Line #8 Film/Mothra


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Mothra_1961_01_4886.jpg]]
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3	Mothra is a giant moth monster, who later became a common recurring character in [[Franchise/{{Godzilla}} Godzilla's]] films. Created when the {{Kaiju}} genre was still in its infancy, the 1961 ''Mothra''--an adaptation of the serialized novel ''The Luminous Fairies and Mothra'' by Takehiko Fukunaga--wasn't dark and full of horror. In contrast, the film was colorful and had an air of fantasy about it. There's an influence of Western Christianity as well. Instead of ending with her death, Mothra achieves her mission and leaves on good terms. The actual villain is a greedy capitalist and tomb raider from the American and Russian stand-in, Rolisica.
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5	The four survivors of a shipwreck are discovered to have been unaffected by the radiation on Infant Island due to the berries offered by the island natives. When this story breaks, Japan and the European country of Rolisica co-sponsor a scientific expedition to Infant Island. They encounter the natives and two tiny women called the Shobijin, who plead for the halt of atomic testing near the island. The crew acknowledges this, and returns home sworn to secrecy. But the greedy Rolisican Clark Nelson secretly returns to kidnap the Shobijin and exploit their singing abilities for profit. Our heroes manage to contact them, and they are confident their goddess Mothra will save them, but fear that innocents will get hurt. The Shobijin can't be rescued through legal channels and their connection to Mothra is ignored as she lays destruction upon Japan...
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7	She is one of the most popular kaiju of all time. Whenever Godzilla is waning, Mothra is one of the classic monsters brought out to give a box office boost. She has been so popular that a [[DistaffCounterpart Spear Counterpart]] was featured in a trilogy in the late 1990s, called ''Film/RebirthOfMothra''.
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10	!!Tropes used in the films include
11	* AdaptationTitleChange: The title was shortened from the novel's ''The Luminous Fairies and Mothra''.
12	* AppealToForce: What Mothra has to resort to to get the Shobijin returned when Nelson attempts to hide behind human laws.
13	* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Nelson wanted the Shobijin to sing for the crowd. They sang. Their song summoned Mothra to wreck up the place until the Shobijin were safely returned home.
14	* BerserkButton / BewareTheNiceOnes: As mentioned below, Mothra is usually very peaceful, but [[BewareTheNiceOnes she won't hesitate to unleash her full wrath]] upon ''anyone'' who dares to harm/kidnap her fairy companions.
15	* BigApplesauce: New Kirk City's an obvious stand-in for it. In the original serial novel, Mothra did head over to the U.S.
16	* ButtMonkey: Fukuda, who ends up on the end of some good-natured and not so good-natured jabs.
17	* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Nelson.
18	* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Zenichiro manages to defeat four of Nelson's mooks ''by himself'' and even tells them, "Now you know why they call me 'Bulldog!'" Later, when Mothra destroys a dam, a couple trying to escape the flood waters inadvertently leave their baby on a bridge that's about to be destroyed. Zenichiro, without a moment's hesitation, [[BigDamnHeroes runs out onto the bridge, grabs the baby, and brings the child to safety just in time]].
19	* DeathRay: The Rolisican Atomic Heat-Ray Cannons.
20	* DivineIntervention: The natives believe this. They have a ritual to help awaken Mothra, which includes a fertility dance by a young couple. Lots of people partake of a ceremonial drink and get ceremonially stoned. There is a [[http://chneukirchen.org/tmp/www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Island/2295/ website dedicated to Mothra's faith]] and other fans discuss the religion on forums.
21	* {{Eagleland}}: Nelson is [[ObviouslyEvil a very cartoonish]] type two, though the other residents of Rolisica are presented as normal people caught in the middle of his bullshit.
22	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Unlike later incarnations, this Mothra appears much more ruthless. All she cares about is fairy companions and nothing else. She is perfectly fine with killing many people just to get them back. For example, she sinks the ocean liner Orion Maru, despite it only being in the way.
23	* {{Expy}}: Infant Island is the closest Toho ever got to their own [[Film/KingKong Skull Island]]. The story itself is closer to ''Film/KingKong1933'' than any other Toho Kaiju film -- including, interestingly, ''Film/KingKongEscapes'' and ''Film/KingKongVsGodzilla''.
24	* FairyCompanion: Mothra is often accompanied by tiny twin female fairies, referred to as Shobijin (meaning ''little beauties'') by Shinichi Sekizawa.
25	* FictionalCounterpart: Rolisica for America and Russia.
26	* GentleGiant: Mothra is by far the most benevolent and peaceful amongst Toho's Kaiju. That is, as long as you don't harm her fairy companions.
27	* GiantEqualsInvincible: Mothra completely [[NoSell NoSells]] all attacks thrown her way, in caterpillar or adult forms. Even the DeathRay on loan from the Rolisicans does no more than burn away the outermost layer of her cocoon.
28	* {{Greed}}: Considering [[Creator/IshiroHonda who created this film]], it's easy to tell that greed can cause everlasting consequences. Nelson's greed caused so much destruction just for kidnapping the Shobijin just so he can be more rich than he already is. In fact, because of his actions, ''two countries'' are on his ass that when Rolisican villagers spot him to the point, he undergoes a VillainousBreakdown and gets gunned down. All because of greed.
29	* HoistByHisOwnPetard: Nelson had no idea that each theatrical performance by the Shobijin was strengthening Mothra and guiding her toward them.
30	* HumansAreTheRealMonsters: Human violence and greed motivate both the nuclear testing on Mothra's Island and kidnapping of the Shobijin. Both the Japanese and Rolisica governments refuse to return them unitl Mothra proves unstoppable.
31	* IntrepidReporter: Zenichiro "Bulldog" Fukuda and his clever photographer, Michi Hanamura. They will sneak into places that they shouldn't sneak into in order to get a story.
32	* KarmaHoudini: Interestingly, Mothra is actually one. She literally caused so much damage and killed thousands of people in her quest to save the Shobijin. Yet, the humans are perfectly content with letting her go free without her or the Shobijin answering for what has happened. Of course, had Nelson not exploited the Shobijin in the first place, she would have left everyone alone.
33	* KickTheDog: Where to start with Nelson...
34	* KnowWhenToFoldEm: Nelson's henchmen realize the jig is up when Mothra emerges from her cocoon and makes a beeline for Rolisica. However, Nelson enters his VillainousBreakdown and drags them along in his futile attempt to escape.
35	* LighterAndSofter: This is perhaps Ishiro Honda's first kaiju film that isn't dark by any means. However, the villagers being gunned down? Not so much. It does end on a lighter note, though.
36	* MacabreMothMotif: Inverted; Mothra is a symbol of peace and hope.
37	* MamaBear: Never mess with Mothra's fairy friends.
38	* NeverTrustATrailer: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_1hSHtCH8M One trailer for the movie]] not only teased Mothra to be the villain of the story, but also refers to her with masculine pronouns.
39	* NobleSavage: The natives on the island.
40	* NonMaliciousMonster: Mothra just wants to be left alone on her island with her worshippers. It is only after they are repeatedly attacked, killed, kidnapped, enslaved and the governments refuse to return them that Mothra attacks. Once the Shobijin are returned to her she goes back to her island.
41	* ObviouslyEvil: Nelson has a constant Creator/TimCurry tier [[SmugSmiler smug]] evil grin, of course he's the bad guy.
42	* TheProfessor: Dr. Shin'ichi Chûjô, a cultural anthropologist, is the young cute one (Hiroshi Koizumi returned to play him in several subsequent ''Mothra'' and ''Godzilla'' pictures); Dr. Harada (Ken Uehara) appears to be an M.D. with a number of other degrees under his belt.
43	* ShoePhone: Michi has a camera disguised as a lighter, in case she enters a No Cameras Allowed zone or to photograph a camera-shy person.
44	* {{Telepathy}}: How the Shobijin are able to communicate with humans who use other languages.
45	* ThemeMusicPowerUp: How the Shobijin and Infant Islanders are able to summon Mothra, guide her to the Shobijin, and give her power ups.
46	* TooDumbToLive: Nelson keeps the girls prisoner for his show, despite the fact a giant monster is barreling towards Japan, and even when his own country demands he release the girls, he still holds them hostage and goes on the run. He also shoots several cops when they come to take them.
47	* TooLongDidntDub: When the Shobijin are about to reunite with Mothra, the English dub just has the characters go "Sayonara."
48	* VillainousBreakdown: Nelson gets one when he's surrounded by ''very pissed off'' civilians of Roliscia. Yeah, you should listen to the Japanese and not hold that IdiotBall, moron. Otherwise, a giant moth will chase you to the ends of the Earth until you release the Shobijin.

Context Film / Mothra