Toho Monster Movies Absorbed into The Godzilla Series

[Toku Prime]

A couple of questions for big fans of the Big-G. Toho's biggest franchise of daikaiju films is obviously the Godzilla series, but they've made a lot of other monster movies over the years. Some of these would later have elements of them (usually monsters) used again in the Godzilla series, despite them not originally being a part of the King of Monsters' canon. So for example, the flying submarine Gotengo and the monster Manda both first appeared in the film 'Atragon', but later showed up in 'Godzilla: Final Wars'.

At the moment I'm trying to work my way through the Showa and Heisei eras of Godzilla in order of release (I'd already seen the Millenium Series films). But just because I'm a crazy glutton for punishment, I thought I would also watch all these other Toho films that would later get somewhat incorporated into the Godzilla franchise. The list below is, as far as I can tell from looking on wikipedia, all the Toho films that would get somehow referenced, have bits re-used, or were shown in stock footage somewhere in a Godzilla film.

Rodan
The Mysterians
Varan The Unbelievable
Mothra
Atragon
Frankenstein vs Baragon / Frankenstein Conquers the World (whichever name you prefer)
War of the Gargantuas
King Kong Escapes
Space Amoeba

If there are any Godzilla fans out there who know if I'm missing anything from this list, can you let me know?

On a related note, is Mothra the only monster to get spun-off back into their own series of films? Or did another get their own film again?

Any help would be most welcome. Thanks in advance guys!

 

[Bad Wolf]

Zone Fighter is part of the Showa timeline, but finding the series might prove a little difficult.

 

[Nyarley]

If there are any Godzilla fans out there who know if I'm missing anything from this list, can you let me know?

Don't forget about the original Mothra (1961).

You may also watch the Heisei Mothra trilogy. It's not connected to any of the Godzilla movies, though it has King Ghidorah in the third film. And, yes, as far as I know Mothra is the only Toho monster who got a spin-off.

 

[shingamyeonblack]

Mothra is on the list.

 

[Nyarley]

You're right. My mistake.

 

[Toku Prime]

Zone Fighter is part of the Showa timeline, but finding the series might prove a little difficult.

Yeah I did have a quick look for Zone Fighter a while back, but all I could find were some raws listed on torrent sites and I can't speak Japanese. Not so much as an HK sub out there :disappoin Still, I've got too many toku TV series on the go at the same time as it is, and I haven't seen any indication that Zone Fighter is referenced in any of the movies. I'll just have to hope that one day when the fansubbers have finished all the Sentai they'll keep going with the really obscure stuff like ZF.

You may also watch the Heisei Mothra trilogy. It's not connected to any of the Godzilla movies, though it has King Ghidorah in the third film. And, yes, as far as I know Mothra is the only Toho monster who got a spin-off.

Thanks. I thought she was, but wasn't sure. I do intend on watching the Mothra trilogy, but I'm watching the films in chronological order and I'm only up to 'Invasion of Astro-Monster' (1965) so far. The Mothra films were released after all the Heisei Series Godzilla films, so they'll make a nice chaser to finish off my Toho run.

 

[MetalSymphony]

Add to that that Toho considers Calamity Star Gorath and Dogora to be canon with the Kiryu movies. (along with Varan, The Mysterians, Frankenstein Conquers The World and King Kong Escapes)

 

[shingamyeonblack]

Dogora? Why?

 

[NoaWarrior]

Yeah I did have a quick look for Zone Fighter a while back, but all I could find were some raws listed on torrent sites and I can't speak Japanese. Not so much as an HK sub out there :disappoin Still, I've got too many toku TV series on the go at the same time as it is, and I haven't seen any indication that Zone Fighter is referenced in any of the movies. I'll just have to hope that one day when the fansubbers have finished all the Sentai they'll keep going with the really obscure stuff like ZF.

Thanks. I thought she was, but wasn't sure. I do intend on watching the Mothra trilogy, but I'm watching the films in chronological order and I'm only up to 'Invasion of Astro-Monster' (1965) so far. The Mothra films were released after all the Heisei Series Godzilla films, so they'll make a nice chaser to finish off my Toho run.

I wouldn't recommend to you to watch the Heisei Mothra trilogy, it sucks pretty hard :S , the stories are just WAY too childish, to the point were they become unbereable...
The fights and designs of the Mothras and enemies are pretty cool though... Also, Mothra's theme is very awesome!

 

[The Analyzer]

Here is a list of Toho films where monsters and/or aliens play a significance. You could tell how obsessive I am (Yes, this is from the TVTropes page of Godzilla. I was the one who added most of them, so yeah).
Rodan (1956)
The Mysterians (1957)
Varan The Unbelievable (1958)
The Three Treasures (1959)
Battle In Outer Space (1959)
Mothra (1961)
Gorath (1962)
Atragon (1963)
Dogora (1964)
Frankenstein Conquers The World (1965)
War Of The Gargantuas (1966)
King Kong Escapes (1967)
Latitude Zero (1969)
Space Amoeba (1970)
The War In Space (1977)
Yamato Takeru (1994)
Rebirth of Mothra (1996)
Rebirth of Mothra 2 (1997)
Rebirth of Mothra 3 (1998)

Rebirth of Mothra Trilogy isn't perfect, but it presented many new ideas about Mothra and the fairy civilization that made my imagination go into overdrive, especially with the backstory of Belvera. I wish there were some Mothra films that explored her backstory more. If any monster could support hir own series, it's the colorful magic moth with pretty fairies.