Monster Discussion #48: Rodan (Heisei)

[JVM]

Making up for lost time.



The Heisei version of Rodan I'm conflicted on. I love the character in itself, but it doesn't feel like Rodan to me. He had a pretty sweet role in the movie though, made a nice allly for Godzilla. Yet still, it feels like a step-down from the bold Showa Rodan who stuck out quite a bit. It's not the design so much as the execution I suppose. It's my favorite Rodan design regardless.

[tymon]

It's also my favorite Rodan design, but I agree the execution and personality are rather subpar compared to previous incarnations.

I haven't seen this film in a good nine years, I need to pick up Sony's copy and plop it in sometime...

[HayesAJones]

I like the redesign. It's very lean and predatory looking, like something that would hunt down and destroy you. Taking on a monster much bigger and stronger than it was admirable. But, alas, the execution and personality were lacking compared to the Showa version.

[Giga Kaiju]

My Favorite Design of Rodan, i didnt like that he was Little, but i suppose that Toho did it for
Realism. Showa Rodan its, better when it comes to Personality.

[NSZ]

I don't like it... No, that's not true. I don't 'don't like it', I HATE it.

I HATE the design, I HATE the execution, I HATE the skreeonk pointless powerup, I HATE its very existence! HATE I SAY!

*regains composure* I needed to get that out of my system, thank you.

[HayesAJones]

Would this also include the 'Fire" power-up? Because that was very stupid. Rodan was a beast that never needed a beam before, so why start? That what was so great about him in the Showa series. He had no energy weapons, just his own natural defenses and smarts. Yet he still kicked ass.

[Tyler]

He was almost Godzilla's equal in the original films and here he doesn't seem as special. It's like he wasn't treated as one of the golden age kaiju.

[shinmattiathekaiju]

I like the design and the character,still managed to give Godzilla some trouble even without the plasma beam.

[Biollante]

Despite poor execution and a pointless power up, I like Heisei Rodan out of principle that they brought back the scale of his destructive force. I never liked how Rodan went from destroying buildings and military just by using the sheer power of his flight to pecking Godzilla in the face and hiding behind rocks. Heisei brought back that true Rodan feeling, granted the feeling was short.

Had they put a little more emphasis on Rodan's city raid...

[therealmccoy]

I didn't particularly like the design or the execution, but I got to thinking about it and I think my dislike for him doesn't come just from that. I think the writers did a shitty job of working him into the movie. If he would have had more screen time, I think he would have had a more positive impact on everyone. I mean, he shows up, looks like shit, gets killed, then shows up again, looks like shit some more, then gets killed again, only he shoots a few beams this time. I may not know what I'm talking about, but that's what I think.

[edgaguirus]

The design was good. Rodan looked very animalistic and sinister. I don't care that Rodan had a beam, but I do wish the prop hadn't been so stiff in flight.

[Cimmerian Dragon]

Liked the design, liked the "I'll take on all comers" attitude, but hated the execution, and really f**king hated the beam attack.

[Tohosaurus]

I thought he looked good, although he moved stiffly and unconvincingly. I actually liked his attitude, but if you prefer the campier Rodan I can see why you wouldn't. My primary concern was his heat beam. Just ... why?

[Gojisan866]

The heat beam sucked. Why put it in there? He was a perfect kaiju already.

[tymon]

I don't see the problem with the heat ray, I like it.

[NSZ]

I don't see the problem with the heat ray, I like it.

It served absolutely no purpose other than give that specialized tank a hard time. Rodan in the first place never needed a beam weapon, and considering it didn't really serve a purpose here, why give him one at all? Want to make Rodan imposing and a threat? Scale him back up to Godzilla's size! Realism obviously isn't a factor here cause MechaG's mere existence should have sent the whole skreeonk world into bankruptcy with all the metal and diamond going into it, and my Willing Suspension of Disbelief died because of that.

AND THAT PLANT B.S. DIDN'T HELP MATTERS.

[therealmccoy]

That was just a shitty movie and a piss-poor role for him to be in. I know they gave him a beam to make him more on the level of the new Godzilla, but to me, it made him look kind of like a wuss instead.

[edgaguirus]

It was obvious Rodan would have some sort of special weapon. The Hesie series gave every monster a beam, acid sap, etc.

[tymon]

^All the Heisei monsters were stiff beam spammers...people are acting like these traits are exclusive to Rodan.

Let me rephrase my original statment: I Iike the idea of Rodan with a beam, as long as it's balanced with other badass combat - Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla failed to deliver this, but the inclusion of the beam isn't exactly the issue to blame IMO.

[JVM]

Rodan not having a heat ray was never a special trait of his. Plenty of early Showa-era monsters lacked beams. It's not like Rodan was the only one without a beam. Personally though, I think Rodan s hould've been given something more unique and not just a generic heat ray. A sonic roar like Anguirus' in the Pipeworks' games would have fit well alongside the hurricane winds.