"Son of Godzilla" released 1967

Son of Godzilla, released December 16, 1967 in Japan, is the eighth movie in the Godzilla franchise.  It was released to television in the United States in 1969.  Scientists on an island are trying to create a weather-controlling system, but discover a group of gigantic praying mantises (Kamacuras).  The mantises dig up an enormous egg, which hatches, revealing a baby Godzilla.  The mantises attack the baby Godzilla called Minilla, but Godzilla comes to the rescue.  

Godzilla and Minilla work together to defeat Kumonga (Spiga), a giant spider.  

It starred frequent Godzilla actors Akira Kubo, Akihiko Hirata, Kenji Sahara and Haruo Nakajima as Godzilla.

Happy birthday, Godzilla actor Kenji Sahara!

Kenji Sahara, born May 14, 1932 in Kanagawa, Japan, is an Japanese actor, but his real name is Masayoshi Kato.  He initially used the name Tadashi Ishihara before changing it to Kenji Sahara, when he got the lead role in Rodan in 1956.

He starred in the original Godzilla in 1954 and has starred in more Godzilla series than any other actor. 

With actor Akihiko Hirata, Sahara starred in the debuts of Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra and King Ghidorah!

"Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla" released 1974

Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla, released March 21, 1974, is the 14th film in the Godzilla franchise.  It was released in a very limited run in the U.S. in 1977.  Cinema Shares released the movie as Godzilla vs the Bionic Monster, but Universal Television threatened to sue them for the use of the word 'bionic' because Universal owned The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman so Cinema Shares changed the name to Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster.

The film is the first appearance of King Caesar, the guardian of an ancient Japanese family.  He is awakened to help Godzilla defeat Mechagodzilla, who has been sent by the Aliens from the Third Planet of the Black Hole to conquer Earth.

It starred veteran Godzilla actors Akihiko Hirata and Kenji Sahara.

"Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla" released 1993

The twentieth film in the colossal Godzilla franchise, Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla 2, was released December 11, 1993 in Japan. It featured actors from previous films, although only Megumi Odaka appeared in her recurring role as telepath Miki Saegusa.  Handsome Masahiro Takashimi, Akira Nakao, Koichi Ueda and Kenji Sahara have all appeared several Godzilla films. 

Kenpachiro Satsuma played the G-Man as he had during the Heisei-era and before.  Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla 2 was nominated for a Japanese Academy Award for Best Sound.