Favorite/Least Favorite Cast(s) from the Godzilla Series

they all look great ; )

This is actually kind of difficult to decide for me, since my favorite group of human characters and my favorite cast of actors aren't necessarily one and the same. In terms of my absolute favorite group of characters in a Godzilla film, it would have to be those in Ebirah, Horror of the Deep. They have always been the most colorful and interesting group of characters in a Godzilla film for me, helped to a great deal by the performances of Akira Takarada, in perhaps his most memorable and charming role, and Kumi Mizuno, who turns in another excellent performance, all the more impressive considering she wasn't originally meant to play the role.

But my absolute favorite cast of actors to appear in a Godzilla film is more difficult for me to decide. Based simply on the actors present, I'd be obligated to say Final Wars, simply because it features so many of my favorite actors from the series, including Kenji Sahara, Kumi Mizuno, Akira Takarada and my personal favorite Akira Nakao. Plus I can't help but love Don Frye's performance in the film, as well as Kazuki Kitamura's. But judging the cast simply on who is in it doesn't quite account for how they are used, and the majority of the roles by classic actors in Final Wars are either minor or mere cameos. Plus I don't really consider Final Wars to be one of the better Godzilla films, just more of an entertaining mess.

So, I would probably say my favorite cast in a Godzilla film has to be that of Mothra vs. Godzilla. It is so solidly cast from top to bottom. Akira Takarada, Yuriko Hoshi and Hiroshi Koizumi make up the three central characters, and all three are incredibly likable and each turn in great performances with very memorable lines. The two human villains are well-portrayed by Yoshifumi Tajima and Kenji Sahara, and both manage to come off as incredibly slimy and despicable despite both actors being capable of playing likable characters as well. Even the auxiliary characters are terrific, especially Jun Tazaki as the newspaper editor, in probably my favorite performance of his next to his role in Atragon, and Yu Fujiki playing the comic relief expertly as a bumbling reporter. I of course can't forget to mention Emi and Yumi Ito reprising their iconic portrayal of Mothra's Shobijin. All things considered, the cast of Mothra vs. Godzilla is just excellent.

My least favorite human cast would probably have to be that of Godzilla vs. Megalon. There's just nothing really noteworthy about it. All of the actors do fine with what they're given I suppose, but each is capable of more and their characters just aren't that interesting. Even though Robert Dunham gets a supporting role in the film, it's regrettably very brief and he doesn't even get to deliver his own dialogue in Japanese, instead being dubbed over by the great Goro Naya. Godzilla vs. Megaguirus is probably up there too, but the presence of Yuriko Hoshi and somewhat competent performances by the other actors prevent it from being my absolute least favorite.

I always tend to lump Mothra vs. Godzilla's ensemble as just the top three leads: Takarada, Hoshi and Koizumi. I don't know how I keep forgetting Sahara--It's probably my favorite role of his in these films and he plays well off of Tajima.

Godzilla vs. Megalon is probably up there for me too, but I don't find them unlikable, just unremarkable by any stretch. Godzilla x Megaguirus has some competent moments, but nothing the actors do give their roles any real charm. They just flounder around as extremely painful archetypes fulfilling the story's needs. When the laser-focused and hardened Kiriko is suddenly friendly to a child it's only because the screenplay wanted her to be. Granted that's not entirely Tanaka's fault.

 Ebirah Horror From the Deep strangely came to my mind first when I thought about it so going with that one.

Least favorite, well gonna go ahead and say Godzilla vs Hedorah. There might be worse, but without rewatching the movies going to go with my least favorite movie of the series and a cast that did nothing to try to change my mind