Episode 20: Bex vs. ‘Rebirth of Mothra III’

2020-07-08

Hello, kaiju lovers! Twelve-centimeter girls, tiny robot dragons, and redemption—and we’re not talking about the movie! After some shenanigans with Jimmy From NASA’s teleporter, Nathan and resident “Mothrian” Bex (Redeemed Otaku podcast) finish the “Summer of Mothra” with the surprisingly good Rebirth of Mothra III. Although, maybe they’re just riding high on Bex’s hyperbolic enthusiasm over this movie. But it isn’t hard to improve on the empty, fluffy whimsy of the second one. There’s a lot of meat (bubble) to...

Hello, kaiju lovers!

Twelve-centimeter girls, tiny robot dragons, and redemption—and we’re not talking about the movie!

After some shenanigans with Jimmy From NASA’s teleporter, Nathan and resident “Mothrian” Bex (Redeemed Otaku podcast) finish the “Summer of Mothra” with the surprisingly good Rebirth of Mothra III. Although, maybe they’re just riding high on Bex’s hyperbolic enthusiasm over this movie. But it isn’t hard to improve on the empty, fluffy whimsy of the second one. There’s a lot of meat (bubble) to chew on thematically. Not to mention it also features one of the best-looking King Ghidorahs ever, time travel, and dinosaur puppets. However, Bex gets so carried away with her newfound faith in Mothra, she gets a visit from Monster Island’s chaplain, Rev. Mifune! Uh-oh….

For the first time, we’re covering not one but two Toku Topics: the hikikimori and Aokigahara (Aoki Forest). The child hero, Shota, is likely a member of the former, and much of the movie is set in that infamous forest.

It’s an episode that spans the emotional gamut, that’s for sure!

BE SURE TO LISTEN UNTIL AFTER THE CREDITS!

Here are the Redeemed Otaku episodes Nathan (and his friend Eric Anderson) appeared on to discuss the Godzilla Anime Trilogy:

Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters
Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle
Godzilla: The Planet Eater

We’d like to give a shout-out to our Patreon patrons Travis Alexander (host of Kaiju Weekly), Danny DiManna (Godzilla Novelization Project), elizilla13, and Joejira! Thanks for your support! (And also to Michael “The Kaiju Groupie” Hamilton, who joined just before this episode was posted).

Read Jimmy’s Notes on this episode.

Timestamps:
Prologue: 0:00-2:20
Intro: 2:20-6:25
Entertaining Info Dump: 6:25-12:57
Toku Talk: 12:57-1:24:26
Promo: 1:24:26-1:25:16
Toku Topic: 1:25:16-2:10:53
Outro: 2:10:53-2:19:46
Epilogue: 2:19:46-end

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Bibliography/Further Reading:

“Aokigahara” (Wikipedia)
“Aokigahara Forest” (http://www.aokigaharaforest.com/)
The Big Book of Japanese Giant Monster Movies Volume 1: 1954-1982 by John LeMay
“Hikikimori” (search on The Japan Times)
“Inside Japan’s ‘suicide forest’” by Michael Nedelman
Japan’s Green Monsters: Environmental Commentary in Kaiju Cinema by Sean Rhodes and Brooke McCorkle
“Lifetime Prevalence, Psychiatric Comorbidity and Demographic Correlates of ‘Hikikomori’ in a Community Population in Japan” by Asuka Koyama, Yuko Miyake, Norito Kawakami, Masao Tsuchiya, Hisateru Tachimori, Tadashi Takeshima, World Mental Health Japan Survey Group
“Reclusive Shut-Ins: Are Hikikimori Predominantly a Japanese Problem?” Alexander Krieg (Iafor)
“Retired Japanese government official ‘admits stabbing son to death’” by Mari Yamaguchi (Independent)
“The Truth about Japan’s Hikikomori (shut-ins)” by Nobita from Japan (YouTube)
“What is Aokigahara? All About The Most Haunted Forest in Japan” by Yuki Ling (www.tsunagujapan.com)
“Worrying plight of the young and unemployed” by Robert J. Samuelson (The Japan Times)
Writing Giant Monsters by John LeMay