Tag: kaiju

UPDATE #111 (12/12/25): A New Short Story – Inspired by “Godzilla vs. Biollante” – Is Live

On December 16th, 1984, an explosion destroyed a Middle-Eastern bioengineering laboratory operated by the government of the Republic of Saradia. The deadly terrorist attack destroyed irreplaceable research and ended dozens of lives.

On that day, Dr. Genichiro Shiragami – a geneticist heading the lab’s experimental botany research team – discovered that his daughter, Erika, was among those killed in the attack.

On that day, a father lost his child.

And his heart would never be the same again…

Season’s greetings, everyone.

Before we jump into this post, I apologize for the incredibly long gap between updates. If you’re a follower of the GNP on social media, you’re likely aware that the project went on a brief hiatus this summer/fall while I navigated some personal struggles. The back half of my year has been incredibly difficult, and at the risk of sounding dramatic, it truly did rob me of any semblance of a creative spark. Typically, writing and art are an effective escape for me, a way to recharge and heal. Sadly, not so these last few months.

That said, while these struggles are still ongoing, I have been gradually working my way back into being creative. And with the year closing out, I knew it was time for me to usher a new GNP short story out into the wild.

Truth be told, this tale is not one I was expecting to tell. It began falling out of my brain and through my fingers several days ago, and I couldn’t stop the flow.

The end result – inspired by work I did several years ago writing the script for an animated Godzilla vs. Biollante fan film that, unfortunately, remains unproduced – is not the happiest of tales. It takes the form of a letter written by a grief-stricken Dr. Shiragami roughly one year after the death of his daughter, Erika. A letter written to his daughter. A letter she will never read.

While the proposed fan film – to have been created by my dear friend “Kaiju” Kim Lacanilao – would have focused on Erika’s perspective as her psyche slowly transforms into something monstrous (a remarkable story I dearly hope Kim gets to tell some day), I instead chose to step behind the eyes of Erika’s father. To lose a child is, perhaps, the greatest, most unspeakable pain a human being can endure. What would this do to a man with Shiragami’s intellect? How would it break him, fracture his heart, and ultimately put him on the path to attempting his daughter’s resurrection five years later?

All interesting questions, and all representing the exact kind of emotional character study the GNP loves to tackle with its short stories. It’s my hope that this raw, devastated deep dive into Shiragami’s grief will not only expand upon one of the Godzilla franchise’s most intriguing and tortured characters, but also articulate – to the best of my ability – how even the strongest of people struggle to process a pain that, tragically, is all too real in our world.

That said, a word of caution: this story – as you can imagine – deals with some very heavy topics. If you’ve ever lived through the death/loss of anyone close to you (be it friend, parent, or child), please use discretion as to whether you should read or not.

The GNP proudly presents… “Missing You” – A Short Story

READ IT HERE

I hope you enjoy it.

And with that, the GNP has officially published its last short story of 2025. I will be taking the remainder of the year to breathe, de-stress as best I can, and spend time with my family. I hope to enter the New Year with as much renewed energy as I can muster, because, to put it mildly, I will need that energy for what’s destined to be a packed 2026. Between my Godzilla history book beginning its press/promotion and hitting bookstore shelves, a whole second book I haven’t even announced yet, some exciting collaborations on upcoming kaiju Blu-ray releases, the inevitable wave of G-Fest prep, and some big plans for the GNP (including finishing that Godzilla 1985 short story I promised you), it’s going to be big and very exciting year! I can’t wait to reveal it all to you.

Until then, thank you for being here. Thank you for your patience, your support, and for continuing to believe in me and this project. It means more to me than I can say, and it has been especially uplifting for me over the last few months. I appreciate each and every one of you, and I hope you have a safe, special, and healing holiday season with those you love.

With love and gratitude,

–Daniel

UPDATE #110: A New Godzilla History Book Written by Me… Coming to Bookstores This Winter!

“Godzilla is special. This is the story of why…”

Hi there, and welcome to one heck of an update!

This announcement isn’t strictly related to the Godzilla Novelization Project; it’s not the reveal of a new chapter, nor does it tease an upcoming adaptation. But it’s safe to say that nothing I’m about to reveal would’ve been possible if not for the incredible community that’s formed around the GNP.

Ever since launching this project seven-and-a-half years ago, I’ve been blessed with incredible opportunities to show my love for all things Big-G. Through convention appearances and podcasts, through silly social media posts and, of course, through writing. I’ve gotten to retell my favorite films in prose, explore their stories in unique ways, weave a few original monster tales here and there, and both explore and celebrate the history and meaning of the genre through articles, essays, reviews, retrospectives, and even an audio commentary (with more on the way!). I couldn’t begin to express my gratitude for every amazing bit of it.

And now, close to a decade after starting this journey (and more than two decades since my childhood self was first inspired by the King of the Monsters), my path has led me to the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.

I had the surreal pleasure of revealing this dream exactly three weeks ago at G-Fest, during the Writer’s Panel on Friday afternoon. I then spent the next three days, 12 hours, seven panels, and two workshops promoting it for the single best crowd I could’ve announced it to. Literally hundreds of people got to hear the news, and now, it’s time all of you did, too…

I’m incredibly excited to officially reveal my new book: “G-Cinema: An Exploration and Celebration of Japan’s Monster King.”

Across its 224 pages (32 of them in full color with images/artifacts scanned from my personal collection), this book seeks to tell the entire story of Godzilla and – through the “Exploration and Celebration” of the title – answer the question of why Godzilla is so enduring, so beloved, and so incredibly special.

Here’s the official synopsis:

He’s iconic. He’s atomic. And at 70 years young, he’s still the King of the Monsters.

Ever since his silver screen debut back in 1954, Godzilla has maintained a mighty hold on the collective imaginations of cinema lovers around the world. Originally conceived as a powerful metaphor for Japan’s fears of nuclear destruction, the character has undergone a complex metamorphosis over an incredible seven decades and more than three dozen films. From allegory to superhero, from atom-age menace to children’s matinee star, from arthouse to grindhouse and back again, Godzilla has survived by adapting and reacting to the changing cultures and generational expectations of the countries – and the filmmakers – that bring him to life.

In this exploration and celebration of Godzilla’s first 70 years, the full story of Japan’s kaiju icon is revealed through detailed histories, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, cultural connections, and contextualizing thematic analyses. Beginning with his postwar origins and continuing through his many rises, falls, revitalizations, and reinterpretations, this comprehensive companion to the Godzilla franchise seeks to place the character in his proper historical perspective and, by doing so, shed light on the depth, the flexibility, and the fun that’s kept him relevant and beloved for generations.

The book is being published through the amazing folks at Fonthill Media, who will distribute it in both the United Kingdom and the United States. I owe them more than I could possibly put into words for allowing me to go on this journey, and I thank them dearly for giving this book a home.

There’s so much more to talk about regarding this book, but for now, mark your calendars… because “G-Cinema” is coming to bookstores (Barnes & Noble, Amazon, etc.) in February 2026!

(Preorders will be opening soon, so keep your eye on the GNP’s social media – and this page on the website – for links when they become available.)

As I said above, I owe so, so much to the amazing readers who’ve supported the GNP for all these years. You’ve allowed me to celebrate Godzilla in ways my childhood self never would’ve thought possible, and now, in seven months’ time, my ultimate celebration of the franchise will be appearing on bookstore shelves. It’s surreal and humbling to even contemplate, and I have to keep reminding myself that it’s real. But real it is, and for making it possible, I thank you so very, very much. I hope you enjoy the book when it releases!

Until next time, please stay happy, stay safe, and stay kind.

With gratitude,

-Daniel