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Take on Godzilla yourself in virtual reality at new attractions in Osaka and Tokyo

Master Blaster Jul 21, 2018
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New VR Zone attraction lets you take on Godzilla in an attack chopper… Good luck with that.

It’s been 64 years since the first Godzilla film and since then 29 Japanese films based on him have been released, with the latest, Shin Godzilla being the most commercially and critically successful ever. With more movies and animated series in the works, the franchise is clearly as strong as ever.

The creators of the original film, most of whom have passed on, probably never could have imagined it would have become this big. And they certainly would have been amazed at this new attraction scheduled for VR Zone in Osaka and Tokyo: Godzilla VR!

Actually, they might have been a little disappointed. I mean, they were expecting us to live like The Jetsons by now with flying cars and houses in the sky, but this is still really cool and lets people experience the thrilling terror of a Godzilla attack like never before.

Participants don a VR helmet and sit in a motion simulator chair which transports them to the virtual cockpit of an attack chopper as part of a team tasked with bringing down the giant menace.

Now, those familiar with the movies would probably take this to mean Godzilla VR is essentially a “fiery death simulator.” However, the description of the attraction is that, unlike your lizard-fodder peers, your helicopters are armed with a special coagulant round which has the ability to stop Godzilla dead in his tracks.

Still, the description is a little vague over whether this is a game or simply an attraction, the difference being a possibility to lose or a predetermined outcome. Whatever the case may be, you can experience it alongside three others (ages seven and up) as a team.

Details regarding dates are still vague as well, with Godzilla VR is planned to be available at the grand opening of VR Zone Osaka in Umeda which is said to happen in “autumn of 2018.” The currently open VR Zone Shinjuku is slightly more specific and is scheduled to start in November. However, in both cases advance tickets will go on sale from 23 August.

▼ A nice touch in this ad: Despite being completely overwhelmed by the VR attractions, the woman on the left with mouth agape and a thousand-yard stare, still had the presence of mind to politely remove her shoe before putting her foot on the sign.

It should be good, VR Zone’s takes on popular franchises such as Dragon Ball, Evangelion, and Dragon Quest have all been exceptionally well-crafted and authentic-feeling, so, we can expect Godzilla VR to be as close to meeting the real thing as anyone would want to get. In addition to all the death and mayhem, I also always imagined Godzilla as smelling really awful too – like a 35-story wet dog or something.

Location information
Godzilla VR / ゴジラVR
Venues: VR Zone Osaka
Osaka-shi, Kita-ku, Kakudacho 5-15 HEP FIVE, floors 8 and 9
大阪市北区角田町5-15　「HEP FIVE」8階、9階
Opens Autumn 2018

VR Zone Shinjuku
Tokyo-to, Shinjuku-ku, Kabukicho 1-29-1
東京都新宿区歌舞伎町1-29-1
Open Now, Godzilla VR begins November 2018
Advance tickets for both locations begin 23 August

Source:  VR Zone Osaka, PR Times, Kai-You
Top image: YouTube/Bandai Namco Amusement Channel
Insert images:  PR Times