Following a devastating typhoon, reporter Sakai (Akira Takarada) hears that a local entrepreneur Kumayama (Yoshibumi Tajima) has bought a gigantic egg that washed ashore for his company. Along with his partner Torahatta (Kenji Sahara), they plan to exhibit the egg for profit but are visited by two tinny twin women, the Cosmos, (Emi and Yumi Ito) who reveal the egg belongs to Mothra. Seeking shelter with Sakai and friends Prof. Miura (Hiroshi Koizumi) and Junko(Yuriko Hoshi), the group promises the egg's return to The Cosmos and their island home. Godzilla appears, drawn by the egg, and Mothra arrives to drive him off until it's struck a fatal blow. While the military deals with Godzilla's advances, the women and their friends prey for the egg to hatch and the larval caterpillars swim off to deal with Godzilla once and for all.
“Mothra vs. Godzilla” is one of the best of the best. Nearly every category here has some of the finest work ever in that department, with a simple and straightforward story mixing in plenty of intriguing elements found in the series which features touches on greed, humanity, and slight remnants of atomic poisoning from the original. This also has one of Godzilla's all-time best designs that comes off beautifully on-screen and brings about the truly exceptional effects work displayed. Godzilla's brief rampage is a highlight, the numerous military confrontations are spectacular and the two brawls with Mothra, both in ault and larval states, are truly inspiring with imaginative sequences and rousing spectacle delivering truly spectacular results. Not only is Godzilla graced with one of his greatest designs but both versions of Mothra are portrayed in spectacular fashion with the models performing beautifully in their interactions. As a bonus, the human cast is amazing with a roster of Toho's greatest actors performing that stellar storyline to a tee and is capped off with some of the most amazing music ever committed to a monster movie. The only thing that doesn't work is an unnecessary subplot at the end involving the rescue of the stranded class on the island where Godzilla and Mothra are battling which gives Sakai and friends something to do when they don't need to be involved in the action anymore. One of the best movies of the style ever made.
