Godzilla: Singular Point
Originally reviewed on 10/22/22.
G:SP is currently a 13-episode Godzilla anime on Netflix. It's fine.
There was no character development. Aside from Jet Jaguar, who became a baby and also a Deus ex Machina. And I'm not saying that in the over-used cinemasins way. It was weird, I found the characters to be interesting but they didn't have anything deeper going for them. They had no backstory, they had no character arcs, and they just existed in a static state the entire show.
No character arcs. Repeating that. No character arcs. No one grows or learns anything. Only the AI characters grow and honestly it isn't even in notable ways it's just like, they downloaded a program and updated and that was their growth. Epic win for sidekicks with high-pitched voices everywhere, I suppose.
So Godzilla had no fucking screen time. And he did nothing. His entire screen time was just copying Shin Godzilla. I think some references and homages are fine, and mimicking shots can add to the moment. Like the Akira slide in Nope making the scene even more exciting. But G:SP is like... A mutating Godzilla who keeps on copying Shin shots. Like, we get it, give us some original content! If I wanted to see Shin Godzilla then I'd watch Shin Godzilla!
Here's a little compilation I made. Keep in mind, like I said, references and same-y shots can be fun, Shin doesn't have a copyright at oceanic tail waggles or billowing breath attacks directly into the ground or walking through fire, but keep in mind, this is a LOT of of the Ultima-form's screen time. Like, go ahead and copy some stuff, but throw in something original too so I'm actually getting something new rather than just a re-animation. Like, Shin has a lot of visual references to the director's other work, Evangelion, but those shots were still sandwiched between much more original work and they weren't distracting enough to really pop out at you. I don't know, maybe I'm a hypocrite? IDK.
Also, funny thing, flipping between tabs to watch the atomic breath scene from shin and the atomic breath scene from SP, it's interesting how shin's music choice is VERY somber and mournful. But SP's has the upbeat triumphant Godzilla theme playing. The tonal whiplash I'm getting is obscene.
Keeping the comparison going, it's also interesting how Ultima is meant to be a cosmic world-ending horror, but... My mind sees Shin as stronger? I think it's the atomic breath. Ultima's breath struggles to pierce through a single building, while Shin cuts an entire city in half with one turn of his head... Normally I wouldn't compare, but since they're so obviously making references and all, I will! And I'll even be a jerk and compare it to Godzilla Earth too. Earth kinda did end the world, and that felt believable after seeing him in action just during the introductory exposition dump. Motherfucker hunted humans down and shot down escaping space ships on purpose, THAT is how you make me see your monster as a threat right there. That and his terraforming of Earth. Ultima did a little bit of that too, but idk... I think I'm just an absolute hater honestly LMFAO. Not saying I like the anime movies better, I only ever watched the first one after all.
I liked the kaiju designs, generally. I think Godzilla Ultima was a little wonky, I felt like they were trying to be uncanny like Shin, but still tried to be cool anyways. And I think he looks a little dumb. I'm sorry but that ultra-wide jaw with those beady little eyes, oh...
I LOVED quetzalcoatlus Rodan and anklyosaur Anguirus. I'm not sure if it was intentional, but it's a great callback to their origins considering they are described as being a pteranodon and an anklyosaur in their debut films.
Not-Gabera was pretty cute too, even if it felt like he didn't do much as the one original kaiju. Poor bastard just got impaled on spikes CONSTANTLY. And the Kumonga were alright, spider monsters are so overdone it's hard to find one that interesting.
So yeah. Generally I wish the characters were characters, rather than simply devices that explain the plot to you in a manner that is way more complex than it needs to be. I didn't really get what was happening, and I'm sure if this was tumblr I'd get a comment saying that I'm just an illiterate idiot, but oh well. I know the general plot was simple enough, but it's delivery was rough to process. And then I wish Godzilla did more also. That's about it I think.
★★★☆☆