Why is Godzilla called Godzilla? Here's how the monster got its name

The film Godzilla vs. Kong recently hit the theatres and it has already been receiving raving reviews from the audience for its action-packed content. The sea monster Godzilla has been a well-known name in Hollywood as the industry has produced various films with a plotline around the giant fictional character. Not many people are aware that Godzilla originally belongs to Japan and the first-ever Godzilla movie was released in 1954 by Toho Studios. If you have been wondering why Gozilla is called Godzilla, it has a lot to do with its ability to survive on both land and water.

Why is Godzilla called Godzilla?

Hollywood fictional character Godzilla has been in the headlines ever since the film Godzilla vs. Kong was announced by Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Entertainment. The film has lately been running in the theatres and has also managed to grab a huge audience with its intriguing trailer. Various people around the globe have been wondering why Godzilla is such a huge deal and where it gets the unique and impactful name from. The name Godzilla has been derived from the word ‘Gojira’, which had initially been given to the creature in the year 1954.

The Japanese word Gojira has been derived from a combination of two words, Gorira and Kujira, which respectively mean Gorilla and Whale. When the idea of Godzilla was developed, it was expected to somewhat have characteristics from both the animals but the actual creature evolved over time. According to the stories developed by the Japanese, Godzilla was a metaphor that stood for every crisis that the country had been facing around that time. The monster also had a link with World War 2 and the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. However, when Godzilla moved to Hollywood, the narrative around the creature and its origin changed numerous times.

About Godzilla vs. Kong

The Godzilla vs. Kong spoilers have been all over the internet as people are quite curious about its plot. The film has been directed by Adam Wingard and stars Millia Bobby Brown, Alexander Skarsgard and Rebecca Hall, amongst others. Have a look at the trailer of the film here.

Image Courtesy: Godzilla vs. Kong Instagram