What Godzilla means to me and returning to G-Fest XXVII :)
For any fan of any medium, one of the challenges you run into is finding people who do not share your love/enthusiasm for that medium. Whether it be Star Wars, Marvel, DC, Video Games, Cars, Anime, Guns, or a genre of music, it can be a challenge when socializing with others if you live and/or work in an area where you can't share in the joy of what you love with others. Growing up, Godzilla was always my biggest inspiration.
When you're a child and a Godzilla fan you love the franchise for what it is on the surface; a giant monster that does battle with others and destroys cities and is virtually unstoppable by all of man's armies. His design alone beckoned a child's imagination and wonder; the therapod body with the stegosaur like back plates, his immense size, and it's impossible to ignore that awesome blue glow of his plates before unleashing his devastating atomic breath that destroyed everything it touched. When I was in school, everyone had a favorite hero. For everyone else in the class it was Spider-man, Superman, and Batman. I was the only one who would say Godzilla when asked who mine was. It was a lonely and rough thing to experience at times as I only ever met a small handful of kids throughout all of my years in school who had anywhere close to the same amount of appreciation for the franchise.
When you go from a child to a teenager to adulthood, you hang on to some of those childhood loves and with others you mostly just keep them in your memories that you call back on random occasions to bring you a sense of fun nostalgia. With Godzilla, my love never died out. In fact, it grew and even matured. From middle school into high school, I began to learn more about the backstory of the franchise. Why Godzilla came to be, and the metaphors incorporated into the franchise. Once I came to fully understand everything Godzilla and his kaiju kin were beneath their awesome surface, I developed a true respect and deep admiration for the franchise. He's not just a hero, he's a symbol, the dark shadow of nuclear weapons and nuclear power that still haunts us to this day, he's the enforcer and power of nature, he's nature's reminder to mankind of just how small we truly are, he is, as the late and great actor Akira Takarada once put it, "a Holy Beast." He embodies whatever the current conflict the world is going through and is either there as a savior to help us through the conflict or a destroyer who punishes us for our sins. Godzilla is truly King of the Monsters.
As I said before though, through life it was a struggle to find people who shared my love for the franchise. Even more so, it was hard finding people who were accepting of the love and respect I have for the character as most of the American populace wrote, and still write Godzilla off as a cheap science fiction monster. I still remember one kid when I was in 4th grade asking me why I liked Godzilla so much because he was "just a big dumb dinosaur." (The 98 film and most of the re-edited American versions of earlier films did not help my case either). For most of my young adult life, I kept that love of my biggest inspiration under wraps. Didn't do my love life any favors at times either.
Only a select few would know that secret of mine. At times I would find ways of letting it to the surface. My best way of doing so was in school and college papers that I wrote on the original films and others with strong metaphorical meanings behind them, like how he was a literal representation of nuclear weapons in the original 1954 film and how my favorite film, Godzilla vs Biollante, was a beautifully woven story about the dangers of biotechnology, biological/chemical warfare, and also explored the ideas of reincarnation amongst other philosophies. Those papers were not only A-Grade papers, but I remember all my teachers and professors being completely blown away by how I had explained something that carried a B-Movie stigma out into a light that was not only insightful but very deep and meaningful.
It wasn't until 2014 when my love and respect for the franchise started breaking into public knowledge when Gareth Edwards's Godzilla came out. Finally, a movie with a wide release in America that portrayed him in the light that I always saw him in. Not just in the sense of spectacle but in the seriousness behind why exists. I still get chills hearing that line Ken Watanabe's Dr Serisawa says "Nature has an order. A power to restore balance. I believe, HE is that power." And I'll never forget the audience and my girlfriend at the time's reaction to the moment we saw that flash of blue light on Aaron Taylor Johnsons face. You would have thought a bomb was about to go off in that theater with how pumped we got waiting for that atomic breath to light up the screen. Godzilla was out in the mainstream public in a new epic light and my hidden love for the franchise was breaking out into my social groups and social media for the first time in over a decade. And it was around that time I started considering the idea of going to G-Fest.
I learned of G-Fest in the past during my numerous internet searches of Godzilla related stuff, but it wasn't until 2014 that I began considering the idea of actually saving up the money and making the long journey from Maryland to Chicago to see what it was all about. It certainly looked awesome but in the past, it was hard to tell what such a convention would be like. Would it be a grand spectacle? Something to rival the likes of San Diego Comic Con and E3 or small like a comic book store holding a community event? Would it be fun and full of nothing but people like me or just a bunch of kids being taken out there by their parents who rolled their eyes at the few adults venturing out there? Well with the 2014 film generating so much buzz and courage in myself to begin letting my Godzilla banner fly, I decided the following year that I would make the long journey out to Chicago for G-Fest 22 with a good friend of mine.
For as long as I live, I will never forget walking through the lobby doors of the Crowne Plaza of Chicago O'Hare and being greeted by the giant art pieces of the 2000 Godzilla, Ultraman, and Rodan. I was instantly blown away by the sheer number of people there too; somewhere in the neighborhood of 1000! And it wasn't just parents with kids; it was people from all walks of life. People you would never suspect were such die-hard fans as I was if you saw them on the street, like the organizer of the event JD Lees and his family. I was also awestruck by the likes of famous artist Bob Eggleton and legendary comic book artist Matt Frank. It's also where I first became aware of my friend and fellow artist Danielle Ryan (who I still regard as a huge inspiration and look to for advice when doing my pieces). Then there was the dealer's room. Jam packed full of people and was wall to wall with goods and collectibles from not just Godzilla and other Tokusatsu franchises, but even had some anime and horror related items as well.
I stopped and looked at my friend Steff and said to her almost in tears, "I'm home!"
It was in that first experience of being in the dealer's room that I was blown away that a renowned composer named John DeSentis was there. It was incredible to think an American Composer for a genuine Orchestra was a huge Godzilla fan and did concerts for the scores from across the franchise. Seeing his show that night, it was also mesmerizing to watch because it was literally like I was watching and hearing Akira Ifukube and his orchestra performing; it was so perfectly executed. Of course, I can't go any further without mentioning first meeting with the woman who I call the Queen of Kaiju Fandom, my friend Christine Chapin. Who I honestly did not expect was there because she was a super-fan. Wasn't until she asked what I got from the dealer's room and how she just purchased her first Marmit figure that my jaw hit the floor. Not only a Superfan who I felt was up to my level in terms of how much love she has for the franchise but also one of the kindest souls you'll ever meet. I'll forever be indebted to her as well for going out of her way to get my poster for Godzilla vs Biollante signed by suit actor Kenpachiro Satsuma and Megumi Odaka (Actress who played my all-time favorite human character, Miki Saegusa).
With as awestruck as I was by the fans and talent that were there, nothing could brace me for meeting actor Noboru Kaneko and director Masaaki Tezuka, the director and star of Godzilla Tokyo SOS. It was almost numbing to know that I was actually meeting the star of Tokyo SOS, and even more so the Director of my favorite film of the Millenium Era (which is actually Godzilla X MechaGodzilla, but I still love Tokyo SOS too!). I was geeking out so bad that in my photo I got with Kaneko-san, you can see me clenching my fist to contain my excitement.
They weren't the only ones there either, though. There was also Robert Scott Field, an American actor who played the badass android, M11 in Godzilla Vs King Ghidorah. As I know it, he's a frequent guest there but it did not diminish the fact that it was f*cking M11! I was used to seeing this man on my DVD at home running at superhuman speed and gliding through the air with that funky whistling noise and being the operating system for MECHA-F*CKING KING GHIDORAH!!!! And yet there he was! Right in front of me being an interpreter for the Japanese Guests and chilling and chatting with the fans. Such a solid guy that when I was walking through the hall at one point, he saw me while coming out of another panel and said, "Hey, thanks for coming out, man!" and I replied, "Oh no, thank you Mr. Field." and instead of just going on his way, he offered a friendly handshake and I accepted. He didn't get five or six paces behind me when finally, my star struck nature reached a breaking point and possibly everyone in Chicago heard me shout "OH MY GOD I JUST SHOOK M11'S HAND!!!!" Of course, I could hear him cracking up behind me.
My first time at G-Fest cemented the fact that every year from then on, I would make the long 12-hour drive to Chicago for every single one. Only once was I unable to attend due to my obligations to the national guard, which I shout out to my friend Christine once more for going out of her way that year to get the aforementioned autographs. In the years since that first year, I made new friends there like my friend Kyle Oshiro and comic book historian Jessica Tseang.
My autographed photos and posters grew in number, with the most honorable one being Akira Takarada; an honorable and fan-loving human being that words cannot express alone. If I had to compare him to any other celebrity in existence it would be Mark Hamill with how open & friendly he is to the fanbase. I still have great and detailed memories of his fun and funny interactions with fans and all the stories he told in his panels. My personal favorite quote of his was his declaration that in the next film he'd appear in, he would have a moment where he would stand on the roof of a building, face to face with Godzilla, and say to him "Hey Godzilla! There's a lot of bad people in this world! Could you do me a favor and please go step on them!"
Like many other fans, however, the reality of the Covid Pandemic would hit us all hard when our trip to G-Fest was cancelled not one, but two years in a row. During which time, it was rough personally because there are friends of mine like Christine, Danielle, Kyle, and others that I only ever get to see when I go there. I am certain that the feeling of separation of fellow fans was a feeling we all shared. It was painful even more so considering there were beloved members of our community who sadly were lost in the years since the last one in 2019. The one loss that hit us all to our core more than others was Takarada-san, who we lost earlier this year, especially given this was the year that we would all finally reunite at G-Fest XXVII.
For the first time we returned. It was an experience about as fresh as my first G-Fest for the venue had changed from the usual spot at the Crowne Plaza to the Hyatt down the street. It was definitely for good reason too as the larger space would house the largest number of G-Fest attendees in history which skyrocketed to (and I really wish you could hear my Vegeta impression for this) OVER FOUR THOUSAND!!!!!!!! It was incredible to not only be back but to see that the community had exploded in number. The dealer's room was bigger, though ironically still very packed. The conference rooms were doubled in size and still had so many attendants that there were still people standing and sitting on the sidelines. Even the hotel itself was a sight to behold with the massive open center where you could see every floor from the front desk; its walkways and catwalks lined with ivy on their concrete railings
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The guests of honor this year were a real treat as well as it marked the first visit of former child actor Hiroyuki Kawase who starred in Godzilla vs Hedorah and Godzilla vs Megalon (the first film I ever saw and owned). I will say this, of all the guests I've met there, he ranks as one of the humblest and chill. He was often asked if as a boy, was he excited to have been in movies or would his friends envy him at school for his roles, to which his response was largely "No. To me, they were just jobs. I was more interested school and being a kid." It was surprising to learn that he in fact left acting all together and went on to become a pilot for Japan airlines and never had really done anything in terms of appearances at conventions like G-Fest. He was even so kind as to acknowledge a fan request to re-enact his first scene ever in the franchise, where he slid two Godzilla figures down a slide with the same figures on a slanted table. The second guest was another personal favorite, as she played Katsura Mafune from Terror of MechaGodzilla who was hands-down one of the most compelling and tragic characters in the franchise; Tomoko Ai. Another surreal experience meeting such a beloved celebrity of the franchise for sure but even moreso considering that the first time I watched original Japanese version I was shocked to the point of gasping to see that her character actually took her own life to save everyone from MechaGodzilla and Titanosaurus's onslaught; a sequence that was edited out completely from the American version that most of us grew up watching on TV. It was a genuine honor to say the least to have met these two incredible individuals.
There was a third guest who was supposed to attend as well, but unfortunately had to cancel at the last minute, American MMA fighter and actor who played Captain Douglas Gordon in Godzilla Final Wars, Don Frye. Though he was unable to attend, the fans still rallied support and admiration for the actor as we all signed a massive get well soon card to the point where the entire thing was completely covered with signatures and messages to the awesome man. It goes without saying that Takarada-san's passing was also weighing heavily on our minds as well. We were honored to have his children, Tetsuya and Maki join us this year, who had such an inviting and warming presence; just as much as their father's. The tributes done to him and fellow celebrities and fans whom we lost since the 2019 convention, was simply tear jerking. It was a somber reminder that it's not just the fans but the people making the films themselves that make up the community. I personally was also saddened by the fact that nearly all of my usual friends were not there this year as well. So saddened, that I think I almost annoyed them to the point of unfriending me with how many times I demanded they come back next year.
However, one of the best parts about G-Fest is the fact that you get to meet new friends and friends you only ever met online in the various forums. One such person is Nicholas Latimer, a truly golden hearted guy that I befriended on Facebook in the years since 2019 and had the pleasure of shaking hands with, in the autograph room. Two new friends were a fellow artist by the name of Anita and her boyfriend Zac. In a first for G-Fest, I decided on a whim to enter one of my pieces into the art contest and was shocked that out of the 100+ contestants, I managed to snag 3rd place for my respective category. Hilariously, while attending the award ceremony, I became acquainted with Anita and Zac when we sat down in the audience and discovered we both were 3rd place winners for our categories.
To say that this year was an experience like no other would be an understatement. G-Fest is not just a silly convention where I go to with others to geek out all weekend. It's more than just a simple fan-friendly event, it's a reunion every year of one massive community and I dare say it's a family. One that is growing literally by the hundreds with every year. One that taught me to not be afraid to let, what others might criticize you for loving, from loving it and just being yourself. There's a lot of genuine quality people that attend there every year and its one of the very few places where I feel like I can truly let my inner self shine.
As I look forward to next year, I'm already stirring with excitement at the prospects of what it could hold in store for myself and others. Who are the special guests going to be? What art piece will I enter in the art contest next year? What new events might they have? What films will we cheer at watching together at the Pitwick theater? Which friends of mine will I see again and what new friends will I make? Plus, I won't lie, if this blog series continues to grow in popularity, I'm curious at the prospect of G-FORCE CHRONICLES having a session there as well. Nevertheless, G-Fest XXVIII promises just one thing, yet another epic spectacular reunion! And with that said, to all those reading this that were there last year and plan on going next year, I say to you all, I look forward to seeing you again next year and as always LONG LIVE THE KING!
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