With Godzilla vs. Kong coming up, it’s never too late to join in on the hype and become a kaiju movie fan. There are kaiju movie fans, there are kaiju movie makers, and there are fans that make their own movies. Monster Island Buddies (MIB) is one such stellar example.
MIB is not just a Youtube channel where a grown adult plays with toys and makes funny voices. The site is the Mecca for any kaiju fan. In their pilgrimage to MIB, they encounter a bizarre, massive homage to not just Godzilla, but kaiju films of all variety.
It’s Hilarious
MIB is primarily a show about the three “Monster Island Buddies,” Rodan, Jet Jaguar, and Godzilla. The first episode immediately clues the audience into what tone it’s going for: nonsensical. Godzilla and Rodan play cards. Rodan tells Godzilla that he’s going to ask Mothra out on a date. To his chagrin, he’s informed that Mothra is dating King Ghidorah, and Rodan runs off, yelling “I’m gonna cut off my own d***!”
Words can’t properly express how absurd and downright silly the premise is. And the very cheap (perhaps not, when one considers the number of toys to buy) and homemade production value adds to the comedy. Human hands grab the action figures to move them around, at times participating in the story. Household props make up “Monster Island.” The very humble makings are reminiscent of a child using just their imagination to play with their toys and getting sucked into the story rather than the logistics or aesthetic. It’s sheer fun, in its purest form.
It Has A Cohesive Story
While MIB had no need to tell a proper story, as most people would watch the shenanigans for laughs alone, MIB took it a step further and made an engaging and long-form story. Everything introduced comes back at some point, each and every character in its massive roster has a story arc, it has a solid start and end for each season, and while winding and complicated, it is never confusing.
It Has High Re-Watch Value
MIB has hundreds of episodes on its channel, and because it paid such close attention to the storytelling method and clearly strategized its approach to telling it at some point, the show is not just good on re-watch, it’s even better. In some of the earliest episodes, time travel is casually introduced, seemingly as a throwaway gag; but it soon becomes a critical part of the story. Because of this, there is a perfect loop, and like Back To The Future, any re-watch of the series is tremendously satisfying.
The Characters Rule
As mentioned previously, each character in this show is given an arc. There is so much love and detail put into introducing virtually every monster put to screen in MIB. Godzilla, King Kong, Gamera, Gorosaurus, and even the 1998 “Zilla” all appear. In fact, it appears that every major Toho kaiju ever involved with the Godzilla franchise appears.
But on top of that, a slew of other characters make cameos, such as the TMNT, Nick Fury (with tongue in cheek Avengers jokes), Barrack Obama, and even a plain rubber duck. Each character has defining traits, running gags, unique voices, and story arcs, and each one serves a purpose.
It’s Self-Aware
MIB is filled with complete obliteration of the 4th wall. It makes fun of kaiju film tropes, time travel plot holes, overly complex narratives, etc. And how does it make fun of them? By doing them, in a fresh and engaging way. One of the best running gags in the series has a flashback of an important event play several times every single time a character mentions it. It only gets funnier the more it happens. The irony and sarcasm run rampant on MIB, and are pivotal to its humor, and thus, enjoyability.
It Has A Close-Knit Community
MIB always had a kind community, as it is a very intricate love letter to a specific niche area of pop culture. Since Godzilla’s release in 1954, and arguably since 1925’s The Lost World, monster movies have found an audience around the world. Most notably, Godzilla has lived on for decades since his introduction and has only grown in popularity, meaning each generation has a new iteration of the King of Monsters.
The fanbase is thus very diverse. People from all different places and backgrounds are particularly suited to come together when it comes to kaiju movies. Eventually, MIB began to have skits at the end of several episodes reading the comments that users left behind. The creator is always very thankful to his fanbase, and the fans tend to be very cordial with one another, something often lacking on the internet in the modern era.
There Are Always Fresh New Videos
MIB has been around for nearly an entire decade. And for 10 years, MIB has offered a consistent flow of videos and interaction for its fanbase. One of the key components to success is not just gaining a following, but retaining it, and MIB has done so with a non-ending determination to roll out content. And it’s not just a sheer volume of videos being made, the quality is never sacrificed for quantity. The MIB channel will only continue to grow as the new generations of kaiju fans continue to come out of the woodwork, especially those born in the digital age.
There Is Other Content
While “Monster Island Buddies” might be the channel’s namesake and most viewed playlist, the channel hosts several other diverse outlets. There are “Orga Reviews,” where the 4th-wall breaking character from MIB goes over kaiju films. There is also “MIB Play Time,” which explores kaiju merchandise in-depth, such as Godzilla Valentine’s Day cards, chibis, and view-masters. There are also reviews on comics and video games, and yes, self-aware clickbait-focused lists on various topics. So for those uninterested in investing in a story starring kaiju toys, there is still a hub for other areas of kaiju fandom.
It’s Educational
Even for the most seasoned and nerdy kaiju fans out there, MIB has a host of obscure references and commentary to feed on. The much-beloved but little-known “G-Fest” convention makes an appearance, the “Dinosaurs Attack!” cards get an episode on the Play Time playlist, and there is plenty of content involving kaiju movie history. These are overlooked areas of pop culture to learn about, and while one could spend $150 dollars on the Criterion Collection Godzilla book… they could always learn things off of a stranger on the internet for free. That’s the best way to do things, right? You guys?
It’s Distinguishable From A Plethora Of Kaiju Channels
Standing out and finding a voice on the internet is next to impossible, seemingly. In an area of pop culture that offers a very engaging topic, many people clamor to make themselves the definitive kaiju go-to spot for fans, so MIB has a lot of competition. And despite that, despite its small group of creators, despite the initial shoestring budget, despite the silliness of it all, it has emerged as a comfortable spot for kaiju movie fans, and upon joining, buddies. It serves as an inspiration for anyone hoping to tread their own path through meager means.
