Greetings and salutations, GNP readers!
First of all, happy July! It’s crazy to think that we’re already smack in the middle of summer. Time seems to be moving both incredibly quickly and simultaneously at a snail’s pace. I’m not sure what’s up with that, but all I know is that I’ve never been more grateful for a functioning air-conditioning unit.
This update is LONG overdue, so before I get started on the fun stuff, I wanted to apologize for the delay. Back in May, life threw me a pretty significant curveball that has occupied way more of my personal time than I would’ve wanted. Thankfully, things have settled down significantly since then, and I’ve finally been able to get back to what I love doing the most: writing stuff about movie monsters.
I’m happy to report that the remainder of the month is set to be a fun one for the GNP! I’ll be back with a second update in a few days to help get the hype going, but for today’s update, it’s time to turn the spotlight off of me and onto something much more important and awesome: all of you!
If you’ll remember, the GNP ran a giveaway contest back in May that offered some super-cool kaiju goodies to GNP readers who took the time to write reviews for the project. It was the first contest I’ve run in the nearly four years (!!!!) since launching the GODZILLA NOVELIZATION PROJECT, and to be honest, I wasn’t sure how it was all going to go. Would readers actually leave reviews? Were my prizes cool enough? Did I have enough bubble wrap? You know, lots of important questions.
Well, I’m happy to report that the answer to all three of those questions turned out to be YES. Almost immediately after announcing the contest, GNP readers started sending me their reviews. Whether by Twitter, Facebook, or email, you guys took the time out of your day to sit and write some incredibly thoughtful and lovely things about the GNP and why you enjoy it so much. Maybe it was the allure of possibly taking home that neat Mechagodzilla Funko Pop that did the trick, but whatever the reason, I ended up with a decent collection of reviews! Even better, eight of those lovely reviewers ended up winning a prize, and as of this writing, all of those prizes have been safely delivered to their respective recipients!
And yes, in case you were wondering, I did have plenty of bubble wrap.
When I announced the contest, I promised that I’d include a selection of those reviews in a big update on the site, and, if you haven’t already guessed, this just happens to be that update! So now, without further ado, I’ll be turning the rest of the update over to all of you, and presenting some of the nicest reviews the GNP received during the contest! Let’s begin…
Lloyd Cary had this to say on Twitter:
“GNP is awesome I was raised on godzilla and all the others it’s great to see the love for all things kaiju. It brings back so many great child hood memories.”
“Gojzilla” also chimed in on Twitter with a particularly flattering rating for the project:
“10/10 all of your stuff dude. I’m partial to the first few chapters of Godzilla vs. Hedorah you’ve done. 10/10 amazing work. I love your respect for Banno and all of the source material.“
Longtime supporter GorillaWhale Productions had this to say:
“10/10 my favorite has to be the GMK Novelization! It’s my all time favorite movie & despite it being partially done, the placement of words in each sentence describing the events taking place in ’54 all the way to if Japan can handle all 4 kaiju really gives you that scared feel.”
Another longtime reader (and a super-creative guy), Logan Blakeslee, said:
“Your adaptation of Godzilla vs. Gigan really made me appreciate the story to a G film that I do not like very much. 8/10.”
As I mentioned in my announcement of the contest, a review could be as short as one word and I’d still count it! Some of the sweetest reviews I got were the shortest, including this one from longtime GNP fan Riley Roberts:
“I really like your novelizations. Keep up the good work.”
However, the award for the shortest review goes to “Feral Furby” on Twitter, who when asked about his favorite project on the GNP, responded with:
“All of it!”
Reader Rodolfo Vilchis sent in this awesome review via Facebook:
“I have to say that the project seems incredible to me, a good way to take Godzilla into another medium, and your passion for this world is to be admired! GvH is being interesting and fun to read. Keep up the good work!”
As you can see, these wonderful GNP fans had a lot of lovely things to say! I’m particularly flattered that so many people have singled out Godzilla vs. Hedorah as a personal favorite; that book has had a lot of work and love put into it, and seeing fans react to it so positively means a lot to me.
To wrap up, here are two more reviews, starting with a few kind words from my pal and host of the Monster Island Film Vault podcast, Nate Marchand:
“Godzilla vs. Gigan is the most underestimated G-film, and Danny’s novelization brings out its hidden brilliance. He fleshes out the wonderful characters and the cultural context in which the film was made. At the moment, this Novelization is my favorite, and I look forward to every new chapter. Sekizawa (and Kimura?) would be proud.”
He then went on to give the novelization five stars, which I’m given to understand is a resonably positive rating!
And finally, here’s an incredibly humbling review from longtime supporter, my collaborator on Project: KAYAMA, brilliant artist, and good friend Robert Monsarrat:
“Daniel DiManna’s passion for the King of the Monsters shines through in every word of the Godzilla Novelization Project. The research he’s done for each novel is impeccable, showing great knowledge of not just Godzilla but Japan itself. So descriptive are they, that the novels feel like something Toho Studios themselves would produce! His timelines of the different Godzilla universes are equally stunning, the Anime Trilogy being a particular favorite of mine for how illuminating it is towards those movies. If you’re a junkie for Godzilla content like I am, the Godzilla Novelization Project is the ultimate fix!”
Wow. Just… wow.
No matter how many times I sit and read these reviews, their impact on me never lessens. It absolutely blows my mind that so many people out there have been touched by my work on this project, and it’s even more amazing to me that a handful of those people took the time out of their busy lives to share their thoughts and let me know that they — that you — are enjoying what I do. What began as a fun way for me to engage with all of you and pay back some of your kindness via prizes has come full circle and, once again, reminded me of how unbelievably lucky I am to be doing this.
From the bottom of my heart, I thank each and every one of you for your kind words. The GODZILLA NOVELIZATION PROJECT has the best fans, and always remember: you complete this project. Books are nothing without readers to read them, and I couldn’t ask for better readers. Your support never ceases to humble me.
If you’re one of the readers whose review is now enshrined above, I hope you appreciated seeing your words on the GNP website! I still have plans to create a review-specific section (or sections) on the site in the future, so don’t worry… your reviews will probably get even more mileage!
That just about wraps up this post, but keep your eyes on the website (and your email inboxes, if you’re getting these updates sent to you) for a new update in the next few days. As some of you might already be aware, the GNP has an exciting new project dropping at the end of the month, and… let’s just say it has a lot to do with a certain beloved monster character’s 60th birthday…
See you soon!
The Godzilla Novelization Project 