From relatively humble beginnings in a
King Kong
-inspired Japanese studio picture, the
kaijū eiga
has developed into a global genre. While the origins of giant
kaijū
– the term often preferred to ‘monster’ – remain firmly rooted in Japan, the figure has become a transnational spectacle. This book explores how
went global, from the adoption of Godzilla movies in translation to the appropriation of cultural material across borders. With reference to the genre’s global development, its exploitative Western circulation and the labour of fans, the book examines how genres with deep national roots can become transnational phenomena.