From 1954’s Gojira to Legendary’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and 2023’s triumphant Minus One, we’re ranking every Godzilla movie to grace the big screen, so get ready to take a kaiju-sized trip back through history’s longest-running film franchise.

Updated to include Godzilla x Kong: THE NEW EMPIRE (2024)!

We love Godzilla movies. This is obvious. But right off the bat, it’s worth noting that we’re never going to label this a “definitive” ranking (as many sites do). Any listing or raking will always be a matter of opinion – and this is ours. Simple as that!

In kind, Skreeonk’s Ranking of Every Godzilla Movie, Ever comes from a place of passion as much as it does individual merits. The films at the bottom of the heap, as well as those at the tip-top, are there for many reasons. And whether terrible or excellent, each entry in this 70-year franchise has something to offer regardless.

It’s the middle twenty-ish placings on this list that proved most difficult to place as a result. Many were swapped up or down multiple times. But the end goal is a ranking that will (hopefully) stand the test of time, and serve as a conversation piece for years to come. Enough time has passed since the release of Godzilla vs Kong & The New Empire to place both in the wider pantheon responsibly, too, and this ranking has been in the works since the former’s release in March of 2021.

It’s also wild to think we’re in the midst of a modern Golden Godzilla Era right now. Toho’s Godzilla Minus One has been unleahed upon the world, it’s getting a sequel in 2026, and Legendary’s Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire hit in 2024, with an acclaimed Apple+ TV series roaring into a second season alongside.

But those television shows and “congruent” Toho films (such as solo efforts Rodan (1956) and Mothra (1961), or Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965) are not included here. What we have, instead, are the 38 Godzilla movies to be theatrically released over the course of the longest-running and most extensive film franchise of all time; one that has sparked countless imaginations and influenced every corner of entertainment.

Out of these 38 films spanning 7 decades, there are truly only two Godzilla films that are painfully boring. But oh, are there some real missed opportunities, too. Let’s begin with those.

#38: GODZILLA: CITY ON THE EDGE OF BATTLE (2018)

As much flack as Netflix’s Godzilla Anime Trilogy gets, Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle making the bottom of our list will surprise few – and enrage some. Yet the first and third anime films are far higher on this list for the simple reason that, while sloggish in parts, they have a lot to offer. This drab second entry, however, does not.

The letdowns are many in this near-pointless mid chapter, but that inconsequential “Mechagodzilla City” twist will live on forever as the prime example of “no thank you” that is this garish, animated slog.

#37: Godzilla Raids Again (1955)

Right off the bat, it feels rough to place a Showa era film near the bottom of the heap. But Godzilla Raids Again belongs nowhere else on this list. Boring, rushed, and completely mangled both in its original and overseas states, Raids was made in a pinch after the success of Gojira – and it shows. Painfully so.

While it did manage to introduce one of Godzilla’s most popular allies (Anguirus, as his first enemy, ironically), there’s precious little to care about in this film’s overall plot aside from a few “tragic” character moments. And those sped-up, high-speed monster battles? Oof.

In short: if there was anyone to follow up the unrivaled brilliance of Ishirō Honda-san, Raids director Motoyoshi Oda sadly wasn’t it.

#36: Godzilla vs Spacegodzilla (1994)

In many ways, Godzilla vs Spacegodzilla is the lucid tumor of the Heisei era. This movies goes from bright and bold to sepia-toned drama one minute to the next, making for a completely uneven adventure that never gels. Indeed, Spacegodzilla is as bloated with “good on paper” ideas as it is incapable of handling them.

To make matters worse, this entry is plagued by special effects far below the standards set by earlier Heisei films. Nearly everything to do with actual space is unwatchable, which is wholly ironic given the title.

The final battle is still fun to behold, Little Godzilla is a worthy Heisei update to Minya, and the Spacegodzilla suit is undeniably cool. But by the time it’s all over, nothing else of consequence has happened and the whole thing just sort of… ends.

#35: Godzilla: Final Wars (2004)

Where to begin. In our original 2004 review of this 50th anniversary spectacular, we called Godzilla: Final Wars “an endlessly entertaining conglomerate of muddled mediocrity.” That feels rather generous in retrospect. Many entertainment outlets that set out to rank all Godzilla films end up putting Final Wars near the top – if not at the top – of their lists. And that is baffling.

This film was in no way what fans were expecting, and the box office receipts showed it wasn’t what fans in Japan (or abroad) wanted, either. Regardless, Final Wars is just far from a good film. Incredibly overstuffed, loud as all get out, and exceptionally juvenile for a film that so desperately wants to be edgy, Final Wars is horrifically disappointing as a 50 year tribute to the most famous film monster of all time. But if you can get past all that, it is fun to see several Showa era favorites return. This is the wonderful thing about Godzilla films – even at their worst, there’s still something to enjoy.

#34: Godzilla Millennium (1999)

There are a few saving graces for Millennium. The tokusatsu/miniature work on display here is largely phenomenal, as Toho put their money where their mouth was in an attempt to reclaim Godzilla after the mediocrity of Tristar’s 1998 effort. But there’s just one problem: that maligned 1998 U.S. entry is a better, more entertaining romp. It may be G.I.N.O (Godzilla In Name Only), but ’98 is at least a coherent, energetic experience. Millennium, sadly, is not.

Even Orga, a “brand new kaiju” Toho was sure would blow audiences away wound up a stiff, forgettable baddie. If there’s a common thread for the bottom of this list, it’s missed opportunities.

#33: Tristar’s Godzilla (1998)

If you’re old enough to remember 1998, then you remember the monumental marketing success that was America’s first crack at Godzilla (to fully pan out). From Taco Bell’s campaign taking over pop culture, to the success of keeping the (ultimately) lackluster design a surprise, to that incredible teaser featuring the new Godzilla’s decidedly-dinosaurian foot crushing the Natural History Museum’s T-Rex skeleton, Tristar’s Godzilla was everywhere. Then it hit theaters, and people were confused. Lifelong fans were pissed.

While the design turned out to be, well, G.I.N.O (Godzilla In Name Only), this American summer blockbuster delivered on those terms exactly. It was a summer blockbuster movie, albeit a pretty vanilla one. But it just wasn’t Godzilla. Zilla, however, as Toho would later rebrand him, still proves an entertaining beast entangled in a decent giant monster film.

#32: Godzilla vs King Ghidorah (1991)

This 1991 Heisei entry gets a lot of love on the marvel that is Toho’s updated King Ghidorah design alone (alongside the introduction of Mecha-King Ghidorah). This is completely understandable. Once you get past the gorgeous kaiju suits in this film (Godzilla ’91 included, what a ferocious beast), though, Godzilla vs King Ghidorah‘s un-charming weirdness begins to rear its ugly head(s). In nothing is this more apparent than the Dorats.

The putzing plot’s attempt at intelligent sci-fi drags this entry down considerably, too. Outdated special effects used to bring everything non-tokusatsu related to life in Ghidorah are also an eye-sore, but they’re nothing compared to this entry’s meandering villains; a laundry list of some of the worst performances from any actors in any Godzilla film to date.

#31: GODZILLA: THE PLANET EATER (2019)

As horrifically boring as the second anime film was and forever remains, PLANET EATER came in as a surprising improvement, if not a satisfying one.

Much of what worked about MONSTER PLANET is back for Netflix’s #3 anime, with a doubling down on philosophical character development. Turning Ghidorah into a set of glowing space noodles was an odd choice, but the script and voice actors manage to sell the doom-and-gloom those space noodles deliver. And they do so with such gusto that the whole experience nearly excels.

#30: Godzilla vs Megaguirus (2000)

Godzilla vs Megaguirus is a tough nut to crack. Chock-full of brilliant sci-fi, there’s a considerable amount to love about this entry. Yet this loose follow-up to Millennium ultimately suffers from one-too-many special effects faux-pas that make it wildly uneven. A stiff, uninspired Megaguirus puppet serving as the film’s big-bad didn’t help, either.

Ultimately, this film repeats all the same glaring flaws of its 1999 predecessor, but manages to stay creative enough to warrant a higher ranking. It’s no wonder Toho would turn to Shusuke Kaneko-san to completely revamp the series with GMK the following year – a film that sits on the opposite end of this list.

#29: Godzilla vs Megalon (1973)

From this point on in the list, it’s really a game of personal taste combined with production value – or lack thereof.

There is some truly poor use of stock footage in Godzilla vs Megalon. The film literally had no script while shooting, either, and it shows. But show a kid this bright 1973 offering and they’ll be hooked on kaiju for life. This was and is the case for many Godzilla fans born in the 60s and 70s, and remains true for any coming of “dinosaur-obsession” age today.

There’s a lot of “firsts” in this entry, too, including the debut of the most Muppet-esque Godzilla of all time, MegaroGoji (played by Shinji Takagi who would take over for Haruo Nakajima from this point on in the Showa era films). He’s a hero through and through, and literally wears this on his “love me, children!” face.

The debut of Megalon is also pure, goofy fun. Seatopia? Not so much. But who knew Godzilla’s answer to Ultraman, Jet Jaguar, could be so charming? Created from a child’s drawing via Toho’s school contest, the robot hero carries this clunky movie and has become a pop culture icon as a result. Today, he’s taken on a whole new life with Godzilla: Singular Point, but there will never be any replacing the magic of this original romp.

Megalon does, however, require a very specific taste to sit through. This keeps it further down this list than the classics that have far wider-reaching appeal. But remember, like All Monsters Attack, Megalon is a children’s film.

#28: Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975)

To cut right to the chase, Terror walked back nearly all the fervor of Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla. In doing so, it put the franchise to bed for nearly a decade.

Despite using the MegaroGoji suit, the original Mechagodzilla film managed to bring back a decidedly pointed and dark tone amidst a fluff action film. All of the former is gone for Terror, however, leaving only the fluff. But if it’s fluff you love in your G-Films, then Terror can still be a blast. Titanosaurus is a fun and now-iconic design, but he, nor Tomoko Ai-san’s cyborg Katsuna Mafune could save this entry from being anything other than mediocre.

The rest of the cast is a delight, too. From Akihiko Hirata’s return, to Kenji Sahara and Katsuhiko Sasaki, it’s almost as if Toho knew they needed to go out with a bang before this entry tanked the Showa era for good.

Truly, Toho wasn’t giving their Godzilla films of the mid-70s enough time, money, or thought. Mechagodzilla almost saved the franchise the year prior, but after four straight offerings of similar quality and tone, audiences stopped caring. Terror‘s box office solidified this, and Godzilla went dormant for a decade as a result.

#27: All Monsters Attack (1969)

Want to see every Showa era monster Godzilla ever fought prior to 1969 in one film – and more? Then the aptly-titled All Monsters Attack is for you! But not so fast, Ichiro! This movie is about the dreams of a little boy, right? As such, it holds the distinction of the only-truly-decent-use of stock footage in a Godzilla film – or one where it almost makes sense, at least.

Regardless, there’s no avoiding the sheer amount of hate this movie gets in the fandom/online. And it’s all due to a complete misunderstanding of the entry Westerners know as Godzilla’s Revenge.

This film was made for children, period. It is wholly a children’s movie, in fact, and it’s actually a great one, too. Ichiro’s journey (congruent to Minya’s) towards standing up to his bullies is timeless, and one that saves this misunderstood entry from the bottom of the heap. It’s also why famed director and Godzilla co-creator Ishiro Honda-san counted this film among his favorites he directed.

If you’re one of the many who loathe this film, I recommend ditching the dubs (and their abhorrent Minya voices) for the original Japanese version with subtitles. It’s a far better experience.

#26: Godzilla vs Gigan (1972)

There’s a whole lot to love in Gigan, including the titular villain who remains one of the studio’s absolute best character designs to date. Children’s Land and the central Godzilla Tower are a gas, as is the full cast – with the spotlight falling on the late Minoru Takashima-san’s turn as bumbling hippie Shosaku Takasugi.

And what Godzilla fan could ever forget hearing their favorite monster (alongside “buddy” Anguirus) talk for the first time? Godzilla vs Gigan has a great sense of humor about it, to be sure, and it is fun to behold from beginning to end.

By that end, however, it becomes apparent that Gigan wasn’t exactly a high priority for Toho. This is largely due to the exhausting stock footage. That, and Toho’s “let’s throw in everything, including the kitchen sink and these monster suits that are absolutely falling apart” approach to mediocrity. Indeed, it’s this mindset that wound up wearing out audiences on Godzilla with their 1972-1975 offerings.

Gigan‘s saving grace, however, is how fun it is to watch from beginning to end.

#25: GODZILLA: PLANET OF THE MONSTERS (2017)

Travel back to 2016, and the hype for the first Godzilla anime film was real. So real, in fact, that fans were uber-stumped to see the design revealed as nothing more than a softened version of Legendary’s 2014 Godzilla. Put this minor gripe aside, however, and we’re left with a surprisingly effective, completely new take on the world’s most famous giant monster.

The techno-babble is heavy-handed and the characters mighty stiff, but the bottom-up world building on display in MONSTER PLANET (as it is also translated) is surprisingly effective, and the action makes for a gripping experience at times. Sadly, the later entries would ruin what could’ve been.

#24: Destroy All Monsters (1968)

Here we have a Godzilla film for the ages. Toho was wildly ahead of the curve with DAM, the film that perfected studio crossovers decades before the Marvel Cinematic Universe would perfect them. The finale at Mt. Fuji is the stuff of tokusatsu legend, and there’s much fun to be had in seeing this film’s world-building come to life in the first act.

In act two, however, everything grinds to a halt. If any of the human characters were written better, it might be tolerable. In truth, Destroy All Monsters has little to offer outside of combining Toho’s kaiju pantheon and introducing the Kiilaks. And even those alien baddies pale in comparison to those found higher on this list.

But man, if the franchise had ended with this film (as was originally intended), what a way to go out.

#23: The Return of Godzilla (1984)

We owe you an apology. Back at #32 (Godzilla Millennium), we told you the bottom of this ranking were the only boring Godzilla films. We lied. The Return of Godzilla can be as boring as Godzilla movies come, and then some. Painfully boring at times, in fact. But here it sits at #23, with several films between it and the rest of the boring lot. Why?

Return is exceptionally made. Few films – before or since – have been able to reach the heights of the tokusatsu on display in this 1984 effort (cybot excluded). It may put you to sleep, but it’ll be the most gorgeous introduction to a nap you’ve had in a while. From the sweeping, epic cinematography to Reijiro Koroku’s superb score, The Return of Godzilla ultimately ends up a beautiful example of Toho craftsmanship.

Not only this, but the film wanted to – and absolutely succeeds – at taking its subject material seriously again (as a result of the lackluster performance of Terror of Mechagodzilla a decade prior). The somber atmosphere this creates is no accident, but does ultimately end up hurting the film’s re-watchability as much as it helps cement it as a truly fitting Return of Godzilla.

#22: GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS (2019)

As divisive as this film remains, it accomplished the impossible. Like Tokyo SOS (which sits close on this list), King of the Monsters is a love letter to Toho’s golden Showa era – but with a Hollywood budget. And herein lies the impossible.

Many of us never thought we’d see Godzilla realized with the full backing of Hollywood – let alone Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah together in one film. Yet KOTM absolutely delivers here, sending us Toho’s Famous Four courtesy of the best modern special effects money can buy. It’s remarkable to behold, especially when backed by their classic themes courtesy of Bear McCreary’s masterstroke of a score.

This makes how poorly gelled the script is a shame. Less (and better) characters with less quippy one-liners would’ve cemented KOTM as the ultimate modern Godzilla movie. And let’s just forget the “motives” of this film’s muddled villains, shall we?

Much like this in this entry’s plot, however, Legendary’s fantastic upgrade for Godzilla saves this whole movie from its shortcomings. And for all its faults, there’s hardly a boring corner of KOTM to be found as it fires on all cylinders throughout.

#21: Godzilla and Mothra: Battle for Earth (1992)

Where Godzilla vs King Ghidorah failed in recreating the fantastical joy of the Showa era, it’s direct Heisei sequel succeeded. Godzilla vs Mothra gets a lot of flack for its lack of Godzilla. But a great ground-level story – and the terrific cast that deliver it – elevate this entry.

A full decade before Tokyo SOS would bring back Koizumi-san to reprise his Mothra (1961) role, Godzilla vs Mothra would bring back the living legend that was Akira Takarada-san. Sadly, he’s not playing the same character here (and has little to do), but it was a fantastic treat at the time.

If Godzilla vs Mothra suffers from anything, it’s from the Heisei era’s over-indulgence of (or reliance on) beam-spamming special effects, stiff puppetry, and a little bit too much recycled storytelling. Outside of that, it offers a satisfying update to the Mothra mythos, Battra’s “evil twin” addition and all.

#20: Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)

Godzilla x Kong picks up where 2021’s GODZILLA VS KONG left off as a direct sequel in Legendary’s MONSTERVERSE. Director Adam Wingard returns for this fifth film in the series and the 38th film in the Godzilla franchise, the longest running in history. There’s something to be said on this alone, and the proof is in the pudding: GXK was such a smash hit that Legendary has already announced another sequel featuring the titular titans.

The film itself is a neon fever dream; a love letter to the bright and bold antics of the Showa and Millennium eras. Evident in everything from the rag-tag group of protagonists to the return of MireGoji’s purple/pink/sharp spine design, GXK is the most loud and in-your-face fun you’ll have watching a Godzilla film. Those looking for any substance past pure joy, however, were surely let down.

For all its faults, it is never a boring movie, however, and Wingard’s second Monsterverse film may single-handedly be responsible for an entirely new generation of insanely passionate G-fans.

#19: Godzilla X Mothra X MechaGodzilla: Tokyo S.O.S (2003)

Here’s a simple Godzilla film that is pure fun and made with care. Tokyo SOS may not do anything groundbreaking, but it sacrifices this in favor of writing a love letter to Toho’s best Showa era films. And we didn’t know how much we needed Mothra and Mechagodzilla in the same film until we had it.

Having the late Hiroshi Koizumi-san reprise his role from the original Mothra (1961) was a stroke of genius, and watching the old-school fantasy of the Mothra mythos combine with the tech-forward aesthetic of Godzilla X Mechagodzilla makes for a unique ride. It’s truly a shame we never got Masaaki Tezuka’s planned third installment in the Kiryu Saga – and were dealt Final Wars instead.

#18: Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla II (1993)

Some fans love the updated Mechagodzilla design this Heisei reboot brought. Others, like this author, can’t see anything but Mecha-Big-Bird. While Super MechaG and Fire Rodan have since become iconic, their stiff suit and puppet, respectively, leave a lot to be desired in Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla II. Everything beyond this, however, is the Heisei era at its best.

The introduction of Baby Godzilla courtesy of a fantastic design/suit gives this mid-Heisei entry the perfect means to connect the human cast to the monster roster, and the script and director Takao Okawara do this superbly. Everything hinges on the little guy. The core film is wonderful because of it, and the rest of this entry keeps up well enough to place it decently high on our ranking. That, and this is admittedly one I re-watch often, as it’s a genuinely entertaining and engaging modern monster movie.

#17: King Kong vs Godzilla (1962)

A terrific cast and the biggest matchup in cinema history made King Kong vs Godzilla an undeniable classic. Past these cliff-notes, however, lies an oddly uneven journey with some pacing issues. And there will never be any getting past how not-King-Kong this film’s King Kong is. Even if (like this author) you find the design as charming as it is doofy.

Issues aside, there aren’t enough good things to say about the late Tadao Takashima-san as Osamu Sakurai, or the brilliant Yū Fujiki-san, beaming Mie Hama-san, a returning Hirata-san (as a different doctor, mind you. Oh, Toho.), or Ichirō Arishima-san’s iconic Mr. Tako. Combine this with the best suit design of the Showa era – one that turned Godzilla into a true, lumbering reptilian behemoth – and, well, here we are.

Besides, if anything shows how iconic this golden-era Showa film is, it’s the wild success of the modern Monsterverse’s decision to shift into a Godzilla X Kong dynamic. The two icons were separate for almost 60 years after their initial meeting, yet this mashup retained such a powerful hold on cinema that we’re about to have the third Hollywood movie in a row that pair these now inseparable titans of pop culture.

#16: GODZILLA (2014)

At times artful and mesmerizing, Legendary’s wildly successful Godzilla reboot stops short of a modern classic only for its unfortunate character choices. Aaron Taylor Johnson is miscast as Ford Brody, and following his journey after the baffling death of Bryan Cranston’s far more engaging father, Joe Brody, feels a huge missed opportunity. Thankfully, however, this is where the detractors stop.

Against all odds, Gareth Edwards managed to usher in an entirely new modern era for Godzilla, one where the world’s most famous monster was once again the coolest around. Much like The Return of Godzilla before it, GODZILLA hit the reset button and chose to take its subject matter seriously. What results feels like lightning in a bottle, honestly, in that this entry is both a remarkably effective modern day Godzilla film and a crowd pleaser – something that felt impossible prior.

Legendary had no inkling of a MonsterVerse at the time, but this critical and commercial success would spawn an entire franchise that has made billions, and would even inspire Toho to bring Godzilla out of retirement in Japan. How’s that for feathers in Legendary’s cap?

#15: Godzilla vs Destoroyah (1995)

After 40 years of what surely felt like near-non-stop Godzilla to Toho, the mother studio decided it was finally time to kill off their most famous creation. Ironically, Godzilla’s death wouldn’t even result in as long a hiatus as Terror of Mechagodzilla‘s premature killing of the Showa era, or even bridge the same amount of time between Godzilla Raids Again (1956) and King Kong vs Godzilla (1962) decades prior.

At the time, however, it was a big, kaiju-sized deal. The death of Godzilla would make headlines across the world, even leading to American news giants like CNN and MSNBC reporting on it for the evening news.

While the resulting film is far from perfect, Destoroyah would prove a magnificent end to the Heisei era – and for Godzilla himself. Bringing his mythos full circle with the Oxygen Destroyer – and the fantastic Destoroyah creature designs that followed – was spectacular to behold, and still is to this day. Nothing sealed the deal, however, like Akira Ifukube’s “Death Suite,” titled “Requiem,” for Godzilla: a rousingly beautiful, beyond-touching tribute to this incarnation of Godzilla’s final moments.

#14: Godzilla vs The Sea Monster (1966)

Ask us, and we’ll tell you that Ebirah: Horror of the Deep does not get the love it deserves. If not for a few clunkier scenes, this delightful and tightly-scripted Showa era spectacle would easily crack the Top 10.

From the engaging cast and story to the effectiveness of the Red Bamboo as antagonists, Sea Monster is a pretty great fantasy romp first, and a great Godzilla movie second. The delightful, tropical fantasy feel of this entry elevates, and allows for it to bring pure enjoyment – with little to hamper or drag it down along the way.

While it’s obvious throughout that Toho wanted King Kong to star in this picture, there’s no denying that they ended up making it work for the Big G himself. The studio found a winning formula within, one that would continue on the next year for Son of Godzilla – a film that sits even higher on this list.

#13: GODZILLA VS KONG (2021)

Falling short of the Top 10 is one of the most important entries in the longest-running film franchise of all time: 2021’s long-anticipated GODZILLA vs KONG. Like all Godzilla films, this one is not perfect. But oh, is it a blast from start to finish.

Outside of a questionable Mechagodzilla design and the somewhat-divisive Hollow Earth antics, GvsK is another love-letter to Toho’s Showa era, complete with callbacks to the original mashup that inspired it. It is, by far, the most entertaining and re-watchable MonsterVerse film, one that managed to make a whole lot of money during the COVID Pandemic as a result, and would go on to cement this duo as the centerpiece for Legendary’s franchise.

The studio pulled out all the stops here, tpo, and the SFX work is some of the best Hollywood’s ever mustered. That Hong Kong fight scene is the stuff of legend (pun intended). For these reasons and more, GvsK remains a hard act for American Godzilla films to follow.

#12: Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla (1974)

What an undeniable classic. Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla has it all. Aliens, robots, giant monsters (of course), Bond-like action & intrigue, and more bombastic tokusatsu than you can shake a piece of space titanium at.

All of the above shouldn’t work together, but it does. Curiously, Toho kept the super-friendly MegaroGoji suit design for this entry, yet delivered a decidedly more aggressive film around it – complete with all the ingredients above.

Perhaps it all gels, though, because of the unbelievably cool O.G. Mechagodzilla, who’s undeniably the reason this film sticks out from the lesser Toho entries directly before. He’s at the center of everything – and looks damn killer. His rustic, almost steampunk design (decades before that iffy aesthetic would take over pop culture) is undeniably iconic, so much so that it would return in refined form for a direct sequel.

Today, Mechagodzilla remains as iconic as Godzilla himself, and this film would go on to inspire reimaginings in every Godzilla era to follow.

#11: Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla (2002)

It might not sit well with some for this reimagining to rank above the original, but at the time of its release, GXMG was as close to a perfect science fiction Godzilla film as Toho would ever deliver.

The success of GMK‘s heavy fantasy take the year prior was undeniable, but that entry told and wrapped up its own story in one go. As such, Toho took the opportunity to once again hit the reset button and deliver another phenomenal take on their mythos. The resulting movie gave us both another stellar Godzilla design with KiryuGoji, alongside updating Mechagodzilla (into the fan-favorite Kiryu) for the third time – to far better results than his Heisei predecessor.

Who knew such a satisfying story could result from placing the bones of the original Godzilla into a mechanized dragon? Everything clicks in GXMG, from the tokusatsu and SFX work, to Michiru Oshima’s incredible first-crack at an original score (top down) for the world’s most iconic monster. The cast fires on all cylinders, too, with the brilliant Yumiko Shaku-san anchoring audiences to her stoic, captivating Akane Yashiro.

#10: Godzilla vs Biollante (1989)

A truly stunning science fiction/fantasy film from start to finish, Biollante brought Godzilla back five years after Return and made him better than ever. From the now iconic BioGoji design to the concept and forms of Biollante, Toho crafted a masterclass in tokusatsu with this 1989 entry.

The human drama excels around, creating the most emotionally investing G-film since 1954. Audiences at the time agreed, and Toho launched the Heisei “vs” series as a result. Megumi Odaka’s introduction as Heisei staple Miki Saegusa is another crowing achievement here, as she would go on to connect the entire Heisei era.

But the special effects and monsters are truly the star of the show, and nothing Toho has done before or since has managed to reach Biollante’s level of tokusatsu perfection. We have genre legend Koichi Kawakita-san, who had previously worked for Tsuburaya Productions, to thank for this, alongside a returning Kenpachiro Satsuma-san in his best Godzilla performance (within a suit tailored to his exact measurements). The results speak for themselves, and Biollante remains one of the Big G’s most realistic and fearsome antagonists to date.

#9: Son of Godzilla (1967)

If there is any ranking on this list expected to spur backlash, it’s Son of Godzilla. People either love or hate Minya (or Minilla, if you prefer that mouthful as Toho now does), and that tends to inform opinions of this Showa entry. So, too, does Godzilla’s 1967 design/suit, which is unique, to say the least.

But once you put personal gripes aside, there is very little fault to find in this film. An air-tight, blissful script gives SoG a rock-solid foundation; a rarity for Showa Godzilla. This entry is an absolute joy from start to finish, featuring one of the franchise’s absolute best character ensembles. Akira Kubo’s Goro and Bibari Maeda’s Saeka are pitch-perfect, and draw audiences in to this delightful romp with unmatched charm as Masaru Sato’s groovy score elevates it all.

So, too, do the giant insects this film made iconic. Kamacuras and Kumonga are wonderfully realized for the time, proving intimidating adversaries for both our human and kaiju protagonists. And amid it all, the film manages to make Godzilla a lovable father figure – something that has become inseparable from his Showa incarnation yet was unfathomable before this tropical tale.

#8: SHIN-GOJIRA (2016)

Much like the 1954 original, Shin Godzilla is a piece of art that perfectly reflects the troubles of its congruent Japan. If you do not look for your giant monster movies to be artful, political reflections, then Shin is not for you. But if you know and love Japanese culture, there is no discrediting the impact this film rightfully made.

Winner of the 2016 Japanese Academy Award for Best Picture (and many other awards), Shin did the impossible and made Godzilla relevant and red-hot in Japan again. It did so under the steady hands of Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi-san, two filmmakers with incredibly different but perfectly-suited backgrounds to accomplish what Toho set out to with this film.

Shin was the first Japanese Godzilla film in 12 years, and pressed the reset button harder than any prior Toho reboot. It had to, as the Japanese public had grown weary of their most famous character years before Final Wars killed the franchise. The end result is a creation all its own, one that will stand the test of time as an important, time capsule-esque look at early 21st century Japan’s culture.

#7: Godzilla vs Hedorah (1971)

There would be no Shin Godzilla without The Smog Monster. This 70s art house wonder sits far lower on some fans’ lists, but for our money there’s few more re-watchable Godzilla films that hold up as brilliantly and uniquely as Godzilla vs Hedorah.

From the trippy animated segues and vibrantly engaging characters, to the transforming stages of Hedorah that would directly inspire Shin, this 1971 classic took the core of Toho’s Godzilla mythos – environmental disaster – and wrapped it perfectly into the biggest blight of its time: pollution.

Turning man’s penchant for trashing our (only) planet into a living, breathing Smong Monster was a true stroke of genius, one that would cement creator Yoshimitsu Banno’s legacy for all time. And much like Shin and Gojira, Hedorah is a captivating time capsule that will forever remain on the most imaginative and important entries in the franchise. It’s also endlessly entertaining, a perk that firmly places it a spot above Shin on our list.

#6: Ghidorah, The Three Headed Monster (1964)

Years before Destroy All Monsters, Toho cemented their cinematic universe with Ghidorah by bringing Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra together to fight this new titular foe. A continuation of Mothra vs Godzilla in this sense and all others, this fantasy epic is a remarkable feat in production time alone.

The fact that legendary Toho producer Tomoyuki Tanaka rushed this film into existence by the end of the same year as Mothra vs Godzilla – and it turned out as brilliantly as it did – is a testament to the team he held onto to create it. Ishirō Honda returned to direct alongside special effects master Eiji Tsuburaya, and we have fellow icon Akira Watanabe to thank for King Ghidorah’s iconic, timeless design. Truly, this film deserves an entire article all its own to sing its praises and document its influence on the franchise and pop culture at large.

In the end, Tanaka also got his way over Honda in anthropomorphizing Godzilla for the first time within. This would mark a stark change for the franchise, one that came to define the rest of the Showa era.

#5: Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All Out Attack! (2001)

A spiritual successor to Ghidorah made four decades later, GMK is as unapologetically fantasy-based as its predecessor and excels for it much the same.

After an underwhelming start to the Shinsei (Millennium) era with the MireGoji films, Toho brought in the perfect fix-it man to revamp and revitalize the franchise: Shusuke Kaneko. Kaneko-san had proven a master of the genre with his Heisei Gamera trilogy, films many consider to be the finest modern tokusatsu movies period. He brought his fantasy sensibilities with, turning Godzilla into a literal demon-spirit hellbent on revenge.

The result is one of the most unique and perfectly striking Godzilla designs of all time, surrounded by a magnificent cast and endlessly rewatchable story. If only Toho had let Kaneko keep the original treatment in which Anguirus and Varan joined Baragon as the Guardian Monsters, this 2001 entry would’ve been nearly without fault. Instead, the studio wouldn’t budge, and the watered-down versions of Mothra and Ghidorah within pale in comparison to GMK‘s fantastic Baragon revamp as a result.

Even still, Toho’s reasoning worked, and the bankability of Mothra and Ghidorah helped GMK become (and remain) the most successful Shinsei era Godzilla film both critically and commercially. And I’ve always said, there are two G films that non-fans can watch and appreciate with zero interest in the character: Gojira and GMK.

#4: Godzilla Minus One (2023)

As heartbreaking as it is uplifting and entertaining, Godzilla Minus One is a stirring reminder of the preciousness of life set in one of humanity’s most devastating decades, told as only Japan could. And this stellar period piece is an instant modern classic as a result.

Minus One is a tour-de-force in both character-driven storytelling and monster-fueled horror. Where many G-films have succeeded in only one or the other, director Takashi Yamazaki weaves everything that has ever made the King of the Monsters impactful into one masterstroke.

Within the first ten minutes, we come to know the internal struggle of our protagonist and the horrible existence of a local legend: Godzilla. Not a moment is wasted during or after. At the heart of Minus One is a group of rag-tag misfits reminiscent of Toho’s finest Showa Godzilla ensembles. Son of Godzilla, King Kong vs Godzilla, Godzilla vs Gigan and vs Hedorah (and the later GMK) come to mind. Each of these films had ordinary odd-balls front and center, and Minus One thrives on the same cast chemistry that makes those uneven films entertaining to this day. This also elevates it above the (purposefully) one-note and militant proceedings of Shin, firmly cementing it into the top 5 Godzilla films of all time.

#3: Invasion of the Astro Monster (1965)

The runaway success of Ghidorah had Toho hungry to produce yet another sequel, and their all-star team managed to capture lightning in a bottle again with Monster Zero.

Having a bad day? Put Astro Monster on and let the late, great Akira Takarada-san and Nick Adams pilot you through the euphoric 60s tokusatsu experience. No one ever forgets Kumi Mizuno’s electric Miss Namikawa after viewing, either. How could you? She is, without a doubt, still the most iconic human character from 70 years of Godzilla films.

Astro Monster is so good at what it sets out to do that its influence can be felt throughout every Godzilla film that follows. So much so that the central antagonists, the Xilians, would be front and center in Godzilla’s 50th anniversary film, Final Wars. Indeed, we have this joyous tale to thank for aliens becoming the go-to baddies for the franchise. Yet no follow-up attempts would ever match this 1965 classic that literally rocketed Godzilla into outer space.

#2: Mothra vs Godzilla (1964)

If this classic was wholly conceived as a Godzilla film, it could contend for #1 on this list. But the truth is right there in the title: Mothra vs Godzilla is a brilliant Mothra film first and a truly exceptional Godzilla film second.

From the iconic MosuGoji suit and Haruo Nakajima-san’s timeless, animalistic performance within, to the beautiful Mothra puppet and even-more-entertaining rehashing of her origin story within, this is the “vs” Godzilla film to beat. And none have done so in over seven decades.

Like so many of Toho’s most impactful films, Mothra vs Godzilla hinges on a powerful message. This time around, it’s corporate greed and the impact its industrialization has on nature. Mothra, her egg, and the Shobijin prove the perfect allegory here, as does Godzilla as her menacing foil.

Although the tone is decidedly far lighter than Gojira, Mothra embodies every bit of that classic’s “f*** around and find out” approach to storytelling. The result is an undeniable Toho great that truly inspires as it entertains, and will for generations to come.

#1: Gojira (1954)

No matter how you feel about the rest of this ranking, we all knew where this was heading.

Gojira does what no other Godzilla film can: it transcends all genres as a cinematic classic.

It is the only entry in this franchise that deserves the title “masterpiece.” Truly, there will never be another Godzilla film as impactful as the original. Born from the unimaginable trauma of World War II’s Nuclear Holocaust, Gojira utilizes a movie monster better than any film before or since.

Born from the pain and inspiration of Tomoyuki Tanaka, Godzilla would materialize through a magnanimously fruitful partnership with Eiji Tsuburaya (effects) and Ishirō Honda (director, writer), alongside creature design by Akira Watanabe and Teizō Toshimitsu. Combined with Shigeru Kayama’s gripping story treatment (written for the screen by Honda and partner Takeo Murata), the result is a haunting allegory for the horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Gojira is and will forever remain one of the most important Japanese films ever made; one that pushed the envelope in artful storytelling. As Tanaka-san himself said, “The theme of the film, from the beginning, was the terror of the bomb. Mankind had created the bomb, and now nature was going to take revenge on mankind.”

Audiences of the time responded, too, making Gojira a record-setting film that would go on to international success and acclaim (honorable mention to the U.S. theatrical version, Godzilla: King of the Monsters), one that would spawn the longest-running franchise in history that we’re still analyzing, enjoying, and appreciating to this day.

If that doesn’t merit the top spot on this list, I don’t know what could.

How do you feel about our ranking? Let us know in the comments below, on Facebook and Instagram, and send us your lists, too.

Thanks for reading and all the best,

Jon D. B.

Skreeonk.com Founder