Monster Discussion #48: Rodan (Heisei)

[Gojira21]

true lol but...only for interest of saving Jr.

[Gwargalo]

You see, I really dislike the idea of Rodan being Godzilla's sidekick. I can enjoy the role of "sidekick" with Anguirus, but not Rodan. I like the idea that Rodan and Godzilla are evenly matched, bitter foes that just absolutely destroy one another until an even greater foe comes along (Mechagodzilla II) and they are forced to fight alongside one another. It just ups the badassery level, rather than having a movie in which Rodan spends the entire time playing second fiddle to Godzilla and then ends up becoming a giant plot convenience.

Wouldn't it just be infinitely more awesome in Mechagodzilla II if Rodan was just as devastatingly powerful Godzilla (or at least closer to his level of strength)? The scene in which Rodan passes his strength on to Godzilla would be such an "OHSHIT" moment. It'd also be nice if Rodan showed up to do more than peck out Mechagodzilla's eye and then get blasted away..

[edgaguirus]

The couldn't have Rodan be too powerful. Godzilla was the main threat here, and Rodan's only real purpose in the film was to be a sacrificial lamb.

[Rody]

I like Heisei Rodan, more so than the 60's suits, but there's something lacking in the design. I think that, by making Rodan more realistically Pteradactyloid, Toho took away from the originality of the character.
Execution was decent; at least better than Mothra and possibly Ghidorah & Mecha-G. He actually gave Godzilla a pretty good fight.
I loved the heat beam when I was younger; now I'm indifferent to it. I think I prefer Rodan as simple Tooth&Claw.

[Tohosaurus]

I do like Heisei Rodan well enough. His design is pretty good and I don't mind that he's not as big as the Showa one in relation to Godzilla (ditto his power). Rodan didn't have much character to him in GvMII though, and I despise the heat beam he has.

[shinmattiathekaiju]

I do like Heisei Rodan well enough. His design is pretty good and I don't mind that he's not as big as the Showa one .

Showa Rodan is 50 meters.

Heisei Rodan is 70 meters.

[Rody]

I'm pretty sure he meant in comparison to Godzilla.
BTW, this brings up something I've seen before, mostly in the FM section. I think Heisei Rodan & Showa Rodan are actually pretty close to each other in strength; the difference is that Heisei Rodan went up against a bigger & stronger Godzilla.

[Inferno Rodan]

I'm pretty sure he meant in comparison to Godzilla.
BTW, this brings up something I've seen before, mostly in the FM section. I think Heisei Rodan & Showa Rodan are actually pretty close to each other in strength; the difference is that Heisei Rodan went up against a bigger & stronger Godzilla.

If anything, Heisei Rodan is stronger simply because he has a more effective fighting style and he's actually capable of, y'know, hurting things without hurting himself in the process.

[King Caesar]

I felt Rodan/Fire Rodan had great details along the facial areas and actually the whole body (but the close-ups on the face look terrific). The downfall for me is the goofy blinking he does in close-ups and the fact that he's so dang stiff when he flies! Overall, he's probably just a middle-of-the-road Kaiju in the Heisei series; nothing horrible, nothing impressive either

[Living Corpse]

If anything, Heisei Rodan is stronger simply because he has a more effective fighting style and he's actually capable of, y'know, hurting things without hurting himself in the process.

I'd say Showa Rodan had a far more impressive fighting style because he could shrug off beatings and was smart enough to take advantage of allies (helping Mothra aim for Ghidorah's heads by letting her ride his back, throwing Godzilla into Ghidorah so he can pummle him) and the battleground (taking cover behind mountains, throwing boulders) and in worst cases came up with new tactics such as turning 180 in flight and crash into Ghidorah so he'd be grounded long enough for Godzilla to catch up and resume his fight with him.

If anything I find Showa Rodan more impressive because he took Godzilla's and Ghidorah's rays like they were noting, body slammed at high speeds and shrug it off, and was smart. The only thing he didn't have that I wish he had from Fire Rodan was a beam weapon but other then that he was pretty tough SOB and would figure out something new to win.

[Inferno Rodan]

I'd say Showa Rodan had a far more impressive fighting style because he could shrug off beatings

Heisei Rodan got back up after he had a gaping hole blown in his chest.

and was smart enough to take advantage of allies (helping Mothra aim for Ghidorah's heads by letting her ride his back, throwing Godzilla into Ghidorah so he can pummle him)

Heisei Rodan was smart enough to take advantage of his former enemies. He gave his power to Godzilla so that Mechagodzilla would be defeated and his "brother" would be protected.

and in worst cases came up with new tactics such as turning 180 in flight and crash into Ghidorah so he'd be grounded long enough for Godzilla to catch up and resume his fight with him.

That was precisely what my "actually capable of hurting things without hurting himself in the process" comment was directed at. That flying tackle was literally the best attack Showa Rodan could muster, and he ended up hurting himself more than King Ghidorah by doing it.

If anything I find Showa Rodan more impressive because he took Godzilla's and Ghidorah's rays like they were noting,

And Heisei Rodan wouldn't? He shrugged off Heisei Godzilla's far more powerful beam several times, and took two consecutive hits from the Plasma Grenade -an attack which would utterly wreck most Showa kaiju- with no damage.

body slammed at high speeds and shrug it off,

So did Heisei Rodan. And he did it against a comparatively far heavier opponent WITHOUT hurting himself.

and was smart.

Heisei Rodan sacrificing himself and giving his power to Godzilla, a monster that had previously nearly killed him, so that Godzilla could defeat Mechagodzilla and take care of his "brother" Baby Godzilla = not smart?

The only thing he didn't have that I wish he had from Fire Rodan was a beam weapon but other then that he was pretty tough SOB and would figure out something new to win.

At least Heisei Rodan's pecks are more than just useless taps like Showa's are.

[Living Corpse]

I'd say Showa Rodan had a far more impressive fighting style because he could shrug off beatings

Heisei Rodan got back up after he had a gaping hole blown in his chest.

and was smart enough to take advantage of allies (helping Mothra aim for Ghidorah's heads by letting her ride his back, throwing Godzilla into Ghidorah so he can pummle him)

Heisei Rodan was smart enough to take advantage of his former enemies. He gave his power to Godzilla so that Mechagodzilla would be defeated and his "brother" would be protected.

and in worst cases came up with new tactics such as turning 180 in flight and crash into Ghidorah so he'd be grounded long enough for Godzilla to catch up and resume his fight with him.

That was precisely what my "actually capable of hurting things without hurting himself in the process" comment was directed at. That flying tackle was literally the best attack Showa Rodan could muster, and he ended up hurting himself more than King Ghidorah by doing it.

If anything I find Showa Rodan more impressive because he took Godzilla's and Ghidorah's rays like they were noting,

And Heisei Rodan wouldn't? He shrugged off Heisei Godzilla's far more powerful beam several times, and took two consecutive hits from the Plasma Grenade -an attack which would utterly wreck most Showa kaiju- with no damage.

body slammed at high speeds and shrug it off,

So did Heisei Rodan. And he did it against a comparatively far heavier opponent WITHOUT hurting himself.

and was smart.

Heisei Rodan sacrificing himself and giving his power to Godzilla, a monster that had previously nearly killed him, so that Godzilla could defeat Mechagodzilla and take care of his "brother" Baby Godzilla = not smart?

The only thing he didn't have that I wish he had from Fire Rodan was a beam weapon but other then that he was pretty tough SOB and would figure out something new to win.

At least Heisei Rodan's pecks are more than just useless taps like Showa's are.

Never said Heisei Rodan wasn't impressive. As you pointed out he survived having a gaping hole in his chest. I'm just saying that while I think there both impressive in overall combat I find Showa more impressive.

I guess you could blame that on the poor execution of Heisei films. I know Heisei Rodan would kill Showa Rodan but I just found Showa Rodan better executed hence why he came off as more impressive.

[Tyler]

I don't think Rodan intentionally gave his life force to Godzilla.

[Legion1979]

I don't think Rodan intentionally gave his life force to Godzilla.

Me neither.

[therealmccoy]

I don't think Rodan intentionally gave his life force to Godzilla.

Me neither.

Watch out, there'll be another wall of text proving you wrong.

Anyway, it certainly looked like he did, but that's open to debate. Showa Rodan always seemed tougher to me. Heisei Rodan reminded me of a bird dive-bombing a larger threat and pecking at it to scare it away.

[Ethan]

I think they were trying to compensate for the lackluster human drama. If you can't make your characters believable, you can always have a "tragic" and "meaningful" death scene for the monsters.

[Living Corpse]

Heisei Rodan reminded me of a bird dive-bombing a larger threat and pecking at it to scare it away.

Well he kinda was. Heisei Godzilla V2 and Heisei Mecahgodzilla were in a league of their own. And it sucks he got a powerful beam upgrade at the worst time, when fighting a mech that absorbs beams and uses them as fuel for one of it's attacks thus making it a useless in that battle. Maybe if Rodan was fighting Heisei Godzilla V1 he would have stood a better chance in his fight with Godzilla.

[Inferno Rodan]

I don't think Rodan intentionally gave his life force to Godzilla.

Me neither.

Well you're both very silly.

[Rody]

I was under the impression he gave it willingly; reluctantly, perhaps, but willingly. He recognized only Godzilla could save Baby.

[Tyler]

Ouch.