Monster Discussion #32: Gigan (Showa)

[skuzzy-punk-kid]

When it comes to favorite Showa kaiju; for me, it's a toss between Gigan and Megalon. Why Megalon? Well, personally, I feel there's no love for the guy. King Kong vs. Godzilla and Godzilla vs. Megalon being the only 2 Godzilla movies I owned (before I was old enough to purchase my own Blockbuster card and rent as many Godzilla movies and copy them onto blank VHS tapes), Megalon has grown on me. But it was only recently that Gigan started growning on me...due to the dirty tricks Gigan is known for (and Gigan finally getting a ranged attack on Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee).
But, I do recall someone stating on this forum that he was underutilized. Well, in all fairness, he was only recently created in the Showa era; near the end of the era, mind you. The end of Godzilla's Showa reign was in 1975; Gigan made his debut in 1972, which meant there wasn't a whole lot of time left.

[BigBaragon]

gigan's kickass. Although he looks a little fat...

A "LITTLE" fat, you say?? Hes BLOATED!

Love, love, love Gigan. Because I saw Godzilla vs. Megalon BEFORE I saw Godzilla vs. Gigan in the theatre, I always assumed that Megalon and Gigan were sort of 'partners in crime'.

[Megalon-5]

I LOVE Gigan. He has to be one of my all time favorite Showa bad guys. He's got a really beautiful design and that coward personality fits him perfectly. He just clicks for me.

And I too thought Gigan and Megalon were total bros. for life. They just compliment each other perfectly.

[skuzzy-punk-kid]

I LOVE Gigan. He has to be one of my all time favorite Showa bad guys. He's got a really beautiful design and that coward personality fits him perfectly. He just clicks for me.

And I too thought Gigan and Megalon were total bros. for life. They just compliment each other perfectly.

If I knew how to upload pics, I would upload a pic of Gigan and Megalon doing a bro-[metallic arm thing]...

[Rody]

Bumpin' the thread for an intriguing train of thought I had.

My mind was wandering the other day, and ended up on the discussion on these boards a while back regarding whether Gigan had Ghidoran DNA, since Gigan has those distinct golden scales.
All of a sudden, I thought of Teruyoshi Nakano's comment that Ghidorah was originally colored green.... And Gigan is also green....

Coincidence?

[gzilla46]

Now I have an excuse to call him King Gigan!



On topic now.

Sure Showa Gigan looks like a space chicken.

But at least he doesn't get his head blown of after ten seconds.

Bumping this thread because Gigan is awesome.

I think Gigan IS a chicken.

I believe he was once an ordinary chicken until he was kidnapped and experiments were done on him, transforming him into the poultry cyborg we all know and love.

[Rody]

I still find it a stretch to compare Gigan to a chicken.

[gzilla46]

I still find it a stretch to compare Gigan to a chicken.

Why? He's got the beak and spikes similar to those things that chickens usually have on top of their heads, only cybernetic.

Plus, mutated farm fowl can be awesome, you knw.

[GojirO]

Bumping this thread because Gigan is awesome.

I think Gigan IS a chicken.

I believe he was once an ordinary chicken until he was kidnapped and experiments were done on him, transforming him into the poultry cyborg we all know and love.

Ummmmm....this post makes less sense than the space chicken theory

[Rody]

Plus, mutated farm fowl can be awesome, you know.

No, I don't know.

He's got the beak and spikes similar to those things that chickens usually have on top of their heads, only cybernetic.

You mean the comb? Well, okay, I see a slight resemblance - but do you know who else has head spikes & a beak? Rodan. Even 90's Gamera has them to a certain extent.

[Dillyziller]

I dont care what anyone think's, I like Gigan's Showa version a LOT more then his Final Wars one.
Also, many fans might know this by now but originaly WAS going to have a thin lazer that would come from his fourhead

[eabaker]

I dont care what anyone think's, I like Gigan's Showa version a LOT more then his Final Wars one.
Also, many fans might know this by now but originaly WAS going to have a thin lazer that would come from his fourhead

Well, yeah, the original is an example of a charming 70s aesthetic, the Final Wars iteration is an example of an obnoxious '00s aesthetic.

[gzilla46]

I dont care what anyone think's, I like Gigan's Showa version a LOT more then his Final Wars one.
Also, many fans might know this by now but originaly WAS going to have a thin lazer that would come from his fourhead

Well, yeah, the original is an example of a charming 70s aesthetic, the Final Wars iteration is an example of an obnoxious '00s aesthetic.

I personally like the 2004 design of Gigan better to be honest. He looks leaner, stronger, faster. While I assume that would be unhealthy for most chickens, it's GREAT for Gigan.

[Megalon7]

I don't think Gigan looks like a chicken. and yeah, I also like Showa Gigan better than GFW Gigan (although I like that one too).

[GigaBowserG]

The "chicken Gigan" joke has gotten pretty stale, it's annoying to hear that comparison sometimes.
Regardless, Gigan is great. His design confused me greatly as a kid, I had no idea what he could be. And like most have said in this topic, I prefer the Showa incarnation as well. While I liked the GFW design when I first saw it, the appeal has worn on me.

Too bad he never used his laser in the movies. But at least the Atari games gave it to him, and it looked really good in those.

[gzilla46]

The "chicken Gigan" joke has gotten pretty stale, it's annoying to hear that comparison sometimes.
Regardless, Gigan is great. His design confused me greatly as a kid, I had no idea what he could be. And like most have said in this topic, I prefer the Showa incarnation as well. While I liked the GFW design when I first saw it, the appeal has worn on me.

Too bad he never used his laser in the movies. But at least the Atari games gave it to him, and it looked really good in those.

But those weren't jokes. They never explained Gigan's origin in the movies, so I thought, maybe he COULD be a mutated poultry mixed with a cyborg.

[Dillyziller]

The "chicken Gigan" joke has gotten pretty stale, it's annoying to hear that comparison sometimes.
Regardless, Gigan is great. His design confused me greatly as a kid, I had no idea what he could be. And like most have said in this topic, I prefer the Showa incarnation as well. While I liked the GFW design when I first saw it, the appeal has worn on me.

Too bad he never used his laser in the movies. But at least the Atari games gave it to him, and it looked really good in those.

But those weren't jokes. They never explained Gigan's origin in the movies, so I thought, maybe he COULD be a mutated poultry mixed with a cyborg.

Well he is a cyborg and things arnt just born like that

[Smuggers]

Why would they kidnap a chicken of all things?

[gzilla46]

Why would they kidnap a chicken of all things?

Who knows?

[MDK]

Gigan is perhaps one of my favorite monsters in the Showa series next to MechaGodzilla and Titanosaurus. He's just so badass. FW Gigan looks nice but sucks in nearly other way.