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FORGOTTEN MOMENTS IN HISTORY
Little known facts for the history buff
by courtney donovan smith

Forgotten Movies: Kitty vs. Godzilla < Film stillframe: Kitty blasts away while Godzilla comes to the rescue

In 1971 the Sanrio Corporation, looking to promote their new cute character, made a movie with Japan's Toho Studios famous Godzilla character. After filming the first 14 minutes of the film, the Sanrio Corporation pulled out of the project claiming Toho Studios characterised Kitty as an "evil, psychokinetic fire blasting, mutant space creature out to destroy the planet." After negotiations broke down, the companies took the case to court in early 1972. Toho Studios noted the absence of a mouth on the character and claimed that, other than using psychokinetic powers, how could Kitty possibly destroy the planet? The Sanrio Corporation claimed they had been given a verbal agreement that Kitty would be saving the planet from Godzilla, rather than the other way around. Frustrated at a giving Kitty a film role, the character was relegated to pencil boxes and schoolbags.