Godzilla emerges from Marina Bay to mark franchise's 70th anniversary
SINGAPORE - The King of Monsters has arrived in Singapore – in a 55-second long video 'tribute' to Godzilla fans in South-east Asia.
In the video, posted on the franchise's official YouTube page on May 10, Godzilla can be seen emerging from the waters of Marina Bay, with iconic Singaporean sights like Gardens By The Bay, Marina Bay Sands and the Singapore Flyer in the background.
It then lets out an almighty roar as it prepares to unleash its destructive atomic breath.
The behemoth can also be seen in various locations across South-east Asia at different points of the video, such as near the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, and near the famous terraced paddy fields of Bali.
The video was produced by Japanese entertainment company Toho – which owns the Godzilla brand – to mark the 70th anniversary of the first Godzilla film, which was released in October 1954 .
'For the first time across Southeast Asia, the legend emerges in a powerful tribute to the fans who have kept its legacy alive,' said Toho, in the video's description.
The company added: 'This special footage honors South-east Asia, celebrating seven decades of Godzilla's unstoppable journey through the region's iconic landmarks.'
Godzilla, a figure that was created after World War II, is a symbolic figure that represents the destructive power of nuclear weapons and the threat they pose to humanity and the environment.
In November 2024, Toho opened a subsidiary, Toho Entertainment , in Singapore. Toho Entertainment will serve as a base for the company to expand into the Asian region.
This is not the first time a fictional Japanese colossus has appeared in Marina Bay.
Japanese superhero Ultraman was seen battling a Godzilla-like monster at Gardens by the Bay in Nov 2021 , in a tourism movie produced by Japanese special effects studio Tsuburaya Productions.
Those wondering what would happen if Godzilla actually did appear in Marina Bay can rest assured that the Republic of Singapore Navy has got the nation covered, with its 'Top Secret Ops Godzilla' plan that it unveiled in June 2024.
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