KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 13 -- With the recent opening of Southeast Asia's first official Godzilla store and a new movie sequel on the way, Malaysia's long-standing love for the "King of Monsters" is reaching a fever pitch, driven by a dedicated fan community that has championed the franchise for years.

The official Godzilla store, which opened last Friday at Mitsui LaLaport BBCC, has already drawn long lines of fans, while the recent announcement of Godzilla Minus Zero - the sequel to the Oscar-winning Godzilla Minus One - has further fuelled the excitement.

At the heart of this growing phenomenon is the Malaysia Godzilla Fan Club, a 1,400-member community founded six years ago by studio manager Kane Chong, 54.

"As a kid, we were always exp...