Giant Creatures in Our World

<p> Dismissed as camp by critics but revered by fans the <I>kaiju</I> or strange creature film has become an iconic element of both Japanese and American pop culture. From homage to parody to advertising references to Godzilla--and to a lesser extent Gamera Rodan Ultraman and others--abound in entertainment media. Godzilla in particular is so ubiquitous his name is synonymous with immensity and destruction.</p><p> In this collection of new essays contributors examine <I>kaiju</I> representations in a range of contexts and attempt to define this at times ambiguous genre.</p>