Mahiro Maeda to design 2016 Godzilla?

JAMAAL - That is an incredibly encouraging bit of information! I am so very excited for this film! I have my fingers crossed that Godzilla (2016) will be everything that we want! :)

SOMETHING REAL:

This was the best part of the article:

"Although Godzilla has often been portrayed as a hero in his movies, it sounds like Higuchi and Anno will be taking him back to his horrific roots. Animator/designer Mahiro Maeda and sculptor Takayuki Takeya are said to be working on a frightening design for the King of the Monsters that's based on his appearance in the original 1954 GODZILLA, and in a recent AP interview Higuchi promised that the film will feature the most terrifying version of Godzilla possible."

"Most terrifying version of Godzilla possible." Shinji Higuchi has promised this. And, he's come through so far!

This, is so sweet.

Actually, the whole article was great.

I get the feeling, that as good as Legendary Godzilla 2014 was, Toho is looking to up the ante, so to speak, horror-wise. We all know what Shinji Higuchi can do with traditional effects enhanced by CGI. He's promising a terrifying version of Godzilla, based on the 1954 design. This fan could not be happier. It's like a lightbulb came on,and everything became crystal clear as to how to bring this iconic giant monster back to the screen.

I'm thinking more and more that it's going to be a solo film. This is not based on anything other than a gut feeling. But, if there is another kaiju, there would be no complaints here.

JAMAAL - You said it! The fact that they are working on what I am hoping will amount to the most destructive and frightening incarnation of Godzilla to date leaves me hard pressed to not giggle and bounce with joy! Certainly, I will forever hold Edwards' Godzilla in hight esteem - even if that regard is mostly due to the fact that it spurred Toho to get back in the game and produce thier own contestant for King of the Monsters! :)

I believe that there are things regarding Godzilla that only Toho can do. It isn't simply a matter of budget or resources. It's a lot more. I believe, empirically and intuitively, that it is a matter of Toho having, through Honda, Tsuburaya, Ifukube, and all the others who helped to make that classic, inimitable film, started a genre. This is something that cannot be replicated, no matter how much a studio has at its disposal in terms of resources, talent and technology. Godzilla is Japan's and Toho's. That they are making a Godzilla film is only right and just. Everything about this project seems so right. It's like something has been restored to us, the fans of this incredible, fantastic series of films.

Having said this, when I look at the artists connected to this film, their love for the character and the genre, the tradition and the artistry and craftsmanship, I am amazed, but also very grateful that this is happening.

@Jamaal,

I really don't know what to say about what you said in your last post. It's going to be the rebirth that us fans have desired for a very long time now. The rebirth of the great DaiKaiju Godzilla who brought about the likes of Gamera, Ultraman, yongary, etc. The monster of monsters that broke his way to the big screen as the fearsome beast that struck fear in the hearts of millions. Godzilla next year should be that, "the greatest worst nightmare." 

Hm, guess I'm the only one who saw this and didn't really care much.

Really? 

Well, here's a reason to be excited about a Mahiro Maeda design of Godzilla. This is from a review of Gamera 3: Revenge of Irys, after discussing the human characters (which were great, endowed with depth:

"But enough about all that. What about the monsters?

Well, there’s Gamera, for one, who’s new upgrade is a thing of beauty. Gone is any semblance of his 1960s self. Tusks jut out from a mouth full of teeth. His fireballs are numerous and destructive. His shell is a shape-changing shield of overlapping armor. This is Gamera as he always should have looked, brought to life by a smooth combination of suitmation and strategic CGI. The fusion is seamless and dynamic, with Gamera maintaining a level of believability I wouldn’t have thought possible ten years ago. As send-offs go, the old turtle could not have asked for better.

The Anti-Gamera, Iris, fulfills its (his?) role to the letter. Fluid instead of awkward; sharp instead of blunt; Iris is the most visually interesting giant monster since Gigan…and come to think of it, the two have a lot in common. Both have a single eye and edged appendages. But while Gigan is a child of 1970s design sense, Iris is very much the child of today, alien in an Lovecraftian, cephalopodic way. As vicious and reptilian as Gamera appears, at least he still resembles a creature from this planet. I hope who ever came up with Iris’ final design (that would be creature designer Mahiro Maeda) earned themselves a box of cookies."(Emphasis mine)

Here's the link to the review:

http://aytiws.com/2004/03/gamera-3-the-revenge-of-iris-1999/

So yes, this is for many, the most anticpated Godzilla in several years.

I think this Godzilla, as designed by Mahiro Maeda and directed by Shini Higuchi, will be interesting, evokative of the Shodai-Goji, but updated in a stunning way at the same time. I think this Godzila will be, "brought to life by a smooth combination of suitmation and strategic CGI. The fusion is seamless and dynamic..." 

It's the blending of these two techniques, practical and digital, called a hybrid by Shinji Higuchi, that's makes this film so exciting. That, along with the hands that it's been entrusted to. Oh my God, the talent that's been brought to bear for Godzilla! This is amazing. Then, there's the prospect of an intense, appropriately complex, but interestingly written story, with characters that are meaningful and riveting. All this, and more in a giant monster movie. In fact, the giant monster, featuring the greatest science fiction character of all time.  

Speaking of designs, I think this is rather interesting:

http://legrandzilla.deviantart.com/art/My-Majestic-Beast-for-Herlinde-296249115 

As for Iris's design, sure it's original, very unique and the monster even looks beautiful at times, however does it ever give off the vibe of scary, or fearful? I never got that feeling from Iris, or Legion for that matter. The only monsters in the Gamera trilogy that might instill fear is probably Gyaos, or Gamera in the final part maybe. This Godzilla keeps being referred to with words of nightmare and fear, but looking at the past monsters I didn't get much of that from Mahiro, and Iris was the perfect monster to create this feeling with. The Gamera killer, a monster that was made to give kill the only monster that could stop the Gyaos, but while it is a beautiful unique monster, it didn't fill my idea of fear. 

Mahiro also does work for animation and I haven't seen all his work in that but Escaflowne, and Evangelion. Interesting designs once again, but don't really fulfill the role of fear, especially the majority of the Angels who were supposed to bring us death.

^I don't really agree with that. Yeah, Iris has some beautiful moments, but he's also very errie as well. Not nightmarishly so, but certainly the design adds the subtext. Legion is more full on, however. Especially the soldiers.

And if the designs in EVA don't fit some form of nightmare manifestation... then I just don't want to know how messed up your nightmares are...

Not saying none of the Angels had a dark nightmarish form, but from what I remember of the original series like 4 were essentially humanlike, one was actually a person, one was a diamond, one was an eyeball, one was like a lightning bird, and another was a glowing circle.

Sure there were a few that generally fit the nightmare look, but at least half weren't anything impressive in comparison.