Fans can vote on a brand new monster to battle Godzilla in an upcoming short film. Photo courtesy of Toho. TM & ©TOHO CO., LTD.
■ About The "New Monster General Election"
The Godzilla series, which began with the 1954 film GODZILLA (ゴジラ, Gojira), and the history of Toho monster movies in general, has featured a diverse cast of kaiju faced off against the overwhelming “King of the Monsters,” Godzilla, and at times even fought alongside him, weaving their own unique stories. These monsters were not merely antagonists; each possessed a one-of-a-kind charm, etching their names into monster history alongside Godzilla.
This "TOHO presents New Monster General Election" is a major project born from the desire to create a new monster that will carry on the legacy of these fascinating kaiju and leave its own mark on monster history! It's a participatory general election where the public will vote from eight new monster candidates to determine the winner!
■ The Winning Monster Will Be Featured In A New "Godzilla Fest" Film And Merchandise!
The new kaiju that takes first place in the voting is scheduled to appear in the live-action special effects film short, “Fes Godzilla,” (フェス・ゴジラ, Fesu Gojira), which will premiere at the 2027 edition of the annual “Godzilla Fest” event hosted by Toho every November 3rd (Godzilla Day). This is truly a dream project where you can witness the monster you supported and voted for actually facing off against Godzilla on screen. Your vote will be the birth cry of a new monster challenging Godzilla!
In addition to being featured in the film, the monster is planned to appear in various projects, including merchandise, so please participate!
*Please note that the monster's settings and design may be partially changed or adjusted in the film, merchandise, and other related developments.
Photo courtesy of Toho. TM & ©TOHO CO., LTD.
■ New Monster Design By Shirogumi!
The design of the new monsters is being handled by Shirogumi, the award-winning visual effects company behind GODZILLA MINUS ONE (ゴジラ-1.0/ゴジラマイナスワン, Gojira Mainasu Wan, 2023) and the 2026 HUMAN VAPOR (ガス人間, Gasu Ningen) Netflix series. Toho and Shirogumi's creators collaborated to create the settings, resulting in a masterful design that blends the essence of classic Toho monsters with a fresh, innovative feel, breathing life into the new kaiju. On the official website launched today, the monsters are shown only as silhouettes, their appearances still shrouded in mystery. Toho plans to reveal the visuals and settings on Wednesday, September 16th, the start date for voting, so please look forward to further updates!
Voting will take place in two phases. First is Phase 1, where the top four monsters will be selected from a total of eight. Following an interim announcement, Phase 2 will begin, where voting will take place to determine the number one monster from among those four. The kaiju that takes first place will be announced at “Godzilla Fest 2026,” held on Tuesday, November 3 (a Japanese national holiday). During the campaign period, fans can vote once per day, 24 hours a day. Please pick your favorite monster and show your support!
Phase 1
Voting Period: Wednesday, September 16 – Sunday, October 4
Select the top 4 monsters from a total of 8
Interim Results: Around mid-October
The rankings will be announced during a special live YouTube broadcast
Phase 2
Voting Period: The day after the interim results are announced through Sunday, October 25
The final battle to determine the #1 monster from the top 4
Final Results Announcement: Tuesday, November 3
Results will be announced at Godzilla Fest 2026!
Tetsuro Tsuchioka and Gunpi of Haru to Hikoki. Photo courtesy of Toho. ©2026 TITAN All Rights Reserved.
■ Haru to Hikoki and Akari Nibu Appointed as Support Ambassadors!
The comedy duo "Haru to Hikoki" (Gunpi and Tetsuro Tsuchioka) and actress/talent Akari Nibu have been appointed as support ambassadors to promote this project! They will appear during the live YouTube stream for the interim results announcement and"Godzilla Fest 2026" Tuesday, November 3rd to help create excitement as witnesses to the historic moment of the birth of a new monster!
Haru to Hikoki
Haru to Hikoki is a comedy duo affiliated with the agency Titan Co., Ltd JP. Formed in 2017 by Tetsuro Tsuchioka and Gunpi (aka Gumpy), who met in the Rakugo Club at Aoyama Gakuin University. Their YouTube channel has surpassed 2 million subscribers. Gunpi is well-known as a tremendous fan of monsters, and even starred in the 2025 comedy movie KAIJU GUY! (怪獣ヤロウ!, Kaijū Yarō!).
Gunpi’s Comment
It’s heartbreaking when my beloved Godzilla finds himself in a tight spot. But I’ve realized that the more Godzilla suffers, the more excited I get.
I’ve gradually come to be drawn to formidable monsters—those nasty opponents who push Godzilla to the limit as much as possible.
I'm looking forward to a new monster, a tough opponent!
Tetsuro Tsuchioka’s Comment
The Heisei Godzilla figure I got as a gift before I was old enough to remember was a regular in my toy play! my playtime! Even though I dropped it and broke its leg, I taped it back together with cellophane tape and kept it in action. I remembered those nostalgic days when I heard about the start of this "New Monster General Election"! The monsters we all played with back then might actually come to life and move!? What will they look like, and how will they fight!?
Akari Nibu. Photo courtesy of Toho. © Seed & Flower LLC
Akari Nibu is a former member of Hinatazaka46. Currently active as an actress and talent in a wide range of fields including dramas, stage plays, and variety shows. She hosts the TBS Radio program AKARI NIBU HAPPY CARAVAN (丹生明里 HAPPY CARAVAN) and also posts game-related content on her YouTube channel "Nibu Channel" (にぶちゃんねる, Nibu-chan).
Akari Nibu's Comment
I'm Akari Nibu, and I'm thrilled to be serving as the support ambassador for "TOHO Presents New Monster General Election." The new monster chosen by vote will actually appear in a film, and I feel like a part of creating it – it's like a dream! I wonder what kind of new monster will appear! Let's all find our favorite new monster together!
■ The Official X Account Is Now Live! Introducing New Monsters and Comments On "That Person's" Favorite Monster?
Along with the official website, the official X account is also launching today! During the election period, Toho will be regularly posting information on the designs and backstories of the new kaiju. Additionally, they’ll be running a special feature where people with ties to Godzilla will choose and recommend their “favorite” monster from this new lineup. Be sure to follow the Official X to check out the progress of the general election and see which monsters they recommend!
"TOHO presents New Monster General Election" Official X: https://x.com/toho_newmonster
Japanese theatrical poster for GODZILLA MINUS ZERO. Photo courtesy of Toho. © 2026 TOHO
■ About Godzilla
Since making its first appearance in 1954, Godzilla has continued to captivate and thrill audiences not only in Japan but across the globe. GODZILLA MINUS ONE, the 70th anniversary commemorative movie released in 2023, became a massive hit in both Japan and North America, taking over movie theaters worldwide. Furthermore, the franchise's momentum shows no signs of slowing down, with the fifth Hollywood installment, GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE (released in 2024), exceeding 84.5 billion yen/$572 million in worldwide box office revenue. The highly anticipated latest Japanese film directed by Takashi Yamazaki, GODZILLA MINUS ZERO (ゴジラ-0.0/ゴジラマイナスゼロ, Gojira Mainasu Zero), is scheduled to be released in Japan on November 3, 2026, commemorated as "Godzilla Day." Godzilla continues to reign supreme as the ultimate “King of the Monsters”.
Godzilla Official X: https://x.com/godzilla_jp
"Godzilla Fest 2026" Official Website: https://godzillafes.com/
■ GODZILLA MINUS ZERO Film Overview
Release Dates: November 3, 2026 (Japan), November 6, 2026 (US)
Cast: Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Min Tanaka, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Yuki Yamada, Kuranosuke Sasaki, Sakura Ando, Mio Tanaka, Masami Nagasawa, Jun Kunimura, Ko Maehara, Motosuke Iida, Kenji Misuhashi, Eita Okuno, Kai Inowaki
Director, Screenplay, VFX: Takashi Yamazaki
Music: Naoki Sato
Production: Toho Co., Ltd.
Production Company: TOHO STUDIOS, ROBOT
VFX: Shirogumi
Official X：https://x.com/g_minus_zero
Official Instagram：https://www.instagram.com/godzilla_minus_zero
Official TikTok：https://www.tiktok.com/@godzilla.toho
About TOHO Co., Ltd.
TOHO Company, Limited, is a Japanese entertainment studio focused on the development, production, exhibition, and distribution of powerful content for motion pictures, television, and theater. Founded in 1932, it remains a prominent force in bringing brands and original storytelling with versatile talents to audiences worldwide. Its subsidiaries include TOHO Cinemas, the highest grossing exhibition company in Japan.