Kaiju Unleashed
An Illustrated Guide to the World of Strange Beasts
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Celebrate the world of movie monsters and beasts with Kaiju Unleashed, a complete reference guide to strange creatures in film and how they came to be.
Kaiju (Japanese for "strange creature") is a film genre that emerged in Japan in the early '50s. The movies center on giant monsters battling humans, machines, or other beasts. First popular in the '50s and '60s, this film category has stomped its way back into mainstream culture.
This comprehensive guide features:
- A foreword by Jason Barr, author of The Kaiju Film and The Kaiju Connection
- A thorough discussion of monster movies (Gamera; Rodan; Destroy All Monsters)
- Insight into how kaiju has impacted international films (Ant-Man; Attack of the 50-Foot Woman; Jurassic Park)
- Stunning movie posters and film stills, plus fan-made tributes to some of the kaiju classics (Godzilla; King Kong; Mothra; Pacific Rim)
If you are a kaiju fan or are interested in kaiju's cultural influence worldwide, this display-worthy volume provides the perfect general introduction to the genre, reference to its film highlights, and celebration of its practitioners, trends, and stories.
About this Author
Shawn Pryor's (he/him) work includes the middle-grade graphic novel Fast Break (FSG/Macmillan, 2025), the hi/lo reader series The Gamer (Capstone Publishing), the Cash and Carrie series (Action Lab Entertainment), and several books for Capstone's Jake Maddox Sports and Adventure series, Graphic Library, and the Kids Sports series. In his free time, he enjoys reading, cooking, listening to streaming music playlists, and talking about why Zack from the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is the greatest Black superhero of all time.
Jason Barr is an associate professor at Blue Ridge Community College. His work has appeared in African American Review, Explicator, The Journal of Continuing Higher Education, and The Journal of Caribbean Literatures, among others. He lives in Weyers Cave, Virginia.
Reviews
"If you've got a monster movie fan on your shopping list this year, or just someone who enjoys a bit of movie history, Kaiju Unleashed: An Illustrated Guide to the World of Strange Beasts is an excellent choice. The result is a reference book that works for casual fans of Kaiju in general, while also appealing to cinephiles who want to dive deeper into their history/impact within the industry. With fun information and great presentation, there's a lot to enjoy in this one."
--Jordan Maison, Cinelinx.com
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