Godzilla Movies - Watch Order: Showa Era

1954 - 197515 Films21h 47m3.8 Average

This watch order features the original Japanese continuity from 1954-1975, telling a continuous story across 15 films that established the foundation of kaiju cinema. The Showa Era chronicles Godzilla's complete character evolution and introduces popular monsters like King Ghidorah, Mothra, Rodan, and Mechagodzilla along the way.

This cohesive mythology builds a rich monster universe where continuity matters and characters develop across multiple films. Watch as the series gradually shifts from the serious horror of the original to the colorful spectacle of the later entries, creating the template that all future kaiju films would follow while maintaining an internal logic and ongoing storyline.

1
Godzilla poster

Godzilla

19541h 36m4.6
Director: Ishirō Honda
Cast: Akira Takarada, Momoko Kôchi, Akihiko Hirata, Takashi Shimura, Fuyuki Murakami

Japan is thrown into a panic after several ships are sunk near Odo Island. An expedition to the island led by Dr. Kyohei Yamane soon discover something far more devastating than imagined in the form of a 50 meter tall monster whom the natives call Gojira. Now the monster begins a rampage that threatens to destroy not only Japan, but the rest of the world as well.

ThrillerHorrorScience Fiction
2
Godzilla Raids Again poster

Godzilla Raids Again

19551h 22m3.2
Director: Motoyoshi Oda
Cast: Hiroshi Koizumi, Setsuko Wakayama, Minoru Chiaki, Takashi Shimura, Masao Shimizu

Two fishing scout pilots make a horrifying discovery when they encounter a second Godzilla alongside a new monster named Anguirus. Without the weapon that killed the original, authorities attempt to lure Godzilla away from the mainland. But Anguirus soon arrives and the two monsters make their way towards Osaka as Japan braces for tragedy.

Science FictionHorrorAction
3
King Kong vs. Godzilla poster

King Kong vs. Godzilla

19621h 37m4
Director: Ishirō Honda
Cast: Tadao Takashima, Kenji Sahara, Yū Fujiki, Ichirō Arishima, Jun Tazaki

The advertising director of Pacific Pharmaceuticals, frustrated with the low ratings of their sponsored TV program, seeks a more sensationalist approach. He orders his staff to Faro Island to capture King Kong for exploitation. As Godzilla re-emerges, a media frenzy generates with Pacific looking to capitalize off of the ultimate battle.

Science FictionComedyAdventureFantasyAction
4
Mothra vs. Godzilla poster

Mothra vs. Godzilla

19641h 29m4.1
Director: Ishirō Honda
Cast: Akira Takarada, Yuriko Hoshi, Hiroshi Koizumi, Yū Fujiki, Kenji Sahara

Journalists Ichiro Sakai and Junko cover the wreckage of a typhoon when an enormous egg is found and claimed by greedy entrepreneurs. Mothra's fairies arrive and are aided by the journalists in a plea for its return. As their requests are denied, Godzilla arises near Nagoya and the people of Infant Island must decide if they are willing to answer Japan's own pleas for help.

DramaActionScience Fiction
5
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster poster

Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster

19641h 32m4
Director: Ishirō Honda
Cast: Yōsuke Natsuki, Yuriko Hoshi, Hiroshi Koizumi, Takashi Shimura, Emi Ito

After a meteorite unleashes a three-headed beast upon Tokyo, Mothra tries to unite with Godzilla and Rodan to battle the extraterrestrial threat.

Science FictionActionFantasyThriller
6
Invasion of Astro-Monster poster

Invasion of Astro-Monster

19651h 36m3.9
Director: Ishirō Honda
Cast: Nick Adams, Akira Takarada, Keiko Sawai, Kumi Mizuno, Jun Tazaki

Astronauts Glenn and Fuji investigate Planet X and encounter mysterious aliens known as the Xiliens, who ask Earth's people to help save their world from "Monster Zero". In exchange for borrowing Godzilla and Rodan, the Xiliens offer a cure for cancer. As Glenn investigates, he develops a romance with Miss Namikawa and uncovers the Xilien's true intentions.

Science FictionAction
7
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep poster

Ebirah, Horror of the Deep

19661h 27m3.5
Director: Jun Fukuda
Cast: Akira Takarada, Kumi Mizuno, Akihiko Hirata, Jun Tazaki, Hideo Sunazuka

Searching for his brother, Ryota stows away on a boat belonging to a criminal alongside two other teenagers. The group shipwrecks on Letchi island and discover the Infant Island natives have been enslaved by a terrorist organization controlling a crustacean monster. Finding a sleeping Godzilla, they decide to awaken him to defeat the terrorists and liberate the natives.

Science FictionActionFantasy
8
Son of Godzilla poster

Son of Godzilla

19671h 26m3.6
Director: Jun Fukuda
Cast: Tadao Takashima, Akira Kubo, Bibari Maeda, Akihiko Hirata, Yoshio Tsuchiya

Reporter Goro Maki stumbles upon scientists conducting weather experiments on Sollgel Island in the South Seas. He discovers the island is inhabited by giant mantis and a woman named Saeko who's been cast away since the death of her father. The pair soon find a helpless infant monster that Godzilla must adopt and learn to raise as one of his own.

AdventureFamilyScience Fiction
9
Destroy All Monsters poster

Destroy All Monsters

19681h 29m3.9
Director: Ishirō Honda
Cast: Akira Kubo, Jun Tazaki, Yukiko Kobayashi, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Chōtarō Tōgin

At the turn of the century, all of the Earth's monsters have been rounded up and kept safely on Monsterland. Chaos erupts when a race of she-aliens known as the Kilaaks unleash the monsters across the world.

Science FictionAction
10
All Monsters Attack poster

All Monsters Attack

19691h 10m2.5
Director: Ishirō Honda
Cast: Tomonori Yazaki, Hideyo Amamoto, Sachio Sakai, Kazuo Suzuki, Kenji Sahara

Ichiro Miki is a child living in the industrial district of Kawasaki, where his parents' constant struggle to make ends meet often leaves the schoolboy alone. Constantly teased by a bully nicknamed Gabara, his only friends are toy consultant Shinpei and fellow classmate Sachiko. Ichiro turns to escapist dreams of Monster Island where he befriends the equally bullied Minilla.

FantasyScience FictionFamily
11
Godzilla vs. Hedorah poster

Godzilla vs. Hedorah

19711h 25m3.9
Director: Yoshimitsu Banno
Cast: Akira Yamanouchi, Toshie Kimura, Hiroyuki Kawase, Keiko Mari, Toshio Shiba

An ever evolving alien life-form arrives on a comet from the Dark Gaseous Nebula and proceeds to consume pollution. Spewing mists of sulfuric acid and corrosive sludge, neither humanity nor Godzilla may be able to defeat this toxic menace.

Science FictionActionHorror
12
Godzilla vs. Gigan poster

Godzilla vs. Gigan

19721h 29m3.6
Director: Jun Fukuda
Cast: Hiroshi Ishikawa, Tomoko Umeda, Yuriko Hishimi, Minoru Takashima, Zan Fujita

Manga artist Gengo Odaka lands a job with the World Children's Land amusement park only to become suspicious of the organization when a garbled message is discovered on tapes. As Gengo and his team investigate, Godzilla and Anguirus quickly decipher the message and begin their own plan of action.

ActionAdventureScience Fiction
13
Godzilla vs. Megalon poster

Godzilla vs. Megalon

19731h 22m3.4
Director: Jun Fukuda
Cast: Katsuhiko Sasaki, Yutaka Hayashi, Hiroyuki Kawase, Kanta Mori, Kotaro Tomita

Inventor Goro Ibuki creates a humanoid robot named Jet Jaguar. It is soon seized by an undersea race of people called the Seatopians. Using Jet Jaguar as a guide, the Seatopians send Megalon as vengeance for the nuclear tests that have devastated their society.

ActionAdventureScience FictionFantasy
14
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla poster

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla

19741h 24m4.1
Director: Jun Fukuda
Cast: Masaaki Daimon, Kazuya Aoyama, Reiko Tajima, Akihiko Hirata, Hiroshi Koizumi

An Okinawan prophecy that foretells the destruction of the Earth is seeming fulfilled when Godzilla emerges to return to his destructive roots. But not all is what it seems after Godzilla breaks his ally Anguirus's jaw. Matters are further complicated when a second Godzilla emerges, revealing the doppelgänger as a mechanical weapon.

ActionAdventureScience Fiction
15
Terror of Mechagodzilla poster

Terror of Mechagodzilla

19751h 23m4
Director: Ishirō Honda
Cast: Katsuhiko Sasaki, Tomoko Ai, Akihiko Hirata, Tadao Nakamaru, Gorō Mutsumi

A submarine expedition to salvage the remains of Mechagodzilla is thwarted by a massive dinosaur named Titanosaurus. An Interpol investigation leads biologist Ichinose to uncover the work of Dr. Mafune and his mysterious daughter Katsura. Aligned with the Black Hole Aliens, Katsura's life becomes entwined with the resurrected machine.

Science FictionActionDrama