Japanese subway company adds a new soundscape to Godzilla’s Tokyo home.

November 3 is a special date for fans of Godzilla as it’s known as “Godzilla Day”. First celebrated to mark the anniversary of the premiere date of the original 1954 film, Godzilla, it was eventually adopted by Toho, the film’s production company, and after it was registered with the Japan Anniversary Association in 2017, Godzilla Day was officially established, representing Godzilla’s birthday.

While it’s heartening to know the kaiju has a day of its own, it also brings up a unique set of challenges, like…. what the heck do you give the King of the Monsters for his birthday? Well, subway operator Tokyo Metro has come up with a beautiful way to mark the occasion, by changing the departure melody for its trains at Hibiya Station to “Godzilla’s Theme”.

▼ Hibiya Station

Originally composed by Akira Ifukube for the 1954 film, “Godzilla’s Theme” is one of the most instantly recognisable pieces of Godzilla-associated music, with brass, strings and percussion instruments playing a relentless march that’s equal parts call-to-arms inspiring and run-for-your-life fear-inducing.

Two versions of the melody are set to be played, with different arrangements used depending on which direction you’re travelling. One arrangement will be played on platforms 1 and 3, which serves Hibiya Line trains bound for Naka-meguro and Chiyoda Line trains bound for Yoyogi-Uehara, while the other arrangement will play on platforms 2 and 4, for trains heading towards Kita-senju and Ayase.

▼ Hibiya Station is conveniently located in the heart of Tokyo.

Like all departure melodies, these ones will be played just before the train doors close and the train departs, so as long as you’re on the platform at the time you’ll be able to hear it. Tokyo Metro is asking fans to avoid lingering on the platforms though, and it’s also requesting that they avoid crowding around the speakers to record the melodies or in any other spots that might interfere with station operations.

There’s a high likelihood that fans of Godzilla will be arriving and departing by train, though, as Hibiya itself is closely tied to the kaiju, being home to Toho’s headquarters. Toho has been producing the Godzilla series for more than 70 years, and nods to the famous local company are present in two statues, one of which stands at Hibiya Godzilla Square and the other at Toho Cinemas Hibiya.

▼ Hibiya Godzilla Square

▼ The Hibiya statues are a lot smaller than this giant Godzilla atop Shinjuku Toho Building, which houses Toho Cinemas Shinjuku.

For a lot of fans, Hibiya has already established itself as Godzilla’s stomping ground, so the new departure melodies are an exciting way to dial up the kaiju vibes in the neighbourhood even further. Set to commence on 3 November, which coincides with the Japan premiere of the new movie Godzilla-0.0, the melodies are the gift that keeps on giving, as there appears to be no end date for them.

So next time you catch a train at Hibiya, be prepared for the new formidable soundscape that surrounds passengers, and don’t be surprised if you find your eyes drawn to the shadows, searching for a glimpse of Godzilla in the tunnels.

Source: Pia Corporation via Yahoo! News Japan
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