Godzilla, King of Kaiju (Showa Series)

Godzilla originated as the relict species of an organism whose evolution from an oceanic reptile into a land animal was interrupted by thermonuclear testing in the Pacific Ocean, the effects of which caused it to turn into a monster. Its name is derived from the legendary "Gojira" beast of Odo Island. It has the ability to shoot a shining, bluish-white radioactive heat ray from its mouth that decimates all in its path while causing is dorsal plates to glow.

The first Godzilla came ashore in Tokyo and wreaked havoc in the metropolitan area as though to send a warning to the human race, which had become complacent in modern civilization. It was eventually brought down by the "Oxygen Destroyer", an underwater oxygen disrupting agent developed by Dr. Serizawa.

Later, one of the same species was identified on Iwado Island in the north and ran rampant in Japan again. However, the second Godzilla became an ally to mankind, protecting it when the space monster King Ghidorah invaded Earth.

Although it was somewhat hastily planned and produced, "Godzilla" (1954) became an explosive hit that broke through Japan's borders to an eventual release in America and Europe, where it was heralded as a fresh new take on the monster movie. The entire Showa series of 15 movies would go on to enjoy lasting popularity.

■ Specifications
● Showa Series (Original second generation)
Height: 50 meters
Weight: 20,000 tons
Abilities: Atomic breath
Appearances: "Godzilla" through "Terror of Mechagodzilla"

Godzilla, King of Kaiju (Heisei Series)

A relic of the ancient Godzillasaurus species from Lagos Island of the Marshall Islands, this Godzilla mutated into a monster due to thermonuclear testing conducted in the Bikini Atoll. Closely related to the Godzilla who previously wreaked havoc in Tokyo, this one was awakened by volcanic activity on Daikokujima Island in the Izu Islands, whereupon Japan suffered its first Godzilla attack in 30 years.

Evolving to develop an internal structure similar to a nuclear reactor, it attacked energy sources like nuclear reactors and nuclear submarines. Thanks to the effects of its G-cells, which exhibit a powerful, self-reproductive ability, it has an impregnable body that can recover from any wound within a short period of time. Later, however, rival monsters appeared who could absorb these cells, and with the discovery that cadmium bullets and anti-nuclear-energy bacteria are able to suppress its internal nuclear reactions, Godzilla was eventually forced into suspended animation.

Though normally hostile to human beings, it has shown a sympathetic response to telepathic communications from Miki Saegusa, a girl with ESP who is affiliated with the ESP Research Institute.

The sixteenth film, “The Return of Godzilla” (1984), was a sequel to the very first film in 1954, consequently resetting the continuity of the previous Showa series releases up until that point. Thus began what would be called the Heisei series, culminating in the epic 22nd film, “Godzilla vs. Destoroyah” (1995).

■ Specifications
● Heisei Series
Height: 80-100 meters
Weight: 50,000 tons
Abilities: Atomic breath
Appearances: “The Return of Godzilla” through “Godzilla vs. Destoroyah”

Godzilla, King of the Monsters (Millennium Series)

The Godzilla of 1999 and beyond evolved to have a tougher appearance and rougher dorsal plates. It frequently attacks Japan like a natural disaster, inflicting great damage upon the human race.

In the more recent Millennium Series, the Godzilla universe was reset once again, with each work separately situated as a continuation of the 1954 film. The “Millennium” version of Godzilla was the second version of Godzilla after 1954, this time attacking metropolitan cities and power plants as if it loathed the human race and its advanced science. The “Godzilla vs. Megaguirus” film had Godzilla survive the end of the 1954 movie and return to attack Japan three times. The film “Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack” took place after 1954 and concentrated on the deep-seated resentment of the victims of the Pacific War. The Godzilla in “Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla” and “Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.” was the same Godzilla as in the 1954 film. In the “Godzilla: Final Wars” version, he appeared after Earth’s environment was destroyed, having been sealed up in the South Pole by the submarine battleship Gotengo 50 years earlier.

Though camera and costuming techniques have vastly improved over the 60-year history of Godzilla, and special effects now incorporate the latest computer-generated visuals, the character design always starts with the foundation established in the original 1954 film version.

■ Specifications
● “Godzilla 2000: Millennium”
Height: 55 meters
Total Length: 122.5 meters
Weight: 25,000 tons
Abilities: Atomic breath
Appearances: “Godzilla 2000: Millennium”

● “Godzilla vs. Megaguirus”
Height: 55 meters
Total Length: 122.5 meters
Weight: 25,000 tons
Abilities: Atomic breath
Appearances: “Godzilla vs. Megaguirus”

● “Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack”
Height: 60 meters
Weight: 30,000 tons
Abilities: Atomic breath
Appearances: “Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack”

● “Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla”
Second Appearance
Height: 55 meters
Weight: 25,000 tons
Abilities: Atomic breath
Appearances: “Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla”; “Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.”

● “Godzilla: Final Wars”
Height: 100 meters
Weight: 55,000 tons
Abilities: Atomic breath
Appearances: “Godzilla: Final Wars”

Anguirus, the Ferocious Dragon

Anguirus is the descendant of the Ankylosaurus, an herbivorous dinosaur from the early Cretaceous Period.

The modern-day Anguirus has evolved to ten times its ancestors’ body length, becoming a carnivore in the process. With numerous brains positioned throughout its body, Anguirus fights its enemies with agile movements. It made the long journey to Japan in pursuit of Godzilla, who had been similarly revived from hoary antiquity. Thus unfolded an age-old battle for survival of the fittest. Sometime later, a second-generation Anguirus appeared after being preserved in Monsterland, and went on to become an ally and follower of Godzilla. After a long absence it appeared again in the Millennium series, and under the influence of Xilien invaders, attacks China. Its signature attack, the “Anguirus Ball,” involves it curling into a ball and launching itself at a target.

The first version of Anguirus was portrayed using both a glove puppet in addition to the full-body costume that was used in the film. The full-body costume version was worn by an actor in the same vein as the first Godzilla.

Once, ages ago, Anguirus battled a mysterious fire monster named “Gigantis” who has since been banished from this plane of existence.

■ Specifications
Height: 60 meters
Weight: 30,000 tons
Abilities: Bite
Appearances: “Godzilla Raids Again”; “Destroy All Monsters”; “Godzilla vs. Gigan”; “Godzilla vs. Megalon”; “Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla”; “All Monsters Attack”

● “Godzilla: Final Wars”
Total Length: 160 meters
Body Height: 40 meters
Weight: 60,000 tons
Abilities: Anguirus Ball
Appearances: “Godzilla: Final Wars”

Ebirah, the Giant Shrimp

This huge crustacean lived in the vicinity of Letchi Island in the South Pacific.

Ebirah allegedly turned into a monster due to the waste flowing from the arms factory of a secret society called the “Red Bamboo”. It used its giant, scissor-like right arm and spear-like left arm to attack ships approaching the island, preventing them from approaching the outer reaches of the coast. Its weakness was identified when people discovered that the monster could be thwarted by a bitter yellow juice made from the seeds of plants growing on the island.

In “Godzilla: Final Wars” (2004), Ebirah was controlled by the Xilien invaders and attacked the East Sea Industrial Complex Zone, eventually resulting in a battle with the Earth Defense Force (EDF) Mutant Unit and M Organization. It was also able to come ashore and operate on land, where it unleashes its dual-claw attack, “Crisis Scissors”. When it eventually attacked Godzilla with Hedorah in Tokyo Bay, it was thrown onto land and given the coup de grace with a heat ray.

■ Specifications
● “Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster”
Length: 50 meters
Weight: 23,000 tons
Length of Scissor Arms: 15 meters (right); 13 meters (left)
Abilities: Right-arm scissors; Left-arm pincers
Appearances: “Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster”

● “Godzilla: Final Wars”
Length: 100 meters
Body Height: 30 meters
Weight: 50,000 tons
Length of scissor arms: 20 meters (right); 15 meters (left)
Abilities: Crisis Scissors
Appearances: “Godzilla: Final Wars”

Orga, the Space Monster

A monster created from the Millennian space aliens who absorbed Godzilla’s potent self-regenerating “Organizer G-1” cells but were unable to maintain control of the reaction. In an effort to find a new home after their own world was destroyed, the Millennians traversed space in a UFO before arriving at Earth 60,000 millennia ago, during which time their bodies degenerated into quantum liquid due to prolonged exposure to radiation from space. They lay dormant at the bottom of the sea until they used energy from the light of an underwater sea exploration vehicle to revive themselves, and then proceeded to plan their conquest of Earth. The mutated Orga, with a new ability to regenerate immediately after being injured, fought Godzilla and attempted to assimilate it by swallowing it whole from the head down.

The debut of “Godzilla 2000: Millennium” (1998) marked the first film of a new series in the new century.

■ Specifications
Height: 60 meters
Total Length: 75 meters
Weight: 40,000 tons
Abilities: Pulsating plasma bullets; Energy absorption; Super-psychokinesis
Appearances: “Godzilla 2000: Millennium”

Gigan, the Cyborg Monster

This monster was a space dinosaur the Nebula M Space Hunter aliens turned into a cyborg to serve as an invasion weapon. It is equipped with mechanical weapons from head to toe, including talon hammer hands and rotating cutters in its abdominal region. The cyborg is designed to carry out joint operations with King Ghidorah, and it’s operated by a special signal from “Godzilla Tower,” a conning tower constructed in the invasion front line base made to look like an amusement park.

In “Godzilla: Final Wars” (2004), Gigan was a cyborg monster for the Xilien Invasion. Notable features include the “Gigarium Cluster”, a diffused light beam it can shoot from his eyes, rotating “Bladed Slicers” in its abdomen, and the talon-shaped “Bloody Triggers” that make up both its arms. 12,000 years ago it felled Mothra, and after destroying the civilization of prehistory, it ended up in a mummified state resting at the bottom of the sea until reactivated by the Xiliens during their reinvasion. Despite its first failed attempt, it was improved and powered up to go after Godzilla again.

A biological weapon with built-in combat weaponry all over its body, Gigan is a strikingly popular despite having appeared only in a few movies.

■ Specifications
● Original
Height: 65 meters
Weight: 25,000 tons
Abilities: Hammer hands; Rotating cutters
Appearances: “Godzilla vs. Gigan”; “Godzilla vs. Megalon”

● Second Generation
Height: 120 meters
Weight: 60,000 tons
Abilities: Bloody Triggers; Bladed Cutters; Bloody Chainsaw
Appearances: “Godzilla: Final Wars”

Keizer Ghidorah, the All-Powerful Monster from Outer Space

The mutated form of the space meteor monster Monster X that emerged from the Gorath asteroid. After the Xiliens were defeated, it molted its exoskeleton, stretched its three heads, grew wings, and transformed into a powerful quadrupedal monster. Not only does it boast overwhelming combat abilities, but it also has the ability to erect a barrier and defend against enemy attacks. It can also bite an adversary with its three heads to absorb its energy.

Keizer Ghidorah, the last monster to appear in the Japanese Godzilla series, is Godzilla’s strongest rival monster. While the pre-mutation Monster X version was noted for it sense of speed, Keizer Ghidorah has a figure more massive even than Godzilla. It engaged Godzilla in an intense final hand-to-hand showdown. Its appearance was kept a secret until the release date, resulting in a delightful surprise for audiences.

■ Specifications
Height: 140 meters
Length: 150 meters
Weight: 100,000 tons
Abilities: Antigravity ray
Appearances: “Godzilla: Final Wars”

Gabara, the Brutal Beast

Once a toad before it unexpectedly mutated into a monster, Gabara lives on Monster Island. It has no tail, and boasts many features not native to amphibians – stocky legs for bipedal movement, a long neck, fangs, horns, and fur.

A belligerent creature, it attacks enemies with venom emitted from the warts on its body and by radiating a strong electrical current generated internally from both hands. However, its combat abilities are not particularly impressive, and with no chance to survive against Godzilla, it satisfies its combative urges by antagonizing Minilla instead. Alas, even that pleasure is snatched away once Godzilla trains Minilla in the arts of monster self-defense.

The head of the Gabara costume was created by modifying the head used for Godzilla.

■ Specifications
Height: 53 meters
Weight: 23,000 tons
Abilities: Electrical shock from both arms
Appearances: “All Monsters Attack”

Kamacuras, the Praying Mantis Monster

The original Kamacuras first appeared in the film “Son of Godzilla” (1967) and was a type of large Tenodera aridifolia praying mantis indigenous to Solgell Island. A group of the mantises turned into monsters due to a failed weather-control experiment. They are huge, carnivorous insects that possess the intelligence to act collectively when engaging in predatory activity or combat with an enemy.

The Kamacuras in “Godzilla: Final Wars” (2004) was controlled by the Xiliens and attacked Paris. It fought with the Earth Defense Force (EDF)’s aerial battleship Eclair and forced it down. When it engaged Godzilla on the Coast of Manazuru, however, the overwhelming difference in strength between the two creatures made it easy for Godzilla to overpower it, throwing it to the ground and frying it with his atomic breath.

The original Kamacuras was operated with piano wire. Three models – small, medium, and large – were often used in scenes together in order to emphasize perspective.

■ Specifications
● Original
Length: 50 meters
Weight: 2,800 tons
Abilities: Pincers and spear-shaped forelegs
Appearances: “Son of Godzilla”; “All Monsters Attack”

● “Godzilla: Final Wars”
Length: 90 meters
Body Height: 40 meters
Sickle Length: 20 meters
Weight: 20,000 tons
Abilities: Piton crush
Appearances: “Godzilla: Final Wars”

King Ghidorah, the Super Monster from Outer Space

This fearsome space monster destroyed a once highly developed civilization on Venus in mere days, earning it the name “Venus Hellfire” by the Venusians. It absorbs solar heat and cosmic rays with its golden wings and converts them into energy. It arrived on Earth via a meteor that landed in Kurobe Gorge. It began to ravage Tokyo, shooting gravitational rays out of the mouths of its three heads. Mothra, who sensed this brutality and the crisis facing Earth, convinced its former foes Godzilla and Rodan to intercept King Ghidorah at the foot of Mt. Fuji.

In the Heisei series film “Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah” (1991), King Ghidorah appeared in the form of a super dragon, an artificial lifeform equipped with a genetic mutation system and created by the Futurians before being warped back to the 20th century to fight Godzilla. Later, King Ghidorah became a mechanical cyborg.

In the Millennium series movie “Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack” (2001), it appeared as “Ghidorah,” one of the three sacred guardian monsters who protected Japan that had been stuck in hibernation under Mt. Fuji for 10,000 years. Once its energy was fully restored, it transformed into its complete form, the “Thousand Year Dragon King”.

The original King Ghidorah was a full-body costume at first, with a blue body and iridescent wings. However, some of the crew mistakenly thought it was supposed to be golden, and special-effects director Eiji Tsuburaya liked the idea so much he gave the word, having the crew change the color right before filming. As the arch-enemy of Godzilla, King Ghidorah had a costume that required 25 people to operate its three heads and two tails.

■ Specifications
● Original
Height: 100 meters
Weight: 30,000 tons
Abilities: Gravity beam; Shockwaves from its wings
Appearances: “Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster”; “Invasion of the Astro-Monster”; “Destroy All Monsters”; “Godzilla vs. Gigan”

● Second Generation
Height: 140 meters
Wingspan: 150 meters
Weight: 70,000 tons
Abilities: Gravity beam; Shockwaves from its wings
Appearances: “Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah”

● Third Generation
Height: 50 meters
Wingspan: 93 meters
Weight: 25,000 tons
Abilities: Gravity beam; Electric bolts it shoots into adversaries as it bites them
Appearances: “Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack”

Mecha-King Ghidorah, the Cyborg Monster

An artificial version of King Ghidorah that was defeated by Godzilla, remaining in suspended animation under the sea in Hokkaido for 212 years before being revived by the 23rd-century Earth Union Organization (EUO). Mechanics remodeled its central neck, wings, body, and legs, turning it into a powerfully armed cyborg monster. The Futurians had planned to crush Japan, which was on the cusp of becoming a world superpower two hundred years later. Using time travel, the Futurians attempted to return to the past and dispose of Mecha-King Ghidorah’s natural enemy, Godzilla.

When Mecha-King Ghidorah made its first appearance, it fought with Godzilla in front of the newly completed Tokyo Metropolitan Government building. Because the full-body costume weighed some 200 kilograms (440 lbs.), the production team took safety into consideration and operated it without a stuntman inside the costume during filming.

■ Specifications
Height: 140 meters
Wingspam: 150 meters
Weight: 80,000 tons
Abilities: Plasma gravity beam; Godzilla capture cables
Appearances: “Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah”

King Caesar, the Legendary Monster

Guardian deity of the ancient Ryukyuan royal family, the Azumi clan, King Caesar is a ferocious monster whose forte is nimble hand-to-hand combat. It is able to absorb an enemy’s energy beams with its right eye, and it can both amplify and redirect them using its left eye’s special “Prism Eye” ability. It was awoken from its slumber within Manzamo Cliff in Okinawa by the “Song of Miyarabi”, later joining Godzilla to confront the Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens who established an invasion base in Okinawa.

In “Godzilla: Final Wars” (2004), King Caesar was controlled by the invading Xiliens, ultimately destroying Okinawa. It pounced on Godzilla using pro-wrestling melee techniques such as tackles and flying scissors kicks.

It appeared as a guest monster tie-in for Expo ’75 in Okinawa. King Caesar is modeled after the traditional Okinawan “Shisa,” a lion-dog statuette used to ward off evil spirits.

■ Specifications
● Original
Height: 50 meters
Weight: 30,000 tons
Abilities: Prism eyes
Appearances: “Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla”

● Second Generation
Height: 100 meters
Weight: 50,000 tons
Abilities: Tackle; Flying scissors kick
Appearances: “Godzilla: Final Wars”

Kumonga, the Giant Spider

A huge, violent arthropod that lives on Solgell Island in the South Pacific. Its blue eyes turn red when it becomes excited. It seeks out and stealthily attacks the people and beasts that inhabit the island.

Kumonga rests underground in a place called “the Valley of Kumonga”, so named by its discoverer, the archaeologist Dr. Tadashi Matsumiya. When feeding, it weaves a trap by using sturdy threads it spews from its mouth, and captures its prey by shooting a venomous needle from its jaws.

The “Godzilla: Final Wars” (2004) version of Kumonga produced a tough threaded net and used its ultimate attack, the “Tenacious Binding Death Net”, to capture its victims. Controlled by the Xiliens, it assailed Arizona before landing in New Guinea to launch an attack on Godzilla. During the fight, Godzilla caught it in its own thread and tossed it into the air, never to be seen again.

The original Kumonga was operated using piano wire, a stark contrast to its subsequent appearance as CGI animation. The original model wound up 5 meters tall and required close to 20 people to operate it.

■ Specifications
● Original
Height: 45 meters
Weight: 8,000 tons
Abilities: Viscous thread; Venomous stinger
Appearances: “Son of Godzilla”; “Destroy All Monsters”

● “Godzilla: Final Wars”
Length: 60 meters
Weight: 30,000 tons
Body Height: 35 meters
Leg Length: 40 meters
Abilities: Viscous thread; Venomous stinger; Death Net
Appearances: “Godzilla: Final Wars”

Gorosaurus, the Primeval Monster

An evolved relic species of the Allosaurus, a carnivorous dinosaur from the late Jurassic Period. It moves nimbly and uses its long tail as a springboard to pounce and attack. Its ultimate attack is a two-legged flying kick that can connect from as far as 30 meters away.

Although carnivorous, the Gorosaurus is not savage at heart. The first one discovered on Mondo Island was eventually defeated by King Kong, but another was bred on an isolated island at a safe haven called “Monsterland.” Though manipulated by the Kilaaks to destroy the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, it later joined the army of earth monsters in the fight against King Ghidorah.

Gorosaurus’s model has proven quite popular due to its lifelike realism. Die-cut latex mixed with sawdust was applied to the skin over the entire body to achieve a sense of hardness and mass.

■ Specifications
Height: 35 meters
Tail Length: 15 meters
Weight: 8,000 tons
Abilities: Bite; Flying jump kick
Appearances: “Destroy All Monsters”; “King Kong Escapes”

Kiryu Multi-Purpose Fighting System-3 (MFS-3)

A bio-mechanical weapon using as its mainframe the bones of the original Godzilla, which were salvaged from the bottom of Tokyo Bay under the utmost secrecy, and using a DNA computer that utilizes the bone marrow stromal cells for its regulatory transmission system. The Anti-Megalosaurus Force (AMF) division of the Japan Counter-Xenomorph Self-Defense Force (JXSDF) operates it via remote control from the “AC-3 White Heron” support aircraft. Its standard name is “Multi-Purpose Fighting System 3” (Model number MFS-3) and its alias is “Kiryu.”

It comes armed from head to toe with beam weapons and rocket projectiles, with the additional option to mount powerful weapons on its back. Its ultimate weapon is “Absolute Zero”, mounted inside its chest hatch and capable of shooting -273.15°C energy balls that disintegrate its enemies at the molecular level. It was able to hold its own against Godzilla at mid- and close-range combat. However, after being activated and facing off against Godzilla, its DNA computer resonated to the sound of Godzilla’s roars, causing a malfunction and sending it on a rampage through the vicinity of Yokohama Hakkeijima.

Kiryu’s suit was made as lightweight as possible, enabling it to throw punches, shake its tail, grab and throw its adversaries, and perform other quick and intense actions, successfully establishing an entirely new image for Mechagodzilla.

■ Specifications
Height: 60 meters
Weight: 36,000 tons
Abilities: Zero rail guns; Twin master cannons; Maser blades; Absolute Zero
Appearances: “Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla”

Modified Kiryu Multi-Purpose Fighting System-3 (MFS-3)

A newly modified version of the MFS-3 mechanical weapon, after the original was 37% destroyed by Godzilla the year before. Model number: MFS-3. Though neither its basic performance nor output have changed, new equipment has been added and its offensive power has been amplified. A tri-shot Hyper Maser has been installed in place of the Absolute Zero in its chest, and its right hand can transform into a drill-type Spiral Claw at its wrist.

In the midst of a battle with Mothra, Kiryu’s computer became self-aware and threw off the control of its operators. The newly sentient Kiryu sent the message “Sayonara Yoshito” to Yoshito Chujo, the engineer who made life-saving repairs to the robot, and plunged itself along with Godzilla into the depths of the Japan Sea.

For Modified Kiryu’s special-effects scenes, the costume was filmed on a real set, then merged with CG animation to create dynamic footage.

■ Specifications
Height: 60 meters
Weight: 36,000 tons
Abilities: Triple-round Hyper Masers; Twin Maser cannons; Type 0 rail guns; Spiral claws
Appearances: “Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.”

Jet-Jaguar, the Electronic Robot

This remote-controlled robot was developed by the young scientist Goro Ibuki to support humans with their everyday tasks. It was operated remotely by radio waves transmitted from the scientist’s laboratory. However, it was stolen by the Seatopians, descendents of the inhabitants of the Lemurian continent that sank 3 million years ago, and was used as a vanguard for their land invasion. Eventually, though, its built-in conscience began to kick in, causing it to become self-aware and autonomous. It grew in size in order to protect humankind, joining Godzilla to fight off the insect monster Megalon. The defeat of the sea kingdom resulted in Jet-Jaguar losing it self-awareness and returning to its regular size.

This, the first giant robot hero in the series, was based on “Red Alone”, the winning entry in Toho’s official monster design contest. However, the entry design did not have a robot face, and it also had wings on its back.

■ Specifications
Height: 1.8 meters (After growth: 50 meters)
Weight: 150 kilograms (In combat: 25,000 tons)
Abilities: Mixed martial arts skills due to being unarmed; Mach 3.5 flight
Appearances: “Godzilla vs. Megalon”

SpaceGodzilla, the Combat Creature

A mutated organism created from Godzilla’s DNA that had been scattered in outer space during a fight with a rival, which subsequently crystallized and synthesized inside a black hole before absorbing the energy of a fixed star. Highly intelligent, it invaded the Earth in order to kill the original Godzilla.

Using countless crystals formed on Earth and taking in an endless amount of energy from space, SpaceGodzilla attacked Godzilla by creating a combat field that allowed it to manipulate gravitons and electromagnetic radiation as it pleased. Originally based on an original monster from a video game, SpaceGodzilla became an instant overnight hit.

■ Specifications
Height: 120-250 meters
Weight: 80,000-720,000 tons
Abilities: Space claws; Homing Ghost; Photon Reactive Shield; Tail smash; Gravi-Tornado; Corona Beam
Appearances: “Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla”

Titanosaurus, the Dinosaur Monster

A descendent of an amphibious dinosaur that lived in the oceanic regions near Ogasawara. Although originally a dinosaur of meek character, its discoverer Dr. Mafune implanted a control device in its head to help him exact revenge on society. Titanosaurus was subsequently used as a vanguard by the Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens to lay waste to Tokyo. It has strong claws that can tear up the outer shell of a deep-sea submarine, and when it spreads its tail into a fan shape, it can produce wind gusts of up to 320 meters per second. Ultimately, it was driven away when it was discovered that the ultrasonic waves of its control device were weak.

Based on the academic theory that dinosaurs had garishly colored bodies, every bump on its body is colored differently.

■ Specifications
Height: 60 meters
Weight: 30,000 tons
Abilities: Wind gust from its tail
Appearances: “Terror of Mechagodzilla”

Destoroyah, Destroyer of All Living Things

Destoroyah emerged from a crustacean colony from the Precambrian Eon, awoken from its sleep on the ocean’s floor by the “Oxygen Destroyer”, an underwater oxygen-disrupting agent used to defeat the original Godzilla. Over 40 years it mutated due to prolonged exposure to the modern atmosphere’s high oxygen content.

The crustaceans can grow from micro bodies of 2 millimeters in length to chloride bodies and then to adolescent bodies 2 meters in length. After appearing at a Tokyo Aqua Line construction site, they assaulted people with their micro-oxygen rays. They were then attacked by the SDF Maser Freeze Cannon, but they combined into a larger body before transforming into a flying creature with an animal-type space. Once their internal energy source, micro-oxygen, became exposed to a heated environment, their mutations began to accelerate, and before long they changed into the Oxygen Destroyer. Destoroyah is the crustaceans’ final evolved form, boasting extraordinary prowess in combat and abilities to heal itself when wounded thanks to its hive body.

An incarnation of the Oxygen Destroyer appears as the final monster to conclude the Heisei series, tenaciously attacking Godzilla as if to put an end to him. Shocking imagery such as the scene with the swarm of adolescent crustaceans attacking the police force generated publicity at the time.

■ Specifications
Height: 230 meters (full body)
Wingspan: 210 meters (full body)
Weight: 80,000 tons
Abilities: Oxygen Destroyer ray; Variable slicer
Appearances: “Godzilla vs. Destoroyah”

Battra, Demon Monster of Destruction

Battra is a subspecies of Mothra born out of the Earth to prevent environmental pollution.

12,000 years ago, Battra was a god of destruction who laid waste to an ancient civilization attempting to change the earth’s environment. At that time, it was sealed up in the North Sea by Mothra, but it was later reawakened in the 20th century to help the Earth evade collision with a giant meteor. Among the ruins of Infant Island, there is a wall painting that portrays Battra and Mothra as being family born from the same egg. While Battra shares the same biology as Mothra in that it can morph from a larva to an imago, its personality is much more aggressive.

While Battra is an insect monster like Mothra, the production team felt that there wouldn’t be enough variety in the action scenes if they were both controlled by wires, so it was decided to give Battra a full-body larva costume instead. Two types of imagoes were created with wingspans of 1 meter and 3.5 meters respectively, both with radio-controlled movement built in.

■ Specifications
Wingspan: 180 meters
Total Larval Length: 90 meters
Weight: 30,000 tons
Larval Weight: 20,000 tons
Abilities: Prism beams
Appearances: “Godzilla and Mothra: The Battle for Earth”

Baragon, the Subterranean Terror

Baragon is a kaiju descendant of the Mesozoic era reptile, Baranosdragon. Having an extreme aversion to daylight, it normally lives below the earth, coming above ground at nighttime to feed by attacking and preying upon humans and livestock. It has strong muscles it uses to nimbly dig its way through the ground as it makes sport of its enemies.

Although it was killed by the artificial life-form Frankenstein when it first appeared in “Frankenstein vs. Baragon” (1965), Baragon was later discovered below Mt. Amagi and protected in Monsterland in the film “Destroy All Monsters” (1968). The second-generation Baragon is controlled by the Kilaaks, entering the fight with King Ghidorah after Paris is attacked.

In “Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack” (2001), Baragon the Guardian Monster of Earth appeared on Mt. Myoko as one of the Three Guardian Monsters protecting Japan, later confronting Godzilla in Hakone.

■ Specifications
● “Destroy All Monsters”
Height: 25 meters
Weight: 250 tons
Abilities: Magma heat ray
Appearances: “Destroy All Monsters”

● “Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack”
Height: 30 meters
Width: 24.5 meters
Weight: 10,000 tons
Abilities: Bite; Charge
Appearances: "Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack”

Varan, the Giant Flying Squirrel Monster

A relic of the dinosaur Varanus Pater that lived in the Mesozoic Era. It is equipped with thin flying membranes between its arms and hind legs, which it can expand into wings to fly at Mach speeds. It is a formidable opponent against fighter planes and has a habit of swallowing things that glow. In its second appearance, in the film “Destroy All Monsters” (1968), it preyed on living creatures in Yamanaka, Iwate Prefecture, and was feared as the “Baradagi Mountain God” believed to be protected in Monsterland. It entered the battle with other earth monsters against King Ghidorah.

The full-body costume for the original Varan in the “Varan the Unbelievable” (1958) could not be used due to deterioration from aging, necessitating the creation of a second version of Varan in “Destroy All Monsters” (1968) – a 90 centimeter flying puppet that appeared in the epilogue and a few other scenes.

■ Specifications
Height: 50 meters
Weight: 15,000 tons
Abilities: Flight at Mach 1.5
Appearances: “Destroy All Monsters”

Biollante, the Bio-Beast

An enormous living creature genetically produced by Dr. Shiragami, one of the topmost authorities on genetic engineering. In an attempt to resurrect his daughter Erika after she was killed in a terrorist attack, Dr. Shiragami combined his daughter’s cells with a rose bush and the powerful, self-reproductive ability of Godzilla’s G-cells, successfully creating a plant with eternal life in the process. However, the influence of the G-cells proved to be overpowering, and the genetically produced plant mutated into a monster that could spew a powerful corrosive sap. Still, Erika’s consciousness survived within the monster, albeit faintly.

Biollante escaped the Shiragami New Plant Research Laboratory near Lake Ashi in Kanagawa and began to grow exponentially, eventually appearing as a giant flower-monster with gargantuan flora blossoming in the lake. Sensing the existence of another monster with similar biological makeup, it used its fanged roots to take on Godzilla. After succumbing to Godzilla’s atomic breath and disintegrating into glistening particles, it absorbed that same energy and mutated into a plant monster with crocodile mandibles. The plant monster proceeded to move nimbly through the ground, causing earth temors while attempting to assimilate Godzilla as its prey.

As the first new monster in the Heisei series, Biollante’s costume required not only stuntmen to operate it from the inside, but also a crew of 20 who manipulated 32 piano wires to mobilize the beast.

■ Specifications
Height: 120 meters (Plant Monster)
Weight: 200,000 tons (Plant Monster)
Abilities: Powerful corrosive radioactive sap
Appearances: “Godzilla vs. Biollante”

Hedorah, the Smog Monster

Pollution deposits in Shizuoka Prefecture’s Taganoura Port triggered mutations in Hedrium, a mineral life form that piggybacked its way to Earth on a meteor. At first, it took the shape of a large tadpole, but after repeated cell division and amalgamation it eventually reached its fully evolved form – an uncanny destroyer of life and civilization. Hedorah is a monster of pure contamination, feeding off factory smog and waste fluids to grow. It turns metal to rust and bone to ashes wherever it passes. However, its body is weak against dryness, and ultimately it was turned to ash by electric bolts from giant electrode plates made by the Defense Forces.

A second Hedorah appeared in “Godzilla: Final Wars” (2004). It was manipulated by the Xiliens to attack Godzilla in Tokyo Bay, shooting red lasers from its eyes and spewing sulfate mist out of its mouth. However, Godzilla was able to blast it ashore with its atomic breath, causing it to crash into buildings before ultimately being incinerated.

■ Specifications
● “Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster”
Height: 0.1 millimeters to 60 meters
Weight: 48,000 tons
Abilities: Hedrium rays; Hedrium missiles; Sulfate mist
Appearances: “Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster”

● “Godzilla: Final Wars”
Height: 120 meters
Weight: 70,000 tons
Abilities: Red light diffusing heat rays; Sulfate mist
Appearances: “Godzilla: Final Wars”

Manda, the Guardian Dragon

A dragon-like monster worshiped 12,000 years ago as a guardian deity of the underwater Kingdom of Mu. It coils its long body around its enemies and then constricts, crushing them. It first debuted in the film “Atragon” (1962). Its second appearance was in the film “Destroy All Monsters” (1968), where it was a protected species of Monsterland. However, lacking any horns or barbs, it instead grew prickles on its back in lieu of a mane. Controlled by the Kilaaks, it landed in Tokyo Bay and laid waste to the monorail and surrounding environs.

Manda appeared a third time in the film “Godzilla: Final Wars” (2004) as a deep sea monster, battling against the Gotengo in the deep waters off the coast of Normandy. The strangling attack it performs with its body is called the “Binding Breaker”.

The original model for Manda had fins all the way down its side from neck to its tail. These were notably absent from its second form.

■ Specifications
● First and Second Generation
Height: 150 meters
Weight: 30,000 tons
Abilities: Constriction with its protracted body
Appearances: “Atragon”; “Destroy All Monsters”

● Third Generation
Height: 300 meters
Weight: 60,000 tons
Abilities: Binding Breaker
Appearances: “Godzilla: Final Wars”

Minilla, Son of Godzilla

A member of the Godzilla family, born from an egg buried in the soil on Solgell Island in the South Pacific and incubated by the heat of the earth. Just before hatching, it shot out a special electrical wave that called out to allies. Having received a strict upbringing from Godzilla, it eventually learned how to use atomic breath, albeit in the form of wispy smoke rings that match its meek personality. It went into hibernation with Godzilla when a weather experiment brought snow to Solgell Island, after which it eventually migrated back to its safe haven in Monsterland.

The Minilla appearing in “Godzilla: Final Wars” (2004) is a juvenile of the same species as the Godzilla that was discovered on Mt. Fuji by an elderly hunter and his grandchild. With the sentient ability to commune with humans, it serves as a bridge linking kaiju and people together. Before long, it is expected to grow to giant proportions and become able to shoot forth atomic breath like Godzilla.

Minilla’s famous toddler-like waddling gait was a product of the shape of the original Minilla costume that made it extremely cumbersome to walk in. In the “Godzilla: Final Wars” version (2004), stuntwomen took over the role of stuntmen.

■ Specifications
● Original
Height: 18 meters
Weight: 3,000 tons
Abilities: Atomic breath rings
Appearances: “Son of Godzilla”; “Destroy All Monsters”; “All Monsters Attack”

● “Godzilla: Final Wars”
Height: 1.6-20 meters
Weight: 200 kilograms (5,000 tons)
Abilities: Atomic breath rings; Atomic breath (after maturation)
Appearances: “Godzilla: Final Wars”

Megaguirus, the Super Flying Dragon

This giant insect emerged from a primeval lake over 300 million years ago, but it suddenly found itself in the present day as a result of the live testing of the Dimension Tide, and anti-Godzilla weapon. After flooding the waters of Shibuya, Tokyo to establish a vast breeding ground for itself, it laid its eggs in the sewers below the surface and hatched a swarm of large “Meganulon” dragonfly larva. The Meganulon molted to morph into winged “Meganula”, collecting energy for their dragonfly larva queen, ready for her to transform into the combat-ready Megaguirus. The Meganula are fiercely territorial and defend their home against any invaders. They drain energy from their adversaries through the stingers in their tails.

The prototype model for the Meganulon was the larva used as food for Rodan, the monster that debuted in the 1956 film “Rodan”, one of Toho’s three giant monster movies.

■ Specifications
Height: 50 meters
Wingspan: 80 meters
Weight: 12,000 tons
Abilities: Ultra-high frequency sonic waves; Energy absorption; Shockwaves
Appearances: “Godzilla vs. Megaguirus”

Mechagodzilla, the Robot Monster

A weaponized anti-Godzilla robot created by the Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens based on research of Earth’s strongest living being, Godzilla. Stored in a secret dock underneath Mt. Fuji, it is controlled remotely by voice commands from an operating base concealed in a limestone cave in Okinawa. When it first appeared, its entire body was covered in pseudo-skin that disguised it as Godzilla, but it was eventually attacked by Anguirus, who had noticed something strange and decided to investigate. It drove Anguirus away and went on a rampage in Tokyo Bay’s industrial sector. “Fake Godzilla” has a metallic sounding voice, and its radioactive breath emits a glowing yellow color.

It has a body made of “space titanium”, an element stronger than steel, and an internal automated missile factory that can supply a limitless supply of warheads. In addition, it can also fly at high speeds using the jets in the soles of its feet. With its sizable number of thermal lasers, it was able to overwhelm and corner Godzilla, but Godzilla managed to paralyze it after electro-magnetizing his body, plucking off its head and leaving it to sink to the depths off Okinawa’s coast.

■ Specifications
Height: 50 meters
Weight: 40,000 tons
Abilities: Space beam; Fire breath; Finger missiles; Crossed attack beam; Neo Barrier force field; Foam shot; Homing missiles
Appearances: “Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla”

Mechagodzilla 2, the Robot Monster

Sunk to the bottom of the sea in Okinawa by Godzilla, Mechagodzilla was salvaged by the Black Hole Planet 3 Aliens and Dr. Mafune, who held a grudge against society. It was revamped in an underground base below Mt. Amagi into a more powerful anti-Godzilla robot weapon. Data from its previous battles was analyzed and used to equip it with abdominal armor, rotating missile arms, a double-reinforced electronic brain head-controller, and various other armaments. After this refurbishment, it teamed up with the dinosaur monster Titanosaurus to challenge Godzilla once again.

In addition to its increased weaponry, the newer model no longer operated by remote control, but instead was linked by Dr. Mafune’s daughter-turned-cyborg, Katsura. As long as she was alive, Mechagodzilla 2 could not be shut down.

The head from Mechagodzilla’s costume was reused with this version, but its body was reimagined. It was made from hard urethane and latex, and there were minor changes made to the chest circumference and abdominal design.

■ Specifications
Height: 50 meters
Weight: 40,000 tons
Abilities: In addition to the previous Mechagodzilla’s abilities, rotating missile arms and head-controller laser devices were added
Appearances: “Terror of Mechagodzilla”

Mechagodzilla, the Anti-Godzilla Weapon (UX-02-93)

A mobile anti-Godzilla weapon developed by the United Nations Godzilla Countermeasures Center (UNGCC) after requisitioning and analyzing the technology behind the 23rd-century cyborg King Ghidorah, which had earlier been defeated by Godzilla. Model number: UX-02-93. Its armor is made of a combination of an artificial diamond coating and the super-heat-resistant alloy “NT-1” engineered on orbital satellites, allowing it to completely withstand Godzilla’s heat rays. Not only is it outfitted with numerous anti-Godzilla weapons, it can also fly using four turbo jet engines. It can achieve a high maximum speed on land, but its main strategy is to wage mid-range aerial combat, bombarding its enemy while it hovers.

The Mechagodzilla in the Heisei series was a full-body costume made of thin, lighter weight fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP). However, because repairs became time consuming, it was decided before the start of filming to avoid shooting intense hand-to-hand fighting scenes.

■ Specifications
Height: 120 meters
Weight: 150,000 tons
Abilities: Laser cannon; Mega-Buster; Paralysis missiles; Plasma grenades; Shock anchors
Appearances: “Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II”

Super Mechagodzilla, the Anti-Godzilla Super Weapon

An upgraded form of Mechagodzilla featuring the experimental anti-Godzilla combat vehicle “Garuda” (model number: UX-01-92) fused to its back as a power generator. Super Mechagodzilla’s offensive power and its output have both been enhanced in the upgrade, with dual high-power Maser beam cannons on its shoulders serving as its primary weapons. Model number: UX-02-93.

Three operators rode inside the cockpit, operating the robot’s missile and beam weapons to launch full-fledged assaults, as well as utilizing the G-Crusher to fire an electrical current at Godzilla’s second brain in its waist. Like a moving fortress, it overwhelmed Godzilla with formidable firepower.

Early in the planning stages, there was talk about making it a combination of seven robots, but ultimately it was decided to make it a powered-up fusion of Mechagodzilla and Garuda.

■ Specifications
Height: 120 meters
Weight: 150,482 tons
Abilities: G-Crusher; High-power maser beam cannons
Appearances: “Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II”

Megalon, the Insect Monster

A descendant of a civilization from the Lemurian continent, which sank to the bottom of the ocean 3 million years ago. Adversely affected by weapons-testing carried out on the Aleutian Islands, the undersea kingdom retaliated by launching a land invasion. Megalon can move at high speeds underground by using its arms, both partitioned drills, in tandem. Its attacks include the spitting of napalm bombs from its mouth and the shooting of anti-beast lasers from the tips of its horns.

Megalon was born as a rival to the TV special-effects giant monster heroes during its day, and was designed as an amalgam of the beetle, the cicada, and other insects that were popular with children at the time. When moving, it makes great leaps like a grasshopper.

■ Specifications
Height: 55 meters
Weight: 40,000 tons
Abilities: Drill arms; Geothermal napalm bombs; Anti-beast lasers
Appearances: “Godzilla vs. Megalon”

M.O.G.U.E.R.A., the Anti-Godzilla Weapon

M.O.G.U.E.R.A. is the premier anti-Godzilla combat weapon developed under the supervision of Professor Alexander Mammilov of the United Nations Godzilla Countermeasures Center (UNGCC) for G-Force. It is a combination of “Land Moguera,” a special tank that comprises its upper half, and the “Star Falcon,” a large-scale fighter constituting its lower half. Its name is an acronym for “Mobile Operation Godzilla Universal Expert Robot Aero-Type”. In addition to walking with its legs, it can also use the large-scale treads on each leg for high-speed maneuverability. It also features an enhanced anti-Godzilla fixed armament. When SpaceGodzilla was charging in from an asteroid belt to attack, it switched to a propulsion system that allowed it to intercept the incoming foe outside the atmosphere.

M.O.G.U.E.R.A. was originally a draft of a robot that was scrapped during the planning stages of “Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II” (1993).

■ Specifications
Height: 120 meters
Weight: 160,000 tons
Abilities: Plasma laser cannon; Plasma Maser cannon; Auto-laser cannon; Spiral grenade missiles (additional equipment for SpaceGodzilla); Rotating cephalic horn (drill)
Appearances: “Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla”

Mothra, the Giant Mother Monster

A giant moth and the guardian deity of Infant Island in the Pacific Ocean. Starting from an egg, it grew into a larva, cocooned, and became an imago before ultimately maturing into its current colossal state. It flew to Japan to rescue the small, beautiful maidens who were kidnapped from the island by a party of explorers. Later, it flew over again to retrieve its eggs, which had washed up on Japan’s shores due to a large-scale typhoon. It was there that it engaged in a desperate battle with Godzilla, who was after its eggs.

The Heisei series Mothra in “Godzilla and Mothra: The Battle for Earth” (1992) was the guardian deity of the Cosmos, an indigenous people only 18 centimeters tall. In this version, Mothra hatched from an egg excavated by a Japanese firm that was doing construction and development on Infant Island.

Each of Mothra’s appearances in the Millennium series had different backgrounds. In “Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack” (2001), it was “Mothra, Guardian of the Sea”, one of the three guardian monsters that protect Japan. In “Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.” (2003), it was a descendant of the original Mothra. In “Godzilla: Final Wars” (2004), it was the guardian deity of Infant Island.

Mothra is a quintessential physical-effects monster, appearing more than any other guest character in the Godzilla series. In addition to the miniature from the original film “Mothra” (1961), a new model was created specifically for appearance in the Godzilla movies. In contrast to the more elliptical eyes of the original model, the new version featured nearly round eyes.

There were two types of props made for the new model: a self-propelled model and a hand-operated model. The mechanics of the self-propelled model later became widely used in TV special-effects miniatures.

■ Specifications
● Showa Series
Length: 135 meters
Weight: 15,000 tons
Wingspan: 250 meters
Larval Length: 180 meters
Abilities: Shockwave; Poisonous scale powder
Appearances: “Mothra vs. Godzilla”; “Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster”; “Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster”; “Destroy All Monsters”

● Heisei Series
Wingspan: 175 meters
Weight: 20,000 tons
Larval Length: 120 meters
Larval Weight: 15,000 tons
Abilities: Ultrasonic beam; Poisonous scale powder
Appearances: “Godzilla and Mothra: The Battle for Earth”; “Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla”

● “Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack”
Wingspan: 75 meters
Larval Length: 30 meters
Larval Weight: 10,000 tons
Abilities: Venomous stinger
Appearances: “Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack”

● “Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.”
Length: 36 meters
Wingspan: 108 meters
Weight: 12,000 tons
Larval Length: 43 meters
Larval Weight: 9,000 tons
Abilities: Poisonous scale powder
Appearances: “Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.”

● “Godzilla: Final Wars”
Length: 72 meters
Wingspan: 216 meters
Weight: 25,000 tons
Abilities: Bomber Lariat; Poisonous scale powder; Fire attack
Appearances: “Godzilla: Final Wars”

Monster X, the Meteorite Monster from Outer Space

This extraterrestrial monster was created to battle Godzilla. It first emerged from a giant meteorite known as “Gorath” that landed in Tokyo. Monster X is thought to be the ultimate weapon of the Xilien invaders, who approached mankind in a spirit of friendship. A biped with two slim legs, it attacks with greater power and speed than Godzilla while boasting such durability as to comfortably withstand the impact of a meteorite collision large enough to leave a giant crater. The gravity beam shot from the red eyes on its three heads is equal in power to Godzilla’s atomic breath. Upon being defeated, it undergoes a metamorphosis into Keizer Ghidorah.

This swift monster perfectly complements the furious, no-holds-barred action of “Godzilla: Final Wars” (2004).

■ Specifications
Height: 120 meters
Weight: 60,000 tons
Abilities: Gravity beam
Appearances: “Godzilla: Final Wars”

Rodan, the Giant Monster of the Skies

A monster hatched from the spontaneously-mutated egg of a Pteranodon that lay dormant at the foot of Mt. Aso. First debuting in the film “Rodan” (1956), Rodan was branded as one of Toho’s major three giant monsters along with Godzilla and Mothra, but it only made its second appearance in “Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster” 8 years later (1964). It boasts combat abilities rivaling those of Godzilla, flapping its wings to create powerful gusts of wind and lift its enemies high into the sky before dropping it to the ground. In its duel with the space monster King Ghidorah, it demonstrated its proficiency in combat by charging in the air with Mothra on its back spraying silk from the skies. In cooperation with Godzilla, it became a savior of the earth.

The version in “Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II” (1993) took the form of a descendant of a pteranodon that hatched and mutated from its egg after lying in a dormant state since the Mesozoic era on the Island of Adonoa in the Bering Sea. Stimulated by the wavelengths of ancient lotus japonicas plants that are amplified by a chorus of girls from the ESP Research Institude, it spit heat rays and mutated into “Fire Rodan”.

The Rodan in “Godzilla: Final Wars” (2004) was controlled by the Xiliens, invading New York and wreaking mass destruction. It also took down the Earth Defense Force (EDF)’s airship “Rumbling”, subsequently attacking Godzilla at the foot of Mt. Fuji along with King Caesar and Anguirus, but it found itself in an ambush instead.

■ Specifications
● Second Generation
Height: 50 meters
Wingspan: 120 meters
Weight: 15,000 tons
Abilities: Shockwaves; Wind gust
Appearances: “Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster”; “Invasion of Astro-Monster”; “Destroy All Monsters”

● “Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II”
Height: 70 meters
Wingspan: 150 meters
Weight: 16,000 tons
Abilities: Spits uranium heat rays (as Fire Rodan)
Appearances: “Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II”

● “Godzilla: Final Wars”
Height: 100 meters
Wingspan: 200 meters
Weight: 30,000 tons
Abilities: Crushing supersonic wave
Appearances: “Godzilla: Final Wars”

Godzilla (2014)

A relic species of an extinct organism which stood at the top of the ecosystem that was bombarded with high density radiation during Earth’s Paleozoic Era. It escaped to the deep sea during the mass extinction of all living things in the Permian period. Lurking for eons at the bottom of the ocean, where it managed to perpetuate its species, it appeared on land once again in the 1940s, when it was tracked by both U.S. and Soviet armies.

Able to walk upright vertically on two legs, it can survive on land, in water, and below the earth. It possesses tremendous physical strength, and in combat, most foes are overwhelmed just by the enormous destructive power of its long tail. Its ultimate weapon is the heat ray it blasts from its mouth.

Although this version of Godzilla was created in Hollywood entirely through CGI animation, the production team put great emphasis on giving it the sense of a costumed character. For the battle in the last scene, human movements were reproduced with CGI animation using motion capture technology, so that the characters’ personalities would shine through, allowing audiences to empathize with them.

■ Specifications
Height: 108 meters
Tail Length: 167.74 meters
Weight: 90,000 tons
Appearances: “Godzilla”

Moguera, the Space Robot

The Mysterians, an alien race who plotted to invade the earth, developed this large-scale robot for construction work during colonization. With body armor made of Mysteroid Steel, a substance boasting 200 times the strength of regular steel, it was deployed as an offensive weapon against the humans when they resisted. It moves through the earth by rotating its full-body treads and the drills on its arms and nose while emitting a signal.

Moguera debuted in the Sci-Fi movie “The Mysterians” (1957), becoming Toho Pictures’ first robot monster. During the planning stages it was made with full-body treads along with a miniature model featuring built-in mechanisms, but they did not operate smoothly, so a full-body costume ended up being used in the film.

■ Specifications
Height: 50 meters
Weight: 50,000 tons
Abilities: Death ray
Appearances: “The Mysterians”

Kamoebas, the Giant Turtle Monster

A space amoeba snuck into the capsule of the Helios 7 space probe that later crash-landed on Sergio Island in the South Pacific, allowing the amoeba to enter the body of a mata mata turtle that it then turned into a giant turtle monster. It attacks by tucking in its hands and feet while nimbly thrusting out its neck, head-butting its enemies. The hypersonic sounds of the bats living in the island’s limestone caves caused it to plunge into a state of confusion and lose control.

In its second appearance, it showed up as a carcass washed up on the shores of Kujukuri Beach in “Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.” It is widely believed to have received mortal wounds from Godzilla during a battle in the Pacific Ocean.

The original full-body costume boasted a meticulous attention to detail and lifelike realism. Together with the costumes for Ganimes and Gezora, which were created at the same time, this style of costume had a lasting influence on designers.

■ Specifications
Height: 20 meters
Weight: 28,000 tons
Abilities: Headbutt
Appearances: “Space Amoeba”; “Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.”

Meganulon, the Hideous Insect

The larvae of an ancient insect that emerged from a coal mine at the foot of Mt. Aso. Breeding in underground caves, the Meganulon feed on the humans around the coal mine one after another. Despite their hard exoskeletons that are impervious to bullets, they are a staple of the diet of the Pterosaur descendant, Rodan. Although they were brought back to life by the volcanic activity of Mt. Aso, the Meganulon were ultimately devoured by the hatchling Rodan.

The ancient insect Meganulon in “Godzilla vs. Megaguirus” (2000) lived in an ancient lake 300 million 5 thousand years ago, but they were thrust into the present day due to side effects from ground tests of the anti-Godzilla weapon Dimension Tide. They nested in Shibuya’s underground water veins as they prey on nearby residents.

The original Meganulon full-body costume was about 4.5 meters long and operated by three stuntmen. The Meganulon fed to hatchling Rodan were actually crayfish dressed up in miniature-sized costumes.

■ Specifications
● “Rodan”
Height: 8 meters
Weight: 1 ton
Abilities: Powerful Leg Pincers
Appearances: “Rodan”

● “Godzilla vs. Megaguirus”
Height: 2 meters
Weight: 500 kilograms
Abilities: Powerful Leg Pincers
Appearances: “Godzilla vs. Megaguirus”

The juvenile of Godzillasaurus found by Rodan hidden among the eggs in its nest on Adonoa Island in the Bering Sea. When hatched at a laboratory in Kyoto, it mistook the female researcher, Azusa Gojo, for its mother, and was raised by human hands. It possesses a kind of telepathic power and can send for help from family or allies when facing a crisis. Rodan, its brood-parasite parent, can also respond to its telepathy.

The idea for a young monster came not from Godzilla, but from the concept of a “cub Godzillasaurus”.

■ Specifications
Height: 164 centimeters
Weight: 420 kilograms
Total Length: 353 centimeters
Abilities: Telepathy
Appearances: “Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II”

Godzillasaurus, the King Dinosaur

A relic species of an ancient living being that once roamed all over the northern hemisphere. It is suspected that a living organism on the Island of Lagos in the Marshall Islands in the Pacific Ocean was later transformed into Godzilla. Though omnivorous and gentle, it has a habit of bravely confronting adversaries who dare step foot in its territory. Accounts of it repulsing advancing U.S. G.I.s from the island during the Pacific War endure to this very day.

Originally, the production team planned to have a Tyrannosaurus rex turn into Godzilla. However, this was shifted to the Godzillasaurus concept at the recommendation of the designers.

■ Specifications
Height: 12 meters
Weight: 60 tons
Abilities: Bite; Powerful tail-strike
Appearances: “Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah”

Godzilla Junior, the Mutated Dinosaur

The end result of LittleGodzilla’s accelerated growth due to the effects of a spontaneous explosion of natural uranium on Birth Island. Though Godzilla Jr. has developed the ability to fire atomic breath similar to Godzilla, its color is more similar to the green of LittleGodzilla, and its size is also relatively small.

While trying to return to Adonoa Island using its homing instincts, Godzilla Junior was trailed by Godzilla to Haneda Airport, where the two had a reunion of sorts. Godzilla Junior was subsequently attacked and killed by its mortal enemy Destoroyah, but ultimately it was able to return to life by absorbing the highly dense radioactivity emanated from Godzilla’s meltdown.

Godzilla Junior is designed to look like a halfway point between Godzilla and a dinosaur.

■ Specifications
Height: 40 meters
Weight: 15,000 tons
Abilities: Atomic breath
Appearances: “Godzilla vs. Destoroyah”

LittleGodzilla, Godzilla's Child

When Godzilla was on the verge of death, it showered BabyGodzilla with radioactive energy, transforming it into LittleGodzilla.

Its appearance closely resembles Godzilla, and it is similarly capable of shooting out atomic breath, albeit in a weaker form comprised of bubbles. When it feels afraid or senses danger its eyes glow bright red, and it can warn family members of danger with its telepathic power. Although LittleGodzilla has no direct blood relationship with Godzilla, both have developed a sort of sympathy with and dependence upon one another as members of an endangered species, and together they try to help each other. LittleGodzilla often grows quite attached to humans as well, and it loves to play pranks. It lives to serve as a bridge between humankind and Godzilla.

■ Specifications
Height: 30 meters
Weight: 8,000 tons
Abilities: Atomic bubble breath
Appearances: "Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla"