Godzilla Raids Again is the first in a loooooong line of Gojira follow-ups and is a surprisingly satisfactory entry. It is not only a plot sequel but a thematic sequel as well. Whereas the first Godzilla was about the consequences of scientific, military, and ecological recklessness, Godzilla Raids Again is about facing a destructive force that cannot be overpowered. It also treats us to the series' second giant monster, Anguirus. It is an entertaining and important piece of the Godzilla mythos.

When Shoichi Tsukioka, an aerial surveillance pilot for a fishing company, lands on a small, mountainous island to rescue his friend Kôji Kobayashi, whose plane has crashed, the two see Godzilla, the monster we all thought was dead. It's not just Godzilla, though. There's another monster with him, and the two don't seem to be getting along. So, Godzilla's back (actually, the idea is it's a second Godzilla -- the first was legitimately killed), and he's angry as ever.

The reemergence of Godzilla and the arrival of Anguirus are devastating to the Japanese, especially because the "oxygen destroyer," the only weapon that can defeat Godzilla, was used up the first time around, and the scientist who invented it is no longer living. The characters are faced with a situation in which they cannot win. In such situations, the only option is to use ingenuity to try to avoid the conflict altogether. An expert on the matter, Kyohei Yamane-hakase, explains that Godzilla seems to hate lights, probably because of the intense light from the hydrogen bomb tests which brought him into the world. Therefore, in order to draw Godzilla away from the shore when he approaches, planes fly far behind him dropping flares. This works pretty well until another act of human stupidity undoes everything the tactic accomplished. Look out, Japan. Here we go again.

The idea that Godzilla demonstrates animosity toward something associated with his coming into existence is interesting, and it gets to the basis of why he sets out to destroy us in the first place, even if the concept is not explored explicitly. Is he mad at us for bringing him to life? Is his desire to conquer us an Oedipal one? His battle against Anguirus actually seems to lead an analysis somewhere in the direction of the latter of these possibilities. It is an awesome fight, lasting eight minutes of the film, during which much of the characters' city is demolished and both monsters take a beating. The action is not fluid as it would be in a monster movie today, but it is equally satisfying to watch two monsters clumsily thrash about at each other, delivering a few good blows and bites in the process. At the end of the fight, Godzilla unsurprisingly comes out on top, and after sealing his victory, rather than resume destroying the rest of the city, he returns to the water. One character explains that the fight calmed Godzilla. By defeating Anguirus in battle, Godzilla proves his power, so destroying the city is no longer necessary. Anguirus, it is explained, is likewise attacking Godzilla essentially because he just feels like it. It seems both monsters are trying to prove their dominance. Nothing more, nothing less. This is one of the bases of human psychology. How interesting that these monsters exhibit it as well.

This natural desire to wield and exercise supreme power becomes ironic. It is demonstrated that to do so is to welcome your own death. Just as humans have acquired such power in the H-bomb, in doing so they brought about the monster that would kill them. Just as Anguirus attempts to demonstrate his own power, in order to do so he must face the other most powerful force there is: (you guessed it) Godzilla. Godzilla is the only player exempt from death in this cycle because, simply put, there is nothing more powerful. There was a higher force in the first movie: the oxygen destroyer. Therefore, in that film, Godzilla faces the fate of most others, and the human race remains on top. Here, though, the oxygen destroyer is gone, so Godzilla is king, not only of monsters but of Earth. The only way out of this cycle is to stop trying to dominate. I hardly believe that monsters, as they are portrayed in these first two Godzilla installments, are capable of the volition to not attack when the desire arises. That leaves the responsibility to us, the reasoning, free-will-equipped humans. If we stop such endeavors, we will not have to face their monstrous by-products.

On a lighter note, another element this movie has that everyone loves in Godzilla films, aside from monsters and destruction, is a frequently silly script. At one point Hidemi, a radio operator at the fishing company and girlfriend of Tsukioka, talks to Tsukioka over the radio about going on a date later. Her coworker overhears and says to her, "Hidemi, that's not fair, even if you are the boss's daughter." Hidemi responds, "Sorry. I will buy you sweets later." Just goofy. Later, one angry character refers to the monster as "that terrifying, radiation-containing, atrocious Godzilla." It sounds like lyrics to a 1950s pop song. Awkward dialogue is a staple of the Godzilla franchise, and it is as present here as one would expect. Though the script is not as blatantly humorous as many of the series' later films would have it, it is certainly headed in that direction.

The biggest flaw in this movie is its ending. Godzilla is located on an island, and the Japanese air force comes in to attack. Their weapons do not harm him, however, so they come up with a plan: fire missiles and drop bombs on the snowy mountains around him so as to create an avalanche that will bury him. Not only is this a dumb idea (though perhaps a necessary one in keeping with the theme of an inexorable antagonist), but, more importantly, it is monotonous. For an extended length of time, you are stuck watching missiles hit mountains and snow avalanching. It is every bit as boring as it sounds. Godzilla deserves a better finale than this. At least we know that he'll come back again (did they really think burying him in ice would do the trick?).

If you've never seen the original Godzilla, watch that one first. If you liked it, you'll probably enjoy this one almost as much. If you didn't like the original, the only thing this one offers that the first did not is a battle between two monsters. It contains everything one wants in a Godzilla movie, from the rough giant monster effects to the equally rough script. Another awesome installment for that terrifying, radiation-containing, atrocious Godzilla.