Free Membership - Access to more than just media

Families and school personnel (including those in training) who have at least one student with a disability can sign up for free membership.

A video screenshot of men in midevil costumes featuring our containing closed captioning

Accessible Media

Standards-aligned videos with high-quality captions and audio description.

A screenshot of a video in our Learning Center with an arrow pointing to the Create Clip button

Teaching Tools

Create lessons and assign videos to managed Student Accounts.

A video still of someone doing Sign Language with the closed caption reading 'You can practice reading my signs.'

Training Videos

Educator and sign language training videos for school personnel and families.

Origin of Everything: How WWII Created Godzilla & Mecha Robots

9 minutes 33 seconds

Now Playing As: Captioned (English) (change)

The "Origin of Everything" episode "How WWII Created Godzilla & Mecha Robots" explores the cultural and historical backdrop that shaped two iconic features of Japanese media: Godzilla and mecha robots. The video delves into the aftermath of World War II, illustrating how the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki instigated a profound fear of radiation, which influenced the creation of Godzilla in 1954 by Ishiro Honda. Godzilla is depicted as a metaphor for the atomic bomb's destructive power, embodying both harm and resilience. Concurrently, the post-war industrialization boom fostered the popularity of mecha robots in Japanese anime, beginning with works like 'Tetsujin 28-go' and 'Mazinger Z.' These robots symbolize recovery and technological advancement. The episode emphasizes how these creations reflect Japan's shift from devastation to growth, making it a relevant exploration of history through media and storytelling.