The Lucky Thirteen. A Guide to 1950s Godzilla Manga

By Sean Linkenback

The history of early Godzilla manga is one of the most fascinating and least documented corners of kaiju culture. Long before manga became a global industry, publishers in postwar Japan were using comics, picture stories, and serialized children’s magazines to expand the reach of a new generation of manga and anime artists. Between 1954 and the late 1950s, Godzilla appeared in several of these now-rare manga publications, including serializations in Omoshiro Book, Shōnen Club, and Bokura, as well as standalone editions issued by smaller publishers such as Reimeisha and Akashiya Shobō. These publications not only helped popularize Godzilla among Japanese children, but also established many of the visual and narrative traditions that later kaiju manga would follow.

 

In this article we will look at and give a timeline to the 13 official Godzilla manga that were released in the 1950s.

 

 The very first Godzilla manga adaptation actually appeared before the release of the original 1954 film, Godzilla. At the time, manga   publishing in Japan revolved heavily around children’s magazines, many of which mixed comics with serialized stories, educational   material, and illustrated adventures. Among the most important of these magazines was Omoshiro Book (おもしろブック), a   Shueisha publication aimed at young readers. Originally launched in 1949, Omoshiro Book became one of the central children’s   entertainment magazines of the 1950s. It was here that the earliest and most historically significant Godzilla manga story was   released; serialized in Omoshiro Book, cover dated October and November of 1954. Written by Godzilla author, Shigeru Kayama,   and illustrated by Godzilla designer Wasuke Abe, the first 16 pages of the story were inserted into the October 1954 issue   of Omoshiro (actually released the first week of September¹) and then continued in a supplement inserted into the November issue   of Omoshiro titled: Science Adventure Picture Story Godzilla (科学冒険絵ものがたりゴジラ). The splash page in the October issue   proudly states that Godzilla is now filming and would soon be a made into a movie by Toho.

 

 Left: Omoshiro Book, October 1954. The First Appearance of Godzilla

 It is important to note that the appearance of Godzilla in the October Omoshiro represents the first visualization of the monster to   the public! Before this magazine was released, Toho had started to publicize the movie with a weekly radio play, but the movie itself   was still filming. The novel would not be released until the end of October, and even the trailer for the film wasn't released to   theaters  until the middle of October, so this was the very first time anyone (outside of Toho employees) had a chance to see what   the monster would look like. The November supplement (Science Adventure Picture Story Godzilla) is notable as being the first   cover appearance by Godzilla on any type of magazine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To Be Continued

« Back to Articles

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to comment!