Tropes keeps mentioning that Ishiro Honda declined directing this film because of prior portrayals of Godzilla or some such hogwash. It's not true. In 1980, when Tomoyuki Tanaka was trying to make the proto-version of this film, Honda was attached and on board to direct. But of course, the movie never got off the ground. However, Honda's buddy Akira Kurosawa's film "Kagemusha" did start shooting and relaunched Kurosawa's career. By the time the 1984 "Godzilla" finally started shooting, Honda was busy helping Kurosawa shoot "Ran" and had absolutely no interest in directing "Godzilla." It was Honda himself who suggested the job be given to Koji Hashimoto, who had impressed him as an assistant director on "Ghidrah, the Three Headed Monster." Honda said in an interview, "I just wanted to make movies with my best friend." His not directing "Godzilla '84" had NOTHING to do with any misgivings he had about Godzilla in previous movies.
After all, Ishiro Honda did direct "Terror of Mechagodzilla" and several episodes of "Zone Fighter" (with at least one that Godzilla appeared in). And in late 1992, he did agree to come back and direct the next year's "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla"... but then he died.
Tropes keeps mentioning that Ishiro Honda declined directing this film because of prior portrayals of Godzilla or some such hogwash. It's not true. In 1980, when Tomoyuki Tanaka was trying to make the proto-version of this film, Honda was attached and on board to direct. But of course, the movie never got off the ground. However, Honda's buddy Akira Kurosawa's film "Kagemusha" did start shooting and relaunched Kurosawa's career. By the time the 1984 "Godzilla" finally started shooting, Honda was busy helping Kurosawa shoot "Ran" and had absolutely no interest in directing "Godzilla." It was Honda himself who suggested the job be given to Koji Hashimoto, who had impressed him as an assistant director on "Ghidrah, the Three Headed Monster." Honda said in an interview, "I just wanted to make movies with my best friend." His not directing "Godzilla '84" had NOTHING to do with any misgivings he had about Godzilla in previous movies.
After all, Ishiro Honda did direct "Terror of Mechagodzilla" and several episodes of "Zone Fighter" (with at least one that Godzilla appeared in). And in late 1992, he did agree to come back and direct the next year's "Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla"... but then he died.