The Kaiju Transmissions Podcast

Byrd, Matt and Kevin discuss and review the recent comic book crossover Godzilla vs. Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers II (written by Cullen Bunn and drawn by Baldemar Rivas). The follow up to IDW and Boom!'s 2022 crossover once again sees the Power Rangers in a multiversal adventure as they once again cross paths with Godzilla and other Toho monsters as they go up against Rita Repulsa as she threatens to destroy rangers in all dimensions. This time we also get Ranger and zord/kaiju hybrids. How did this sequel hold up? Listen and find out!

After a Spring hiatus, Byrd and Matt come back to discuss Jurassic World Rebirth, the newest entry in the Jurassic Park franchise directed by Gareth Edwards (Godzilla 2014, Monsters, Star Wars: Rogue One). This entry follows a group of mercenaries (led by Scarlett Johansson and Mahershala Ali) tasked with gathering dino DNA for medical research by going to an island used for genetic experimentation. Along the way they meet up with a family they save during a Mosasaur attack. We discuss an endless amount of dinosaur chase sequences, the rushed production of the film, Snickers wrappers, Lays potato chips, and the death of the "director as auteur" in blockbuster film making. So how does this one compare to the last few entries? Listen and find out!

Byrd, Matt, Lux and Kevin discuss Shinji Higuchi's recent Netflix film Bullet Train Explosion. Higuchi's latest revamp of an old tokusatsu IP is a remake/sequel to Toei's 1975 classic disaster film The Bullet Train. Like its predecessor, the story revolves around a bomb on a bullet train, which will explode if the train slows down under 100kph. Show how does Higuchi's latest fare in comparison to the original film and his other recent tokusatsu reboots? Listen and find out!

Back from the holiday break, Byrd and Matt set their sights on Ray Harryhausen's classic series of Sinbad films; the 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1957), the Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973) and Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977) are still among the most celebrated fantasy films of all time. After getting tired of monsters tearing down landmarks, stop motion animator Ray Harryhausen decided to make a different kind of monster movie by drawing inspiration from the Arabian Nights folktales of Sinbad, a sailor who would go on swashbuckling adventures and fight monsters, sorcerers and more. We discuss the history of these influential films, and discuss how they hold up all these years later. We talk Cyclops, dragons, centaurs, troglodytes, and more! Relax and enjoy the conversation!

Byrd, Lux, and Kevin nurse their Halloween hangover with another episode covering everyone's favorite yokai boy-hero Kitaro! The long running franchise created by Shigeru Mizuki catapulted Japan's folkloric creatures into pop culture and still runs strong to this day. We look at another sampling of GeGeGe No Kitaro material from over the years. We discuss the first two episodes of the 1970s anime series, 2008's film Japan Explodes, and 2023's prequel film The Mystery of GeGeGe. We discuss how the franchise has changed over the years, the lack of Kitaro media in the States, and what happens when someone spills their Game of Thrones in our Kitaro. Relax and enjoy the conversation!

Our October horror shows roll on as Byrd, Tom, and Kevin are joined by Chris Marti (musician alias "Cosmic Monster" and co-writer of The Author vs. the Werewolf) to discuss the fantasy/horror of Wicked City! Based on a series of novels by Hideyuki Kikuchi (Vampire Hunter D), Wicked City is about the rift between humanity and a secret society of interdimensional demons. We start with 1987's cult classic anime film from Yoshiaki Kawajiri (Ninja Scroll, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust) and move onto 1992's live action version produced in Hong Kong (co-produced by Toho). Both adaptations are bonkers, so we have a lot to discuss including the anime's problematic sexual politics, phallic tentacle creatures, spider women, handover era Hong Kong cinema, sentient pinball machines, horny elevator monsters, and more. But first, we discuss the recent passing of legendary Showa era monster maker Keizo Murase. Relax and enjoy the conversation.

Byrd, Tom and Trev kick off our annual October horror series with the Italian creature feature Alien From the Deep, directed by Antonio Margheriti (Cannibal Apocalypse). Although seemingly made to cash-in on both Aliens and the Abyss, the actual plot is anything but. It tells the story of some Greenpeace activists who attempt to expose a corporation for illegally dumping radioactive waste into a nearby volcano. But the radiation has attracted a giant alien who has started wreaking havoc in the area. We have pervy snake farmers, industrial espionage, a giant claw with a mind of its own, and some neat miniature effects in this silly 80s obscurity. Relax and join the fun!