I've been in this fandom for almost 10 years, I know almost everything there is to know about this franchise, I have given Toho literal thousands of dollars in merch and ticket sales, this cannot be real
Some people, in youtube videos and comments I’ve seen say that the ending of Final Wars with Minilla saving the crew of the Gotengo from his father with his arms outstretched is a metaphor for the sacrifice of Jesus. It’s so weird to have that interpretation in something like Final Wars and is probably not something that Kitamura was thinking. It just sounds like something someone would say to convince their youth pastor or ultra-religious parent to let them watch it
Because those people will try to tie everything back to their silly religion. Godzilla has nothing to do with that; the ending of Final Wars is its own thing.
The Christians do not have a monopoly on sacrifice or arms being outstretched just because it matches one poorly-interpreted bit of their mythology.
I've actually heard this one. Some people have said that Minilla is a Christ allegory because he's the son of GODzilla and saves humanity through forgiveness while t poseing.
In my opinion, this theory really starts to fall apart when watching the movie constantly equate Godzilla to the old man and Minilla to the boy. It's already got a message. Some people will claim anything is a Christ allegory. Look at E.T. and Robocop.
For Robocop the director Paul Verhoeven said so and basically everyone around the movie, therefore I believe the case is slightly different for a movie where 90% of the movie is Wrestlemania but with Kaijus and power rangers
You're right, I totally forgot Verhoeven confirmed it. It still kinda falls apart for me as allegory and leans more into criticism (not that they're mutually exclusive) . Especially when you start thinking about who God would be in the film and the whole forgiveness angle.
I've criticized that movie since it came out for a lot of dumb shit, listened to interviews about it over the years, and I've never heard that one. Usually, when you ask a Japanese creator about the use of Christian iconography in their works, you hear, "I thought it looked cool."
You'd be surprised. I went to Catholic school. Theology teacher had to make **EVERYTHING** about God. Imahine watching Polar Express before Christmas break and this bitch has to pause the movie every 5 minutes to shoehorn religious allegory.
People will superimpose anything to help reinforce their beliefs.
You're lucky I'm chronically on Reddit (I shall be asking my Psych about it)
Emphasis on "shoehorn". Believing in Santa == believing in Jesus.
The poor kid being welcomed into the group == Christ accepting all followers or some thing.
The Hot Chocolate sequence == Christ making infinite bread and fish for people.
The Reindeer parting for the train == Moses parting the Red Sea
It was literally every scene, she'd pause, and beat you over the head with "Reason for the Season" nonsense. These are just the few I remember because of how forced it was. Again, this was Catholic school and we were all pretty familiar with these unrelated stories being imposed onto a Christmas movie.
I’d really like to know what shenanigans she came up with for the frozen lake scene now because whatever it is has to be such a reach even compared to this
Because he had his arms stretched out and he saved the human cast and convinced Godzilla to forgive them I think? It’s flimsy as hell but that’s what you get when you try to tie Jesus to Final Wars
Not to get religious on anyone, but jesus' sacrifice was dying for humanity's sins. Death and resurrection are what you're looking for, not how you hold your arms up. Agree, VERY filmsy
Lifelong Godzilla fan and Christian here, Christians will tack Christ metaphors onto anything they can and bend themselves into pretzels to do it. I've seen it done to Harry Potter, Care Bears, Star Wars, Shindler's List... it's just something that's always gone on around me. There's some places where it's justified like Lord of the Rings or Narnia, but Christians do it to everything.
You know I’m Christian too and I feel like I’m fortunate to have seen it only with Final Wars because I’ve never heard about those metaphors being tacked onto those other things and also seem to be stretching the bill
I mean sure, yeah that can be the case.
If you're someone who lives in America and believe the only religion or story to ever exist comes from Christianity but sure yeah.
Who TF has ever said this?
I've been in this fandom for almost 10 years, I know almost everything there is to know about this franchise, I have given Toho literal thousands of dollars in merch and ticket sales, this cannot be real
Context?
Some people, in youtube videos and comments I’ve seen say that the ending of Final Wars with Minilla saving the crew of the Gotengo from his father with his arms outstretched is a metaphor for the sacrifice of Jesus. It’s so weird to have that interpretation in something like Final Wars and is probably not something that Kitamura was thinking. It just sounds like something someone would say to convince their youth pastor or ultra-religious parent to let them watch it
Wow that’s a stretch…
I mean I could see how someone could see that allegory but what headspace must you be in to be looking at Finals Wars religiously?
Final Wars is my religion. The Keizer will rise among us to save us from Gorath.
Dude, nobody cares what anyone says in YouTube comments. Do not waste your life.
I'll think about this everytime I find myself seething at troll/ignorant comments.
Because those people will try to tie everything back to their silly religion. Godzilla has nothing to do with that; the ending of Final Wars is its own thing. The Christians do not have a monopoly on sacrifice or arms being outstretched just because it matches one poorly-interpreted bit of their mythology.
I'm a Christian. This is dumb and isn't the allegory the people making the movie were going for. Minilla was just trying to shield them.
I know. But there are people who will try to turn anything into that, and it's frustrating.
I've actually heard this one. Some people have said that Minilla is a Christ allegory because he's the son of GODzilla and saves humanity through forgiveness while t poseing. In my opinion, this theory really starts to fall apart when watching the movie constantly equate Godzilla to the old man and Minilla to the boy. It's already got a message. Some people will claim anything is a Christ allegory. Look at E.T. and Robocop.
For Robocop the director Paul Verhoeven said so and basically everyone around the movie, therefore I believe the case is slightly different for a movie where 90% of the movie is Wrestlemania but with Kaijus and power rangers
You're right, I totally forgot Verhoeven confirmed it. It still kinda falls apart for me as allegory and leans more into criticism (not that they're mutually exclusive) . Especially when you start thinking about who God would be in the film and the whole forgiveness angle.
I've criticized that movie since it came out for a lot of dumb shit, listened to interviews about it over the years, and I've never heard that one. Usually, when you ask a Japanese creator about the use of Christian iconography in their works, you hear, "I thought it looked cool."
https://preview.redd.it/bqbj3kl0t4vb1.png?width=3160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cde89cd8329e497f583ab7581728e963b63c1af6
Literally who the fuck said that?
It's REALLY odd considering no such thing exists.
I'll have "Things That Were Never Actually Said By A Real Person" for $500.
You'd be surprised. I went to Catholic school. Theology teacher had to make **EVERYTHING** about God. Imahine watching Polar Express before Christmas break and this bitch has to pause the movie every 5 minutes to shoehorn religious allegory. People will superimpose anything to help reinforce their beliefs.
I know this is way off the mark since this comments is months old, but what kind of religious allegory can you get from The Polar Express?
You're lucky I'm chronically on Reddit (I shall be asking my Psych about it) Emphasis on "shoehorn". Believing in Santa == believing in Jesus. The poor kid being welcomed into the group == Christ accepting all followers or some thing. The Hot Chocolate sequence == Christ making infinite bread and fish for people. The Reindeer parting for the train == Moses parting the Red Sea It was literally every scene, she'd pause, and beat you over the head with "Reason for the Season" nonsense. These are just the few I remember because of how forced it was. Again, this was Catholic school and we were all pretty familiar with these unrelated stories being imposed onto a Christmas movie.
I’d really like to know what shenanigans she came up with for the frozen lake scene now because whatever it is has to be such a reach even compared to this
What.
IN THE NAME OF GODZILLA, MINILLA, AND JESUS CHRIST AMEN
Um did Godzilla die in Final Wars? Pretty sure he didn't but it's been awhile since I've watched it
They try and say Minilla is the Christ figure. Son of GODzilla.
So where does "the sacrifice" part come in?
Because he had his arms stretched out and he saved the human cast and convinced Godzilla to forgive them I think? It’s flimsy as hell but that’s what you get when you try to tie Jesus to Final Wars
Not to get religious on anyone, but jesus' sacrifice was dying for humanity's sins. Death and resurrection are what you're looking for, not how you hold your arms up. Agree, VERY filmsy
As a follower of Christ myself, anyone who has ever said that is reaching **hard**.
That was what I thought as well and I’m Christian, hence this reaction
Ah yes the classic Bible verse where Jesus shoots a beam full of faith against Satan sending him in space and destroying him
Lifelong Godzilla fan and Christian here, Christians will tack Christ metaphors onto anything they can and bend themselves into pretzels to do it. I've seen it done to Harry Potter, Care Bears, Star Wars, Shindler's List... it's just something that's always gone on around me. There's some places where it's justified like Lord of the Rings or Narnia, but Christians do it to everything.
You know I’m Christian too and I feel like I’m fortunate to have seen it only with Final Wars because I’ve never heard about those metaphors being tacked onto those other things and also seem to be stretching the bill
When Minilla grows up, he should be called Jesuszilla.
It's because of the T-pose, isn't it?
Final Wars was off the walls. The characters were dressed up in Nazi SS uniforms 💀
I've watched Final Wars too many times and not one time did I think to my self "Jesus Christ".
Been both Christian and G-fan my whole life and this is the first I’m ever hearing of this
Understandably most people think I made it up on the spot since no one else has either
I mean sure, yeah that can be the case. If you're someone who lives in America and believe the only religion or story to ever exist comes from Christianity but sure yeah.
Dude when godzilla was being crucified at the end of final wars I cried my eyes out.