Godzilla X Varan, Baragon and Anguirus

[GigaBowserG]

Some slightly new info

A photo of Toho staff Fuyuki Shinada (left) and Takuya Yamabe (right), featuring the early molds of Baragon, Anguirus, and Varan for the unmade 2001 movie "Godzilla X Varan, Baragon and Anguirus: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack". In this, Anguirus would have been a golden ice-cold monster, Varan would have had a white body color, and Baragon would have been red with a high body temperature. When Anguirus and Baragon converge on the battlefield, the temperature difference of their bodies generates turbulence, which would have permitted Varan to glide freely during the three's eventual assault against Godzilla.

(from)

[KaijuFiend]

That turbulence thing seems really far-fetched to me. I think I would have preferred Varan to just be able to glide with no explanation. I know a creature that huge shouldn't be able to glide, but I can easily suspend my disbelief. It's a Godzilla movie, after all.

[MechaGoji Bro7503]

Interesting, although that seems a little weird to me. They were all gonna be a complete color? Ice Anguirus, huh.

[Baranguirus]

It's a pity the original monster cast wasn't used; just like GMK brought Baragon back from obscurity, it could have done so with Anguirus and Varan! I mean, Anguirus is thankfully quite famous thanks to it's numerous Showa appearances and Final Wars, but Varan really needed a comeback! But, no! They did like the Halloween movie franchise and just used the two monsters with the most market value! Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Mothra and King Ghidorah, and I find the GMK redesingns quite interesting, but I feel like they're a bit overplayed. I mean, King Ghidorah had the spotlight a mere 3 years prior, and Mothra appeared then and 2 years later! Anguirus hadn't been seen on the screen for 27 years, and Varan hadn't received ANY love for 33 years!
Again, I love GMK, and I appreciate that at least Baragon got back in the spotlight (though not in the title), but dissing Anguirus and Varan was a severe mis-step! I do wonder if they would have been given extra powers, though...

[edgaguirus]

I understand that while Anguirus is popular in the U.S, he's not that well loved in japan. Baragon is, though. I can see why Anguirus and Varan weren't used by that standard, but I would have liked to see Anguirus in the film.

[GodzillaFan1990's]

I didn't like the approach this movie eventually went. I'm not really a fan of King Ghidorah being a good guy on top of insulting him by making one of Godzilla's most powerful foes smaller and weaker then the King of Monsters himself. That's why I think they should've stuck with Anguirus and Varan. That would've made a lot more sense.

Even then if I were Kaneko the guardian monsters I would've picked were King Caesar (Surprised he wasn't considered...), Manda and keeping Mothra.

[Terasawa]

Even then if I were Kaneko the guardian monsters I would've picked were King Caesar (Surprised he wasn't considered...), Manda and keeping Mothra.

I don't think that was possible. King Ghidorah and Mothra were pushed on Kaneko because that's what Toho wanted. They wouldn't have let him drop Angilas and Varan for two more obscure monsters.

[GodzillaFan1990's]

I don't think that was possible. King Ghidorah and Mothra were pushed on Kaneko because that's what Toho wanted. They wouldn't have let him drop Angilas and Varan for two more obscure monsters.

I don't think that was possible. King Ghidorah and Mothra were pushed on Kaneko because that's what Toho wanted. They wouldn't have let him drop Angilas and Varan for two more obscure monsters.

Honestly if Toho gave their more obscure properties a chance, maybe it could've actually been a surprise hit. They'll never know if they don't give them a chance and as I said what I hated about it the most was it insulted King Ghidorah, one of Godzilla's most powerful foes made smaller and weaker then the Monster King himself, not to mention a good guy which just doesn't fit him.

But yeah I understood the reason for that I'm just saying if I could've managed to it would've been King Caesar and Manda while keeping Mothra.

I just hate how Toho tends to put their focus on their more popular monsters which we've all seen done to death while not giving others a chance they deserve because again they'll never know if they don't try. Even then when they do, they tend to treat them like crap such as Kamoebas in Tokyo S.O.S. who after over a 40 year absence returns as nothing but a lifeless corpse and that's not getting started with all the monsters in Final Wars (Especially Hedorah, arguably Godzilla's most powerful foe in the Showa series, if not one of his most powerful foes for that matter) save for Monster X/Keizer Ghidorah. Talk about an insult...

Sorry for the small rant but sometimes it really irks me what Toho does.

[scottzilla]

I would have liked to see this as well, the three guardian monsters we got didn't make sense with each other, but Baragon, Anguirus and Varan are all tooth and nail fighters and would have been fun to see that trio face off against Godzilla.

[GodzillaFan1990's]

I would have liked to see this as well, the three guardian monsters we got didn't make sense with each other, but Baragon, Anguirus and Varan are all tooth and nail fighters and would have been fun to see that trio face off against Godzilla.

Even then I think both King Caesar and Manda would've fitted the role of "Guardian Monsters" better then Anguirus, Varan and Baragon while keeping Mothra who too fits the whole guardian thing. King Caesar especially considering his nature which I'm surprised Kaneko didn't even consider. Would've been quite the thematic three if you ask me representing the three features of the planet earth.

Manda: Water
King Caesar: Land
Mothra: Sky

[daveblackeye15]

While I do really like the final product team up of GMK I do kind of want to see the original idea. Or heck the suggest Mothra, Manda and Ceasar team up.

That said...what good would Varan getting his gliding/flying power at the end do? I mean I guess an above attack could work. Yet I have to go 'uh can't Godzilla just turn his head up and spit fire that way?'

I never saw that picture of the Varan and Angurius models before.

[Dynomy-DX]

While GMK was solid overall, I would have much preferred the original roster. Guardian Anguirus and Millennium Varan? That alone sounds like a creative choice. As much as I like Ghidorah, I would rather have waited for a proper villainous rendition. And Mothra... eh. She gets enough exposure as is. I'd wait until Tokyo S.O.S. This would have been a good way to let the underdogs take the spotlight.

[GigaBowserG]

Updated the main site with way more story details regarding this lost movie! And maybe a few neat images: http://www.tohokingdom.com/cutting_room ... aragon.htm

For example...

Meanwhile, a strange phenomenon starts to occur throughout the Japanese islands. The bizarre coincidence is that each of the locations where supernatural incidents occur are the very same areas mentioned in the ancient record, "The Guardian Monsters", where three sleeping giants reside: the white wind monster, Varadaki; the red-hot monster, Baragora; and the golden freezing monster, Angira. According to ancient folklore, the Royal Court repelled the three deities a thousand years ago, forcing them into a state of hibernation to one day serve as guardians to mankind.

[Dawsbfiremind]

After reading that, I admit that sounds like a Godzilla movie I'd REALLY like to see. The Gotengo part was really interesting in particular, but Varan would probably be he part I'd want to see the most. He just gets so little love in the franchise.

[Mac Daddy MM]

I will never understand the love people have for this concept and the support people always throw at Anguirus being one of Godzilla's adversaries in a rebooted series. It's like wanting Batman to fight Robin in a film. Varan sort of makes sense considering his original origin, but Anguirus and Baragon do not. A much more logical roster would have been Varan, Manda and King Caesar. Or even keep Mothra and make her the "leader" instead of Ghidorah.

[GigaBowserG]

A much more logical roster would have been Varan, Manda and King Caesar. Or even keep Mothra and make her the "leader" instead of Ghidorah.

Interesting you should mention Manda, while I was digging around looking for info a Japanese user remarked they'd heard of Manda being considered as opposed to Baragon in a magazine, with the article even having photos of a model. They didn't list a source, however, and I haven't seen anywhere else a mention of Manda over Baragon.

[Lain Of The Wired]

A GMK Gabara would have been cooler, can't go wrong with a big scary oni

[tbeasley]

I will never understand the love people have for this concept and the support people always throw at Anguirus being one of Godzilla's adversaries in a rebooted series. It's like wanting Batman to fight Robin in a film. Varan sort of makes sense considering his original origin, but Anguirus and Baragon do not. A much more logical roster would have been Varan, Manda and King Caesar. Or even keep Mothra and make her the "leader" instead of Ghidorah.

Toho doesn't have set roles and origins for their monsters. They still has to give the OK but the best way I've seen it put is they're treated as actors that can work in a multitude of stories.

Varan, Baragon and Anguirus last appeared way back in the Showa era so there was more than enough room to explore and come up with something different. Varan and Baragon only ever had substantial roles in their debut films and Anguirus teamed up with Godzilla (for one film) thanks to his DAM suit being in decent shape.

[miguelnuva]

After Godzilla Neo my dream roster for this would have been Baragon, Manda and Varan but as far as GMK vs GVA I think I would have enjoyed GVA more as a Godzilla fan but Toho made the right choice going with GMK to appeal to a larger market.

You never know maybe GVA will be possible with monsterarts, it kinda was with Godzilla unleashed.

[Mac Daddy MM]

Toho doesn't have set roles and origins for their monsters. They still has to give the OK but the best way I've seen it put is they're treated as actors that can work in a multitude of stories.

The irony of this statement is fans get up in arms if Godzilla is a mutated lizard and not a dinosaur, but are willing to accept wonky origins like Anguirus and Baragon being supernatural guardians. Hell, the whole origin and storyline of GMK feels like it came out of a bad Deviant Art fanfic. Surprised Kaneko was able to make it as decent as he did.

Varan, Baragon and Anguirus last appeared way back in the Showa era so there was more than enough room to explore and come up with something different. Varan and Baragon only ever had substantial roles in their debut films and Anguirus teamed up with Godzilla (for one film) thanks to his DAM suit being in decent shape.

Uhh... Anguirus teamed up with Godzilla in DAM, GvGigan, was seen chilling with Godzilla in GvMegalon and sacrificed his own health to summon Godzilla in GvMG.