Godzilla: Mythical Roots and Echoes of the Monster within the Japanese Imaginary World
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Since the beginning of its history, Japan has witnessed the birth of a various kinds of magical beasts, spirits, ghosts and monsters. For more than 1500 years, through mangas, animes, ancient prints, paintings, novels and of course cinema, Japanese have been able to produce a very complex and typical bestiary, from the cute Pokemon to the most awful creatures. Among them, Godzilla, a gigantic dragon like monster born from nuclear radiations, brings chaos and destruction to Tokyo, crushing and burning the city to the ground in the middle of the night. Created in the early 50’s, the beast left a huge mark on Japanese society and inspired several sequels and remakes around the world. However, even if Godzilla is an obvious metaphor of the atomic bomb which struck Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II, this monstrous post-war reminiscence is far more complex than one would think. In fact, by going back in time, one can find out that this famous monster possesses in fact several roots within the ancient imaginary world of Japan, its myths and legends.