Monster Discussion #36: MechaGodzilla (Showa)

[JVM]

The original Mechagodzilla is one of my favorite Toho monsters of all-time. He's a timeless foe and has a massive arsenal, and he manages to be one of Godzilla's more interesting villains in this OP's opinion. Not to mention he's one of the few to face off against Godzilla multiple times as a foe in the Showa era.

[TokyoVigilante]

The original Mechagodzilla remains one of the most well-rounded incarnations of the character. A vicious, cold machine that begins as a doppelganger then turns into a walking war machine. Plus the coolest array of weaponry, IMO.

I give this one props for being the only Mechagodzilla to really use the "Robot Clone" angle. Kiryu or MG'93 don't really bother with that and it's such a shame because there is such story potential. GvsMG'74 glosses over it, but I'd like to see future incarnations really make a film about it.

Unlike Kiryu and MG'93, the original Mechagodzilla was more then a weapon, it was a character and a villain in and of itself. It was a force that was controlled passively by the Simians, not heroically piloted by the some human chumps.

It remains my favorite incarnation of the character.

[Primevalgodzilla V2]

Huh? While MG '93 wasn't much of a clone, Kiryu certainly is.

MG '74 is a badass kaiju IMO and my second-favourite incarnation of MG. I do find him rather overrated, but he's still a great enemy for Godzilla and one of his most threatening foes in the original G series.

[Tyler]

I think he's second only to Ghidorah.

[JVM]

Huh? While MG '93 wasn't much of a clone, Kiryu certainly is.

MG '74 is a badass kaiju IMO and my second-favourite incarnation of MG. I do find him rather overrated, but he's still a great enemy for Godzilla and one of his most threatening foes in the original G series.

Kiryu is fine in my book, but the Godzilla angle isn't really played up beyond the bones themselves.

[edgaguirus]

The original MG is one of the great Godzilla foes. As a skin covered clone, it brought back the evil destructive nature we first saw in Godzilla. With the skin shed, MG became a menacing character.

[gpulse90]

He was the first to actually send Godzilla in retreat, the others were overpowered or a problem came up with him

[Guardian7]

Mechagodzilla... you want the ultimate? you need look no further than the original...
Let me show you why!



That's why!

[Primevalgodzilla V2]

I always liked his tin-can look. It gives him an interesting texture and sheen.

[Guardian7]

When I was younger I used to hate him and think he was stupid.

Since I started getting back into it in the last six years or so... I have discovered that Mechagodzilla is one of my favorites. Particularly the first one.

No other controllers, no made by humans, no bones of Godzilla necessary.

He disguised himself as Godzilla
Whipped three Kaiju's butts (unlike ANY of the ones that would come after)
Did it all with simple seventies programing!
and if Godzilla hadn't cheated... MG would have won... and there would be a new world ORDER!!! LOL

GO MechaG I !!

[KaneLocke]

Huh... in that first pic in the topic, MG's got a gangsta lean goin' on...

[Hellspawn28]

I love the guy, I enjoy all three versions of MechaGodzilla as well. The Showa version is easily my favorite.

[Primevalgodzilla V2]

My personal favourite is MG '93, but I'm a fan of the Showa version as well.

[Tyler]

When I was younger I used to hate him and think he was stupid.

When I was a kid I thought he was the COOLEST freaking thing I ever saw. I liked him more than Godzilla! [/blasphemy]

[Guardian7]

It is probably because I saw Mechagodzilla then as a total rip off of MechaKong... Whom I loved!

[HayesAJones]

A very, very cool creation. A giant, Godzilla-shaped, firepower-packed alien machine? Sigh me up for some of that!

[edgaguirus]

I really liked when MG turned his head the other direction to attack both Godzilla and KC. No other monster has ever done that.

[Tyler]

I really liked when MG turned his head the other direction to attack both Godzilla and KC. No other monster has ever done that.

Unless Godzilla fights a giant version of that girl from The Excorcist.

[Goji]

My favorite mech of all time, and easily my favorite incarnation of the character. I love this guy; the retro "tin can" look, that sinister, lifeless gaze, and that explosive arsenal of his. You gotta love those psychedelic eye beams too.. he is just all around made of awesome.

I loved Kiryu, and the U.N. MG was okay I suppose...but the Mechagodzilla character really needs to go back to being an evil robot built by aliens, I just can't stress this enough. The fans want it, and this incarnation of the character has continued to be the most popular even after the introduction of two different Mechagodzilla's over the years. Maybe a future "Godzilla director" for Toho will raise a finger, and demand to have an "evil" MG in his film. We can all hope!

[ZigraDude]

The original Showa Mechagodzilla is my favorite incarnation of the character and is one of my favorite Godzilla villains (Second to the Showa King Ghidorah). Like others have said, Mechagodzilla is at his best when he's the villain of the film. I personally think he's a bigger threat to Godzilla when's he's the villain, but that's just me. I like how he's the only monster that tried to ruin Godzilla's reputation by disguising himself as Godzilla and making him look like the bad guy. It even made AnGUEErus attack his friend Godzilla.