The first images and footage of Toho's new Godzilla anime series, Singular Point, which is set to release on Netflix next year, has certainly whet franchise fans' appetites for the classics. Not only are familiar favorites like Rodan and Anguirus confirmed to appear in the show, but so are more obscure figures like Jet Jaguar and Gabara (yes, the mostly imaginary Gabara). Lesser-discussed, however, is the possible throwback that Godzilla's own design is making.
The redesigned head of the titular kaiju was first unveiled in highly-detailed, monochromatic style with the release of Singular Point's first promotional image. The most recent stills and the first teaser trailer, which both hit the internet last week, offer less detail but deliver more atmosphere -- shrouding the King of Monsters in a murky, scarlet fog. Combined with the CG animation -- no doubt the input of computer animation specialists, Studio Orange -- it's a sharp contrast in image and tone to the brighter-lit human characters on offer; their own animation likely coming from Orange's animation partner for the project, Studio Bones.
The most interesting addition to Godzilla's head, specifically, is a large incisor that hangs over the rest of his upper row of teeth. Typically, Godzilla's jaws are more unilateral in shape, or at least, that's what classicists would say. But this isn't the first time the nuclear beast has looked this... bitey. As some eagle-eyed fans on Twitter have pointed out, the large fang is reminiscent of the Heisei era Godzilla, a run of films released between 1984 and 1995 (the political era it took its name from ended in 2019), starting with The Return of Godzilla and concluding with Godzilla Vs. Destoroyah. Godzilla's "return" marked an entirely new continuity for the franchise, aside from the 1954 original.
Advanced technology was also a hallmark of this period, and with it, a darker, more destructive version of both Godzilla and the futuristic human race around (and below) him. Gone was the giant jokester who used to do flying kicks and swing pantomime punches at King Kong; this Godzilla was a far more fearsome creature, with fiercer fangs to match -- overall, shedding his rounder face shape for a more reptilian snarl.
The abundance of red as a signature color scheme in the promotional imagery for Toho's recent crop of Godzilla media hasn't gone unnoticed by fans, either.
Comparison of our first looks at the Godzilla designs from Shin Godzilla and Godzilla: Singular Point. At least Toho is consistent ? pic.twitter.com/31Ypf6TOnZ
— Kaiju News Outlet (@KaijuNewsOutlet) October 26, 2020
These observations, combined with the red mist that enshrines the title character in Singular Point's trailer, also strengthens the current era's ties to the Heisei one. Specifically, the latter's introduction of Burning Godzilla, a super-heated, 'last resort' form featured in the climatic Godzilla Vs. Destoroyah, an enemy that was effectively the kaiju king's Doomsday. The 1995 movie brought this cinematic period for the franchise to a dramatic conclusion and remains one of its highest points.
Godzilla fans are always eager to see the history of the franchise reflected and respected, even if Singular Point's callbacks are entirely incidental.
