Godzilla Creator Sues Brewer Over 'Mechahopzilla' Beer

Looks like all your Godzilla-themed beers might be in trouble; Law360 reports that the Japanese company that invented Godzilla has filed a lawsuit against New Orleans Lager & Ale Brewing Company, over their beer "Mechahopzilla."

Toho Co., Ltd., which created Godzilla in 1954, then Mechagodzilla in 1974, claims that the beer's name violates their copyrights for Mechagodzilla.

For those not into the Godzilla franchise, Mechagodzilla is the robot-like enemy of Godzilla, a two-footed mechanical doppelganger.

The lawsuit claims that the brewery didn't get permission from Toho to use the name, and when Toho demanded they halt the usage of their name, the brewery refused.

"It was Toho's preference to resolve this matter without a lawsuit, but unfortunately, defendant's cavalier and intentional disregard for Toho's intellectual property made legal action necessary," their lawyer told Law360.

The brewing company claims that they have yet to be served the lawsuit, and cannot comment. "We filed for the trademark immediately after we put it into use, and we are waiting for the results from the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office)," president Kirk Coco emailed the Times-Picayune. "Not sure why they filed this before that ruling."

Of course, Mechahopzilla isn't the only beer that uses Godzilla's name; there's Cascazilla, Dogzilla, and Hopzilla, not to mention the festival Brewzilla.