To reach a quick list of any show’s episodes, click on the series logo. This is also the only way to find some gems in the database that don’t have an original airdate, such as unaired pilots and other specials. Also be on the lookout for links to additional notes and reviews toward the bottom of each episode entry.

As you might have noticed, we’ve changed how we’re doing the guides; everything is now in a sortable, searchable database. It’s the same content, but with a new look and greater functionality.

Enjoy!

A fishing boat finds three survivors, but sinks while taking them to Odo Island. At Odo Island, natives also rescue a survivor, floating on a raft near the shore. Masaji, a resident of the island, briefly wakes and says a monster sank the ship. An elder speculates the legendary “Godzilla must have done it,” but is met with skepticism. Later that night, during a fierce storm, Masaji is terrified as he looks out the window. Much of the village is destroyed, including the home of Masaji, who is killed.

Representatives from Odo Island arrive in Tokyo to testify about the tragedy before a committee of the Japanese Diet. Paleontologist Professor Kyohei Yamane proposes a fact finding mission to the island. Among those accompanying Yamane are his daughter Emiko and Hideto Ogata, the man she loves. Dr. Serizawa, who is arranged to be married to Emiko, is in the farewell party onshore.

The investigative team surveys the damage on Odo Island, finding radiation in many of the water wells, a giant, radioactive footprint and a recently dead trilobite, a shell-like creature thought to be extinct for millions of years. Suddenly, a giant prehistoric creature rises above a mountain. When the beast leaves, the islanders climb to the mountain’s precipice, only to find more giant footprints below on the beach. Yamane testifies that the creature, called Godzilla by the islanders, likely originated during the Jurassic period. He speculates it survived by eating deep sea animals, but nuclear weapons disrupted its natural habitat.

More ships disappear, and the government forms a Counter-Godzilla Headquarters. A naval fleet is dispatched to drop depth charges on Godzilla. Yamane laments the efforts, believing the monster is a significant scientific find. Revelers on a cruise ship are the first to see Godzilla in Tokyo Bay, who swims off into the ocean. Serizawa shows Emiko the Oxygen Destroyer. He uses it to kill a tank full of fish, but pledges Emiko to secrecy because he does not want its terrible power to be used against mankind.

Godzilla returns to Tokyo Bay, but this time comes ashore. Terrified residents cower as the creature smashes through an industrial sector before returning to the sea. An electrified fence is built in pretty short order around the coastal border of Tokyo. Ogata plans to ask Yamane to allow him to marry Emiko, but instead argues with the scientist about Godzilla. Yamane wants to study Godzilla, while Ogata wants the monster destroyed.

Godzilla arises from Tokyo Bay, crashing through and destroying the ineffectual electrified fence. Despite the best efforts of the Japanese military, the beast continues his destructive path through the city before swimming away. Tokyo is left in ruins. The landscape is broken, twisted, and ashen. Hospitals are overrun with the thousands of people who are dead, dying, or severely injured. Many have radiation poisoning.

Ogata, who has been told the secret of the oxygen destroyer, confronts Serizawa about using it against Godzilla. Following a brawl in the lab, and viewing scenes of the awful devastation on TV, Serizawa agrees to use the oxygen destroyer against Godzilla.

At the bottom of Tokyo Bay, Ogata and Serizawa find a slumbering Godzilla. He awakens and moves toward the pair. Ogata rises to the surface as Serizawa activates the oxygen destroyer. The water’s oxygen creates a frothy mix as it bubbles to the surface. Once he is certain it will kill Godzilla, Serizawa cuts his line to the ship above, the secret to the oxygen destroyer dying with him. Godzilla rises above the surface briefly, but sinks again. The oxygen destroyer searing away his flesh, and then his bones, leaving nothing behind.

Ogata tells Emiko that Serizawa’s last words were that he “wanted us to be happy.” As others celebrate Godzilla’s death, Yamane remains concerned that continued nuclear testing might cause other Godzillas to appear…

screenplay by Takeo Murata and Ishiro Honda
story by Shigeru Kayama
directed by Ishiro Honda
music by Akira Ifukube

Human Cast: Akira Takarada (Hideto Ogata), Momoko Kochi (Emiko Yamane), Akihiko Hirata (Serizawa), Takashi Shimura (Prof. Yamane)

Monster Cast: Godzilla

Notes: This is the original Japanese language version of Godzilla. The English language version is Godzilla, King Of The Monsters!.

LogBook entry by Robert Parson

He was on his way to Cairo, Eqypt, but was going to make a stop in Tokyo to visit college friend Dr Serizawa. While riding in his plane, sailors on a fishing vessel spot boiling water and are blinded by a bright light. The ship slips beneath the ocean, but radio operators manage to send out a distress signal. Martin and security officer Tomo Iwanaga push their way past the crowd into the office of the Nankai Shipping Company. The company dispatches a rescue ship, but it also catches fire and sinks. Martin reports back to United World News, that a total of eight ships have been destroyed under similar mysterious circumstances.

A fishing ship discovers survivors floating in the water, but they die shortly from “shock and strange burns.” The natives of Odo Island have also recovered a survivor, who also soon died. Martin and Iwanaga are among the investigators questioning the natives, who claim they saw a monster. Overnight, a fierce storm develops while Martin and Iwanaga are trying to sleep in a tent. A horrific roar is heard and buildings are smashed and torn. Many people die. There was much more in the storm than just rain, wind, and lightning.

Survivors of the Odo Island disaster testify before a government panel, all agree it was a creature that destroyed their village. Martin joins a research team lead by Dr Yamane and includes his daughter Emiko, marine officer Ogata, the man she loves. Emiko, however is engaged to Dr. Serizawa. The research team combs over the wreckage of the village at Odo Island. They find many radioactibe hot spots, including a footprint of a huge animal.Yamane finds a trilobite, thought to have been extinct for millions of years.

A prehistoric creature suddenly rises from above a hill, terrifying the inhabitants and visitors of the island. The beast returns to the ocean, leaving footprints on the beach sand. Dr Yamane tells a government committee he believes Godzilla, as the natives of Odo Island call the monster, is a cross between land-living and sea-living creatures originally from the pre-historic Jurrasic period. Repeated nuclear testing has apparently caused Godzilla to reappear.

Emiko, who is in a marriage arranged in her childhood, tries to tell Serizawa she is in love with Ogata. Before she can, he shows her the results of his experiments. He drops a ball-bearing sized object into a fish tank, killing all the fish. He swears her to secrecy to keep its destructive powers from becoming known. The Japanese Navy drops depth charges into the ocean near Odo Island in an effort to kill Godzilla. Yamane becomes morose: Godzilla should be studied, not destroyed.

Partiers on a pleasure cruise in Tokyo Harbor are the first to see Godzilla, who swims out to sea. The Japanese Defense Force mobilizes to defend the nation. Their efforts are futile when Godzilla returns. He crashes through an industrial sector, with hundreds of people fleeing and finally returns to the sea. Plans are made to use existing high voltage lines ringing Tokyo to electrocute Godzilla. Martin is standing by at the press office, to record a report of Godzilla’s destructive path through Tokyo.

Godzilla rises from the harbor and makes his way to shore. He rips through the electronic barrier as though it is made of sewing thread and paper mache. The military fires on Godzilla, but he shrugs it off. The efforts of the Japanese military are only an annoyance to Godzilla as he continues to stomp through the city, smashing and setting buildings on fire.

Martin is hospitalized, recovering from his injuries. Emiko admits that Serizawa showed her the oxygen destroyer, which removes oxygen from water, disintegrating anything in the water. Ogata and Martin convince Emiko she needs to convince Serizawa the oxygen destroyer must be used against Godzilla. Ogata confronts Serizawa about the oxygen destroyer. The scientist locks himself in the lab, but Ogata breaks in. After a brawl, a plea by Ogata, and viewing the awesome destruction on TV, Serizawa agrees to use the weapon against Godzilla.

Serizawa insists on joining Ogata in placing the oxygen destroyer in Tokyo Bay. Godzilla awakens from a sleep and begins moving toward the two men. Ogata returns to the surface, but Sarizawa remains underwater and activates the oxygen destroyer. The water bubbles and froths. Serizawa reports that it is working, and tells Ogata to “live happily with Emiko.” He cuts the cables to his diving suit.

The shipped is rocked by the bubbling water. Godzilla rises for moment and roars in agony before slipping under again. His flesh disintegrates, then his bones.

Martin reports, “The menace was gone. So was a great man. But the whole world could wake up and live again.”

original story by Shigeru Kayama
screenplay by Takeo Murata and Ishiro Honda
new scenes written by Al C. Ward
directed by Terry Morse and Ishiro Honda
music by Akira Ifukube

Human Cast: Raymond Burr (Steve Martin), Takashi Shimura (Dr. Yamane), Momoko Kochi (Emiko), Akihiko Hirata (Dr. Serizawa)

Monster Cast: Godzilla

Notes: This is the English language U.S. version. Gojira is the original Japanese language version.

LogBook entry by Robert Parson

Tsukioka is dispatched to rescue Kobayashi, who encountered engine trouble while looking for schools of fish. After reuniting with his friend they become alarmed by loud, strange sounds.  They look up to find a giant bipedal monster fighting with another, four legged beast with a spiked, hard back and spiked tail.  The pilots escape when the monsters fall into the ocean and continue to battle underwater.

A conference is called with military officials and scientists.  One of the scientists says both creatures are from the same family of prehistoric fire monster. The bipedal beast is known as a Gigantis, the other is an anguilasorous.  He reads from a textbook that they may have been awakened by nuclear testing.  Dr Yamane, visiting from Tokyo says it will be impossible to kill the monsters.  He shows a movie with a Gigantis ravaging the city.  As the movie ends, Yamane says the Gigantis could only be killed by the oxygen destroyer, but the developer has died. He says, though, the monsters appear to be sensitive to light and could be lead away from the city.  

Planes, ships, and submarines are dispatched to seek the Gigantis, which has been spotted and appears to be heading to Shikoku.  Instead, Gigantis shows up in Osaka. Some flares dropped by airplanes distract Gigantis and he moves away. A group of prisoners is being transferred out of Osaka, when they overpower their guards and escape.  Following a high speed chase, their stolen truck slams through a barrier and crashes into a gas storage facility, catching fire.

Gigantis hears the explosion and is attracted by the flames. He makes his way back toward Osaka. Tanks and planes fire on him as he makes shore, but they are ineffective. He blasts one of the attack planes with his nuclear breath, causing it to crash.  The other creature, now called Anguirus, comes ashore and attacks Gigantis.  The military continues to fire on them as they fight.  Gigantis uses his fiery breath against Anguirus, having little affect, but catch the nearby buildings on fire.  The flames spread as the monsters continue to battle. The fight rages on with buildings crumbling as the monster fall on them.

Gigantis finally gains the upper hand by by biting into Anguirus neck.  Mortally wounded, Anguirus tumbles into the water.  Gigantis sets him on fire, causing more buildings to catch fire.  Gigantis leaves, but the city is in flames.

The fires die down by morning.  Osaka is in ruins.  Buildings are burnt, twisted, broken, and crumbled.  Very little is left standing.  Hidemi’s father makes plans to rebuild the ruined cannery.  He transfers Koabyashi to the Hokkaido branch, which will be temporary headquarters for the cannery.  Tuskioka and Hidemi stay in Osaka to help in the reconstruction. 

Now based in Hokkaido, Kobayashi is hard at work in his air search for fish.  Hidemi and Tsukioka arrive in Hokkaido and tel him the reconstruction is nearly complete. Gigantis is reported to have destroyed a fishing vessel. A world-wide alert is issued – Gigantis could strike anywhere, even the U.S.!

Tsukioka is flying over the ocean, and is among those involved in the search.  Back at headquarters, Kobayashi enters the radio room and ask for advice from Hidemi on what women want.  Tsukioka reports Gigantis is swimming toward Kamiko Island.  Kobayashi rushes off, leaving his notebook behind.  Hidemi opens it and discovers Kobayashi had been secretly in love with her. 

Kobayashi arrives at the island and takes over the watch so Tsukioka can return to report back.  He tells the military officials they can trap Gigantis into an inlet and then attack the monster.  The war planes and frigates leave to do battle with Gigantis, with Tsukioka now pressed into service with the air force.

Kobayashi reports back that Gigantis is making his way back to beach for the open ocean.  In an attempt to stall him until the military arrives, Kobayashi buzzes Gigantis.  Moments later, the military jets arrive and drop bombs on the beast, which fail to kill him. Kobayashi buzzes Gigantis again, who blasts at the plane with his nuclear breath, causing it to crash into a snowy mountain.  Tsukioka watches as his friend dies, but the resulting avalanch that partly buries Gigantis gives him an idea.  He instructs the fighter pilots to drop their bombs on the mountain in hopes Gigantis will be completely buried.  They drop bomb after bomb, but it’s not enough.  A tearful Hidemi reports to her father that Kobayashi has died.  The planes return to base to be armed with more powerful rockets.

The fighter jets return and begin launching rockets into the mountain.  An avalanche of snow and ice fall onto Gigantis. The beast, now neck deep, sweeps the sky with his nuclear fire, but to no avail.  Seeking revenge for the death if his friend, Tsukioka fires into the mountain once more. This finally buries the monster.  Tsukioka mourns Kobayashi’s death as he returns from his mission.  The nation prays for those killed by the beast and those killed in the attack on Gigantis.  Back in Osaka, Tuskioka and Hidemi are relieved – they can live their lives in peace.

original story by Shigem Kayama
screenplay by Takeo Murata and Sigeaki Hidaka
directed by Motoyoshi Oda (original Japanese version) and Hugo Grimaldi (U.S. version)
music by Masaru Sata (see notes below)

Human Cast: Hiroshi Koizumi (Syouichi Tsukioka), Setsuko Wakayama (Hidemi Yamaji), Minoru Chiaki (Kouji Kobayashi)

Monster Cast: Godzilla (AKA Gigantis), Anguirus

Notes: This was was originally released in U.S. theaters as Gigantis, The Fire Monster and was later renamed. The Japanese language version was released in 1955. The U.S. version of Yamane’s film includes a segment on the prehistoric lives of the Fire Monsters. This segment does not exist in the Japanese version. The Japanese version ends with Tsukioka flying back to headquarters following the death of Godzilla; the English version adds an epilogue with Tsukioka and Hidemi reflecting on the monsters and looking forward to a peaceful life. Other than this, the U.S. version had a few shortened scenes that did not significantly impact the storyline. Much of the original music from the Japanese version was replaced in the U.S. version. The U.S. version also opens with stock footage of missiles and nuclear explosions with a voice over warning about the dangers of nuclear proliferation.

LogBook entry by Robert Parson

A U.S. nuclear submarine crashes into an iceberg in the Arctic Circle. As the seamen attempt to escape a watery grave, they hear a horrific roar and flames race along the inside of the bulkhead. They have released Godzilla. A Japanese outpost in the North Pacific is destroyed by Godzilla.

A team from the pharmaceutical firm arrive at Faro Island to negotiate with the islanders. They are bought off with a transistor radio and a pack of cigarettes. The team hires some natives and mount and expedition to look for the monster. They hear a monstrous roar and flee to the village. A child is sent to retrieve some red berry juice to treat an injured team member. The storage building is attacked by a giant octopus! As the villagers attempt to fight it off and giant ape appears and wrestles with the octopus. It retreats to the ocean. The ape drinks up the berry juice stored in large pottery. He collapses in a drunken stupor. The natives rejoice. The team straps the ape, known as King Kong, to a raft to bring him to Japan. Experts believe Kong and Godzilla are instinctively drawn to each other in a fight to the death.

Kong flails about on the raft. Explosives on the raft are set off in an attempt to kill him, but he manages to escape, and heads to Japan to intercept Godzilla. They meet and toss boulders at each other. Kong is scorched by Godzilla’s nuclear breath and retreats. The Japanese Defense Force attempts to stop Godzilla’s march toward with a giant trench filled with gasoline, which leads him to fall into a pit surrounded by explosives! He picks himself up and continues on. A blockade of high-voltage lines is set up around Tokyo. After being shocked, he moves away. But now, Kong is running toward the city, which is hastily being evacuated. The electrical blockade fails to stop the ape, in fact the electricity seems to make him stronger.

Kong walks around Tokyo unchallenged. He picks up a train car, drops a woman into his hand, throws the car down, and carries her off. He climbs the Japanese Diet building. Missiles with red berry juice are fired above the great ape. He inhales the juice and collapses in a drunken stupor. The woman slips from his hand and she is rescued.

Godzilla is spotted at Mount Fuji, and a team of helicopters carry Kong there. When he is released, Kong slides down the mountain, slamming into Godzilla knocking the lizard off the mountain. When Godzilla returns, Kong ambushes him and grabs his tail. Godzilla brushes him, and forces him to back off with a blast of his nuclear fire. He resumes the battle and the pair grapple some more, with Godzilla managing to knock the ape to the ground. As Godzilla blasts Kong and the nearby countryside, an electrical storm builds up. The lightning rejuvenates Kong, who presses the battle even harder than before. They roll off the mountain into the ocean. Kong rises from the ocean and swims back to Faro Island. Godzilla is nowhere to be seen, but his fate is unclear…

Japanese screenplay by Shinichi Sekizawa / English screenplay by Paul Mason and Bruce Howard
directed by Inoshiro Hondo (Japanese – see notes below) and Thomas Montgomery (English)
music by Akira Ifukube (see notes below)

Human Cast: Michael Keith (Eric Carter), Harry Holcombe (Dr. Arnold Johnson), James Yagi (Yutaka Omura), Tadao Takashima (Osamu Sakurai), Kenji Sahaka (Kazuo Fujita), Ichiro Arishima (Mr. Tako)

Monster Cast: King Kong, Godzilla

Notes: Director Ishiro Honda was credited on screen as Inoshiro Hondo in several Godzilla movies when translated into the English language. For the movie’s U.S. release, Akira Ifukube’s original score was replaced by stock music from the Universal Studios library. The original Japanese premiere date was August 11, 1962.

LogBook entry by Robert Parson

written by Leslie Stevens
directed by Leslie Stevens
music by Dominic Frontiere

Cast: Lee Phillips (Gene “Buddy” Maxwell), Jacqueline Scott (Carol Maxwell), Cliff Robertson (Alan Maxwell), Burt Metcalfe (Eddie Phillips), Allyson Ames (Gene’s date), Joseph Perry (Trooper), Don Harvey (National Guard Major), William Stevens (Policeman), Mavis Neal (Collins), Peter Madsen (Trooper), William I. Douglas (The Galaxy Being)

Original title: Please Stand By…

LogBook entry by Earl Green

written by Allan Balter and Robert Mintz
directed by Byron Haskin
music by Dominic Frontiere

Cast: Sidney Blackmer (William Selby), Phillip Pine (Theodore Pearson), Mark Roberts (Robert Carter), Nancy Rennick (Carol Conner), Aki Aleong (Dr. Su-Lin), Richard Loo (Li-Chin Sung), Joan Camden (Ann Pearson), Bert Remsen (Frank Summers), Clarence Lung (Major Ho Chi-Wang), Henry Scott (Agent Marshall), James Hong (Wen Lee), James Yagi (Li Kwan)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

written by Meyer Dolinsky
directed by Byron Haskin
music by Dominic Frontiere

Cast: Robert Culp (Alan Leighton), Leonard Stone (Dr. Gainer), Martin Wolfson (Dr. Herschel), Geraldine Brooks (Yvette Leighton), Hal Bokar (Bert Bolsey), William Bush (Big Tom), Clay Tanner (Fred), Lee Zimmer (Carl)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

written by Jerome Ross
directed by Laslo Benedek
music by Dominic Frontiere

Cast: Donald Pleasance (Harold J. Finley), Priscilla Morrill (Vera Finley), Fred Bier (Steve Cravett), Edward C. Platt (Dean Radcliffe), John Marley (Dr. Hindemann), Frank Maxwell (Dr. Keenan), Paul Lambert (Dr. Henschel), James McCallion (Dr. Tremaine), Ann Loos (Emily Radcliffe), Harry Ellerbee (Finley’s Doctor)

LogBook entry by Earl Green

written by Ellis St. Joseph
directed by James Goldstone
music by Dominic Frontiere

Cast: David McCallum (Gwylim), Jill Haworth (Cathy), Edward Mulhare (Professor Mathers), Nora Marlowe (Mrs. Ives), Robert Doyle (Wilt), Constance Cavendish (Gert), George Pelling (Policeman), Janos Prohaska (Darwin)

Notes: Stuntman Janos Prohaska has a solid classic SF pedigree; his appearances range from Professor Mathers’ chimpanzee Darwin (along with two other Outer Limits appearances) to the Gumato creature in the original Star Trek episode A Private Little War and as two different creatures in the unaired series pilot, The Cage. He also appeared in Lost In Space, Land Of The Giants, Bewitched, Perry Mason, Gilligan’s Island, and Escape From The Planet Of The Apes, frequently impersonating some kind of animal. He died in a plane crash, along with his son, stuntman Robert Prohaska, in 1974 while working on a TV series called The Ascent Of Man.

LogBook entry by Earl Green