Rebirth of Mothra (モスラ, Mosura, released in Japan simply as Mothra) is a 1996 Japanese kaiju film directed by Okihiro Yoneda, with special effects by Kōichi Kawakita. Produced and distributed by Toho Co., Ltd, the film serves as a reboot for the fictional giant monster character Mothra, and is the first installment in the Rebirth of Mothra trilogy. It was the final kaiju film produced under the supervision of Tomoyuki Tanaka, who produced such films as the original Mothra, which was released in 1961, as well as every film in the Godzilla franchise up to this point. He died of a stroke several months after the film's release.
Rebirth of Mothra stars Sayaka Yamaguchi, Megumi Kobayashi, Aki Hano, and Kazuki Futami. It was released theatrically in Japan on December 14, 1996.
Millions of years prior, a giant three-headed space dragon called Desghidorah arrives on Earth and battles a species of enormous and highly advanced moths who serve as protectors of the "Elias", a race of tiny, humanoid beings. After the battle, Desghidorah is defeated and sealed under the Earth while three Elias, the benevolent Moll and Lora and the vengeful Belvera, and one moth, Mothra, remain.
In the present, as Mothra exhausts energy to lay an egg and preserve her species, a logging company uncovers Desghidorah's subterranean prison and inadvertently break the seal containing it. One of the workers, Yuichi Goto, takes the seal home and gives it to his young daughter Wakaba as a souvenir. Taking advantage, Belvera controls her and makes her torture her brother Taiki. Moll, Lora, and a smaller Mothra named Fairy battle Belvera for control of the artifact, though Belvera prevails and releases Desghidorah to help her destroy humanity before they can destroy her race. As the dragon drains the environment's lifeforce, Mothra is summoned to fight it despite her condition. Amidst the battle, Mothra's larva, Mothra Leo, senses his mother's deteriorating strength and hatches prematurely to help her. Though his energized silk seems to turn the tide of battle, Desghidorah bites Leo and drains his energy. Desperate, Mothra airlifts her son to safety and lures the dragon to a dam to distract it. After lowering her son into the sea, Mothra collapses from her age, wounds, and weariness and sinks to her death. The distraught Leo attempts to save his mother, but to no avail.
Angered, the young moth creates a cocoon and metamorphoses while Desghidorah goes on a rampage. Having befriended Taiki and Wakaba, Moll and Lora encourage them not to lose hope. Soon after, Leo emerges in his adult form and battles Desghidorah. Drawing upon an ancient legacy, Leo eventually renews the seal that originally bound the dragon, defeating him. After restoring a blasted region it had destroyed, Leo travels to his ancestral home as Moll and Lora thank the children for helping them and return home to Infant Island with Fairy while Belvera escapes.
A photograph of Ishirō Honda appears in the Goto home.
Release
Rebirth of Mothra was released in Japan on December 14, 1996 where it was distributed by Toho.[1] It was followed up with a sequel the following year, Rebirth of Mothra II.[1]
Box office
By January 1997, Rebirth of Mothra earned a distribution income (rentals) of ¥1.15 billion in Japan.[4] By the end of 1997, the film grossed a total box office revenue of ¥1.96 billion in Japan.[5]
Home media
Rebirth of Mothra was released directly to video in the United States.[1] It was released with an English dub by Columbia TriStar Home Video on August 3, 1999.[1] It was released on DVD on February 1, 2000 as a double feature with Rebirth of Mothra II.[6] Both films were only available with an English-dub.[6] A triple feature of all three Rebirth of Mothra films was released on Blu-ray by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on September 9, 2014 with both the Japanese and English voice tracks.[6] In November 2017, Toho released the Rebirth of Mothra trilogy on Blu-ray in Japan.[7]
