Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (Considered Draft)

Unmade Film
Intended Release:
1993

Conceived by:

Wataru Mimura,
Koichi Kawakita

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (Considered Draft)


Japanese Title

ゴジラVSメカゴジラ
[Gojira vs. Mekagojira]

In the Cretaceous period, a Godzillasaurus engages a Pteranodon in a fierce battle.

Jumping to modern day, G-Force manages to excavate the corpse of Mecha-King Ghidorah from the sea floor using the winch of a salvage ship. After studying the remains, the United Nations begins work on a giant mechanical doppelganger of Godzilla. The machine is given the ability to separate itself into seven different parts, each equipped with weapons for combat while also being able to merge together to form the titanic "Union Mechagodzilla" super-weapon. The bird-like Garuda is also developed, a land-and-air dual robot with legs and large wings.

Meanwhile, there is an expedition to Adonoa Island in which a giant egg is uncovered, believed to be a remnant of prehistoric times. Shortly after this remarkable discovery, the expedition team is attacked by two Rodan, one male and one female. The UN receives word of the monsters and dispatches Union Mechagodzilla to deal with them. The mech besieges the Rodan couple, crushing one of the female Rodan's eyes and sending it into the ocean, while the male is electrocuted to death via high-voltage currents from Union Mechagodzilla's Flying Hands. The scientists then leave the island, egg in tow, though G-Force member Kazuma Aoki notices a connection being established between the egg and biology researcher Azusa Gojo when the two of them glow red.

Upon the team's return to Japan, the egg eventually hatches to reveal a newborn Godzillasaurus, as opposed to a Pteranodon as speculated. The BabyGodzilla quickly forms a bond with Azusa, while Azusa tends to the baby by feeding it an apple. The team, with the assistance of Professor Hiroshi Omae, psychic Miki Saegusa, and the female instructor running the Center of Psychic Development, then proposes a hypothesis of how BabyGodzilla came to be as the opening scene of a Pteranodon engaging a Godzillasaurus accompanies the discussion.

In light of this discovery, it's feared that Godzilla might try to rescue the infant. The fear is quickly justified as a report comes in of Godzilla attacking an oil refinery and making his way toward the laboratory. In response, the UN sends Union Mechagodzilla to attack the nuclear menace. The two powerhouses do battle, with Godzilla ultimately gaining the upper hand. F-15J Jets arrive as back-up while the seven separated Mechagodzilla units retreat. As the jets fire upon Godzilla, the infant Godzillasaurus suddenly grows an astonishing 6 meters.

Unfazed by the military's counterattack, Godzilla continues onward to the lab. However, upon arriving Godzilla suddenly turns away, leaving the vicinity. It is later discovered that the BabyGodzilla can communicate telepathically, and was sending off distress waves which caused Godzilla to leave. The UN, seeing the tactical advantage that this presents, sets up a new plan to kill Godzilla in which the infant is used as bait. As an extra precaution, the UN also readies the dual robot Garuda in order to ensure Godzilla's defeat at the hands of Union Mechagodzilla. In order to execute the plan, BabyGodzilla is sealed away in a canister so it can be shipped to a remote location. While in transit, the small Godzillasaurus sends out a distress call.

Meanwhile, off the shores off Adonoa Island, the female Rodan that was knocked into the sea awakens. The agitated female suddenly targets a nearby Russian nuclear submarine and, upon destroying it, evolves into White Rodan. The newly-powered White Rodan then flies to Japan to answer Baby's distress call. White Rodan discovers the helicopter transporting the small Godzillasaurus and quickly destroys it, then carries BabyGodzilla off to safety, forming a nest atop a high-rise hotel. The winged monster proceeds to infiltrate the Yumenoshima Tropical Greenhouse Dome to look for food for the young Godzillasaur.

The UN reacts to this change of events by deploying the Mechagodzilla units and Garuda to finish off the revived monster. White Rodan does its best to defend BabyGodzilla from the swarming combat machines, eventually forming a powerful low-altitude tornado to keep them at bay, but this proves to be too much for White Rodan as it dies from exhaustion and falls into the sea. Not long after, Godzilla emerges from the nearby water. Mechagodzilla reforms for the long-awaited rematch, and Godzilla is killed in the battle by Union Mechagodzilla's shoulder-mounted G-Crusher - at the expense of Garuda being defeated. The flying robot's unstable nuclear reactor then explodes and the fallout from the detonation resurrects Godzilla, whom resumes battle with his mechanical counterpart. Union Mechagodzilla attempts to escape as it did previously by separating, but the central cockpit ends up being destroyed by Godzilla as a result, causing all the other units to crash and burn and ending Mechagodzilla once and for all.

Miki and Professor Omae finally arrive on the scene via helicopter, and Miki sends telepathic messages from the chopper to the hesitant BabyGodzilla to join its parent. Godzilla then carries BabyGodzilla in his teeth out to sea.

Background - Images - Concept Evolution

LOST PROJECT HISTORY

The first in a short series of drafts which would end up becoming the final script for Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993). Created by Wataru Mimura, this early draft features not one but two Rodan, a nod to the Rodan pair featured in the original 1956 Rodan film. Both appear and are attacked on Adonoa Island by Union Mechagodzilla rather than Godzilla. In fact, neither Rodan ever actually meets Godzilla in this early version of the film, despite the opening of the movie teasing a battle between a Godzillasaurus and a Pteranodon. The evolution of the female Rodan to White Rodan also acts as the earliest precursor to Fire Rodan, though White Rodan doesn't seem to boast anything new outside of a color change.

The Mechagodzilla character was also vastly different in this early draft. Dubbed "Union Mechagodzilla", as the name implies, the robot was given the power to break into seven separate war machines, with all seven being controlled by a central cockpit located in one of the units. Likewise, Garuda differs greatly from the final product, being modeled like a giant metal bird and having no real connections to Union Mechagodzilla outside of being a combat weapon.

While not substantial, a scene early on shows Azusa glowing red with the egg as the two begin forming their bond. Miki Saegusa would not have been a pilot of Mechagodzilla and instead would have joined Professor Omae in a helicopter in order to reach Godzilla and Mechagodzilla's battleground. It should also be noted that the original head of the Center of Psychic Development was not Chief Hosono, but instead an unnamed female instructor.

The final scene to this script would end up being changed in future drafts, as Godzilla was originally going to carry off Baby with his teeth, an idea that was dropped as, according to writer Mimura, "the scene would not be very convincing because Godzilla was so much larger than BabyGodzilla."

The final act in general is very similar to a submission connected to Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla: Metallic Battle, though Godzilla ends up being revived thanks to the exploding Garuda as opposed to BabyGodzilla growing to a full-fledged adult from Godzilla's explosion. However, the idea for the Baby character becoming an adult by its parent's radioactive fallout would later be incorporated into the finale of Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995).


Monsters



Aliens, SDF & Misc.

Russian Nuclear Submarine
Russian Nuclear Submarine



Background and Trivia

  • As featured in the "Monsters" category, Maser-King Ghidorah was pitched by one of the monster designers during the early developmental stages of what would become Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993). However, the concept was never seriously taken into consideration, and the monster's exact role as given by its creator is unknown.
  • A synopsis for this draft can be found in the special features of the 2016 Toho-published Japanese DVD release of Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993).
  • The quote in the "Lost Project History" section regarding Godzilla carrying BabyGodzilla with his teeth (and its removal from future drafts) can be found in an interview conducted with screenwriter Wataru Mimura by David Milner in December 1994.
  • One of the female Rodan designs created by Shinji Nishikawa for this draft would later go on to be featured on Noriyoshi Ohrai's illustrated poster for the finalized movie.

Images


Concept Evolution

Godzilla vs. Berserk Concept Evolution Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla: Metallic Battle Concept Evolution Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (Considered Draft) Concept Evolution Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (Preparatory Draft) Concept Evolution
Godzilla vs. Berserk   Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla: Metallic Battle   Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (Considered Draft)   Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (Preparatory Draft)  
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II