A normal kaiju would refer to any "strange beast", but unless if they are specifically said to be kaiju (Pacific Rim, for example), kaiju are mostly only Japanese.
I don't know if I buy that. I'm not a real big believer in the
Certain art forms can only come from certain places mentality. Like how some people say the only true anime or manga can only come from Japan. Yes, certain ones can be liken to specific places or hold more cultural meaning for a certain society- but nothing I see really stops someone from outside making that type of art.
There are other giant monsters that I would count as daikaiju, even though they aren't from Japan. Like Gorgo, The Giant Claw, Pilosaurus from
The Giant Behemoth.
The word itself just seems to be becoming more of a generic term for giant monster. Like saying "vampire" "werewof" or "zombie" might have some wiggle room in definition but still talks about a certain creature.
I mostly meant that the term comes from Japan. I don't but that mentality either, and I agree with your point that there are many other films from other cultures that technically are kaiju.
I was trying to say that the term kaiju is more common to be used for Japanese monsters. Not that monsters like the giant claw and all of that aren't technically kaiju.
My point was that the Tremors critters wouldn't be daikaiju, because daikaiju describes a giant kaiju, so those guys would be better described as normal kaiju. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
