Godzilla is making a triumphant return in both home country Japan and overseas. With America producing it’s own reboot of the established franchise as well from Legendary Entertainment, Toho has decided to reboot the series themselves starting with Shin Godzilla. Taking the form of what feels like a found footage style film mixed in with traditional camera work, Godzilla wrecks havoc once more in this creative take on the kaiju beast.

Shin Godzilla is a 2016 Japanese kaiju film, it is produced by Toho and licensed by Funimation, it is currently available on Digital, DVD, and Blu-Ray.

Godzilla as he appears in the film.

Editor’s Note: Review copy of Shin Godzilla provided by Funimation.

It’s never been a better time to be alive for Godzilla fans, both Japan and America have opted to reboot the franchise (with America actually making a decent first entry) and the current plan is for both reboots to be attached to new universes for the “King of Monsters”. In Shin Godzilla the kaiju makes a return to form in an excellent, fast-paced film.

Kaiju galore in the new reboot.

THE GOOD: Fans of the original Japanese films will be pleased to know that Shin Godzilla is very much a Toho Godzilla film from top to bottom. From the ridiculously terrifying monster designs to the story, setting, and characters, Toho has dug up the roots of the Godzilla foundation and brought the monster back to its glory days. Western audiences might not appreciate the heavily updated look, but you have to commend Toho for going with designs that make these creatures look like truly radioactive disasters.

Godzilla runs rampant in Japan.

THE BAD: The film can often be a little too fast-paced with characters and kaiju being introduced left and right and some viewers could get lost in it all.

Japan struggles against the lizard beast.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: Shin Godzilla brings the kaiju film back to the days of old with a well presented piece of art that takes a lot of risk that mostly pay off. While it’s still quite enjoyable as fast-paced as it is, some viewers might be lost with so much going on in such a little time. That being said however, Shin Godzilla is a premiere example of a well done reboot with a franchise refresh to look forward to. Otaku Dome gives Shin Godzilla an 80 out of 100.