Battra バトラ

Over 12,000 years ago, an era of peace was known on Earth. At this time, an advanced civilization called the Cosmos was the dominant power on the planet, sharing the globe with a deity known as Mothra. A race of highly intelligent beings, scientists from this species began to experiment, stumbling upon a way to control Earth's climate. However, from the race's arrogance, the Earth bore a warrior in response: a creature mimicking the deity Mothra, but with a twisted design. Battra was born.

This new creature attacked relentlessly, directing its rage toward those who had bent the world's climate to their will. Mothra, though, sought to defend civilization, sparking a fierce battle between the two monsters. Eventually Mothra won the conflict, sealing Battra in the North Sea. However, Battra was still successful in destroying the machinery that had been created to control the climate.

With this technology now gone, the climate temporarily went out of control. This caused massive floods, placing most of the land underwater. During this global disaster, almost all of the advanced civilization was wiped out. Only a few Cosmos survived, seeking shelter on a mountain with Mothra. Seeing the error of their ways, the remaining Cosmos sought to maintain balance on the planet, as the next generation of Mothra lay dormant inside an egg deep within Infant Island.

Although the reign of the Cosmos had come to an end, life went on. Many centuries went by as a new civilization globalized Earth: humanity. However, this race also endangered the planet, polluting the world at an astronomical rate. In the 1990's, Earth's dark defender would rise again to protect it through violent means, although the beast's freedom would come through an extraterrestrial source. A gigantic, 93 meters in diameter meteor slammed into the planet, striking near the Ogasawara Trench in the western Pacific Ocean. The incident set off a chain of events: Godzilla awoke while a giant typhoon was created near Indonesia, kicking up massive waves that unearthed Mothra's egg on Infant Island. The effects were widespread, though, causing glacier landslides in the Arctic Ocean. This allowed the Black Mothra to break free from its icy prison, now ready to wage war with humanity.

Battra wasted no time in striking back on the Earth's behalf, making its way to the Sea of Japan. Detected by the Japanese military, the Sixth Wing scrambled from the Komachi Base to intercept it. While approaching the Noto Peninsula, F15-J Jets engaged the beast, striking it with missile after missile. The attack was ineffective, though, as the missiles were unable to penetrate the monster's thick exoskeleton. Making landfall on the coast of Noto, Battra rapidly tunneled into the Earth, traveling underground toward the Chubu Region.

As the ancient beast arrived in Nagoya, it emerged before a shocked populace. Its first attack saw it destroy Nagoya Castle before Battra made its way downtown. However, the self-defense force was waiting for it, with Type 74 Tanks and MBT-92 masers at the ready. However, both the tanks and masers stood no chance against the ancient beast and, within minutes, large portions of the city were reduced to rubble.

Battra then left the area by burrowing underground, heading back out to sea. As the beast traveled, he would soon find a battling Godzilla and Mothra offshore of the Philippines. The timeless protector threw itself into the fray, and attacked the newborn Mothra head on. However, a blast of Battra's energy speared its way into Godzilla, thereby turning the focus of the nuclear leviathan upon Battra. The two masses collided, and dragged their conflict beneath the waves while Mothra escaped. It is there they fought, until an undersea volcano, located at the border of the Eurasian Plate and the Philippine Plate, consumed them both.

However, neither died amongst the molten lava, although it put an end to their fight. Godzilla ventured deeper into the magma, heading toward the Japan mainland through burning lava. Battra, meanwhile, broke free to emerge in the waters near the Philippines again. This time, though, the creature sparked with energy, ready to transform...

• The ancient monster was portrayed by suit actor Hurricane Ryu.
• The Battra larva costume became very heavy when waterlogged, but managed to remain buoyant enough to not sink. In order to achieve enough momentum for the scene where Battra tackles Godzilla and both appear to submerge, suit actors Kenpachiro Satsuma (playing Godzilla) and Hurricane Ryu (playing Battra) had to leap several times from a raised platform. Noted in The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Godzilla (self-published).
• Noted with an alternate name of the "Black Mothra" once in the film and in the Toho Special Effects: All Kaiju Illustrated Encyclopedia (ISBN: 9784096820902).
• In the 2000 publication The Giant Picture Encyclopedia of Godzilla: Toho Special Effects Movie World (ISBN: 4873765587), Battra's powers in its larval form are listed as "Eye Prism Beams" (眼からのプリズム光線 - Me Kara no Purizumu Kosen), "Horn Prism Beam" (角からのプリズム光線 - Kado Kara no Purizumu Kosen) and "Traveling Underground Incognito Ability" (地底潜行能力 - Chitei Senko Noryoku).
• Considering the events of the film, it's unclear if the Battra who attacked 12,000 years ago is the same one that appears in the 1990's. If it is the same, this would seem to indicate that Battra might have changed back from its Imago form to its larval form, given the cave paintings depict the creature flying.
• The Giant Picture Encyclopedia of Godzilla: Toho Special Effects Movie World (ISBN: 4873765587) cites the origin point of Battra as the Arctic Ocean (北極海 - Hokkyoku Kai). While it's possible the creature was born here too, it's more likely noting that the beast first emerged from here in modern times after the meteor struck Earth.
  
  

Seething rage frothed from the newly released Battra, as energy sizzled about his form. In a flash of light, the hideous insect transformed into its Imago form. Resembling some sort of twisted bat-like moth, the warrior of Earth flew in a direct path toward Japan. The ancient beast's target: the newly evolved Mothra.

In the darkness of night, the two winged monsters met in the skies above Yokohama. The rivals wasted no time, immediately engaging each other in a fierce battle that took them to the Minato Mirai 21 district of the city. Although Battra was slower, it proved more battle ready. Prism Beams struck with deadly accuracy, while the ancient monster effectively rammed into Mothra as well, using its rough exterior to cause damage to its foe.

Through their continuing war, Battra was able to knock Mothra to the ground. However, before he could finish the job, Godzilla appeared. Both fanged monsters were enraged at the mere sight of each other and quickly reengaged their conflict, ignoring the fallen Mothra. Earth's defender assaulted the nuclear menace with everything it had as Prism Beams laced the area. During the attack, Godzilla was buried under the rubble of the massive, still under construction Yokohama Landmark Tower. However, Battra's efforts were still not enough. As the winged guardian approached the debris, Godzilla suddenly emerged. Grabbling with Battra, the King of the Monsters easily tossed aside the ancient monster. Battra violently struck the ground, the wind knocked out of it. Pressing the advantage, Godzilla advanced on his fallen foe. However, the battle was far from over.

Rising to the sky, Mothra hurled her sonic beams at the stunned saurian. As Godzilla was pushed back, he collided into the remains of the Yokohama Landmark Tower, temporarily burying himself once more under the debris. Buying some valuable time, Mothra used the few precious seconds to talk and plead with Battra, begging for him to help her stop Godzilla. Unfortunately her words did not get far, and Godzilla rose to fight again. Mothra soared to the answer the call, using her reflective scales against the creature. However, within moments of Godzilla firing a nuclear pulse, Mothra was knocked down beneath the falling Cosmo World Ferris Wheel. Yet Battra saved her, the black moth caught the huge metal wheel. Ripping it from its foundation, Battra carried with it the mammoth ferris wheel. Using it as a weapon, the Black Mothra slammed it into Godzilla.

It was then that the ancient enemies joined forces. While Godzilla was still under the ferris wheel, both Mothra and Battra laced their combined enemy with their beams. The King of the Monsters retaliated, using its nuclear ray and striking both of its winged opponents. In response, Mothra formulated a new plan, advancing on Godzilla and using its reflecting scales. Battra joined the assault, firing its Prism Beams which were reflected by the scales and struck Godzilla. Uniting their power, they were able to topple the King of the Monsters.

The once rivals then discussed their next move, planning to take Godzilla out to sea. Battra was the first to act, landing on the King of the Monsters and shocking him with its energy touch. However, Godzilla awoke, tearing a huge gash in Battra's neck with his massive jaws. The ancient creature could feel its mortality fading, yet it did not waver in its task. The creature was joined by Mothra as the two carried Godzilla away from Yokohama. However, Battra's strength was leaving it, as the ancient monster succumbed to its wound. Realizing its once rival had passed, Mothra released its grip, causing Battra and Godzilla to both fall to the sea below.

Earth's defender had died, but Battra had an unfinished task. In the year 1999, a giant meteor was to strike Earth, killing everything in an instant. It was Battra's duty to intercept the huge rock, to divert its course. Before Battra perished, Mothra had agreed to accept the responsibility, as the new savior of Earth.

• In the 2000 publication The Giant Picture Encyclopedia of Godzilla: Toho Special Effects Movie World (ISBN: 4873765587), Battra's powers in its imago form are listed as "Eye Prism Beams" (眼からのプリズム光線 - Me Kara no Purizumu Kosen) and a "Ramming Attack" (体当たり - Taiatari).
• Oddly, the flight speed of Battra is not commonly mentioned in a lot of publications. One of the few that does is the 2005 Godzilla: Toho Giant Monster Picture Encyclopedia (ISBN: 4092800525) which notes the creature as flying at mach 2.5, slower than Mothra was able to fly.
• According to the trivia on Godzilla for the Playstation 3 and Playstation 4, two types of imago props were created with wingspans of 1 meter and 3.5 meters respectively. Both props featured radio-controlled movement built in.