Godzilla Stomps Toward Giant Monsters And Japanese Citizenship
It’s no secret that Japan plays host to a number of interesting franchises, and plenty of them make it to western shores on a regular basis. That’s true now, but it has been for a while — which would help explain why Godzilla, the so-called king of the monsters, has been a part of the movie scene for more than half a century. On the other hand, that alone can’t fully explain why the giant lizard — or the idea of him, at least — would be named a Japanese citizen.
The paperwork to officiate it was set in motion earlier this year, but only recently became finalized. The end result is that Godzilla is now considered an honorary citizen of Shinjuku, with a recorded birth date of April 9, 1954 — the same day that the first Godzilla movie hit theaters in Japan. Moreover, the king of monsters has been assigned the role of ambassador; though he won’t be attending any U.N. meetings, he’ll still serve as a figurehead to promote tourism and entertainment.
It sounds like something out of a fever dream, but it’s worth noting that there’s a precedent for Japanese mascots and characters taking on similar roles. Given that Godzilla is supposed to be an ambassador, one could argue that his popularity around the world will let him do a good job of it. If it goes well, it’s possible — or even likely — that other giant monsters could earn similar honors.
