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Toronto Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Sun
Godzilla fans fete the monster as it turns 70
Published Jul 27, 2025 • 2 minute read A "Godzilla" fan poses at Comic-Con in San Diego, California on July 26, 2025. Photo by Chris DELMAS / AFP Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. SAN DIEGO — Godzilla has morphed over the years, but one constant is the devotion of its fans, who celebrated the Japanese monster's 70th anniversary at the pop culture convention Comic-Con. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The Japanese studio Toho, which created Godzilla, maintains a calendar of events to celebrate the beast often called the king of monsters, and Comic-Con is on the agenda. Godzilla was born on Nov. 3, 1954 with the launch of the first movie about it, directed by Ishiro Honda. 'I am a very big fan of Godzilla,' said Angela Hill, a teacher who travelled from Arizona to take part in Comic-Con, which this year featured events and displays celebrating Godzilla. One of the world's largest celebrations of pop culture, Comic-Con brings together 130,000 people, many of whom come dressed as wizards, princesses or characters from movies, games or TV series. As the story of Godzilla goes, a prehistoric amphibious beast is awakened and mutated by nuclear bomb testing in the Pacific. It emerges from the sea and attacks Japan in a rage, symbolizing the deadly power of nukes. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I think because he came from such a historic event — like, a lot of other monsters are just interesting creatures, but they don't hold the grief of a nation,' Hill said, referring to the US nuclear bomb attacks against Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II. At the pop culture watering hole in San Diego, people lined up to shoot pictures and video with an image of Godzilla, which was also the theme of a panel discussion on Friday that featured Shinji Higuchi, who co-directed a reboot in 2016 called 'Shin Godzilla.' The movie franchise includes nearly 40 films and has spawned hundreds of animated productions about the monster as well as TV series and graphic work. 'Rooting for him' On Saturday the writers Ed Godziszewski and Steve Ryfle signed autographs of their book 'Godzilla: The First 70 Years,' which sold out at Comic-Con. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It's a rich history,' Ryfle told AFP. 'This is the longest running feature film franchise in cinematic history that's focused on a single, continuous character. It's been around longer than James Bond.' He said the key to its longevity is that Godzilla has evolved over time but stayed faithful to its origins. 'Godzilla has been serious, it's been scary, it's been heroic, it's been funny. But at the same time this is a movie character that's rooted in something that's very real,' Ryfle said. 'And that's the trauma that Japan experienced, both during World War II, and also the trauma of the aftermath of World War II, the aftermath of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,' he added. He said Honda, who directed the first Godzilla movie, was a veteran who used the film to send a message against war and in particular against nuclear weapons. Michelle Pena, a Godzilla fan who waited in line to get the autograph of the two writers, said part of the monster's charm is how it has changed over the years. 'Good, bad, hero, anti-hero, you know. And I like that,' she said. 'He's not, like, lovable,' she added. 'He's a big dinosaur-looking thing, you know. He's scary. But, like, you really, really find yourself rooting for him.' Sports Columnists Sunshine Girls Toronto & GTA Toronto & GTA
eNCA
a day ago
- Entertainment
- eNCA
Godzilla fans fete the monster as it turns 70
Godzilla has morphed over the years, but one constant is the devotion of its fans, who celebrated the Japanese monster's 70th anniversary at the pop culture convention Comic-Con. The Japanese studio Toho, which created Godzilla, maintains a calendar of events to celebrate the beast often called the king of monsters, and Comic-Con is on the agenda. Godzilla was born on November 3, 1954 with the launch of the first movie about it, directed by Ishiro Honda. "I am a very big fan of Godzilla," said Angela Hill, a teacher who traveled from Arizona to take part in Comic-Con, which this year featured events and displays celebrating Godzilla. One of the world's largest celebrations of pop culture, Comic-Con brings together 130,000 people, many of whom come dressed as wizards, princesses or characters from movies, games or TV series. As the story of Godzilla goes, a prehistoric amphibious beast is awakened and mutated by nuclear bomb testing in the Pacific. It emerges from the sea and attacks Japan in a rage, symbolizing the deadly power of nukes. "I think because he came from such a historic event -- like, a lot of other monsters are just interesting creatures, but they don't hold the grief of a nation," Hill said, referring to the US nuclear bomb attacks against Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II. AFP | Chris DELMAS At the pop culture watering hole in San Diego, people lined up to shoot pictures and video with an image of Godzilla, which was also the theme of a panel discussion on Friday that featured Shinji Higuchi, who co-directed a reboot in 2016 called "Shin Godzilla." The movie franchise includes nearly 40 films and has spawned hundreds of animated productions about the monster as well as TV series and graphic work. - 'Rooting for him' - On Saturday the writers Ed Godziszewski and Steve Ryfle signed autographs of their book "Godzilla: The First 70 Years," which sold out at Comic-Con. "It's a rich history," Ryfle told AFP. "This is the longest running feature film franchise in cinematic history that's focused on a single, continuous character. It's been around longer than James Bond." He said the key to its longevity is that Godzilla has evolved over time but stayed faithful to its origins. "Godzilla has been serious, it's been scary, it's been heroic, it's been funny. But at the same time this is a movie character that's rooted in something that's very real," Ryfle said. "And that's the trauma that Japan experienced, both during World War II, and also the trauma of the aftermath of World War II, the aftermath of Hiroshima and Nagasaki," he added. AFP | Chris DELMAS He said Honda, who directed the first Godzilla movie, was a veteran who used the film to send a message against war and in particular against nuclear weapons. Michelle Pena, a Godzilla fan who waited in line to get the autograph of the two writers, said part of the monster's charm is how it has changed over the years. "Good, bad, hero, anti-hero, you know. And I like that," she said. "He's not, like, lovable," she added. "He's a big dinosaur-looking thing, you know. He's scary. But, like, you really, really find yourself rooting for him."
The Star
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
'Fortnite' unavailable on Apple devices worldwide
"Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission... sadly, Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it," Epic posted on X. — Photography Chris DELMAS/AFP PARIS: Hit game Fortnite was unavailable on Apple's digital App Store around the world on Friday, in the latest episode of a battle between the tech titan and publisher Epic Games. While Fortnite with its millions of daily players was already unavailable to iPhone users in the United States, the block on downloads of the cartoonish multiplayer shooter now affects the entire globe. "Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission... sadly, Fortnite on iOS will be offline worldwide until Apple unblocks it," Epic posted on X. Apple told AFP it had asked Epic in Sweden to resubmit its app update "without including the US storefront of the App Store so as not to impact Fortnite in other geographies". "We did not take any action to remove the live version of Fortnite from alternative distribution marketplaces," an Apple spokesperson said. Epic has for years battled tech giants over the commissions they charge for software downloaded through the official stores on operating systems like Apple's iOS and Google's Android. These are historically the only way for most users to install programs onto their devices. Although it has secured wins in US courts and European Union digital regulations, Epic on Friday effectively accused Apple of slow-walking the vetting process it enforces before making an app or game available for users to download. Epic said last week that it had submitted Fortnite for review for listing in the App Store in the United States. As well as being "blocked" there, the publisher added that Fortnite was also unavailable in the European Union. Fans there can usually download the game through the company's own app store as the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA), which went into effect last year, requires Apple and other US tech giants to open up their platforms to competition. 'Junk fees' Fortnite is a heavyweight of the gaming world, with Epic claiming around 500 million users in 2023. But players have grown used to upsets as the publisher has filed legal cases against both Apple and Google over what it calls "junk fees". Apple's commissions for App Store purchases, which can range as high as 30 percent, come "at the expense of consumers and developers", the company wrote on X last week. Epic has faced off against Apple in US courts since 2021, when Fortnite was banned from the App Store over what Apple said was an attempt to get around the iPhone maker's payment system. A judge found that the App Store was anticompetitive as it forbade developers from offering alternative avenues for payment. But the conflict has endured past the US court order and the EU's requirement that Apple and Google allow third-party app stores on their operating systems. A US federal judge said earlier this month that Apple was failing to comply with her three-year-old order that emerged from Epic's case, which requires the iPhone maker to allow other avenues for users to buy content or services. Epic quickly capitalised on the new court action, submitting Fortnite afresh to be vetted for inclusion in the App Store. "We don't have an update on our Fortnite submission to the App Store. Apple has neither accepted nor rejected it," chief executive Tim Sweeney wrote on X Thursday. Revenue stream Apple had made a priority of building up its services business as the Silicon Valley titan tries to reduce its reliance on iPhone sales for revenue. The unit, which includes Apple's television and music streaming services along with iCloud data storage and App Store income, now accounts for more than a quarter of the company's revenue. Apple last week sought to delay a part of the court order that blocks it from charging commissions on transactions outside the App Store, Bloomberg reported. The App Store changes include letting app makers use alternate payment systems free or charge or commission. Epic had cast the order as an opening of the floodgates to allow other software developers to escape Apple's fees. Swedish music streaming service Spotify was among the first to take advantage of the ruling, offering links in its iOS app to purchase subscriptions outside the App Store. – AFP
