Chibi Godzilla Raids Again (original) (raw)

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Japanese anime television series

Chibi Godzilla Raids Again
ちびゴジラの逆襲(Chibi Gojira no Gyakushū)
Genre Kaiju, manzai
Created by Toho (Godzilla),Chiharu Sakazaki (Chibi Godzilla)
Anime television series
Directed by Taketo Shinkai
Produced by Go Miyazaki
Written by Taketo Shinkai
Studio Pie in the Sky
Original network TV Tokyo
Original run April 1, 2023 – present
Episodes 41 (List of episodes)
icon Anime and manga portal

Chibi Godzilla Raids Again (Japanese: ちびゴジラの逆襲, Hepburn: Chibi Gojira no Gyakushū, lit. Dwarf Godzilla's counterattack) is a Japanese short anime television series in Toho's Godzilla franchise. Produced by Pie in the Sky and Toho, the first season aired on TV Tokyo and on YouTube as a web series from April to June 2023. The second season premiered on April 3, 2024. The show takes place on Monster Island, which is inhabited by small _chibi_-style kaiju from the franchise.

Per Comic Natalie (2023) and Hodgkins (2023),[1] except where noted:

Chibi Godzilla (ちびゴジラ, Chibi Gojira)

Voiced by: Jun Fukuyama

He is a dinosaur and the son of a colossal Godzilla who hopes to grow up to be recognized by him. A dweller of Monster Island who is acquainted with its inhabitants, he and the newcomer Chibi Mechagodzilla make a duo exploring the area's quirks.

Chibi Mechagodzilla (ちびメカゴジラ, Chibi Meka Gojira)

Voiced by: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka

He is a mecha who gets stranded on Monster Island, where he traverses through the landscape with Chibi Godzilla to learn about its inhabitants. His serious nature characterizes his personality, exemplified by his often verbally questioning the meaning behind illogical or extraordinary behavior from Chibi Godzilla or his friends.

Chibi Ghidorah (ちびギドラ, Chibi Gidora)

Voiced by: Takuya Eguchi

He is a dragon with three heads, each of which has its own personality that often contradicts the other.

Chibi Mothra (ちびモスラ, Chibi Mosura)

Voiced by: Rie Takahashi

She is a chibi moth who is shy and becomes lethal when crying. She can communicate telepathically with the Shobijin. It is revealed that she is secretly an otaku in season 2.

Chibi Rodan (ちびラドン, Chibi Radon)

Voiced by: Hiro Shimono

He is a self-centered pterosaur who is also insecure and faints every time he is ridiculed.

Chibi Anguirus (ちびアンギラス, Chibi Angirasu)

He is a chibi dinosaur whose voice has broken and developed into unintelligible roars.

Shobijin sisters (小美人, Shōbijin)

Voiced by: Reina Ueda (older), Akari Kitō (younger)

They are a pair of human twin sisters who can serve as telepathic interpreters for their friend, Chibi Mothra.

Chibi Biollante (ちびビオランテ, Chibi Biorante)

Voiced by: Miyuki Sawashiro

She is a plant monster and the owner of a bar. She often speaks in literary words.

Chibi Hedorah (ちびヘドラ, Chibi Hedora)

Voiced by: Fumihiko Tachiki

He is a sludge monster who passionately slanders humans.

Chibi Minilla (ちびミニラ, Chibi Minira)

Voiced by: Maaya Uchida[2]

She is Chibi Godzilla's younger sister.

Chibi Gabara (ちびガバラ)[3]

Voiced by: Ryōhei Kimura[4]

He is a mutant amphibian monster who works multiple part-time jobs.

Chibi Titano (ちびチタノ)[3]

Voiced by: Subaru Kimura[4]

He is an aquatic dinosaur and Monster Island's self-proclaimed delinquent. However, no one has ever seen him fight.

Chibi Gigan (ちびガイガン, Chibi Gaigan)[3]

Voiced by: Mamoru Miyano[5]

He is a robot monster sent to retrieve Chibi Mechagodzilla and destroy Monster Island. However he is always easily refuted and persuaded so he never achieves his goal.

The Chibi Godzilla character—who was created to celebrate the 65th anniversary of Toho's Godzilla franchise—first appeared in the 2018 picture book Ganbare Chibi Gojira[a] by Chiharu Sakazaki. In March 2023, the character's first anime television series—Chibi Godzilla Raids Again, a title that purportedly references the second Godzilla film—was announced by Toho.[6][7]The series comprises thirteen 2 min 40 s episodes featuring chibi-style kaiju characters,[8]and is a manzai comedy that is targeted more at an adult audience.[9][10]In an interview with io9, producer Go Miyazaki said that the show still appeals to children, but "we have noticed that they tend to prefer more sophisticated humor".[10]

The series is produced by animation studio Pie in the Sky and Toho. Taketo Shinkai, who is also writing the script, is directing. Character design is provided by Sakazaki and animation production is done by Junichi Endo and Yuji Nikaido. The show stars Jun Fukuyama as Chibi Godzilla and Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as Chibi Mechagodzilla, with Sumi Shimamoto doing the narration.[8]The anime premiered on April 1, 2023, on TV Tokyo's programming block Iniminimanimo and began streaming internationally as a web series on the official Godzilla YouTube channel with English subtitles on April 11.[11][10]The first season ended on its original network on June 24.[12] On March 8, 2024, it was announced that a second season would premiere on April 3, 2024 as a segment on TV Tokyo's children's television series Oha Suta and would be released on YouTube immediately after. The second season will also stream on the official Godzilla YouTube channel with English subtitles from April 10 and will run for a year.[13][14]

  1. ^

  2. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (March 18, 2024). Chibi Godzilla Raids Again Anime Sequel's Trailer Reveals Maaya Uchida as Chibi Minilla. Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 19, 2024. Retrieved April 17, 2024.

  3. ^ a b c d e ちびゴジラの逆襲 [_Chibi Godzilla Raids Again_]. Godzilla Store (in Japanese). Toho. n.d. Archived from the original on September 2, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.

  4. ^ a b Cayanan, Joanna (June 19, 2024). "Chibi Godzilla Raids Again Anime Casts Subaru Kimura". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved July 3, 2024.

  5. ^ Harding, Daryl (October 1, 2024). "Chibi Godzilla Raids Again Anime Brings Mamoru Miyano in to Stomp Around as Chibi Gigan". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on October 1, 2024. Retrieved October 1, 2024.

  6. ^ Luster, Joseph (March 3, 2023). "Chibi Godzilla Anime Roars to Life This April". Otaku USA. Archived from the original on April 13, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023.

  7. ^ Cayanan, Joanna (March 2, 2023). "Chibi Godzilla Character Gets Its 1st TV Anime on April 1". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 18, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023.

  8. ^ a b Milligan, Mercedes (April 11, 2023). "Mini-Monster Mayhem Returns in 'Chibi Godzilla Raids Again'!". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023.

  9. ^ Chapman, Paul (April 11, 2023). "Chibi Godzilla Raids Again Stomps YouTube with New English Subtitles". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.

  10. ^ a b c Whitbrook, James (April 11, 2023). "Why Godzilla Has Returned, Cuter Than Ever". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023.

  11. ^ Mateo, Alex (April 11, 2023). "Chibi Godzilla Raids Again Anime Streams on YouTube with English Subtitles". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2023.

  12. ^ a b News. Godzilla Store (in Japanese). Toho. Archived from the original on September 2, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.

  13. ^ "'Chibi Godzilla Raids Again' S2 Coming to the Godzilla YouTube Channel April 10". Godzilla Official. March 27, 2024. Archived from the original on March 27, 2024. Retrieved March 27, 2024.

  14. ^ "福山潤「帰ってきました！」松岡禎丞ら豪華声優陣続投「ちびゴジラの逆襲」放送決定". Cinemacafe.net (in Japanese). March 8, 2024. Archived from the original on March 8, 2024. Retrieved March 8, 2024.

  15. ^ Sakazaki, Chiharu (2018). がんばれちびゴジラ [_Do Your Best, Chibi Godzilla!_] (in Japanese). Kodansha. ISBN 978-4-06-513066-7. OCLC 1063696103.