was to be paired up with episodes of The Shmoo and The Thing. The planned title was Godzilla Meets the Shmoo and The Thing.[2] However these plans dissolved, and the show was simply aired on its own in its own half hour timeslot. Hanna-Barbera would pair episodes of The New Fred and Barney Show with the Shmoo and the Thing instead as Fred and Barney Meet the Shmoo. A month later, new episodes of Godzilla and The Super Globetrotters were packaged together as The Godzilla/Globetrotters Adventure Hour which ran until September 1980.

On September 27, 1980, after 26 half-hour episodes, the show went into reruns and Godzilla was once again teamed up with other Hanna-Barbera characters: The Godzilla/Dynomutt Hour also appearing in this series were reruns of 1971’sThe Funky Phantom, and ran until November 1980, followed by The Godzilla/Hong Kong Phooey Hour which ran until May 16, 1981. On May 23, the show returned to the half-hour format as Godzilla and the last regular showing aired on September 5, 1981 (to be replaced by The Smurfs, which would last three times as long). Throughout the 1980s until the late-1990s, the series rested in limbo (with the exception of a limited videocassette release of two episodes). Since 1993, it has been rebroadcast on TNT, Cartoon Network and Boomerang.

Episodes

Season 1: 1978

Nº Ep Title Original air date
11"The Fire Bird"September 9, 1978 (1978-09-09)
A mysterious bird with fire powers residing in a volcano leaves to lay eggs in the Arctic. The team and Godzilla try to stop the creature before it melts all the ice and causes worldwide devastation.
22"The Earth Eater"September 16, 1978 (1978-09-16)
A mysterious creature is eating the earth under San Francisco. Godzilla and the team must stop the creature before it destroys the city.
33"Attack of the Stone Creature"September 23, 1978 (1978-09-23)
While investigating an Egyptian pyramid, the team comes under attack by stone creatures built to guard the pyramid. Godzilla must destroy them before they wipe out the team.
44"The Megavolt Monster"September 30, 1978 (1978-09-30)
A mysterious creature with electrical powers is attacking ships in the Pacific. Godzilla must stop it before it destroys more ships.
55"The Seaweed Monster"October 7, 1978 (1978-10-07)
A monster made of seaweed threatens an island full of tourists. Godzilla and the team must destroy it before it has a chance to attack.
66"The Energy Beast"October 14, 1978 (1978-10-14)
After a fight with Godzilla, a caterpillar-like monster transforms into him and begins to destroy anything connected to electricity. The gang's friendship with Godzilla is put to the test as they try to prove his innocence.
77"The Colossus of Atlantis"October 21, 1978 (1978-10-21)
The gang happens across the ancient City of Atlantis and they (including Godzilla) end up imprisoned in the city. They soon discover that all the cities residents are under a spell that can only be broken by destroying the giant robot guarding the city.
88"The Horror of Forgotten Island"October 28, 1978 (1978-10-28)
After their ship is damaged in a storm, the team ends up on an uncharted island. They soon discover the island is inhabited by a cyclops monster. Worst of all, Godzilla cannot reach them because of a force field guarding the island. The team must escape the island and somehow not let the creature escape and threaten the world.
99"Island of Lost Ships"November 4, 1978 (1978-11-04)
The team discovers the island of the Sirens. The sirens imprison Captain Majors, Quinn, and Brock and put Godzilla to sleep. Pete and Godzooky must find a way to save the others and escape the island before it disappears at sunset for the next 1000 years.
1010"The Magnetic Terror"November 11, 1978 (1978-11-11)
A magnetic monster is threatening the South Pole. Godzilla and the team must destroy it before it reaches the Pole and destroys the world.
1111"The Breeder Beast"November 18, 1978 (1978-11-18)
An odd creature goes on the attack in Washington DC. The team discovers that the creature is made of an explosive material and packs enough energy to level the city. Godzilla must find a way to stop it before it threatens the world.
1212"The Sub-Zero Terror"November 25, 1978 (1978-11-25)
The team becomes stranded in the Himalayas and imprisoned by the Abominable Snowman. Godzilla must find and rescue them before it's too late.
1313"The Time Dragons"December 2, 1978 (1978-12-02)
The team and Godzilla are, strangely, teleported back to prehistoric times. They must find their way back to the present time without disrupting the past.

Season 2: 1979

Nº Ep Title Original air date
141"Calico Clones"September 15, 1979 (1979-09-15)
While on their way to visit an oil rig, the team is captured by a mad scientist who has the knowledge to clone people. He plans to make a copy of the crew and use them to steal the oil and make a fortune. The team has to escape and alert Godzilla.
152"Micro Godzilla"September 22, 1979 (1979-09-22)
While helping the crew out of a hurricane, Godzilla wanders through a mysterious pink fog. Before long, the strange fog causes Godzilla to start shrinking. Even worse, a fly also inhaled the gas and is now growing to gigantic proportions and seems to be targeting Godzooky and Brock. The others must find a way to get Godzilla and the fly back to their normal sizes.
163"Ghost Ship"September 29, 1979 (1979-09-29)
The team makes a fascinating discovery: A German U-boat from World War I trapped in an iceberg. After Godzilla frees it, the team is shocked to see the crew of the U-boat still alive and they also believe the war is still going. They manage to convince them the war is over, but then a giant octopus attacks the U-boat, with Pete and Brock inside. Godzilla must stop the octopus before the sub is destroyed.
174"The Beast of Storm Island"October 6, 1979 (1979-10-06)
The team becomes stranded on an island inhabited by a creature named Axor. Axor enslaves Majors, Quinn, and Brock and puts them to work. Pete, Godzooky, and Godzilla must find a way to destroy Axor and save the island's inhabitants.
185"The City in the Clouds"October 13, 1979 (1979-10-13)
The team gets caught in a strange-looking hurricane and end up in a city in the clouds. The inhabitants explain they are there to escape an evil dragon in their old world. Unfortunately, the dragon follows them there. To make matters worse, after seeing Godzilla defeat the dragon, the inhabitants turn hostile and want Godzilla so they can have him destroy the dragon. The team must rescue Godzilla and keep him from falling into the wrong hands.
196"The Cyborg Whale"October 20, 1979 (1979-10-20)
After a lightning strike, a cyborg whale -- a prototype sub used for scientific purposes -- suffers a malfunction and steams out of control with Pete and Brock inside. Even worse, the whale is on a collision course with Honolulu, Hawaii. The others and Godzilla must rescue Pete and Brock and stop the whale before it destroys Honolulu.
207"Valley of the Giants"October 27, 1979 (1979-10-27)
After the Calico runs aground in a river, the team discovers a valley full of giant insects. Godzilla is initially paralyzed by a Black Widow Spider bite and the entrance sealed by a landslide. The team must find a way to escape and also prevent the insects from escaping the valley.
218"Moonlode"November 3, 1979 (1979-11-03)
A mysterious creature lands on Earth from the Moon. It soon starts to wreak havoc on shipping and seems to be affecting the water currents globally. The team and Godzilla must stop it before it causes worldwide devastation.
229"The Golden Guardians"November 10, 1979 (1979-11-10)
The gang runs into a hostile people who worship gold statues. Things get serious when the statues seem to come to life and Godzilla is turned into a gold statue while battling them. The others must free Godzilla and convince the people that the statues are evil.
2310"The Macro-Beasts"November 17, 1979 (1979-11-17)
While investigating an ocean volcano, the team find the volcano oozing a strange liquid that causes sea creatures to turn into giants. The team and Godzilla must find a way to get the creatures back to their normal size before they threaten nearby shipping lanes.
2411"Pacific Peril"November 24, 1979 (1979-11-24)
When a new island is formed in the Pacific Ocean, the team investigates. Aftershocks from the islands formation end up trapping them in the volcano on the island, which they find is inhabited by giant lizards that eat lava. Worst of all, Godzilla is unable to reach them because he is also trapped by the seismic activity. The others must find a way to escape without Godzilla's help.
2512"Island of Doom"December 1, 1979 (1979-12-01)
When a new weather satellite is mysteriously shot down, the team traces the missile's source to an island near Australia. They find the island fortified and under the command of a terrorist organization known as COBRA. The terrorists imprison the team thinking they are spies. The nuclear reactor on the island begins to suffer problems that threaten to cause an explosion that could destroy the island. Godzilla must rescue the team, stop the COBRA group, and prevent the reactor from exploding.
2613"The Deadly Asteroid"December 8, 1979 (1979-12-08)
A UFO lands in the Arctic and the team is sent to investigate. They discover a group of ice people from another planet that plan to destroy the Earth with an asteroid the size of the Moon. Majors and Quinn are taken prisoner and Godzilla, Brock, and Godzooky are frozen. Pete must free the others before the asteroid destroys the world.

Production credits

(Godzilla Power Hour with Jana of the Jungle)

Spoofs

DVD release

All 13 Godzilla episodes from the first season have been released on DVD, in three separate volumes[3] titled Godzilla: The Original Animated Series. Volume 1 contains the first four episodes, Volume 2 contains the next four, and Volume 3 contains the next five.

DVD title Episodes Company Release date
Godzilla: The Original Animated Series—Volume 1 4 Sony Wonder June 6, 2006
Godzilla: The Original Animated Series—Volume 2 4 Sony Wonder June 6, 2006
Godzilla: The Original Animated Series—Volume 3 5 Classic Media October 2, 2007

As of November 9, 2011, all episodes of Season 1 are also available for streaming on Netflix and Hulu. (Season 2 has never been officially released on any home media format.)

References

  1. 1 2 Steve Ryfle. Japan's Favorite Mon-Star. ECW Press, 1998. Pg.209
  2. ↑ The Horrorworld Reporter Forrest J. Ackerman. Famous Monsters of Filmland #156. Warren Publishing. August 1979. p.88.
  3. ↑ The Godzilla Power Hour at TVShowsOnDVD.com
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