Godzilla Animated!

Recently got hold of Godzilla -- The Series at my new favorite store Half-Price Books for a very nice price. This collection of 1998 cartoons spins out of the critically panned 1990's U.S. Godzilla movie. Now I'm on the record as liking this movie okay. It's not aged especially well in places, but I found the movie logic of the monster pretty compelling and the nature of the slow reveal was pretty impressive. Riding the wave of dinosaur success prompted by the Jurassic Park movies, this movie paid homage to that flick with the little Godzillas in the Madison Square Garden showdown. But it's the big G who makes this flick work. Pounding around NYC, Godzilla is pretty impressive with special effects that convince.

Now the cartoon picks up the tale right after the end of the movie and with surprising subtlety creates a varied and interesting cast who find themselves aligned with one of the little 'Zillas which has survived the final attack in NYC. The pacing of this cartoon is excellent, with rarely a slow moment. Sometimes the requisite twenty-two minutes of a cartoon can be pretty burdensome with lots of nothing preceding a few minutes of dandy action. But this cartoon has good scripting which makes the people interesting and realistic enough to pay attention to while the monsters reveal themselves.

The cartoon is in the final analysis entertaining. Whatever you think of the original flick, I'd have to recommend you give this one the nod if you can find it cheaply enough.

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