The Godzilla All Movie DVD Collector’s Box series is a treasure trove for kaiju fans, combining high-quality reproductions of posters, flyers, vintage manga, and teasers with the DVDs of classic films. This bi-weekly subscription series began on July 12, 2016, and concluded on October 30, 2018. What makes it special is that it doesn’t just focus on Godzilla, but also features other iconic kaiju and tokusatsu films, such as Rodan, Mothra, The Human Vapor, Secret of the Telegian, and Invisible Man. In fact, there are 61 volumes in total!
As we celebrate the 70th anniversary of Godzilla and approach the 8th anniversary of the Collector’s Box Series, let’s dive into two (and only) boxes from my collection. Appropriately, let’s start off with the original Godzilla (1954) box set.
The first issue, which featured the original 1954 film, was a true gem. The middle of the box highlights the film title, while the right side has yellow text that reads, “Godzilla or scientific weapon? A battle of wonder and horror!” Originally priced at 890 yen ($5). Funny enough I remember purchasing this on ebay for nearly $40.The bottom white text translates to “11 Luxurious Collections”, which lists the treasures inside, which we’ll explore in detail.
The back of the box provides some historical context:
“Godzilla”
“Godzilla” is Toho’s monumental debut work for the world’s greatest character in Japanese cinema. In 1954 (Showa 20), approaching the 10th anniversary of the end of the war, Toho pioneered a new direction for special effects films, taking into the account the country’s position as the only country in the world to have suffered from atomic bombs, the Daigo Fukuryū Maru (Lucky Dragon 5) incident at the time, and the establishment of the Self-Defense forces it was created for. It was a huge hit when it was released on Culture Day, November 3rd, and sparked a Godzilla craze across the country. What’s more, the overseas version was shown not only in the United States but also in 50 countries around the world and became a hit, making Godzilla loved by people all over the world for over 60 years.”
Now, let’s look at the items included in this set:
Theater Pamphlet Reproduction
The first item you see when you open the box! This is stapled onto the box unfortunately. Removing it without damaging both the pamphlet and the box would be a lengthy and delicate task. In the middle of the pamphlet, there’s a subscription application if you want to get the others.
Half-Size Poster Reprint
This high-quality reproduction of the main poster is 72.3cm x 51cm. Unlike other posters where you would find on Amazon, which have a slight pixelated look, this one boasts in its vintage paper feel and avoids the glossy look to match its time.
Speed Poster
Featuring a simple black background with the movie title and a white box at the bottom where theaters would put its names. I wonder how many originals of these even exist, especially blank ones.
Toho Press Sheet
Contains promotional materials with various text sizes, Toho logos, and drawings of Godzilla. This one has a glossy finish.
Toho News Photo
Revealing Godzilla’s design, these were posted in schools, according to the box. It has a distinct vintage newspaper feel and smell.
Speed Poster for ‘King Kong vs. Godzilla’
Included as a teaser for the second issue. Another glossy finish.
‘Shin Godzilla’ Flyer
Released a few weeks before the movie, the back shows people running with the text “Let’s not give up and let’s not abandon this country until the end”.
Reconstructed News Photo for Shin Godzilla
A tribute to the original 1954 reveal with a glossy paper finish, and includes photos of the Evangelion crossover.
Reproduction of the March 1955 Manga “Monster Picture Story Godzilla”:
Published by Kondansha, this manga has notable differences from the film, such as (listed on Wikizilla):
- Godzilla’s design, which has no dorsal plates
- Ogata is absent from this manga
- Godzilla’s nighttime attack on Odo Island is removed.
- Dr. Serizawas weapon is now called the “Oxygent” instead of the “Oxygen Destroyer”
- Instead of fighting the jets in the middle of the ocean, Godzilla now fights the jets in the heart of the city.
Finally, onto the DVD itself. This includes the main movie with special features such as the trailers for the original film and “King Kong vs. Godzilla”. It also features the first five episodes of Godzilla Island:
- “Giant UFO Attack!”
- “Mysterious Spaceship, Enemy or Friend”
- “Tremma Appears”
- “Godzilla Sortie!”
- “Invisible Combination”
However, note that the DVD is Region 2, as this set was exclusively released in Japan. So I cannot show you the menu or the picture quality. Maybe whenever I have a region free player I’ll be able too!
So, is this set worth the hype I’ve been making it out to be? Absolutely! Despite being Japan-exclusive and potentially pricey on sites like eBay, you might find more reasonable deals on platforms like Buyee or Yahoo! Japan. Showcase Daikaiju has a few of these as well. So, check them out and see what you like! This series is a fantastic way to celebrate each film’s legacy, and I highly recommend adding any issue to your collection. Enjoy collecting, and stay safe. Next up, we’ll explore the collector’s box of The Return of Godzilla (1984)!
