What makes a kaiju a kaiju? What makes a large ape a large ape, and why do we sympathize with some, such as King Kong, and not with others, such as Konga? And what makes a giant person become a "monster"? This book provides a new and updated perspective on the kaiju genre and reveals that our boundaries for the kaiju film are perhaps not as solid as we think. These critical commentaries focus primarily on newer kaiju works, ranging from Colossal to Shin Godzilla to Godzilla vs. Kong, but also touches on classics such as King Kong, Mighty Joe Young, Godzilla Raids Again, and even lesser-known works such as What to Do With the Dead Kaiju? and Agon.