Godzilla vs. Biollante

Five years after Godzilla’s return, a grieving scientist uses some of the Kaiju’s cells to prolong the last living gift from his daughter.  To his and the rest of the worlds horror, this gives birth to a new breed of plant like monster, Biollante.  And this couldn’t come at a worse time as Godzilla finally awakens to resume his relentless assault on Japan.  But Biollante calls to the King of the Monsters, born of the same cells.  An battle is imminent and the fate of the world hangs in the balance once more.

1985’s Return of Godzilla reminded the world just what kind of a force of destructive nature the King of the Monsters can really be.  For his second adventure in the Hesei Era, it’s time to remind the world of the other thing he does best: kicking fellow Kaiju ass.  Godzilla vs. Biollante actually goes a bit beyond that with a story that actually continues on from Return of Godzilla, building the world up and actually using Human characters who aren’t annoying when on screen.  Many Godzilla fans cite this one as one of the very best in the series…but is it really?
 

FIF#250-Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Frozen Teardrop

Over two decades after mankind began it’s expansion to the planet Mars, Martian Leader Zechs Merquise is assassinated, leading to a surge in uprisings across the Red Planet.  In response, the Earth Sphere Unified Nations Preventors revives legendary Gundam Pilot Heero Yuy from suspended animation.  His newest mission takes him to Mars where he reunites with old comrades and joins a new generation of Gundam Pilots against this rebellion.  The real reason for Heero’s reawakening is soon revealed as the Mars Resistances newest figurehead reveals themselves as the woman Heero has sworn to but never been able to kill: Relena Peacecraft.

 
It’s crazy to think about the kind of year Mobile Suit Gundam Wing has had.  2025 has marked it’s 30^th Anniversary and it’s gotten so much love all across the world from rereleases of the Theatrical Cut of Endless Waltz to a crazy good panel at this years San Diego Comic Con featuring the English Voice Actors of Heero, Duo and Quatre.  Oh and we got that wickedly good anniversary video that featured the first ever Anime footage of what we’re looking at today for our 250^th Episode of First Impression Friday.  Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Frozen Teardrop is an odd entry to the Wing subseries and was originally released as a novel series between 2010 and 2015 and is the more or less official sequel to the original series.  So far, it’s only ever seen the light of day in those novels (and more recently the aforementioned 30^th Anniversary Video).  However, that’s not entirely true.  As part of the Gundam Wing Ultimate Blu Ray set, a Picture Drama of Frozen Teardrop, titled “The Next War: Epyon Ares” was released as a bonus feature available only to that box set.  It’s a bit odd to look at something like this for a First Impression.  But with the very thin chance this sequel could get an Anime adaptation one day, I figured it’s worth a look.  So, how is this follow up to one of the still most popular entries in the entire Gundam Saga?
 

T5W#534-Top 5 Theories about Godzilla Minus Zero

It’s fitting we’ve kicked off Godzilla Month right after this years Godzilla Day Celebrations, which brought big news for the Godzilla fandom. The highly anticipated sequel to Godzilla Minus One finally has a title: Godzilla Minus Zero.  It’s not much but it’s huge nonetheless and there’s plenty to speculate on until we get more intel, not to mention a potential release date.  And on todays Top 5 Wednesday, I’m gonna share my own Top 5 Theories about Godzilla Minus Zero.  Is this a title that can at least match it’s Award Winning predecessor?  Man, Toho couldntve given us a release window too?  I digress, let’s get to it.

Godzilla vs. Hedorah

The massive pollution of Tokyo Bay gives birth to a new kind of horror: Herdorah, the Smog Monster.  Born of mankinds negligence, this beast begins to turn the city and waters around it into a toxic paradise lethal to humans.  Only one force stands in his way: Godzilla.  But can the King of the Monsters withstand a seemingly deadlier force of nature greater than himself?

Godzilla vs. Hedorah is a special movie as it’s the very first Godzilla movie I ever saw a kid on the SciFi Channel.  A lot of the deeper themes, messages and even grosser elements were kind of lost on me at that age.  Cause let’s face it, when your under 10 seeing Godzilla fight a rival Kaiju for the first time, it’s all you care about.  Rewatching this movie as both an adult and seasoned Godzilla veteran, has my opinion changed about this kind of divisive entry in the franchise or is it as awe inspiring as I remember?
 

Star Wars: Visions 3

The Animated adventures of souls all across a Galaxy Far, Far Away return with 9 brand new tales from the most prominent powers in the world of Japanese Animation.  New chapters in the ongoing sagas of familiar tales are written alongside the beginnings of a new generation of heroes across the stars.  From youthful pilots to jaded Bounty Hunters to the never ending war between Jedi and Sith, the Visions grow stronger than ever before as Star Wars and Anime join forces once again.

For it’s third outing, the Star Wars Visions Anthology Series returns to its roots with the concept that started it all: Star Wars plus Anime.  Not that this is ever a bad thing but it has to be said that returning to a strictly Anime line up of shorts does immediately lessen to substantial impact made to the series by opening the doors to the rest of the Animation world for Visions 2.  Not only that but several of these new offerings feel either underwhelming, incomplete, or just inferior to what’s come before.  Not that there isnt plenty to enjoy but Visions 3 is nevertheless the weakest of the three seasons thus far.