Japan Is Building a Terrifying 65-Foot Godzilla in a Theme Park

From Popular Mechanics

• A theme park in Japan is constructing a 65-foot tall Godzilla statue—placing it in direct competition with the country's other massive figure: the 60-foot Gundam.

• The experience—which includes a zipline tour and a shooting attraction—was supposed to open this year, but has faced delays due to COVID-19 (coronavirus).

• Although smaller than any of the "real" Godzilla depictions in film, this version of the monster is much larger than the 40-foot Godzilla head in Tokyo.

When it comes to larger-than-life sci-fi sculptures, no country can hang with Japan.

It isn't enough to have the world's largest working robot under construction at the Port of Yokohama—that 60-foot, 25-ton Gundam—so now Japan is also undertaking another icon of titan proportions: Godzilla.

➡ You like badass beasts. So do we. Let's nerd out over them together.

The many film adaptions of Godzilla show off the fictitious sea monster at anywhere between 50 and 120 meters tall (164 to 394 feet), while this iteration of Godzilla is a mere 20 meters (65 feet) tall, 25 meters (82 feet) wide, and 55 meters (180 feet) long.

While that may not be quite as huge as the real deal, it's still pretty friggin' big. The famous Godzilla head on the Toho Building in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward, by comparison, is only about 40 feet tall.

, and the Hotel Gracery), in Shinjuku’s Kabukicho district, located in the Shinjuku Ward of Tokyo, Japan.' expand='' crop='original'][/image]

Originally slated to debut this year at the Nijigen no Mori theme park, the massive project has faced delays due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. New photos, however, suggest progress has been consistent on the behemoth lizard.

So far, the entire front portion of the monster's head looks to be complete, featuring a mouthful of fearsome, jagged teeth and some creepy eyeballs. There are still plenty of backhoe machines on-site, and there's enough scaffolding around the site to support a rollercoaster, so presumably the neck and shoulders need some more work. (It doesn't look like a full body is part of the plan).

When the "Godzilla Interception Operation" attraction is complete, it'll be a must-visit for Godzilla enthusiasts. The park will feature the world's first full-fledged, permanent Godzilla museum, a zipline that sends you straight into the monster's mouth, and a shooting game where you, presumably, try to kill the beast.

Plus, the setup is actually based in Godzilla's real hometown: Awaji Island in Hyogo Prefecture.

"The legendary figure of Godzilla was first confirmed at the beginning of the Meiji era when a typhoon hit Awaji Island," according to one blog post on the theme park's website. "Godzilla, who appeared with the high waves, roamed the island, causing tremendous damage."

And there's your dose of frightening realism for the day.

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