Godzilla Half-Century War Comic Series Review | Godzilla Island Archive

The Plot:

This comic series follows two members of a Japanese tank battalion turned Godzilla specialists Ota Murakami and Kentaro Yoshihara. The story chronicles Godzilla’s history through Ota’s perspective across a 50-year time span.

It begins in 1954, when Tokyo faces what the military believes to be a natural disaster until Godzilla steps out from behind the smoke and ruins. Ota and Kentaro’s entire battalion are wiped out, leaving their tank as the last line of defense. In a desperate act of heroism, they lure Godzilla away from the evacuation zone, buying time for civilians to escape before artillery strikes drive the monster into the bay.

A few months later, Colonel Schooler recruits them into the A.M.F. (Anti Megalosaurus Force) a new military unit formed to deal with future kaiju threats.

By 1967, the A.M.F. tracks Godzilla through war-torn Vietnam. There, they test the new Maser Cannons, which barely faze Godzilla. Their battle is interrupted when Anguirus bursts from underground the first of many new kaiju to emerge. Later, Schooler discovers a strange transmitter that seems to attract these monsters.

Jump to 1975 in Ghana: the world has become a kaiju-infested wasteland. New monsters like Battra, Mothra, Rodan, Ebirah, Megalon, and Hedorah have appeared. The A.M.F. learns that rogue scientist Dr. Deverich, once a failed inventor for their program, has been creating psionic transmitters to lure monsters for profit and revenge. During a raid on his base, Deverich escapes, and Schooler is killed in the chaos.

By 1987, Ota and Kentaro are the last surviving A.M.F. members. They witness the unveiling of Mechagodzilla, humanity’s ultimate weapon. But when Deverich reappears with an upgraded transmitter, it summons SpaceGodzilla from beyond the stars. Ota takes control of Mechagodzilla and sacrifices the machine to help Godzilla defeat this new cosmic threat showing that even after decades, he still respects his old enemy.

Finally, in 2002, the last stand takes place in Antarctica. The Earth’s defense forces prepare to unleash the Dimension Tide a weapon capable of creating a miniature black hole to eliminate the kaiju forever. Now an old man, Ota hijacks the new Mechagodzilla for one last battle, fighting alongside Godzilla against Gigan and King Ghidorah. When the battle ends, Ota triggers Mechagodzilla’s self-destruct, sacrificing himself with his lifelong rival. In the aftermath, Godzilla’s spines rise from the sea proving that the King still endures.

My Thoughts

Godzilla: The Half-Century War is one of the most emotionally powerful and beautifully crafted Godzilla stories ever told. It’s an epic blend of military drama, kaiju destruction, and personal obsession showing how one man’s life becomes defined by the monster he can never defeat.

The artwork is gritty, cinematic, and captures the chaos and awe of kaiju warfare perfectly. While I personally prefer the style of Godzilla: Rulers of Earth, this series carries an emotional depth that makes it unforgettable.

At around $14.95 for the full collected edition (about 120 pages with bonus art), it’s a fantastic value and an essential read for any kaiju fan.