The Best Godzilla Animated Series And Movies

Summary

• Animated projects allow for more creative freedom with Godzilla’s character.
• Various animated series and films have featured Godzilla in different styles over the years.
• The anime film Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters is considered the best anime take on the character.

Though Godzilla is an icon in many different formats, there is something about animated and anime projects featuring the beloved Kaiju that allows for the freedom required to achieve certain things with characters like this, which live-action projects struggle to achieve.

The animated versions of Godzilla have seen a huge variety in style over the years. From Chibi animation to anime and Western attempts to bring Godzilla to the family-friendly animation side of entertainment, there have been more varied animated series and films than many fans might realize that feature the King of Monsters.

8

Godzilland

The Surreal Japanese Kids Show

• IMDb Score: 6.5
• Released: 1992-1993
• Created By: Toho Animation

Actually referring to multiple television series produced over two years, Godzilland was the banner used for several shows that blended live-action segments with Chibi animation, musical numbers, and even an aerobic workout. Attempting to be many things at once, this series doesn’t necessarily hold up now, being very much a product of its time.

Godzilland was originally intended to promote the release of Godzilla vs Mothra, but it was used for so much more. Allowing kids to have fun, and learn the alphabet, numbers, and other basic concepts, Godzilland brought the King of Monsters into a totally different setting which was very family-friendly and raised a generation of kids on the iconic Kaiju.

7

Chibi Godzilla Raids Again

The Latest Crazy Toho Idea

• IMDb Score: 7.4
• Released: 2023-Present
• Created By: Pie In The Sky

Although Godzilla has been seen in many forms over the years, Chibi Godzilla may remain the strangest of all ideas. Featuring the son of a much larger Godzilla and exploring Monster Island with Chibi versions of other creatures like Mechagodzilla and Ghidorah, this show is gentle, fun, and unusual in every way.

There are many different ways in which an adorably animated show about mighty monsters can be amusing, and that is the primary goal here. Embarrassed Mothra, cocky Rodan, and multiple personality Ghidorah help make the show very amusing and something entirely different for the series.

6

Godzilla: The Planet Eater

The Finale Of The Anime Adventure

• IMDb Score: 5.1
• Released: 2018
• Created By: Toho Animation

The only time that Godzilla films have ventured into the animated territory is quite recently when Toho decided to create a trilogy of anime movies based on a futuristic version of the character that was responsible for humankind having to leave the Earth. In this third and final film, the remnants of the returning humans have to band together to fight against Ghidorah, a God-like being from another dimension that will destroy Godzilla and then the Earth.

This turn in the story was unusual and added many twists that were unexpected given what had come in the first two films. Fans of the Godzilla film franchise weren’t left entirely satiated by the bizarre story of The Planet Eater, with many feeling that the finale could have been stronger.

5

Godzilla: City On The Edge Of Battle

The Bizarre MechaGodzilla Anime Film

• IMDb Score: 5.8
• Released: 2018
• Created By: Toho Animation

In this second entry in the aforementioned series, the humans that survived their first battle with Godzilla Earth uncover a city created from the remains of Mechagodzilla and attempt to make use of it. Although it didn’t feature the sort of traditional big monster fight that fans have come to expect from the Godzilla series, City on the Edge of Battle did include a lot about nanotechnology and how this could be used for Mechagodzilla in the future.

This entry saw more in-fighting between humans and their alien allies than it did any fights against Godzilla, which certainly lessened fans’ excitement for the middle entry in this trilogy. The fact that Mechagodzilla was introduced but never seen in a bodily form so it could have a proper battle with Godzilla was quite a shock, and though this different direction had interesting story implications, it didn’t make for the most action-packed Godzilla film.

4

Godzilla: Singular Point

A True Anime Take On Godzilla’s Mythos

• IMDb Score: 6.5
• Released: 2021
• Created By: Bones & Orange

There was, surprisingly, never a regular anime show about Godzilla in over sixty-five years of the monstrous creature’s existence before Godzilla: Singular Point. With some humans piloting a Jet Jaguar robot that attempts to fight appearing Kaiju creatures, including Rodan and Anguirus, a larger mystery is revealed which involves an apocalyptically strong creature.

Godzilla himself, and the entire mythos, being brought into an accessible anime format allowed for great storytelling. Bafflingly, Godzilla: Singular Point hasn’t had a second season yet, but nothing can be ruled out in the world of anime and this show very much deserves an opportunity to expand upon this animated take on the franchise.

3

Godzilla (1978)

The Hanna-Barbara Take On Kaiju History

• IMDb Score: 6.1
• Released: 1978-1981
• Created By: Hanna-Barbara Productions

There haven’t been many Western attempts to create animated series based on Godzilla, but each is memorable in its own way. This series from the late 70s was created by Hanna-Barbara, the same team behind Scooby-Doo, Top Cat, Tom & Jerry and more. It featured a team of humans working with Godzilla to take on Kaiju-level threats, alongside the comical nephew of Godzilla known as Godzooky, which is different from Minilla.

Though ridiculous and highly cartoony, this Godzilla series is well-remembered and is responsible for much of the early knowledge the West had about the Kaiju and his world. Raising a generation of Western children with the knowledge of who this Japanese icon is has done long-term wonders for the franchise, even if it is more ridiculous than the Hollow Earth.

2

Godzilla: Planet Of The Monsters

The Best Anime Take On The Character

The first of the three anime films released on Netflix was definitely the one that fans of the franchise were the most on board with. The anime style, the return of humans to Earth after 20,000 years just to find the monster that chased them off still resides there. The film has a lot going on as humanity battles for its survival with allies against the might of Godzilla.

This take on the majestic terror of Godzilla was excellently done, making use of the ability anime has to create great action sequences without the difficulties involved in doing the same sort of thing in live-action. Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters is more of a successful take on an anime Godzilla than any of what has been attempted before or since, as Toho headed back to live-action with Godzilla Minus One.

1

Godzilla: The Series

The Best Version Of Animated Godzilla To Date

• IMDb Score: 6.8
• Released: 1998-2001
• Created By: Fox Kids

Though the 1998 American Godzilla film hasn’t been well-accepted by many fans of the franchise, the sequel animated series is actually a great take on Godzilla’s mythos, and it was much more successful at uniting fans of different parts of the franchise than anyone could have expected.

Godzilla: The Series follows a HEAT group who use a surviving egg that imprints on one of their doctors to create their own weaponized Godzilla. This creature helps deal with other mutated creatures that have begun to appear all over the globe following the events of the film. Though it might not be a definitive animated take on the more recognized Godzilla hypothesis, this is a fun take on the franchise that deserves to be remembered as a great animated adaptation of the King of the Monsters.