Godzilla vs Gigan (1972) Review | Godzilla Island Archive

Note: This article was originally published in 2014 on Godzilla Island. The views and opinions expressed may be outdated or have since changed.

The Plot:

In this classic Showa-era entry, man-sized alien cockroaches disguised as humans attempt to take over Earth. Their sinister plan revolves around building a massive Godzilla Tower as the centerpiece of a theme park called World Children’s Land, supposedly for peace but in reality, it’s a front for invasion.

Meanwhile, a comic book artist named Gengo gets hired to design monsters for the park’s exhibit. He accidentally discovers a mysterious tape, which sends a signal that Godzilla and Anguirus hear all the way from Monster Island. Realizing something is wrong, Godzilla sends Anguirus to investigate.

It turns out the tape is one of two that the Nebula Space Hunter M aliens use to control Gigan and King Ghidorah. When they regain the stolen tape, the aliens unleash both monsters on Japan, kicking off one of the longest destruction sequences in the entire Showa series.

Godzilla and Anguirus soon arrive to defend Japan, but the aliens turn the Godzilla Tower into a deadly weapon, blasting the real Godzilla. The battle looks hopeless until Gengo and the military load explosives into the tower’s elevator, blowing up the alien control room. With the signal cut, Gigan and Ghidorah lose coordination, and Godzilla and Anguirus manage to rally, eventually forcing both space monsters to retreat back into the stars.

My Thoughts:

Godzilla vs. Gigan delivers some of the most visually striking moments of the Showa era. Gigan’s extended city assault sequence is pure kaiju chaos—filled with fire, destruction, and excellent miniature work. The last 35 minutes are a non-stop monster brawl, making this one of the most action-packed entries in the entire series.

The tag-team match of Godzilla and Anguirus vs. Gigan and King Ghidorah remains a highlight of 1970s kaiju cinema. Anguirus, one of Godzilla’s best allies alongside Rodan, really shines here. One odd detail is the infamous scene where Godzilla and Anguirus “talk” to each other a quirky experiment that was never repeated (for good reason).