Trust is in short supply in Starship Godzilla, and after last issue’s betrayals and battlefield revelations, the fallout is immediate. What once felt like a ragtag crew carving out their own destiny in deep space now looks far more complicated, with allegiances exposed and motives called into question.
Starship Godzilla #5 opens with a nice recap of how everything is going well for the villainous Xilien Empire and the admiral. It’s a nice check-in on the larger stakes, before the story dives into Ayan being at her lowest point yet. Woken up after being blasted by her so-called friend Rohan, Ayan is in a tricky situation where she can’t even trust Grandma Gen, but also needs to save her new love-at-first-sight friend, Frey.
Chris Gooch writes a fast-paced script here, with Ayan wasting no time in doing the right thing. Thanks to tech, Ayan is doing all she can to save Frey while also having a conversation with Grandma Gen and Rohan. Seeing as Ayan isn’t dead from Rohan’s blaster in the last issue, she knows they don’t mean for her to die, but she’s also not happy with their dealings with the Xilien Empire.
Quick flashback to remind us she was shot.
Credit: IDW
That fast pace does hamper a story beat or two, particularly one that has Ayan in a ship, and then on a page turn in front of the admiral. A caption or a visual to connect the two scenes would help alleviate the feeling that a panel or page is missing. Outside of this, Ayan’s attempt and success at swaying Rohan and Grandma Gen feel a bit too easy. Sure, Ayan’s love of Frey is a deciding factor, which is heroic, but given Rohan and Grandma Gen were wheeling and dealing with the admiral for so long due to the need for cash, you’d think a bit more moralizing would help make the switch feel earned.
That said, it does build towards a bit of direct conflict for the next issue, which will be fun. With loyalties splintered and the threat escalating beyond a single battle, this next chapter shifts the conflict inward. The war may be fought with starships and kaiju, but the real fight now is for the soul of the crew itself.
Oliver Ono’s art continues to blend manga stylings with fun sci-fi designs. I particularly like the design of the monkey crew member Lif, and the admiral. The admiral’s pasty white skin amps up her almost vampiric level of villainy, while Lif has a Gorillaz vibe mixed with a bit of wisdom. As I said in my previous review, the art feels a bit more rushed than in the first two chapters, but it’s still quite good, with strong character acting, space scenes, and a kaiju sighting or two that add to the epic nature of the larger story.
Starship Godzilla #5 thrives on emotional fallout, placing Ayan at the center of a moral and personal reckoning while the Xilien Empire tightens its grip. Gooch keeps the story moving at a brisk clip, even if that speed smooths over a few character beats that could have used more weight. Ono’s expressive designs and energetic space visuals maintain the series’ charm, and the groundwork is firmly laid for a more explosive confrontation ahead. The battle may span the stars, but the heart of this chapter lies in fractured trust and hard choices.
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