Ishiro Honda’s 1954 Godzilla, was successful at the box office, becoming the eighth most attended film in Japan’s box office that year. It remains to this day the second most viewed Godzilla film, behind a crossover film we will discuss in another article. Toho quickly decided to make a sequel and hired Motoyoshi Oda. Motoyoshi Oda worked for Toho previously making short documentaries that production company would package before their feature films. It also helped that Motoyoshi Oda was classmates at Waseda University with his classmates being both Ishiro Honda and Akira Kurosawa. Motoyoshi Oda was assigned to direct the sequel to Godzilla with the title of Godzilla Raids Again in 1955. Godzilla Raids Again was also re-edited and overdubbed in English for American audiences using the title, Gigantis the Fire Monster. In which, Godzilla returns and fights another Kaiju named Anguirus.

Upon its release, Godzilla Raids Again was poorly received and was not nearly as financially successful as Honda’s previous installment. Many critics saying the film felt rushed and incomplete. And although the film was not a success, Toho learned from their mistake and decided to put a hold on future Godzilla films for the time being. This did not mean that they were done making Kaiju films, however.

The following year, Ishiro Honda’s followup to Godzilla was released. The film would today be considered the first spin-off of the franchise, although it has no immediate connection to the original film. The film introduced the Kaiju character known as Rodan in his first film titled Rodan. Following a pterodactyl that fights with another pterodactyl for the right to destroy Japan. The film was extremely successful and redeemed the idea of Kaiju film in the minds of the moving going public. Released with a few edits and a re-dub in America, the film broke records for a science fiction film.

The film was successful, but many attributed its success that only months before it’s release, an American re-edit of the original Godzilla film, title Godzilla King of the Monsters, was released, with additional scenes shot with American actors to give an American point of view for the film. This edit was later released in Japan titled Monster King Godzilla. The film was well received and the “re-release” of the film was very financially successful in Japan. This made re-edits with American voices and American added scenes commonplace for the future of the franchise.

Ishiro Honda later followed Rodan up with a film that will only be brought up now as it has a very brief connection with the Godzilla Franchise outside of this film. Honda made The Mysterians in 1957. While still a science fiction film, the film was distinctively not Kaiju connected. The film would be easier classified as an alien invasion film. The only reason it is mentioned is the ship the aliens drive on is named Moguera. And Moguera later appears in Godzilla Island a Toho produced television series. Godzilla Island is often what people think of when they think of Godzilla as that is where most of the fights between monsters take place. This series will not be fully covered in this article series, however.

Ishiro Honda returned a year later to the Kaiju genre with Varan. Varan was released in 1958 to very poor reviews. To this day, many fans refer to Varan as one of the weakest films Toho has ever released. Many saying it was just a generic copy of Godzilla and to a lesser extent, Rodan. This was not helped by an American re-edit of the film titled Varan the Unbelievable. The re-edit removed so much of the original film and replaced it with American made scenes, that it is almost unrecognizable with the original version. The harsh criticism hit Ishiro Honda, but he and Toho listened to the criticism. The biggest complaint was that Varan was too similar to Godzilla. They had to somehow change up the formula. Maybe with something less reptilian, and more bug like.