Godzillafest’s convention returns to The Golden City! After a successful revival con last year featuring Heisei Godzilla actress Megumi Odaka, the SF-based con is set to increase the hype and deliver three monstrous guests from different eras of Godzilla this year, alongside panels, a gaming room, and more. The event will be held September 20-21 at the Holiday Inn Golden Gateway, located just 3 miles away from the iconic Golden Gate Bridge for those that want to do some sightseeing. Alongside these guest announcements, tickets are on sale now via Bay Area Film Events.
Check out the three special guests that were announced for the show below, alongside some extra information about their work.
Special Guest: Tomoko Ai
Tomoko Ai is a Japanese actress. She rose to Kaiju stardom by portraying the iconic and beloved Katsura Mafune in 1975’s Terror of Mechagodzilla, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. She is also known to Tokusatsu fans for her recurring role as Haruko Matsuki in Ultraman Leo, a role she played from episodes 26 through 40 after initially making an uncredited cameo earlier in the series as a different character. In the distant future, Ai-san is set to return to acting in the upcoming Kaiju: Island of Fire film alongside numerous other Kaiju cinema alumni.
Special Guest: Hurricane Ryu
Hariken Ryu, also known as “Hurricane Ryu,” is a stuntman, director and comic book author. Best known to Kaiju fans for his roles in the Heisei Godzilla series, Ryu-san portrayed Ghidorah 1991, Battra Larva, Baby Godzilla ’93, and Godzilla Jr. in Godzilla Vs. Destoroyah. He has also branched out to other kaiju franchises, such as Guilala in Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G-8 Summit and Kaiju Mono. His comic book portfolio includes work such as Monster Warrior Godzilla, a manga that re-imagines Godzilla as a more anthropomorphic wandering ronin, and Blade of Gigantis. He continues to be a regular at fan conventions in the United States, often appearing alongside fellow suit actor Tsutomu “2tom” Kitagawa.
Special Guest: TJ Storm
TJ Storm is a stuntman, motion capture artist, and dancer. To Kaiju fans, he is the latest incarnation of Godzilla, having provided motion capture for the Big G in 2014’s Godzilla and 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters. TJ embodies this role with pride, having co-founded the Haruo Nakajima Action Actor Scholarship for the next generation of talent to have incredible opportunities. Mr. Storm is also proficient in Arashi-Ryu Karate, Taekwondo, Ninjutsu, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Northern Shaolin forms of martial arts. Some of his other roles include motion capture work for The Predator, portraying Darth Vader in Vader Immortal and Colossus in Deadpool.
This 2025 convention has one guest from each era of Godzilla, with Ai being from the Showa era of Toku, Ryu being Heisei/Millennium, and Storm being of the MonsterVerse/Modern era. To accomplish a fun feat like that is a true treat for Kaiju enthusiasts. Are you excited to meet these three guests? Stay tuned for additional updates on all things Godzillafest SF on Kaiju United!
