Godzilla 2000

Why is it that Godzilla, despite constantly destroying half of Japan, always comes out as something of a hero in these movies? Why, for that matter, does he always show up in Japan (the recent Hollywood version notwithstanding)? And, most pertinently, why would a Godzilla movie released in 2000 still look so damn cheesy? They couldn't float for good special effects at this point in the series, on an almost guaranteed money-maker? By any objective standard, this is a bad movie--but it's still entertaining, with some nice visuals and the tried and true "monsters blowing shit up" formula. If you can dig the camp value, you'll like it; if not, skip it.