Since Godzilla debuted in theaters in 1954, the giant monster has become one of the most enduring (and endearing) Kaiju in cinematic history. Now, the King of the Monsters is the subject of a new theme park attraction that has officially opened to the public in the city of Kobe, Japan.
Awaji Island Anime Park originally scheduled the Godzilla attraction to open in the summer, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the debut until October. Now, patrons can zipline into the life-size Godzilla's mouth for a cost of roughly $36 if they are 12 or older. Guests aged five to eleven will only have to pay $20 while children under 5 can use the zip line for free.
Designed to be true to Godzilla's size in the Toho films, the attraction stands at 75 feet tall, 82, feet wide, and 180 feet long. Visitors can also attend an accompanying museum that details the extensive history of Godzilla and other Kaiju from the King of the Monsters' film franchise. An arcade shooting game and "Godzilla Curry" are also available for patrons to enjoy. In a video posted by Asahi, viewers are given a sense of the Godzilla statue's scale from multiple angles and can watch an individual zipline into the monster's mouth, which appears to have hundreds of teeth.
The design of the attraction is based on Shin Godzilla, but North American audiences may be more familiar with the version featured in Legendary's MonsterVerse film franchise. This incarnation of Godzilla stands at approximately 400 feet, the second tallest behind only the version of the Kaiju featured in 2017's Planet of the Monsters. Legendary's King of the Monsters will return to take on the Eighth Wonder of the World in Godzilla vs. Kong, the fourth installment of the MonsterVerse film series.
What the future holds for the MonsterVerse after Godzilla vs. Kong is uncertain. While the previous installments of the franchise have collectively earned over $1 billion worldwide, they have fallen short of expectations on an individual basis.
Still, Godzilla remains a popular character around the world even if the kaiju doesn't appear to be resonating with US moviegoers. In fact, one fan even put in the effort to include the King of the Monsters in a mod for Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
Godzilla vs. Kong is scheduled to be released in theaters on May 21, 2021.
Source: Asahi Shimbun/YouTube