Honda's Message in Gojira

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Ishiro Honda’s Message to the World The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki obviously had an overwhelming effect on the people of Japan. Not only did the bombs cause extreme physical damage on both the cities and their civilians, but it also had psychological effects on the survivors. In the years after the war, an arms race developed between the United States and Soviet Union, leading to the testing of each respective countries hydrogen bombs (Noriega 65). In early 1954 an event famously known as “The Second Atomic Bombing of Mankind” occurred (Roberto). This event was a result of a Japanese fishing ship sailing into the range of an American hydrogen bombing test site (Roberto). This hydrogen bomb was nearly one thousand times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, resulting in casualties and economic struggles in the Japanese fishing industry, due to fear of radiation poisoning (Roberto). Japan, caught in the crosshairs of the two superpowers was skeptical that a nuclear devastation was right around the corner. The psychological impacts of this skepticism had profound enough effects on Japanese society that it is clearly reflected in cinema in the following years. “Gojira”, directed by Ishiro Honda, was created in the realm of this era, sending a message to the world regarding the buildup of nuclear arms. Many different debatable interpretations of this film exists, each implying a unique moral that Honda intended to incorporate into his film. However, each scenario supports the fact that it was envisioned as an anti war film by it’s creators. One common interpretation for the film is that Godzilla himself represents the United States atomic bombs. According to Roberto, there are two distinct pieces of evidence that lead the audience to see this light. The first being when Dr. Yamane presents evidence to the Japanese Diet
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