Happy birthday, Godzilla actor Takehiro Murata!

Takehiro Murata, born March 18, 1960 in Tokyo, Japan, has appeared in five Godzilla movies.  His first appearance was in Godzilla and Mothra: The Battle for Earth in 1992.  He then appeared Godzilla vs. Destroyah (1995), Godzilla 2000 (1999), Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (2001), and Godzilla Against MechaGodzilla (2002).  The last two he only had cameo appearances.

He was nominated by the Japanese Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Godzilla and Mothra: The Battle for Earth.

"Godzilla 2000" released 1999

Godzilla made his 23rd appearance in a Toho Company film in Godzilla 2000, released in Japan December 11, 1999.  Toho had not planned to make another Godzilla movie until 2004, the 50th anniversary of the first film, but after the travesty of the Roland Emmerich/Matthew Broderick remake in 1998, they decided to go ahead.

The G-Man reappears just as an alien spacecraft is hovering over Tokyo.  Although Japanese military throw all their might against him, Godzilla comes to their rescue and saves the day.

"Godzilla 2000" released 2000

Godzilla 2000, released August 18, 2000 in the U.S., is the 23rd installment of Toho's Godzilla series, not counting the Matthew Broderick film, which doesn't really fit at all. 

In fact, it was the disappointment of the 1998 movie that prompted Toho to reboot the G-Man on their own, so they produced Godzilla 2000.  This isn't a favorite of mine and apparently it did not do much better than Broderick's version.  It ignored some of the continuity set in earlier Godzilla movies, since this one supposedly happens after the 1954 movie, as if the others never happened.

I like seeing Takehiro Murata in the lead role.  He's been in many Godzilla movies, some only as a cameo, so it was good to see him shine.