Byrd and Kevin (with bystander Lux Edwards and sort of Matt) give a rundown of this year's G-Fest convention (which took place this past July 14-16).  We talk about the panels we both held and witnessed, the guests, and other highlights.  We also review the films we saw at the film festival, including Yoshikazu Ishii's Yuzo the Biggest Battle in Tokyo, Mike Cheslik's Hundreds of Beavers, Kiyotaka Taguchi's Daikaiju Bugon, and more!  But first we have a lengthy news roundup, including the latest on Godzilla Minus One, Gamera Rebirth, the new Kong video game, and the Godzilla and Kong vs Justice League comic.  Relax and enjoy the show!

We're joined once again by special guest Bob Johnson (SciFi Japan, Planet 8 Podcast, Bay Area Film Events) for another interview, this time discussing not one but two weekend long tokusatsu film festivals happening this summer in San Francisco.  Bob has organized UltraFest coming to the 4 Star Theater from July 21-23rd and GodzillaFest, coming to the Balboa Theater from August 18-20th.  Bob talks about the film and guest lineups, and, as always, regales us with many stories from his years in the fandom.  The interview covers post-Covid theatrical exhibition, the early days of tokusatsu tape trading, cursed Ultraman statues, tokusatsu on home video, the modern state of the genre, and more!  Kick back and enjoy the conversation!

Byrd, Matt and Kevin discuss the brand new Skull Island animated series.  Made for Netflix by Legendary and Powerhouse Animation Studios (Castlevania) and developed by writer Brian Duffield (Underwater, Love and Monsters), the series follows a group of shipwreck survivors trying to survive on King Kong's home island.  How does the series fare as the first animated series and television venture for the Monsterverse?  Does it improve Kong's unfortunate track record in animation?  And why do we disagree with the marketing's use of the word "anime?"  Listen and find out!  But first, we discuss Toho's recent crowdfunding effort for a new Jet Jaguar suit and PlutoTV's announcement of a 24/7 Godzilla channel.  Relax and join the conversation!

Byrd, Matt and Kevin discuss the South Korean obscurity, 1967's Space Monster Wangmagwi!  Made (cheaply) to compete with the same year's Yongary, Wangmagwi has been a rarity up until 2023 when it got its first home video release (in any country!) via SRS Cinema in The United States.  The film was thought lost until the Korean Film Archive started doing rare showings at festivals in the 2000s, which only made giant monster fans even more curious.  The film tells of a space monster sent to destroy the population to make room for its alien overlords to populate the earth.  Along the way we have interrupted weddings, someone falling in their own poop, and a homeless child getting stuck inside the monsters head in one of the most stream of consciousness monster movies we've ever seen.  We expected weird, but nothing could have prepared us for the madness that is Wangmagwi.  So how does the film hold up to the hype it has built in its decades in hiding?  Listen and find out!

We finally take our first step into the vast "giant bug" subgenre with the granddaddy of them all, 1954's classic Them!  Along with the Beast From 20,000 Fathoms and Godzilla, this film helped kick off a new era of atomic monster film, warning the public about the threat of nuclear weapons.  Written by Ted Sherdeman (Latitude Zero) and directed by Gordon Douglas (Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye), it tells the tale of giant radioactive ants terrorizing New Mexico, as our main characters fight to stop the threat before it spreads around the globe.  This film has gone on to become one of the most influential monster films of the 50s, kicking off a whole subgenre of giant bug films and inspiring films like Rodan and Aliens.  In addition to our review of the movie, we'll talk about its turbulent production history, its far reaching influence and lasting relevance, and how the nuclear bomb has been trivialized by Hollywood in the years since its release.  Tune in and relax!

Byrd, Matt, and guest host Trev (Days of Future Podcast, Failure To Franchise) run through a superhero double feature.  First up is the recent Power Rangers reunion special from Netflix, which sees many of the original Power Rangers team return to face a robotic reincarnation of their arch enemy, Rita Repulsa.  We'll talk about how nostalgia drives the narrative, the lack of certain prominent cast members, and more.  After that we have the French Super Sentai pseudo-parody, Smoking Causes Coughing, directed by prolific surrealist director Quentin Dupieux.  This postmodern send up asks the question "What if a Super Sentai team sucked at their jobs and were ordered to go on a team building retreat where they told each other weird stories around a campfire?"  We'll talk about subverted expectations, the merits of surrealist humor, and more.  

For our first comic book review, we are joined by Trev and Tom to talk about IDW/Boom Studio's crossover comic miniseries, Godzilla vs The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, written by Cullen Bunn (Deadpool, The Sixth Gun, Godzilla: Cataclysm) and drawn by Freddie E Williams II (Batman/TMNT).  When Rita Repulsa decides to go to a universe without the Power Rangers, she gets more than she bargained for when she's met by the likes of Godzilla and other Toho kaiju.  When the Power Rangers follow her, they have to deal with both Godzilla and co, as well as Rita and her army of monsters.  In addition to our review, we'll talk about the challenges of adapting kaiju to comics, the conundrum of expectations, and more!  Relax and enjoy the discussion.

We are joined by Tom and Trev to tackle another Asylum movie, this time with the sequel to 2021's Ape vs Monster.  Ape vs. Mecha Ape brings the giant ape Abraham face to face with a mechanical doppelgänger that is carrying nuclear weapons.  Can an ape stop a mecha ape?!  Can Tom Arnold help from the comfort of his desk?  We answer these riveting questions and more.  But first, we have discuss the latest on the upcoming (and newly titled) Monsterverse film, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.  Relax and enjoy the show!

We are joined by our Kaiju Masterclass partner, writer Patrick Galvan (SyFy, Our Culture, Ruan Lingyu: Her Life and Career) to discuss Ishiro Honda's banned 1955 film Half Human (aka The Beastman Snowman).  Made immediately after the original Godzilla, the film tells the story of a mountain expedition to search for the abominable snowman (and a sleazy promoter looking to kidnap the creature).  The film is under a self-imposed ban by Toho due to its offensive depiction of the Burakumin minority group, and can only be watched on VHS rips from a copy that was smuggled out of Toho years ago.  In our discussion we will discuss the making of the film and explore the topic of Burakumin oppression and the very real struggles that the group still faces to this day.  We also give some time to the bizarre and incomprehensible American version of the film starring John Carradine.  Relax and enjoy the discussion!