The Tarot of Godzilla (with English subtitles)

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 09 May 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Cerulean	09 May 2004
We who are not samurais, we salute you! We of the abandoned ronins and ruins of the Celestial City, only know of Godzilla and Mothra, but will soon explore other volumes of past destruction... I'm going to be exploring this for assignments and it isn't supposed to make fun of anything but twentieth-century schtick. I may include suits of sushi, ronin, ninja and Rashoman later...think of Fradella Adventure Tarot and assume, please the idea of Tarot of Godzilla is a working title, NOT an actual one. Anyone have fun suggestions? Regards, Cerulean Mari who is thinking of how Masami Teroka made woodcuts of satirical delight...his La Brea Tar-Pits being moved to Tokyo only became hilarious to me after I grew up..it's more like period pop subculture from postwar Japan-U.S.... http://www.columbia.edu/cu/ealac/dkc/calendar/godzilla/godzilla_exhibition_2.html

HOLMES	09 May 2004
hmm lots of things to consider, and think off, 1. i seen every single movie of godzilla , (to start up my basis ) so shall we just focus on the major arcana first , you know for the court cards we can come up with all those human who opposed godzilla (albeit got their butts kicks ) . you know that human at the end of godzilla 2000 for example he just sat there with his cigar in his mouth and looking at godzilla and said i never been this close to godzilla before ,, then he got squashed (i think godzilla gave him a chance to escape or he will get squashed ,, but he decided to sit there look at him defiantly ). 2. is godzilla a force of nature in lizard form perhaps the archtypes of the wands ? is he just an really old ancient lizard perhaps from space who mutated by radiation so he can never die (talking about the famous g cell )well the destroyer did kill him.. so it would be within reason. 3. first of all ,, who would be the devil ? to my thinking it wouldn't be godzilla though some may disagree with me.. no,, it would be man.. oh yes, in every movie he is attracted because we have done something wrong.. (except for the rare exception movie where he is fighitng some outside force such as ghidhra and mechagodzilla ) 4.. by the same token , we would be the fool or would godzilla be the fool .. does he work with the source ? ,, nay,, but due to his instinct he would be close to the fool in the mythic tarot. 5. i would vote that the chariot is all those spaceships man has made to try to kill godzilla,, it is fitting.. and for all our efforts to contain the universe,, there is alwasy something that will break our container, or humble us. 6. the tower ,,is it godzilla breaking buildings ? or is it nuclear bomb ? since in every movie godzilla break the buildings, and we have to rebuild.. that would be the best i think 7. the hanged man would have to be the nuclear bomb,, for it is that brought godzilla alive and made us take a whole new force upon life. 8. death would have to be mothra ,, it is so fitting not only for the catpiller to become a moth ,, but it dies after it gives birth to the larva. and just before the larva hatches.. it might also symbolize the recairnation thery as well. 8. the temperance card,, might be the mothra girls,,? 9. who would be the magican . i think it would be the professor who made the stuff to kill the original godzilla but killed himself afterwards so it wouldn't be misused. (an hanged man archtype perhaps as well ) . 10. i wouldn't focused on samurai,, or such unless it was called the japanese culture tarot. 11. you know the card that stands for debauch in the toth tarot,, that would be the smog monster. 12. the ten of swords would be godzilla leaving , town every time.. for just as we think it is the worst it can get he leaves, (because he is obivsouly bored . ehehheh ) edited to add, godzilla rules doens't mean these are the rules of godzilla ,, BUT GODZILLA RULES. bring me a monster who can beat him,, and i will call him the man .

Cerulean	09 May 2004
So perhaps I'm mingling old and new in the pop post-war kitch and products ideas...Thanks for your incredible insights, as I want to explore the genre more and it's evolution. In a way, it explores my parent's experience by looking at their influences. I was told that my grandparents in the new country spoke outmoded dialects and grandchildren of immigrants can be more conservative and reclusive than their fashionable counterparts in the old country! However, I realize in my family case, their being in the continental U.S. from the 1930's to the 1950s near the California coast had an unusual influence of some relocation and moves. The best way to explain it is every aspect of human history shows loss and gains or down times and prosperity. There's a generational thing called being 'sansei' or third generation--that is your grandparents came over and your parents are somewhat bilingual, but not fully 'educated' in the old culture--still somewhat traditional in tastes, maybe even more so than the old country, which has become new and pop-oriented in comparison. One loves the funny toys and special occasions of sushi and taiko drums in the Obon celebrations...and share anime obsessions with nephews and friends of not the traditional culture...the Donald Keene Museum exhibit that I linked to is actually named after a very good translator of Japanese texts to English. It brought to mind some wider aspects of anime/manga/film to me which includes Godzilla. Even if it's a fun private study, I thank anyone's ideas or thoughts. Ah well, might just be me my mood... Cerulean

ncefafn	10 May 2004
The only Godzilla movie I've seen is Godzilla vs. King Kong. When I think of Kong, I see him atop the Empire State Building, so naturally I progress to the Tower, with Kong being the people falling, and Godzilla being the bolt of lightning that throws them. :) Not sure if this is what you were aiming for . . . Kim

Junia	21 Apr 2005
I would ad VI - The Lovers - Jessica Lange in Godzilla's hand. Bad deal if you invert the card (at least for Jessica). Ah, well the course of true love never runs smooth. And the lovers' card also can have very adverse (or at least paradoxical) meanings to that of romantic love. "Zilla, Zilla, Zilla" from the song Godzilla by Blue Oyster Cult.

Cerulean	22 Apr 2005
...but I am not likely to produce the Bride of Godzilla tarot card soon...so if there are those inspired by the idea, have at it! Cerulean

Junia	13 May 2005
Cerulean - Is this then to be a Rider-Waite sytle Tarot Deck or other. If so, what do you plan do with the VI The Lovers? Just curious ;-)

Cerulean	13 May 2005
The Godzilla movie stories that I share with my nephews is not going to be a deck by me--but it's a great creative example when talking tarot... Anyone else is welcome to do this as a working tarot. Best regards, Cerulean

The The Tarot of Godzilla (with English subtitles) thread was originally posted on 09 May 2004 in the Tarot Games & Fun board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Games & Fun, or read more archived threads.