kaiju

Kaiju is a Japanese term that translates roughly as "strange beast" or "giant monster." In popular usage it designates a genre of media—primarily films and television—featuring enormous creatures that threaten cities or battle other creatures. The term is closely associated with Japanese cinema, where the umbrella category kaiju eiga refers to giant-monster movies that began to coalesce in the 1950s.

Historically, kaiju films often carry social or political subtext, with Godzilla (Gojira, 1954) conceived as an allegory for nuclear devastation and wartime anxieties. Common elements include colossal creatures, spectacular attacks on urban settings, and a tension between human scientific hubris and uncontrollable forces. Origins of kaiju vary: monsters may be awakened by nuclear radiation, mutated by science, or alien in origin. Battles frequently involve military responses and collateral damage rather than traditional heroism.

Beyond Japan, kaiju has influenced global popular culture and cinema. Franchises such as Godzilla have spawned numerous films, television series, comics, and merchandise. The concept spread to Western productions and contemporary examples include Pacific Rim, which pairs human pilots and giant robots against invading kaiju. Today the term is used more broadly to describe any giant creature in film, games, and media, and the genre continues to evolve with practical effects and computer-generated imagery.