WHAT? Huge oversized cards? Run! Run for your lives! - AEG
Giant monsters stomp around Tokyo, smashing countless buildings as they battle. Their amazing destructive power confounds scientists, whose greatest weaponry proves useless against them. Who can stop the massive power of a guy in a rubber suit? We know! We’ll let the precocious 10-year-old, with unexplained access to the Japanese military’s most secure facilities, talk to it!
- - Big in Japan rulebook
The Kaiju are one of the 4 factions from the Big in Japan set.
The Kaiju focus on getting power through your play-on-base actions as well as mass card destruction.
Other factions from the same set: Itty Critters, Magical Girls, Mega Troopers.
Cards
The Kaiju have only 3 minions and 17 actions compared to the usual 10 minions and 10 actions. They are also one of the rare factions to have a titan. The total minion base power (not counting any abilities) is unusually low at only 9 or an average of 3 per minion compared to the usual 30 and 3. However, most of their actions are power actions, i.e. actions that add power directly to your total power without the need for a minion. Including these actions brings them to a total power of 30 and an average power of 2.5, much closer to the average.
Minions
1x Kaijookey - power 4 - Ongoing: This minion has +1 power for each of your actions played on this base.
1x Tiny Priestesses - power 3 - Play or move Gorgodzolla to here.
1x Johnny - power 2 - You may return one of your actions on a base to your hand and play it here as an extra action.
Actions
1x The Folly of Men - power 2 - Play on a base. Ongoing: Your minions and actions here cannot be destroyed by other players' cards. You gain +2 power here.
2x Kaiju Alliance - Reduce the breakpoint of all bases by 4 until the end of the turn.
2x Kaiju Conflict - Play two extra actions.
1x Oh, No! - power 2 - Play on a base. Play or move Gorgodzolla to here. Ongoing: You gain +2 power here.
2x Pick Up A Bus - Choose an action in your discard pile that can be played on a base and place it into your hand.
3x Radioactive Breath - power 3 - Play on a base. Destroy all minions you don’t control here of power 2 or less. Ongoing: You gain +3 power here.
2x Stomp - power 2 - Play on a base. Reduce its breakpoint by 3 until the end of the turn. Ongoing: You gain +2 power here.
1x Tail Smash - power 4 - Play on a base. Destroy a minion you don’t control here of power 3 or less. Ongoing: You gain +4 power here.
1x There Goes Tokyo - If Gorgodzolla is in play, destroy its base and all other cards on it. Move Gorgodzolla to another base and replace the destroyed base normally.
1x They Say He's Got to Go - Move a titan to another base.
1x Wade Through the Buildings - power 4 - Play on a base. Destroy all other players' actions on this base. Ongoing: You gain +4 power here.
Titan
1x Gorgodzolla - Special: Instead of your regular minion play, you may play this card on a base where you have two or more actions. Ongoing: After you play an action or a minion on this base, place a +1 power counter on this card. Ongoing: After you play an action on this base, you may draw a card.
Bases
Clarifications
Here are the official clarifications as they appear in the Big in Japan rulebook:
Gorgodzolla: You may play these instead of a regular minion play whether or not you have any minions in hand. No restrictions on minion play apply to titan play.
Kaijookey, Wade through the Buildings, Gorgodzolla: Actions on minions do not count.
Mechanics
The Kaiju, while severely lacking minions, make up for it with several powerful play-on-base actions that add power to your total power. These actions can help you summon Gorgodzolla, which in turn will greatly benefit from your play-on-base actions and help you get more cards in hand.
To help them set up their game, the Kaiju can also stall the game by destroying other players' cards.
FAQ
Questions on Kaijookey
Q:
A:
Rule:
Questions on Tiny Priestesses
Q: My opponent has Gorgodzolla in play. I play Copycat to copy their Tiny Priestesses's ability. Do I take control of their Gorgodzolla?
A: No. If you choose the "play Gorgodzolla" option, nothing happens because Gorgodzolla is already in play. So you will neither play, nor take control of it. That is, of course, if there's only one Gorgodzolla in the game, if there are two players using Kaiju and the second Gorgodzolla isn't in play, you can play that one and you will therefore control it.
Rule: Do exactly what the card says.
Q: Is the restriction "to here" only for moving Gorgodzolla or also for playing it?
A: It's for both, whether you use Tiny Priestesses's ability to move or play Gorgodzolla, it must be played on or moved to Tiny Priestesses's base.
Rule: Do exactly what the card says.
Questions on Johnny
Q:
A:
Rule:
Questions on The Folly of Men
Q: Do I have 2 or 4 power on that base? It has 2 power printed on it and an ability that gives me +2 power, so is that 4 power total?
A: No, it only gives you +2 power on its base. The printed number is just a reminder of its ability for quick counting.
Rule: On Actions with Power, the printed number is a reminder of the power they give.
Q: An opponent plays this card on a base, so if I have a minion or an action there, it also cannot be destroyed by my opponents' cards, right? In addition to this, I also gain +2 power there, right?
A: No and no. Your opponent played the action, so they control it, and therefore the action only addresses them and the ability must be interpreted from their point of view. So "your minions" means "their minions", "other players" means "their opponents" and "you" means "they".
Rule: "You" on a minion or action means the controller of the card.
Q: A base is chosen to score. I have no minions there, but this card gives me power there. Can I still gain VPs from the base if I'm among the top three total power there?
A: Yes. It is now part of the rules that you must have at least one minion or at least 1 total power to be eligible. If you have no minions there but you have at least 1 total power there, you can indeed gain VPs from the base if your total power is among the top three.
Rule: A player must have at least one minion or 1 total power on the base to be eligible to receive victory points.
Questions on Kaiju Alliance
Q:
A:
Rule:
Questions on Kaiju Conflict
Q:
A:
Rule:
Questions on Oh, No!
Q: Is the restriction "to here" only for moving Gorgodzolla or also for playing it?
A: It's for both, whether you use Oh, No!'s ability to move or play Gorgodzolla, it must be played on or moved to Oh, No!'s base.
Rule: Do exactly what the card says.
Q: Do I have 2 or 4 power on that base? It has 2 power printed on it and an ability that gives me +2 power, so is that 4 power total?
A: No, it only gives you +2 power on its base. The printed number is just a reminder of its ability for quick counting.
Rule: On Actions with Power, the printed number is a reminder of the power they give.
Q: An opponent plays this card on a base, so each player (including myself) gains +2 power there, right?
A: No. Your opponent played the action, so they control it, and therefore the action only addresses them and the ability must be interpreted from their point of view. So "you" means "they".
Rule: "You" on a minion or action means the controller of the card.
Q: A base is chosen to score. I have no minions there, but this card gives me power there. Can I still gain VPs from the base if I'm among the top three total power there?
A: Yes. It is now part of the rules that you must have at least one minion or at least 1 total power to be eligible. If you have no minions there but you have at least 1 total power there, you can indeed gain VPs from the base if your total power is among the top three.
Rule: A player must have at least one minion or 1 total power on the base to be eligible to receive victory points.
Questions on Pick Up A Bus
Q:
A:
Rule:
Questions on Radioactive Breath
Q: Do I have 3 or 6 power on that base? It has 3 power printed on it and an ability that gives me +3 power, so is that 6 power total?
A: No, it only gives you +3 power on its base. The printed number is just a reminder of its ability for quick counting.
Rule: On Actions with Power, the printed number is a reminder of the power they give.
Q: An opponent plays this card on a base, so each player (including myself) gains +3 power there, right?
A: No. Your opponent played the action, so they control it, and therefore the action only addresses them and the ability must be interpreted from their point of view. So "you" means "they".
Rule: "You" on a minion or action means the controller of the card.
Q: Why does it say "all minions you don't control"? Wouldn't it have be simpler to say "other players' minions"?
A: If it wasn't worded that way, you wouldn't be able to destroy an uncontrolled monster.
Rules: N/A
Q: A base is chosen to score. I have no minions there, but this card gives me power there. Can I still gain VPs from the base if I'm among the top three total power there?
A: Yes. It is now part of the rules that you must have at least one minion or at least 1 total power to be eligible. If you have no minions there but you have at least 1 total power there, you can indeed gain VPs from the base if your total power is among the top three.
Rule: A player must have at least one minion or 1 total power on the base to be eligible to receive victory points.
Questions on Stomp
Q: Do I have 2 or 4 power on that base? It has 2 power printed on it and an ability that gives me +2 power, so is that 4 power total?
A: No, it only gives you +2 power on its base. The printed number is just a reminder of its ability for quick counting.
Rule: On Actions with Power, the printed number is a reminder of the power they give.
Q: An opponent plays this card on a base, so each player (including myself) gains +2 power there, right?
A: No. Your opponent played the action, so they control it, and therefore the action only addresses them and the ability must be interpreted from their point of view. So "you" means "they".
Rule: "You" on a minion or action means the controller of the card.
Q: A base is chosen to score. I have no minions there, but this card gives me power there. Can I still gain VPs from the base if I'm among the top three total power there?
A: Yes. It is now part of the rules that you must have at least one minion or at least 1 total power to be eligible. If you have no minions there but you have at least 1 total power there, you can indeed gain VPs from the base if your total power is among the top three.
Rule: A player must have at least one minion or 1 total power on the base to be eligible to receive victory points.
Questions on Tail Smash
Q: Do I have 4 or 8 power on that base? It has 4 power printed on it and an ability that gives me +4 power, so is that 8 power total?
A: No, it only gives you +4 power on its base. The printed number is just a reminder of its ability for quick counting.
Rule: On Actions with Power, the printed number is a reminder of the power they give.
Q: An opponent plays this card on a base, so each player (including myself) gains +4 power there, right?
A: No. Your opponent played the action, so they control it, and therefore the action only addresses them and the ability must be interpreted from their point of view. So "you" means "they".
Rule: "You" on a minion or action means the controller of the card.
Q: Why does it say "a minion you don't control"? Wouldn't it have be simpler to say "another player's minion"?
A: If it wasn't worded that way, you wouldn't be able to destroy an uncontrolled monster.
Rules: N/A
Q: A base is chosen to score. I have no minions there, but this card gives me power there. Can I still gain VPs from the base if I'm among the top three total power there?
A: Yes. It is now part of the rules that you must have at least one minion or at least 1 total power to be eligible. If you have no minions there but you have at least 1 total power there, you can indeed gain VPs from the base if your total power is among the top three.
Rule: A player must have at least one minion or 1 total power on the base to be eligible to receive victory points.
Questions on There Goes Tokyo
Q: My cards are immune to it, right?
A: No, it says "all other cards", i.e. all cards on that base except for Gorgodzolla.
Rule: Do exactly what the card says.
Q: If one or more of the cards on the base are immune to destruction, do they go to the base that replaces the one you destroy?
A: Only the minions that survive go on the replacement base. Titans are set aside and actions attached to the base are discarded.
Rule 1: When a card leaves play, discard attachments.
Rule 2: Titans also leave play if the base card they are on leaves play.
Q: If one of the minions on the base cannot be destroyed, would this card destroy any actions played on that minion, or are they not considered to be "on the base?"
A: Only actions played on the base are "on the base". Actions played on a minion are "on the minion", but not "on the base.
Rule: Only "play on a base" actions are played on a base.
Questions on They Say He's Got to Go
Q: Can I move another player's titan with this card? If so, do I take control of it?
A: Yes, you can move any titan in play with it. But no, if you move another player's titan, you simply relocate it, you don't take control of it on top of that.
Rule: If a card allows you to move another player's titan, they still remain that titan's controller; you do not take control of it.
Questions on Wade Through the Buildings
Q: Do I have 4 or 8 power on that base? It has 4 power printed on it and an ability that gives me +4 power, so is that 8 power total?
A: No, it only gives you +4 power on its base. The printed number is just a reminder of its ability for quick counting.
Rule: On Actions with Power, the printed number is a reminder of the power they give.
Q: An opponent plays this card on a base, so each player (including myself) gains +4 power there, right?
A: No. Your opponent played the action, so they control it, and therefore the action only addresses them and the ability must be interpreted from their point of view. So "you" means "they".
Rule: "You" on a minion or action means the controller of the card.
Q: A base is chosen to score. I have no minions there, but this card gives me power there. Can I still gain VPs from the base if I'm among the top three total power there?
A: Yes. It is now part of the rules that you must have at least one minion or at least 1 total power to be eligible. If you have no minions there but you have at least 1 total power there, you can indeed gain VPs from the base if your total power is among the top three.
Rule: A player must have at least one minion or 1 total power on the base to be eligible to receive victory points.
Questions on Gorgodzolla
Q: The card says "Special" so I can use it outside of my turn, but why does the card also say "instead of your regular minion play"?
A: "Special" does not mean the card can be played out of turn. "Special" simply means that it's an ability that can be used when its condition is met. Whether it can be used out of turn, activated straight from your hand/discard pile, or if it can only be used when it's already in play (essentially being a synonym of Ongoing), it entirely depends on the wording. In the case of Gorgodzolla, the condition is "instead of your regular minion play", this means that you can only activate it when you have a regular minion play available, which is only on your turn and more specifically on your Play Cards phase. It cannot be played out of turn, because, outside of your own Play Cards phase, you don't have any regular minion plays to give up.
Rule 1: A Special ability will describe how it can be used.
Rule 2: “Instead of your regular minion play” means instead of the normal minion play allowed during your Play Cards phase.
Q: If there's a restriction on where I can play a minion (e.g. Ice Castle, Overrun), does it also apply to Gorgodzolla if I play it instead of my regular minion play?
A: No, such a restriction only applies when you play a minion. If you convert your regular minion play into a titan play, you're playing a titan, not a minion, so the restriction doesn't apply.
Rule: Do exactly what the card says, especially when clarified in the rulebook.
Q: Do Ongoing abilities work each time when I play action on base or a minion (in case of the first ability). Or do they work once per turn? If they work once per turn, does the first ability work once per minion and once per action?
A: There's no such restrictions, so the Ongoing abilities work each time. Otherwise, they would have clearly stated it.
Rule: Do exactly what the card says.
Q: I play an action on my Gorgodzolla's base. Which Ongoing ability does it trigger?
A: Both.
Rule: Do exactly what the card says.
Q: What happens to Gorgodzolla when the base scores that it's on?
A: It remains on that base until the step where you discard all the cards on the base. At which point it leaves play and is set aside. Any +1 power counter on it is removed.
Rule 1: During the Score Bases step where the cards are discarded, all the cards on the scored base are discarded simultaneously.
Rule 2: If, for whatever reasons, a titan must leave play, it's actually set aside near its owner's deck and any +1 power counters on it are removed.
Q: A base is chosen to score. I have no minions there, but I have Gorgodzolla there. It is similar to a minion, right? So I can still get VPs from the base if 0 is among the top three total power, right?
A: No and no. Gorgodzolla is a titan, not a minion. To be eligible to receive VPs, you must have at least one minion or at least 1 total power on the base. If you have no minions and your total power there is 0, then you can't receive any VPs from the base. Now, if Gorgodzolla had any +1 power counters on it or gave you any total power (e.g. on Kaiju Island), then you would have at least 1 total power and be eligible. Otherwise, no.
Rule: A player must have at least one minion or 1 total power on the base to be eligible to receive victory points.
Trivia
- The artist is Alberto Tavira, who also designed the art of many other factions.
- Gorgodzolla is based on Godzilla.
- Kaiju were one of the top 32 nominated factions for "Smash Up: It's Your Fault". They lost to Elementals.