Godzilla (also known as The King of the Monsters and Gigantis, the Fire Monster) is a giant fictional Japanese monster from the Godzilla series of science-fiction films. It was first seen in the 1954 movie Godzilla and to date has appeared in no less than 28 movies, all produced by Toho Co. Ltd. In 1998, TriStar Pictures in the U.S. produced a nominal remake of the original, set in contemporary New York City. One of the most iconic characters in film history, Godzilla has also appeared in numerous comic books, video games, novels, and in popular culture.